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PROLOGUE
DONE!
Maddie Ryan straightened, hot and sweaty beneath the sun that blazed frorubby hands on her curvy hips Every leaf and blooed in attractive groupings around the arcaded courtyard The ancient central stone fountain was beautifully restored and finally working, sending a silvery plu back into the shallow stone basin, creating lovely water music
Everything was ready for tonight’s party and her first iardener was successfully coiven by her best friend since schooldays, Amanda
Thinking of Arinned It was an unlikely friendship—everyone had said so—the tomboy and the fastidious, delicate blonde beauty But it had worked On leaving school, Alah horticultural college, hadn’t been envious, just happy for her—especially when she’d fallen in love and married a fabulously wealthy Greek tycoon
Then, threeday ‘How do you like the idea of a well-paid working holiday? Cristos has bought this fabulous villa just outside Athens The house is perfect but the grounds are a neglectedMoorish Could you take the cole ‘He’d do anything to please me He’s not like your normal Greek male; he treats women as if they have minds of their own!’
Toland with a fat cheque, a tan, and a bunch of happy memories—and the hope that her mother had fielded at least a couple of responses to her adverts in the local press while she’d been away
Turning to ation system that kept the planters watered, she noticed the stout wooden door that led fro out her lower lip, she huffed away the strands of cara with the thick upsweep of her lashes and got an unimpeded view of the hunk—no other description fitted—who had sauntered into the courtyard
Like her, he was dressed casually Alainst her skimpy cotton shorts, and an ancient black vest top that except for size matched her own One of the locals, she deduced as he strolled towards her, looking for casual work But, unlike the late adolescents she’d hired to help with the heavy stuff, this guy looked older—thirty-four or -five at a guess
Out of work, with a wife and a brood of young children? Looking to pick up a few days’ pay? What a waste With looks like his he would never want for work as a uarantee weak knees in the fe ht hint of sensuality, she listed to herself Adding, as he caed with sinfully long dark lashes
Those fascinating eyes held a question as he halted in front of her, and Maddie had to s an annoying constriction in her throat as she apologised with genuine sincerity ‘The project’s finished We’re no longer hiring I’m sorry’
‘Is that so?’ He didn’t look disappointed He actually s Fresh perspiration broke out on her short upper lip A dark eyebrow quirked ‘And you are?’
‘Mad’ Qualifying that quickly, in case he thought she really was, she went on, ‘Maddie Ryan Project designer’ Christened Madeleine because her ed for a daughter she could dress in pretty clothes and bring up to be ultra-fe but Mad—or Maddie, at a pinch—and could clearly ree of three or four, when her poorpink and frilly for her birthday party She had gone stiff as a board, screairly
She adored her parents, but she idolised her big brothers, and had always set out to prove she could do anything they could do—fro a home-made raft across the lake on the estate where her dad was ened herself to having a to plasters adorning her coltish legs, untaht possible