CHAPTER 1 – Like Love at First Sight

ARIADNE

Another summer day in Greece, and there’s no better place to be than the beach: golden sand and turquoise crystal-clear waters. The scorching heat is torturing your body summoning you to dive into the sea.

It’s Saturday, and as always, at the weekends or whenever we have the chance, we head to one of the numerous coasts on the island on which we’ve resided for the last three years.

Living on an island like ours is ideal. It is quiet in winter, but the exact opposite in summer. Crowded with mostly families - and not wild teenagers who drink what is potable-. Full of shops, restaurants, activities, and events. It’s simply perfect. It feels like a never-ending vacation. Plus, it’s a safe place to raise your children.

My name is Ariadne Riga. Age 30. I am married to my lovely husband, Theo Nikolaou, who is a couple of years older than me. He is the love of my life, my best friend, my all.

We met at the university when we were studying together at the Department of Business Administration, though later we opted for different domains. He preferred management and now works as a staff manager in a well-known chain hotel, while I work as an event planner for a local company.

We both love our jobs; they provide us with the basics. We are neither rich nor poor. We make ends meet just on the dot. Financially, it is harder in the summers when the schools close because we must hire a full-time babysitter for our children.

My kids could be classified as vivid. However, I´m a proud mamá of three. My six-year-old twin boys, Mario and George, and my two-year-old daughter, Anna-Elisabeth. The boys love making pranks drifting along their not-so-innocent younger sister, making them all kings and queen of mischief.

Speaking of the devils…We were playing in the shallow waters with my boys after we took our turns swimming while Anna-Elisabeth was building a sandcastle along with her father. Of course, Theo couldn’t leave his princess without a castle. He always indulged her and helped her construct an even bigger one every time he got the chance.

I rubbed my hands on my eyes to take away the seawater. My boys kept splashing me mercilessly for the past ten minutes.

“I’m heading out. Enough for today.” I told them.

I walked out and splashed droplets of water on my man, who was now sipping his coffee while watching out for his daughter.

“Mind if I hit the shower?”

“No way, go ahead. You know I guard them like a Cerberus, especially that little lady over there.”

“Ha, ha, ha…That one today is really huge!” I laughed aloud.

“She keeps throwing sand at everyone’s feet who approaches her sandcastle, shooing them away!”

“Possessive, hmmm,” I told him, bending down and pecking his lips. “I’ll be right back.”

I always used to wash the seawater off me, it made me itchy. I followed the wooden path leading to the far end of the beach, right next to the bar where the showerheads were situated. When the wooden path ended, I had to run fast on my tiptoes towards the concrete surface due to the boiling sand burning my feet.

I opened the tap and let the lukewarm water fall over me, gently rubbing my body. I then untangled my long hair to clean it up, too. I enjoyed the water for a minute; it was rejuvenating.

Once I finished, I walked a few steps forward and turned my back to the crowd behind me. I squeezed my bra cushions to remove the excess water, then twisted my hair to drain them, and finally bent over and started combing my hair and mixing them slightly to create my natural loose curls. With a sudden move, I stood up straight, only to notice someone standing a few meters in front of me. Nice calves, I thought. I always noticed the legs of men. Well, I used to. Before I got married.

I probably made the poor man wet all over.

“Oops!” I blushed.

“I believe this belongs to you,” came his deep, masculine, seductive voice, referring to me.

I slowly raised my gaze from his feet to his tights. Oh, nice quadriceps, too. This guy must certainly work out hard. He had an impressive body.

I abruptly raised my head to his face, and I got lost in these deep ocean-blue eyes of his, staring back at me. It seemed as if he was looking right through me. Right into my soul…

Silence.

Something clicked in me, and if I weren’t married and still madly in love with my Theo, I would say that this moment right here, right now would be a great example of the definition of “Love at first sight”.

I didn’t allow myself to linger on his gorgeous characteristics.

God… It was unholy!

I shook my head harshly, coming out of my hypnosis, and lowered my eyes to his hand. He was holding my hair elastic, returning it to me. I instinctively touched my wrist, only to find it absent from its usual place.

“Thank you, kind sir, I must have dropped it,” I said, taking it back and securing it on my wrist.

He was so serious, and I couldn’t help but flash him one of my signature smiles, which he mirrored right away.

Gosh! Has the sun started shining brighter, or was it just his smile that illuminated the entire area? Was that even possible?

I started feeling a little awkward standing like this in front of him, so I asked him the first thing that came to mind.

“Tourist, huh? First time in Greece?”

“Yes.” He bluntly replied after a few moments, returning to his serious posture while tightening his hands into fists.

What have I done to him? He looked back at me with so much hatred.

“Well, enjoy yourself, kind sir. Here on our beautiful island, and don’t stop only here. We have many of them around waiting to be explored.” I suggested.

“Are you a tourist, too?” he inquired, obviously relaxing.

“Something like that… I guess I’m a permanent one. I work here.” I answered.

“Ok.” He mumbled back casually.

“I should get going. Sorry, I doused you with water earlier.” I apologized.

“No problem.” He grinned widely.

“Enjoy your vacation, kind sir.” I half-smiled at him. Turning to leave. Why did I bother talking to him, anyway?

“It’s David.” He introduced himself, offering his hand. I turned back again. These good manners of mine!

“Ariadne,” I responded. I reciprocated his handshake, only to flinch at our touch. This mere contact caused a spark of electricity in the first spot he touched. His large hand grabbed my small one, shaking it gently after letting it go. His touch didn’t bother me at all. It was pleasant and welcome. But that sting of pleasurable pain the exact moment he touched me… Was it static electricity? It felt good. I liked it. It also brought butterflies into my stomach.

But it shouldn’t.

I´m taken. Married. End of story.

That whole situation was a first. Only my husband has made me feel love-struck like that. Me and that David? No way. Not accepted. I’m strictly monogamous.

I turned and left without saying a word.

Bothered and confused.