Surrender: The Greek Affair Series Book One Read Online Free PDF

to experience this euphoric state of being, the feeling that comes just from the sun and the sea, good food and the people around her. There’s also relentless summer and ongoing summer island nights, the carefree state of being, which she has only ever experienced on the Greek islands, but mostly on this one, that she has fallen in love with. For Hope it’s almost like an “out of body experience”, this feeling that changes her personality, be that temporarily. She interacts more with people, goes to bars and clubs, makes friends more easily, (if only summer friends), and she is doing things she is not normally interested in, in her daily life.
    As they step into the club, Hope is on the tail-end of her company. She looks around at the vibrant place, pumping with music. She always admires the Greeks for their lightweight drinking habits. Drinking means dancing, and in places where food is consumed and alcohol is consumed in larger quantities, they break out into song, and it’s funny how a guitar materialises from nowhere. With some alcohol in them the Greeks become loud, the conversations have more gusto and the only thing they argue about is politics.
    One of the guys goes and gets drinks from the bar. Hope takes her drink, turns around and does what any self-respecting person would do, and that is to check out the crowd. She loves the summer outfits, clothes that cannot be worn anywhere else but on a Greek Island, not even in Athens, even though Athens is hotter. As much bare skin as possible accentuate the golden suntans. Hers is only just beginning; it will be a deep golden hue soon and by the time she leaves, she will be a light caramel colour, accentuating her hazel eyes.
    As she looks around she catches herself looking for Jason. “Geez get a grip”, Hope,” she tells herself, and forgets about him immediately.
    There is a wonderful beat in the club, the stars are above, and the club is in front of the sea. There is a bar counter halfway around in a semicircle, a wooden dance floor set up in the middle, on the sand, huge ceramic pots with large plants, lots of tables and chairs to sit and drink at, and from which to gaze at the stars and watch the reflection of the moon in the sea. And tonight it looks like it might be a half-moon. The warm breeze caresses Hope’s skin and sunburnt cheeks and at the same time, has a cooling effect, an amazing sensual feeling, as if the sun had not been enough during the day to arouse. The moon never disappoints in the summer on a Greek island!
    The paréa (group of friends) finds a table, they settle down and proceed with introductions by names. There are some new faces, unknown from last year. There are seven from last year and at least three more added this year. There seems to be more men than women, but no one cares and no one notices. They all have drinks, and they relax in the comfortable and attractive wicker armchairs, feet tapping to the beat of the music, and not much talking is done. It’s hard to have a conversation over the noise anyway. The music is retro, mostly 80s dance music, interwoven with some other eras. Before long, some of the tapping feet take to the dance floor.
    Hope watches the dance floor with a smile on her face as one of the guys dancing drags her by the arm to dance, because they are all up now, doing what one does best on a Greek island in the long hot summer late at night, to let go and forget the existence of any other life that gives you angst.
    It’s heady, exhilarating and very liberating. And it is maybe the only time Hope feels detached from life’s obstacles and all that could have been, all that may be, but most of all that will never be. She dances the night away and the time passes in the midst of a little alcohol and lots of music.
    And it’s at a moment of utter free fall from the music and dancing, that she suddenly sees him, standing by the bar, a cigarette in his hand, in black t-shirt and jeans, looking more like a rock