Greek for Beginners by Jackie Braun Read Free Book Online

it was in that delicious accent, caused heat to curl low in Darcie’s belly. Sitting with Nick inside the little café, she felt worldly, sophisticated and a lifetime removed from the awkward young woman from Buffalo who had allowed herself to be browbeaten into inertia by Tad’s overbearing mother.
    Darcie was pleased to find her voice was magnificently matter-of-fact when she replied, “It’s clear, Nick. So, what is this proposition of yours?”
    â€œI would like to invite you to dinner tonight.”
    â€œDinner?” She blinked.
    Maybe she’d heard him wrong. Darcie wasn’t disappointed, but she was somewhat surprised. Sharing another meal seemed, well, a little mundane given his dramatic lead-in. Maybe proposition had a different meaning in Greece than it did back in the United States. Or maybe she’d imagined the speculative gleam in his eyes. Or maybe she was just too long out of practice with members of the opposite sex to be able to figure out their intentions beyond mere flirting.
    â€œDinner. Yes.” He hesitated then before adding. “With my family.”
    Her mouth fell open at that. She knew she was gaping, yet it was a full thirty seconds before she could force her lips to close. She’d dated Tad for more than a year before he’d taken her home to meet his mother. Little had she known then that he’d been doing her a favor. Still...
    â€œAre you going to say anything?” Nick asked at last. A grin lurked around the corners of his mouth.
    â€œSorry,” she mumbled. “I’m just a little surprised by the invitation.”
    â€œI have no doubt of that. We have only just met, after all. And it is a big favor to ask.”
    The server returned with their bottle of water, a couple of glasses and two demitasse cups of coffee, forestalling her reply. Darcie took a sip of the coffee. It was stronger than she was used to, very sweet and hot enough that it burned her tongue. She barely noticed the pain. She was too preoccupied with the gorgeous man sitting across from her. Things like this didn’t happen to her. There had to be a catch. Or a camera crew lurking nearby, waiting to jump out and tell her she’d been punked.
    She glanced around, ruled out a hoax and asked, “Why do you want me to meet your parents?”
    â€œNot only my parents. My grandmother will be there as well.”
    â€œWhy not?” She lifted her shoulders. “The more the merrier.”
    â€œYes.” But there was nothing merry about his expression. He looked downright grim.
    â€œSo, um, why? Not that I’m not flattered by the invitation,” she hastened to assure him. “But I’m curious.”
    â€œI told you that I was in Athens because my brother is to be married.”
    She nodded. “In two weeks.”
    â€œMy mother and grandmother have had their heads together for months trying to find a date for me.”
    â€œYou can’t find one on your own?” Darcie winced as soon as the words were out. “What I mean is, so you are single.” She winced again and picked up her coffee, braving a second burn on her tongue if it would keep her from blurting out any more embarrassing remarks.
    â€œI’m not in a relationship at the moment.” A pair of dark brows rose. “And you? I should have thought to ask if you are involved with anyone.”
    â€œNope. No one.”
    And she had to admit, her emancipation — that was how she was coming to view it — felt pretty darned good right now. She was free. Free of Tad’s lukewarm affection and his mother’s passive-aggressive jabs. Free of her own mother’s well-meaning interference and her married sisters’ well-meaning advice. Free of self-doubt. Well, mostly free. Yes, Darcie was happily free to flirt, to enjoy the company of a handsome man and to accept, if she so chose, his invitation to dinner.
    And she so chose.
    His dark eyes