She laughed again. "Wel , I am, you fool, but I'm going to col apse from exhaustion any minute."

With a sudden grin, Nick swept her off her feet and into his arms. She circled his neck as his mouth came down on hers. "What are you doing?" she asked, when he let her breathe again.

"Taking what's mine."

His lips came back to hers and lingered. Slowly, almost lazily, he began to tease her tongue with his until he felt her breath start to shudder into his mouth.

He promised himself that when everything was over, he would kiss her again, just like this-luxuriously with the heat of the sun warming her skin. When the night's work was final y over, he thought, and for a moment his lips were rough and urgent. Needs rushed through him almost painful y before he banked them.

"So ..." He strol ed into the house, stil carrying her. "The captain came to see you.

He's very tenacious."

Morgan took a deep breath to bring herself back from the power of the kiss. "You said you were going to speak with him today, but I didn't know if you were ready.

If you'd gotten the information you needed. And to confess and humiliate myself, I'm a coward. I didn't want to face him again."

"Coward, Aphrodite? No, that's something you're not." He laid his cheek against hers a moment, making her wonder what was going on in his head. "I cal ed Mitilini," he continued, "I left a message for Tripolos. After our talk, he should lose al interest in you."

"I'l be devastated." He grinned and took her lips again. "Would you put me down?

I can't talk to you this way."

"I'm enjoying it." Ignoring her request, he continued into the salon. "Stephanos, I believe Morgan might like something cool. She had quite a run." "No, nothing real y. Efxaristo." Faintly embarra.s.sed, she met Stephanos's checkerboard grin.

When he backed out of sight, she turned her head back to Nick. "If you know who the man is who's running the smuggling, can't you just tel Captain Tripolos and have him arrested?"

"It's not that simple. We want to catch him when the cache is in his possession.

There's also the matter of cleaning up the place in the hil s where he keeps his goods stored before he ships them on. That part," he added with an absent interest, "I'l leave to Tripolos."

"Nicholas, what wil you do?" "What has to be done." "Nicholas-"

"Morgan," he interrupted. Standing her on feet, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You don't want a step-by-step description. Let me finish this without bringing you in anymore than I already have."

He lowered his mouth, taking hers with uncharacteristic gentleness. He brought her close, but softly, as if he held something precious. Morgan felt her bones turn to water.

"You have a knack for changing the subject," she murmured.

"After tonight, it's the only subject that's going to interest me. Morgan-"

"A thousand pardons." Stephanos hovered in the doorway. Nick looked up impatiently. "Go away, old man."

"Nicholas!" Morgan drew out of his arms, sending him a look of reproof. "Has he always been rude, Stephanos?" "Alas my lady, since he took his thumb out of his mouth."

"Stephanos," Nick began in warning, but Morgan gave a peal of laughter and kissed him. "Captain Tripolos requests a few moments of your time, Mr. Gregoras,"

Stephanos said, respectful y and grinned.

"Give me a moment, then send him in, and bring the files from the office."

"Nicholas." Morgan clung to his arm. "Let me stay with you. I won't get in the way."

"No." His refusal was short and harsh. He saw the hurt flicker in her eyes and sighed. "Morgan, I can't al ow it even if I wanted to. This isn't going to touch you.

I can't let it touch you. That's important to me."

"You're not going to send me away," she began heatedly.

He arched a brow and looked very cool. "I'm not under the same pressure I was last night, Morgan. And I wil send you away." "I won't go."

His eyes narrowed. "You'l do precisely what I say." "Like hel ."

Fury flickered, smoldered, then vanished in a laugh. "You're an exasperating woman, Aphrodite. If I had the time, I'd beat you." To prove his point, he drew her close and touched his lips to her. "Since I don't, I'l ask you to wait upstairs."

"Since you ask."

"Mr. Gregoras. Ah, Miss James." Tripolos lumbered into the room. "How convenient. I was inquiring for Miss James at the Theoharis vil a when your message reached me."

"Miss James is leaving," Nick told him. "I'm sure you'l agree her presence isn't necessary. Mr. Adonti from Athens has asked me to speak with you on a certain matter."

"Adonti?" Tripolos repeated. Nick watched surprise and interest move across the pudgy face before his eyes became direct. "So, you are acquainted with Mr.

Adonti's organization?"

"Wel acquainted," Nick returned mildly. "We've had dealings over the years."

"I see." He studied Nick with a thoughtful purse of his lips. "And Miss James?"

"Miss James chose an inopportune time to visit friends," Nick said and took her arm. "That's al . If you'l excuse me, I'l just see her out. Perhaps you'd care for a drink while you're waiting." With a gesture toward the bar, Nick drew Morgan out into the hal .

"He looked impressed with the name you just dropped."

"Forget the name," Nick told her briefly. "You've never heard it." "Al right," she said without hesitation. "What have I done to deserve this trust you give me?" he demanded suddenly.

"I've hurt you again and again. I couldn't make up for it in a lifetime."

"Nicholas-"

"No." He cut her off with a shake of his head. In an uncharacteristic gesture of nerves or frustration, he dragged a hand through his hair. "There's no time.

Stephanos wil show you upstairs."

"As you wish," Stephanos agreed from behind them. Handing Nick a folder, he turned to the stairs. "This way, my lady."

Because Nick had already turned back to the salon, Morgan fol owed the old man without a word. She'd been given more time with him, she told herself.

She couldn't ask for any more than that.

Stephanos took her into a smal sitting room off the master bedroom. "You'l be comfortable here," he told her. "I'l bring you coffee." "No. No, thank you, Stephanos." She stared at him, and for the second time he saw her heart in her eyes. "He'l be al right, won't he?" He grinned at her so that his moustache quivered. "Can you doubt it?" he countered before he closed the door behind him.

Chapter Twelve

There was nothing more frustrating than waiting, Morgan decided after the first thirty minutes. Especial y for someone who simply wasn't made for sitting stil .

The little room was shaped like a cozy box and done in warm, earthy colors with lots of polished wood that gleamed in the early afternoon light. I t was fil ed with smal treasures. Morgan sat down and scowled at a Dresden shepherdess. At another time she might have admired the flowing grace of the lines, the fragility. Now she could only think that she was of no more practical use than that pale piece of porcelain. She had, in a matter of speaking, been put on the shelf.

It was ridiculous for Nick to constantly try to ... shield her. Morgan's sigh was quick and impatient. Hadn't that been Liz's words when she had spoken of Alex's actions? After al , Morgan thought as she rose again, she was hardly some trembling, fainting scatterbrain who couldn't deal with whatever there was to face. She remembered trembling and fainting dead away in his arms. With a rueful smile, she paced to the window. Wel , it wasn't as though she made a habit of it.

In any case, her thoughts ran on, he should know that she would, and could, face anything now that they were together.

If he understood how she felt about him, then ... but did he? she thought abruptly.

She'd shown him, certainly she'd shown him in every possible way open to her, but she hadn't told him.

How can I? Morgan asked herself as she sunk into another chair. When a man had lived ten years of his life fol owing his own rules, courting danger, looking for adventures, did he want to tie himself to a woman and accept the responsibilities of love?

He cared for her, Morgan reflected. Perhaps more than he was comfortable with.

And he wanted her-more than any man had ever wanted her. But love

... love wouldn't come easily to a man like Nicholas. No, she wouldn't pressure him with hers now. Even the unselfish offer of it would be pressure, she thought, when he had so much on his mind. She was only free to go on showing him, trusting him.