Here comes the next chapter, it's going to be exciting. Let's read on. 6, 7, 8

Chapter 3:

"I followed you, Matt, you need to remember that I'm the only girl for you." Sarah said.

Sarah smiles expecting an answer until Matt says, "Wait, excuse me?" "Come on, now. I'm sorry about how things went down. Isn't it about time you forgave me?" Sarah said grinning like a fool.

Matt then turned to leave not giving a response as Sarah said, "Wait, wait, wait, Matt… okay, I know the one thing you wanted more than anything was to get married, so here…"

Sarah then pulled out a ring box revealing a ring, it had been the same one that Matt had proposed to Sarah with as Matt said, "No, Sarah, I am not getting engaged to you, Nor am I re-proposing to you either, if you even think about getting me in some kind of legal document, it ain't gonna work. Plus only reason you'd want to get engaged again is to go after my money, that's why you came back."

Sarah gasped loudly until she said, "I would never…" "Save it, I'm not in the mood. You always pushed it back. So I'm not getting involved."

Sarah got angry saying, "Fine, somebody contacted me about your Grandmothers' final wish for you. Plus this was a perfect opportunity, we get married as planned and split the money 70-30." "70 being you and 30 being me." Matt guessed.

"Yes, basically." Sarah replied grinning.

Matt gets a murderous look on his face before leaning into her saying, "We're done, okay? I'm never changing my mind. If you even think about trying to change my mind, I will make sure you're wiped off the face of the earth, no one will find you, you'll be a cold case for many years. So leave me alone."

Matt walked away back to where his siblings where as he moved along the ruins of the Acropolis as he then says to himself, "Not going to let this latest stunt from Sarah ruin this amazing trip for me!"

Soon he hears a woman cry out as he races over to help out a woman that tripped on a rocky outcrop stumbling to the ground, as he steps in to catch her.

"Whoa!" Matt says as the girl throws her arms around his neck saying, "Thanks!" "It's okay, I've got you, Miss…" "Angela, Angela Martinelli. And you are…?" "Matthew Patterson but you can call me Matt." "Nice to meet you, Matt."

Angela breaks the embrace as Matt recognises her as the girl from Venice he had met, but still he couldn't remember from where he had recognised her from before Venice.

Matt smiles saying, "Trust me, pleasure is mine. It's not every day a gorgeous woman falls into my arms." "It's not every day that a handsome guy catches me."

Matt flashes his mega-watt grin saying, "Lucky day for the both of us." "Don't tell me you're wasting the day swimming through tourists."

Matt chuckles saying, "I enjoy history, but I was wondering whether we had met before." "What makes you think so?" "I don't know, just get that feeling and I always remember a beautiful face."

Angela blushes saying, "You know to think about it, I kinda seeing you before, wearing a uniform." "Well, why don't we… get on out of here and see Greece and maybe we can help each other remember."

Angela looks seeing three people smiling as she says, "Might want to let your family know."

Matt looks over as Adam gives him a thumbs-up and mouths to him, "LUCKY. DEVIL."

Matt nods but turns to Angela saying, "No, they'll be fine, normally they'll tell you to keep me out with you for as long as you can, so why don't we get going?" "Let's go, cowboy."

Matt raises an eyebrow saying, "What makes you think I'm a cowboy?" "Tall, muscular, handsome, sure you don't have a hat?" Matt chuckles saying, "Wish I did, but no, not a cowboy."

The pair then head to Omonia Square in downtown Athens heading for a smaller square with few tourists. Matt then asks, "Forgive me for asking, but, where are we?" "Welcome to the real Athens."

Matt and Angela walk into the crowded street as Matt guides her through the crowd as Angela says, "You don't waste any time, do you? Already met and you have your arms around me." "I'm behaving." "Matt!" the pair laugh.

Matt then says, "We should get to know each other a little better first." "Definitely! I like to be living on the edge and be myself, you know." "Reckless, breaks the rules, I always do that unless I have a perfectly good reason to do so, normally I'm a by the book person." "Yeah, that's me as well, although you may have to give me a good reason, you know."

Matt smirks saying, "Gotta give you a good one, then." "You up for the challenge?" "Always up to the challenge, no matter how big or small."

Angela smiles saying, "We could grab a bite to eat, there's a local marketplace and a hole in the wall restaurant." "I like the marketplace, nice, big crowds." "You a big crowd person?" "Not really, but uh for some reason, I just blend in, you know." "Yeah, me too."

The pair walked out of an alley into a marketplace. There were rows of booths. Each manned by a shopkeeper shouting in Greek.

Angela then said, "This was the right choice." "Spending the day with me? I am flattered." "I meant picking the marketplace. I love the chaos of the street. Smell of spices in the air and the sun on my face. And hanging out with you is amazing as well." "I'm flattered, Angela." "Call me Angie, Matt."

Matt smiled widely as Angela felt her insides turn to goo. The wind had both greeted them as Angela said, "Ooh, Gyros, I love those!" "Alright, what one do you like?" "Spicy lamb." "Sure, how about some ouzo to share?" "I'm in." "Alright."

Matt had walked up to the proprietor and said, "Γεια σου, μπορώ να πάρω δύο γυροσκόπια, τόσο πικάντικα όσο και ένα μπουκάλι ούζο;" "Το πήρατε, φίλε μου!" the manager nodded as Matt prepared money handing it over to him, in return, he received 2 gyros and a bottle of ouzo as he nodded in thanks.

Angela looked surprised as she said, "You speak Greek?" "Like a native, learned overseas." Matt answered.

"What were you?" "Ηνωμένο Σώμα Θαλάσσιων Σωμάτων, λοχίας Master Gunnery, κυρία, 4ετής κτηνίατρος, πριν από τη Νέα Υόρκη PD από το 2015."

Angela smiled saying, "Did you ever make it to Cordonia?" "I was in Cordonia. my first few months in the Scout Snipers."

Angela nodded, "Thank you, for your service." "Ma'am." "I have to admit, I'm glad I'm here with you. Although, I can't believe any of this happening."

Matt looked puzzled saying, "How do you mean?" "I'm on a date with a total stranger, one I remember from Cordonia, when things got bad." "Yeah, it was a rough time." Matt said.

Angela then said, "You looked unhappy with somebody, a woman, correct?" "Yeah, I was engaged to her for 2 years ago, she cheated on me while I was risking my neck for my country and my city, guess, I was a fool." "You in need of some serious spice in your life?" "With somebody that I trust, yeah. Been without it for 2 years, now I'm just old."

Angela chuckled saying, "You're not old, I'll show you some spice." Angela mischievously grinned flirtatiously.

Matt returned the smile flirting with the gorgeous woman in front of him as he offered Angela his hand and the two linked together hand in hand.

Angela then smiled saying, "Glad I took a risk with you." "Me too." "So you were in Venice?" "Yeah, I was." "You were the one that stopped the robbery?" "I did, yeah." "You risked your life, why?" "Been a soldier and a cop, this kind of thing stays with you, being alert, risking your life, I wanted to be a cop."

Matt took a breath before continuing, "Because, I couldn't shake the call for duty in my ears, it's been my life, one I'm proud to live." "I like that in a man."

Angela kissed his cheek saying, "How about you and I, walk around a little longer t night, Greece can leave you breathless at night, trust me." "Where you go, I follow." "Let's go, Marine."

The pair head back to the Acropolis, avoiding security guards as Matt checked over his shoulder smiling, "All clear." "You're sneaky, you do this all the time?" "As Marines, we have to be stealthy, that stayed with me as an NYPD cop." "I'm impressed." "I've been trying all day."

Matt leads Angela down to a clear patch of grass as they cuddle staring at the stars as Angela asks, "Are you always a rule-breaker?" "In the NYPD, I normally have a good reason, facing the stuff I see, I normally have a good reason to do something like that." "You face a lot of bad things?" "Stuff we can't get rid of, cases involving kids, those affected me." "You're protective, aren't you?" "Yeah, very protective. I even get personally involved in cases, where something or someone close to me is affected, and I just… break and I… go off the rails."

Angela feels sad as she says, "Matt… I'm so sorry." "Thank you, Angie."

Matt smiles down at Angela saying, "I don't want to waste any time with you." "Neither do I, plus this is one night together, we get." "You trust me?" "Yes." "Let's make the most of that time, then."

Matt kisses her passionately wrapping his arms around Angela's body leaning their foreheads on each other as Angela says, "You stopped kissing me." "Let's not make that mistake again." Matt then kisses Angela on her neck then her shoulder as she whispers his name, "Matt." "Angela."

Matt grins as they continue to passionately kiss as Matt lays his jacket on the ground allowing Angela to lay down on top of it as Matt continues to kiss her as he ran a hand through her long shiny brown hair, he then wrapped his arms round her continuing to kiss her in to the night.

Later on, the pair are laying on the ground looking up at the stars, as Angela says, "Tonight was perfect, just wish you didn't head back to the ship." "Let's focus on the here and now." Matt says kissing Angela's forehead.

"Right now, it's all I think about." "Let's not ruin the moment, right?" "Right, you are." Angela closes her blue eyes drifting to sleep as Matt continues to embrace her fully. Matt continues to think about how someday and somehow, that Angela would still be around.

Matt then walks back to the ship later seeing no sign of Angela, he heads back to his room and just exercises. Afterwards, he showers changing into a blue button-down shirt, his cargo trousers and boots. He doesn't leave the room instead he lays on the ground turning his head towards the window watching the ocean shift and turn.

As he hears the door open and raises his gun seeing his brother Adam who raises his arms as he says, "Easy Kemosabe, I come in peace." "Would it kill you to knock?" "Sorry, I assumed otherwise." "Could've said it was you, instead…" Matt stays quiet until he says, "Ah forget it." "What are you doing on the floor?" "Just watching the ocean." "Doesn't it hurt, laying like that?" "I slept in worse places." "Still remember some of your letters." "Surprised you read them, in all the time you had with College." "Well we can't all be Marines or Police Officers like you." "True, except for Destani though, I always pictured her being a cop."

Adam shot a look over at his brother saying, "Seriously?" "What? She had the spunk of being a cop, be a little feisty at times though." "Which would be a disaster though." "Yeah, stupid idea."

Adam nods as Matt asks, "What are you doing here?" "No was just wondering, if you wanted to come out onto the deck?" "Later on, I will, go have a drink."

Adam nods as he walks out of the room and leaves Matt looking up at the wall.

6 hours later

Matthew leaves the hotel room and heads to the top deck looking out at the shoreline with the ship prepping to leave the port, there's a lot on his mind as keeps the bottle of beer in his hand, he even thinks about Angela from Athens too as he says to himself, "Goodbye Athens…" but in his mind he says, "And goodbye Angela."

Matthew is joined alongside Adam who says, "Missing it already? We're only there for a day…" "Spectacular day too. Just wish I slowed time down, or even had that power."

Adam nods saying, "You're telling me, you know the saying, 'Time flies when you're having fun… But it goes worrying about how to get the inheritance."

Adam sighs as Matthew turns to him saying, "Be truthful, have you talked to Elena?" "No."

Matt wrestles with the idea to smack his brother in the head as he says, "Your date's tomorrow! And you're running out of time. Don't you need to tell her?" "I can't drag Elena into this."

Matt nods saying, "At least let Elena make up her mind. Presumably she's smart if she's working for you, and she believes in the company. I know you don't want to impose, but what if she actually wants to help?"

Adam stays silent until he says, "But you have to admit this is crazy. I'm asking Elena to pretend to be my girlfriend for my inheritance? I mean, Nana always had a great sense of humor. Sometimes I wonder if the conditions of the will were all a joke to her."

Matt smacks his brother up the head saying, "I think Nanna just wants us to be happy, I don't even think this was joke at all. I think she's looking out for us." "By giving you a deadline to find a fiancée by the end of the summer?"

Matt chuckles saying, "By helping me to push forward, to trust that I can make the next step. Certain this wasn't what I had in mind, but I'm not regretting it. For the first time since I've been on leave, I'm taking the chances."

Matt looks out over the sea before turning back to Adam and saying, "You should do the same. Take a chance. Ask Elena if she'll come." "Feels weird getting advice from my little brother… but all right."

Adam pulls out his phone and dials Elena's number. After a beat, he mouths the phrase, "It went to her voicemail." Matt then gestures, "Leave a message!"

Adam leaves a voicemail as he walks down the steps. Soon Matt is alone as he turns back to the view of the sea seeing the ship pull away from the dock.

"Matt!"

Matt turns at the sound of his name as he turns to see Angela as she repeats, "Matt!" Matt is shocked as he says, "Angie?"

Matt walks over towards Angela and kisses her as she wraps his arms around Matt's neck leaning in to the kiss as they break with Matt saying, "What are you doing here?"

Angela rubs the back of her head saying, "After I left you behind yesterday, I just couldn't get you out of my mind."

Angela continues further, "I thought one perfect day was enough, but what happened between us last night was incredible." "Amen to that!" "I want to see where it takes us, so I'm deciding to join the cruise for the rest of the summer."

Matt looks shocked with a hint of a smile on his face as he says, "What?"

In the morning, Lizzie dashes into the dance studio, late for the next salsa class as Audrey calls out to Lizzie saying, "Lizzie, over here!" "Sorry, I'm late!"

Audrey waves Lizzie to the other side of the studio as Audrey says, "I thought you stood me up!"

Lizzie then explains the reason for her being late as Audrey says, "You can check your phone the second class is over, but right now it's time to salsa!" "I know, I know. Okay, I'm here, I'm focused." "And ready to party?" Audrey adds.

Lizzie laughs saying, "And ready to party."

The pair head out onto the dancefloor and join the other couples that are already shimmying away. Soon Audrey explains that the class will have a salsa exhibition at the end of the classes where each pair has to show off their stuff.

Audrey comes up with an idea, "I was thinking… we should totally get matching outfits for it, like those crazy-sparkly ballroom dresses. Go vintage or go home, right?" "Matching outfits? As long as I am dancing with you, I don't care what we wear."

Audrey chuckles saying, "You really mean that? What if I suggested we wear our birthday suits?" Lizzie blushes and begins to stutter as Audrey soon says, "You're so cute when you blush."

Audrey reminds Lizzie about the hammerlock move and reminds her what to as the pair begin to move into the beat of the music. Just as they begin, Lizzie feels her phone vibrating with a notification as Lizzie ignores the phone and focuses on the dancing as Audrey leads her through the hammerlock effortlessly combining together.

After the class, Lizzie opens her phone and finds out about the Mansingh Global seeing they're moving forward Lizzie to the next step of the application. Lizzie is congratulated by Audrey who performs a silly pose as Lizzie spots a rose pattern drawn on the inside of her ankle saying, "That's beautiful! I didn't know you have a tattoo."

Audrey looks up smiling as she says, "Oh, this? I just drew it when I was bored earlier today. But I've always wanted to get one just like this…" "Really?" "Why are you so interested in ink all of a sudden?"

Lizzie bowed her head and she began, "You know how I told you about my nana passing away? She kind of left me this crazy list of adventures to finish by the end of the summer, and getting a tattoo is one of those tasks. She was always worried I didn't put myself out there enough… and I'm trying to honor her wishes."

Audrey then said, "Your Grandma gave you a crazy adventure list? That… sounds… amazing!"

The pair get off the boat and race down the steps as they touch the land of the Greek Island of Mykonos that stretches out before them.

They walk into a tattoo parlour and Audrey walks up to the man cleaning needles in the corner Audrey walks over saying, "Good sir, we're here to get tattoos."

The artist looks up with a grunt as Lizzie looks frightened whilst Audrey places an arm around her waist to keep her in place. As Audrey asks the artist about the tattoos.

They look at the picture of the tattoos until Audrey asks Lizzie, "Where's it gonna be?" "Haven't gotten that far yet." "What about the collarbone? That's kinda sexy." "Yeah… and I can hide it pretty easily under clothes or make up when I need to be professional."

Lizzie begins to take of her shirts as she is just left in a pink with white fur bra as she decides to get a flower tattoo.

As Lizzie gets the tattoo done, the pain becomes too much to bear but Lizzie focuses on taking very deep breaths as the pain begins to dull long.

Afterwards, the pair head back to the ship and begin to relax by the pool area.

At the poolside, Matt is relaxing with Destani as she then says, "Now, you've two suitors, how's that feeling?" "I don't know if I'd go that far…" "Please, Donna is flirting full-on with you. And Angela threw out her plans for the summer to join the cruise."

Destani then continues, "You've got two gorgeous girls at your disposal, but all I want to know is… who's the front-runner?"

Matt shrugs saying, "I don't know, I'm thinking about Angie, she's daring, adventurous, plus we knew each other, from when I was in the Corps in my first few months." "And gorgeous."

Matt chuckled as Destani said, "Not to mention she's way into you. She joined the cruise for you! That's got to count for something, right?"

Matt shrugged saying, "Yeah, well I'm not making any choices right now, but I could definitely seeing myself for her…"

Soon Donna approaches saying, "Excuse me, sir and madam. Matthew, this is for you."

Matt looked to see a NY Yankees shirt in Donna's hand as he said, "Donna, you shouldn't have, but I never told you I supported the Yankees."

Donna smirked saying, "Then… it's a good thing I didn't. Much as I'd like to take credit, I'm just the delivery girl today."

Matt's eyebrow raised as he sounded surprised, "Oh!" "Looks like somebody went all out for you!"

Matt nodded as he saw a card attached to the gift as he looked and it said, "I remember you had a Yankees baseball card in your helmet back in Cordonia. But also, I didn't want to make sure you forget about me, Officer, love Angie x."

Matt chuckled as Destani then said, "Aw, Angela wanted to make sure you didn't forget about her!"

Matt chuckled as he folded up the shirt as Donna spoke up saying, "Well, this seems like a moment. I'll leave you to it." "Thanks, Donna."

Donna gives Matt a wink before heading back to work. As Matt said, "That was thoughtful of Angela." "I can sense the bond between you two is looking better and better."

Matt chuckled saying, "Cute that is."

Just then, Matt's phone vibrates as he looks down to see Angela's name pop up with a text message saying, "Did you get my gift?"

Matt texts a reply back saying, "Thank you, for the gift, it was quite lovely." "Glad you liked it, handsome, by the way missing you."

Matt chuckles as he begins to write out a reply as he gets a better idea as he gets up to walk back to his room to drop off Angela's gift.

Matt walks back to the room and drops off his gift and his phone before walking to Angela's room and knocking as she opens saying, "Hi handsome."

Matt passionately kisses Angela as they stumble back into her room Matt closing the door as Angela takes off his shirt throwing it to the floor as she says, "Now's that a sight." "You just wanted me to get my shirt off?" "That. And see you." "You're so beautiful, you know." Matt softly says kissing her jawline.

Angela moans softly saying, "Thank you." Angela says tracing her finger down Matthew's sculpted body as she looks at the USMC tattoo on his heart as she says, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine, right?" "Yeah, proudest thing I've ever done, becoming a Marine." "When'd you get the tattoo?"

She looks around and feels a couple scars and saw another tattoo on his left arm saying, "Semper Fi."

Matt chuckles saying, "Week after I graduated from Marine Corps training, I was back in Manhattan. Wildest thing I ever did, got drunk and stumbled into a tattoo shop and asked for it." "Oh my god, that is funny." Angela laughs out loud with her head on Matt's chest.

Angela then asked, "What about Semper Fi?" "My 2nd year in the Corps." Matt replied.

"Craziest thing my Grandmother, who was our guardian after my parents passed when I was little. She never knew, but I always had the feeling she knew."

"Your Grandmother must have been a great woman." "Yeah, she was, you'd have liked her." "When'd she pass?" "Between spring and summer." "I'm sorry." "Don't be, plus, I'm in the mood for somethin'." "And what is that, Marine?"

Matt shoots a mischievous grin Angela's way and flips her onto the bed as she squeals laughter as both her and Matt kiss each other passionately not removing any article of their clothing.

Down in the Ship's restaurant, Adam is walks into Nomade for his first date with Elena as he waits patiently for a waiter saying to himself, "Here goes nothing."

Soon the waiter arrives as Adam gives his name of the reservation as Carter then says, "This way, sir. The rest of your party hasn't arrived yet." "Fingers cross she'll be here soon…"

Adam is lead to the table near the back and right next to Elizabeth as she says, "Adam, what a pleasant surprise."

Adam turns angry saying, "Elizabeth. To what do I owe this horrible awkwardness?" "When I heard that you'd made a reservation here for your date with Elena, I just had to get a table next to yours. I've been dying to meet Elena, after all."

Adam growls under his breath saying, "Dying, huh? I'm sure. But now I need to study this menu. Goodnight."

Adam begins to ignore Elizabeth and starts to study the menu intensively as Elizabeth taunts Adam saying, "You can't ignore me forever."

Adam focuses on the menu as minutes begin to pass and there was no sign of Elena.

Elizabeth fakes a yawn saying, "Seriously, Adam, is she gonna show up or not?"

Adam grits his teeth as time begins to pass soon a waiter approaches saying, "Sir, can I take your order? Or are you still waiting for your date?" "She'll be here soon, she just needs a little more time." Adam says solemnly.

Carter nods, "Very good, sir."

Elizabeth chuckles under her own breath saying, "Still maintaining the charade? Give it up, Adam. She's not going to show!"

Adam growls as he says, "Seriously, Violet, what is your problem? Why are you always antagonizing me and my siblings? What have we ever done to you?" "Nothing. You've never done anything, and yet somehow Nana still thought the four of you were like, the golden family or whatever. Do you know what it is like to be told you're not good enough? No, of course you don't. but you will, when Elena doesn't show up."

Adam begins to lose it as he says, "Violet, I-"

Soon a Latina woman shows up dressed in a red dress, brown hair in a ponytail coming past her right shoulder, with chocolate brown eyes as she said, "I'm not gonna show up for what?"

Adam looks in shock as he says, "Elena!" "Hey, Adam."

English to Greek Translations:

Hi, can I get two gyros, both spicy lamb and a bottle of ouzo? – Γεια σου, μπορώ να πάρω δύο γυροσκόπια, τόσο πικάντικα όσο και ένα μπουκάλι ούζο;

You got it, my friend! – Το πήρατε, φίλε μου!

United States Marine Corps, Master Gunnery Sergeant, Ma'am, 4 year vet before New York PD from 2015. – Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες Ναυτικό Σώμα, λοχίας Master Gunnery, κυρία, 4ετής κτηνίατρος, πριν από τη Νέα Υόρκη PD από το 2015.

Another chapter completed, apologies for the long delay, I've been working on my other stories, so hopefully I can get back on track.

As always, please like and review. You've been amazing.