Spiridon made lamb kebabs. On the side was Tzatziki, which Spiridon explained was Greek yogurt with cucumbers and garlic, dolmades, which I had learned to love, and Kolokithopita, which were fried zucchini fritters.

I shoveled up some Tzatziki off my plate with a triangle of pita bread and took a bite. So yummy.

“We’re celebrating your moving into our house, Samoula,” Spiridon said from where he stood at the stove.

I wrinkled my nose. “What’s a Samoula?” I asked.

Christos chuckled. “It’s a Greek nickname for Samantha, right Pappoús?”

Spiridon turned around and smiled at me. “Yes. Now that you’re moving in with us, Samoula, you’re going to have to learn not only to eat Greek, but to speak Greek, think Greek, and live Greek. You did warn her about us, right Christos?” Spiridon winked at his grandson.

“Are you kidding, Pappoús?” Christos laughed. “If I’d told her what she was getting herself into, she would’ve run screaming back to Washington D.C.!”

“I would not,” I chuckled. I hadn’t even moved in yet, and already I felt completely at home in the Manos’ house, like I’d live here for years.

For the first time in my life, I felt a hint of what a home could be. Home was a grounded place. A place I’d dreamt of since I was a little girl, but never known firsthand. Home was a comforting, supportive environment.

I thought about my little corner of the art studio at the back of Spiridon’s house.

Home was also a nurturing environment. A place to help me grow, to allow me to become a woman. A place where I could gently set aside the girl within me and embrace the woman I was meant to be.

Sure, I recognized that my parents had done much to raise me. They had provided, they had directed. They had controlled. They had tried to make me a robot. A drone I never wanted to be.

I wanted to jump into life and discover things.

Christos had helped me do exactly that. It was as if he swam in a sparkling, magical ocean, and was constantly asking me to dive in with him and explore a vast, unknown world of exciting, enchanting possibility.

And now I had.

I was jumping in, all the way.

As the three of us ate together and filled our bellies with nourishing food while laughter filled our hearts, I felt like I was finally in the right place.

Finally home.

Christos had awoken me from a nightmare that had haunted me for my entire life.

Now I was alive.

I was awake, and I was never going back to sleep.

I was ready to live.

With Christos by my side.

After wiping his face with a napkin, Christos asked, “Do you still have those candy cigarettes?”

“I do,” I smiled. “They’re in my purse.”

“Good, because you’re going to need them.”

“When?” I asked coquettishly.

“Right after dinner,” Christos grinned. “Well, more like three hours after we finish dinner.”

“I have to wait that long?” I would never have had this conversation in front of my parents. I didn’t even think twice about how raunchy I must have sounded to Spiridon, who was sitting across the table from me.

“For the cigarettes, yes,” Christos clarified, “but no, we’re starting as soon as I clear the table.” He smiled his cockiest grin.

“Gosh, would you look at the time?” Spiridon said, standing up from the table. “I totally forgot I was meeting an old friend for drinks tonight.”

“Oh?” Christos asked. “Who?”

“Walt Childress,” Spiridon said.

“You mean Professor Childress?” I asked.

“One and the same,” Spiridon said.

“Really,” Christos smiled. “When was the last time you two hung out?”

“It’s been ages,” Spiridon mused.

I grinned, “Then I bet you two will have plenty of fun tonight.”

Spiridon chuckled, “If we don’t punch each other out the second we say hello, I’m sure we will.”

“You guys won’t fight,” Christos smiled warmly.

“Probably not,” Spiridon said. “We’re both too old to bother. I’ll probably be gone for awhile. Which means you two can have the house to yourselves.” He left the room while Christos and I cleaned up.

When Spiridon came downstairs, all dressed to go out, he said “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, you two.” He slid the sleeve of his jacket back over his watch and glanced at the time. “I’ll be gone, oh, let’s say, four hours? That should be long enough, no?” He winked at both of us.

I burst out laughing. He totally knew we were going to have sex. And I didn’t care! I couldn’t believe it. My parents would’ve slapped a chastity belt around me if they’d been here.

Christos chuckled and wrapped his arm around my waist. “Bye, Pappoús. Say hi to Walt for me.”

“Me too,” I said.

“Will do,” Spiridon said. “Have fun,” he waved, then walked out the front door.

Christos turned to face me, encircling me with his arms. He gazed down at me with his lustrous blue eyes, those glowing jewels that had captured my heart the moment I’d seen them in September.

“I love you, Christos.”

“I love you, agápi mou.”

My life was perfect. It couldn’t get any better

He leaned down to kiss me.

I was wrong. It could get better. Much better.

Our lips met and our tongues slid together.

We kissed for awhile in the kitchen.

“You know what I love about eating garlic?” Christos asked.

“What’s that?” I frowned, expecting the worst.

“When we both have it, neither of us seems to care,” he chuckled.

“I was thinking the same thing,” I giggled, and pushed away from him.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his lashes lowering seductively.

“Catch me if you can!” I turned and ran out of the kitchen, through the living room, and upstairs to his bedroom.

I was giggling the entire way. He was right behind me, pounding down the upstairs hallway.

I dove onto the bed and tumbled into the sheets.

He stood in the doorway, hunched over. “I’m going to eat you up, little girl,” he growled.

“Please do,” I said confidently.

He vaulted across the room, flying through the air.

“Christos!” I shrieked, scooting back from the edge of the bed.

He slammed onto the mattress, laughing and bouncing like a kid. “I’m ravenous, agápi mou. I haven’t had a thing to eat all day.”

“You just had dinner!”

“That was an appetizer. You’re the main course.”

He crawled over the bed and started tickling me.

“Christos! Stop!”

“Why?” he smiled. “I love getting you worked up.”

I pulled a blanket up to my chin. “I already am.”

“Then I’m going to have to rip your clothes off,” he leered.

“Please do.”

He slowly pulled the covers down my chest. My heart raced. My thighs quivered. I was completely dressed, but I knew my womanhood was wet and ready.

He pulled my shoes off, one by one. Then lifted my shirt over my head and dropped it on the floor. Bra next. This was so easy. Why had I ever been shy?

My full breasts spilled out, my nipples instantly hard in the cool room. Christos lunged at one breast with his mouth and sucked on my nipple while squeezing and kneading both breasts passionately with each hand.

I leaned back on the pillows as he consumed me.

“I need more,” he growled.

“Take it. Take me. Take everything. You have all of me, Christos.”

He grinned his cocky grin. “And you have all of me, agápi mou.” He unzipped my jeans and pulled them off. He smirked. “When are we going to get you some sexy underwear? You’re all about the cotton panties. I’m picturing thongs and G-strings to go with your perfect body,” he grinned.

“Maybe for Valentine’s Day?”

His eyes flashed. He took a deep breath, and sat back on his heels.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, concerned.

“No,” he smiled. “Everything’s fine. I just need to take my boots off.” He turned and sat on the edge of the bed, and slipped them slowly off. “Hold on, I need to use the bathroom.”

“Are you okay?” I asked, now decisively worried.

“No, I just need to take a leak. I’ve had to go for an hour.”

“Why didn’t you say something, silly?” I swatted his arm.

“I’m saying something now,” he flashed his dimpled grin, stood up, and went into the bathroom.

CHRISTOS

As soon as I closed my bathroom door, I turned on the water faucet. I leaned both hands on the sink, hanging my head. Fuck me.

My trial was on Valentine’s Day.

Fuck.

She didn’t know.

I still hadn’t told her.

How could I?

All of the good feelings spinning through my heart, through Samantha’s heart, flowing like love was supposed to flow: strong, powerful, eternal, all of it was going to come to a shrieking halt in a matter of days.

I didn’t want to ruin the mood. Not tonight.

This would be our Valentine’s Day celebration.

For me, anyway. I knew she’d be disappointed on the 14th. What girl didn’t want Valentine’s Day to be magical?

But how the fuck were you supposed to do that when you spent the entire day in a courtroom, watching your life hang in the balance?

I tried to push my misery out of my head.

Focus on the present moment.

Right now.

With Samantha.

“Are you okay in there, Christos?” Samantha asked through the door.

“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be out in a second.” I flushed the empty toilet bowl for effect.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I pictured Samantha’s amazing eyes. The naked, honest love I saw in them every time she looked at me. The love I wanted to protect from all the harm in the world.