Page 71 of Forever Fascinating

“Slow… doesn’t mean ‘never starting’something between us,” she urged tenderly. “Let’s head back, enjoy our evening together, and have something traditional for dinner.”

* * *

They walked back,hand in hand, silently through the crowded cobblestone paved streets until coming upon a tiny restaurant a block from the hotel that looked like it was something straight out of a magazine of Mykonos. The outside was painted white stucco and was open-air. They were sitting at a small table together, watching the crowds of people walk past, while holding hands across the table.

This all seemed so magical, so surreal.

“Do you like seafood?” Matthew asked, studying the menu, and looking around at the plates on other tables.

“I like food –period– remember?” she teased and pointed. “But that, over there, looks incredible… and enough for two.”

As the waiter came over, Matthew ordered whatever was being served at the other table she’d pointed out and then pointed at the menu before holding up his fingers.

“Two?”

“What are you getting?”

“We are going to try a Greek cocktail with dinner,” he smiled. “Not getting trashed, but I do want to sample something while we are here. Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” she smiled and looked at him in confusion as a small aperitif glass was set down before both of them. Picking it up, she sniffed it, before rearing back. “Licorice?”

“Is it really?” he laughed, smelling his own glass, before looking at her with wide-eyed surprise. “Oh, my goodness, it does smell like licorice, doesn’t it?”

He held up his glass, smiling at her.

“Yes?” she said quietly, waiting, because he always seemed to start out a little toast and know what to say… but this time he was silent.

“I’m at a loss for words because of the incredible woman I’m with,” he began quietly, not looking away from her. Blinking back tears, she smiled at him, nodding.

“To beautiful beginnings… no matter how long it takes to get there together,” she filled in, tapping her glass against his as they both took a sip and looked at each other in surprise.

The clear liquor was unforgettable. Pungent, sweet, almost silky smooth, but it made the back of her tongue burn slightly as it trailed down her throat leaving a path. She drew in her breath after her sip and saw Matthew did the same, shaking his head with the sip.

“Whew… that’s strong,” he admitted, gasping slightly.

A plate appeared a few sips later, and Jana was feeling the potent alcohol already. The platter was piled high with a variety of seafood, potatoes, leeks, eggplant, and something that looked like artichoke hearts.

The waiter dropped off a few more glasses, causing her and Matthew to look at each other in surprise.

“Did you order another?”

“No…” he scoffed, smiling lazily. “I’m feeling it already after one. You think I would order a second one? Let’s eat and hopefully it will dilute whatever this stuff is.”

They began to eat, and Jana was truly glad she wasn’t squeamish. The seafood still had the heads on them, and she laughed as Matthew wasn’t so lucky. He flinched every time he twisted a head off, using a napkin to cover part of it.

“What are you doing?” she asked, laughing at him.

“I can’t pull them apart while they are staring at me,” he explained, laughing easily, and she could tell he was certainly tipsy… only to see the waiter drop off another drink before they’d touched the second one.

“Here,” she laughed, pulling apart several and hiding the ‘heads’ under a napkin for him. “Now, they aren’t watching you eat them.”

“My hero…” he chuckled gratefully, weaving slightly in his seat, before picking up his glass and emptying the first one, putting it on the edge of the table, near her empty glass.

“I had to find a way to save my beloved hero,” she smiled, chuckling, and shaking her head. “Ready for round two?”

“I don’t know…” he admitted in disbelief, laughing, and shaking his head.

“I’m glad we are so close to the hotel.”

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