Marrying The Boss by Judi Nolan Page B

cut off by
the strident ringing of the telephone. Spencer apologized as he
turned away, reaching out an arm to hook the receiver and bring it
to his ear.
    " Spencer Stelanos." He listened to the
caller for a long moment, his expression darkening.
" Kali mera,
Papa ."
    Kate guessed he was speaking with his
father as Spencer's lips tightened. As he replied the intriguing
intonations when he spoke rapidly in Greek rippled across her skin,
raising fresh goose-bumps.
    She clearly heard the tightly controlled
undercurrent of anger in his voice. Whatever his father was saying
to him, he didn't like it. Spencer's face darkened to thunderous as
the dialogue continued. His tone had become clipped and curt. Kate
heard the sudden click from the other end as the connection was
slashed.
    " Yassou , Papa ." Spencer shook his head as he dropped the receiver back
into its cradle.
    He looked up at Kate. "Apparently my aunt
has seen fit to telephone my father and complain about my treatment
of her." He pushed his fingers through his hair. "She got him out
of bed. He was phoning from Melbourne to get my side of the story.
He isn't pleased."
    " I'm sorry." Kate shifted in acute
discomfort. "It sounded like the two of you were having an
argument."
    " It's a Greek thing; we always sound like
we're arguing. You get used to it." Spencer's mouth twisted. "Papa
gets excited if he thinks any of his family isn't getting a fair
deal. I think I put him straight on a few salient points. There
won't be any more complaints."
    His expression became grim. "It was my
father's idea that Alexia came to live with us when Katerina left.
He's convinced I can't look after myself. That a Greek man cannot
be allowed live alone. It isn't the right thing."
    His frowning gaze moved over Kate's face.
"I'm told I need a woman to look after me, to keep house and
maintain order in my life. I guess as some kind of substitute for a
mother my son hasn't seen in over three years."
    " And you disagree with your father."
    " Jamie and I can get by on our own." He
seemed to look through her. "Maybe it's time we did that. I'll
speak to Alexia about her stirring up trouble to no good account.
See what she has to say for herself."
    Kate put down her empty coffee cup. "Well,
I think it's well past time I left. I hope you manage to work
things out with your aunt. Please let me know if there's anything
more I can do to help."
    " Thank you. And thanks again for tonight."
Spencer moved closer to escort her out of the house. His hand
settled into the small of her back as he leaned past her to open
the door. "I couldn't have done it without your help."
    " I enjoyed looking after your son." Kate
leaned down to slip on her sandals. She straightened to find his
blue eyes watching her with an unfathomable expression.
    Spencer shoved his hands into the pockets
of his jeans. "Perhaps you'll let us repay you with that invitation
to dinner. When we've got everything sorted out."
    " Perhaps." Kate nodded, trying to read his
face in the darkness. Her heart did an odd little flip. She
searched for safer ground. "You said earlier that you went back to
see Ryan McCarthy. How is he?"
    " A lot better. The antibiotics are starting
to have an effect. He should come through it without any permanent
scarring. He's very lucky we got to it in time."
    " Yes, lucky that you could recognize what
had bitten him." She paused for a long moment. " Yassou ." She hitched a breath, testing the
strange new word with her tongue.
    In the cool, morning light she saw
Spencer's quick, approving smile gleam in the soft shadows of his
face. Its vital warmth curled through her senses, leaving her even
more confused. This man was finding his way into her thoughts far
too often. It wouldn't do. They could have nothing
together.
    " Yassou , Kate," he replied, his gaze suddenly intense.
" Efcharisto, thank you. And since I've kept you so late, you should take
the rest of the morning off. Catch up on some sleep. I would walk
you home, but