Chapter 25
Several weeks later…
Ries and Stephanie had settled into a happy existence in Thessaloniki, finding their own villa where they weren’t constantly surrounded by the Moustakas family.
Alexi and Leo had extended to them a long-term place to stay, but Ries had politely declined, wanting to recapture the early days when he’d had Stephanie to himself.
Stephanie still spent plenty of time with Gemma, Kassi, and Aimee, but never without her security detail in attendance.
Ries had explained that he needed to know she was safe in order to concentrate on his own tasks, and she’d capitulated with a smile.
A vast difference from before when he’d tried to control her movements to keep her safe.
This way was much better for both of them.
He knew where she was at all times and that she was being protected, but he discussed all of his concerns with her, and she was free to come and go without fear that he might object.
They had hired a housekeeper and as each day passed, Ries became more certain that Stephanie belonged in his life. Forever.
He was slowly learning all about her likes and dislikes, her dreams, her successes and her failures, and eventually he was able to piece together all of the romantic dreams she’d let go because she’d been too afraid of never realizing them.
His Stephanie was a romantic at heart and Ries found he wasn’t averse to providing her all of the romance she could handle.
This day, he had a monumental task ahead of him and he rose early in the morning and had a video chat with his brothers.
“Ries,” Nicolai greeted him, obviously just having returned from working out as he was covered in a sheen of sweat.
“Nicolai. Good morning. Damon, you look as if you’ve been up for hours.”
“I have been. To what do we owe the pleasure of this call so early?” Damon inquired.
Ries took a breath and then lifted up the jeweler’s box so that they could see inside it. “I’m going to ask Stephanie to marry me.”
Nicolai grinned and cheered him on. “Way to go, brother. I like her and think the two of you make a wonderful couple. What do you say, Damon?”
“You’re sure about this?” Damon asked, his face not giving away anything he might be feeling.
Ries sighed, “I was hoping for your support but I see that even in this…”
“Now, wait a minute!” Damon exclaimed. “Look, I’m trying here. If Stephanie makes you happy and you really and truly love her, then I am all in support of you marrying her. I just don’t want to see you make a mistake.”
“He’s still in ‘big brother, I need to protect Ries’ mode,” Nicolai offered.
Ries nodded, “I realize that. But Damon, I’m old enough to fight my own battles now and while I appreciate your concern - they are my choices. And I choose Stephanie. She makes me a better man. She makes me want to conquer the world.”
Damon finally smiled, the most genuine smile Ries had seen in many years. “I know,” he said. “Even I’ve seen the change in you. If that is due in part to her presence in your life, I will personally perform your wedding ceremony.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Ries grinned. “However, I would like for you both to be there.”
“Have you asked her yet?” Damon asked, relaxing now and for the first time in years, acting like an older brother instead of Ries’ keeper.
“This afternoon. On the beach.”
“Think she’ll say yes?” Nicolai teased him.
“I think she will. Can you both come to the mainland this weekend?”
“Are you planning on having an engagement party?” Damon asked.
“No. I’m planning on having a wedding,” Ries replied.
“A wedding? Ries that’s only three days away,” Damon told him with an astonished shake of his head.
“If she says yes and we both know we want to get married, I see no reason to wait. She doesn’t have any family or friends that would need to come here from the States, so why not get married right away?”
“She might have something to say about that,” Nicolai warned him.
“Well, if she does then of course, I’ll adjust. But I know Stephanie and I think she’ll be ecstatic to get married in short order.”
“Well, good luck and let us know how it goes,” Damon said, biting back more commentary with visible effort. “We’ll plan on flying over on Friday.”
“Good. I’ll see you then.”
Ries disconnected the call and then stared at the ring. It wasn’t the biggest diamond he’d been able to find, nor was it flashy and full of extra diamonds and bling. It was a simple solitaire - princess cut - that sparkled in the sunlight. Just like Stephanie.
He tucked it away in his pocket and then went to make sure everything else was prepared for their afternoon at the beach.
He’d already had the security men make sure there wouldn’t be anyone offshore that might be able to photograph them, since the stretch of beach attached to the villa was a private one.
He didn’t have to worry about sharing this special moment with anyone but the love of his life.
Four hours later…
“Stephanie, you’re going to get burned if you stay in the water any longer,” Ries told her.
He was used to the Grecian sun, but Stephanie’s fair skin tended to burn unless she reapplied sunscreen every hour. It was already turning a faint pink and when she didn’t immediately stop looking for shells, he took matters into his own hands.
He swept her up into his arms, twirling them around, and carried her up to the blanket and large umbrella that had been set up for their picnic. He set her down and then handed her a towel for her hair.
“I love this place,” she told him as she dried her hair with the towel and then finger combed it into some sort of order. “Thank you for bringing me here today. I enjoy going to the beach with Gemma and the other women, but I’d much prefer to come to the beach with you.”
Ries smiled at her, enjoying the sight of her in the deep red bikini.
The two triangles of fabric that made up the top, barely covered her ample breasts, and Ries knew from experience that a simple tug on the strings at her neck and across her back would have it falling off to reveal the treasures beneath.
The bikini bottom was a glorified thong that rode low on her hips and barely covered up things only his eyes should see. She was a goddess of perfection, even though she still didn’t think of herself in those terms. Ries was working on that.
“Phew! It’s hot today.”
“Yes, but not as hot as you are,” he teased her, trying to allay his nerves now that the moment was upon him. He reached into the pocket of his swim shorts, making sure he had the ring box, and then reached for her hand. “Take a walk with me.”
“Sure.” She held his hand and they began to walk toward the far end of the beach. There was a small cove at the end of the beach and Ries led her there and then pulled her up onto the rocks alongside him.
Stephanie was delighted with the view. “Why haven’t we come here before? This is going to become my new favorite place.”
“I hope for more than one reason,” Ries told her, getting down on one knee and then pulling her hand so that she would turn and see him.
He watched her eyes go wide as she began to suspect what was happening, and Ries knew he’d never seen anything so beautiful as Stephanie, with the wind blowing in her hair, the sun shining overhead, the turquoise sea behind her and fluffy white clouds on a blanket of blue sky above.
“Theé, eísai ómorfi.” Ries pulled the jeweler’s box from his pocket and held it out to her.
“Stephanie Harris, you are the light in the dark that points me in the right direction. Because of you, I’m becoming a man I can look in the mirror and be proud of. You have changed me for the better, and I can’t imagine this world without you in it.”
He opened the box and then met her eyes, hoping she could see the love he had for her in his gaze. “I love you, and I want to wake up next to you each and every morning for the rest of our lives. Will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife?”
Stephanie was crying by this time and she knelt in front of him, nodding her head as he pulled the ring from the velvet lining and slid it onto her finger.
She threw herself in his arms then, almost knocking them both off of the rock, but Ries steadied them and hugged her close before kissing her passionately.
Ries got to his feet and helped her down off the rock.
Once they were back on the white sand beach, he swept her up into his arms and carried her back toward the blanket, kissing her the entire way.
He set her down on the blanket, but when she tried to pull him down to the blanket, her intentions obvious, Ries shook his head and backed away.
“No, I want us to wait.”
“Wait?” Stephanie asked, looking at him curiously.
“Call me old-fashioned, but I want us to wait so that our wedding night is one we will never, ever forget.”
“Okay,” she agreed with him and Ries could tell she was very puzzled by his request.
“How about we go for another swim?” he suggested, not wanting to test his resolve by remaining within easy touching distance of her delectable body.
“Sure. I’ll need some more sunscreen, though.”
Ries gritted his teeth but nodded and dutifully applied it. His fingers itched to untie her suit, but he held firm, his resolve for a quick wedding becoming more of a necessity now. He led her toward the water and then held her hand while they waded in the surf.
After several minutes, he pulled her to face him and asked, “So, I was thinking Saturday might be a nice day to get married.”
“Saturday weddings are nice.”
Ries smiled and then clarified his statement. “This Saturday.”
Stephanie’s mouth opened on the words, but no sound came out on the first try. “You want to get married in three days?”
“Exactly. My brothers are coming over Friday to be here for it.”
“Ries, we can’t get married in three days.”
“Why not? You want to marry me. I want to marry you. And believe me, keeping my hands off of you for three days is going to test my self-control to the edge of reason.”
Stephanie looked at him and then burst into laughter. “You’re the one who decided we shouldn’t mess around now.”
“And I intend to stick to that, but you have to marry me Saturday.”
Stephanie turned and pressed her chest against his own, “I’ll marry you any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”
“Good. I spoke with Gemma and Aimee this morning. They are taking care of all the details and have requested you join them tomorrow morning to pick out your wedding dress.”
He kissed her and then, needing to cool them both off, he swept her up into his arms and carried her out into the ocean. He tossed her into the air before diving beneath the waves himself. They cavorted in the water until her skin was once again turning pink, and then they returned to the villa.
After showering separately, Ries escorted Stephanie over to the Moustakas estate to share her news. The women were happy for her and insisted she sit with them and detail her dream wedding.
It was almost ten o’clock that night before they returned to their own home, but Stephanie couldn’t stop smiling and Ries couldn’t wait until she bore his last name.
Stephanie was his, and he couldn’t wait to let the rest of the world know that.