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Slowly； an outline materialized。 It was a woman。
〃Good morning；〃 he said and sat up。
〃Oh my God；〃 the woman gasped。 She threw a hand to her mouth as if to scream。
It was still too dark to see the wild look in her eyes； but Pitt knew it was there。 〃I'm sorry；〃 he said gently。 〃I didn't mean to startle you。〃
The hand slowly dropped。 She just stood there looking down at him。 Finally she found her voice。 〃I。。。 I thought you were dead。〃 She stammered the words softly。
〃I can hardly blame you。 I suppose if I stumbled on someone sleeping in the tide at this time of morning I would think the same thing。〃
〃You gave me quite a frightful shock； you know； sitting up and talking like that。〃
〃Again； my sincere apologies。〃 It suddenly occurred to Pitt that the woman was speaking English。 Her accent was decidedly British； but it had a trace of German。 He rose to his feet。 〃Please allow me to introduce myself； my name is Dirk Pitt。〃
〃I'm Teri；〃 she said； 〃and I can't tell you how happy I am to see you alive and healthy。 Mister Pitt〃
She didn't offer her last name； and Pitt didn't press for it。
〃Believe me； Teri； the pleasure is all mine。〃 He pointed to the sand。 〃Won't you join me and help raise the sun？〃
She laughed。 〃Thank you； I'd like that But then again； I can hardly see you。 For all I know you might be a monster or something。〃 There was a note of whimsy in her tone。 〃Can I trust you？〃
〃To be perfectly honest； no。 I think it only fair to Warn you that I've assaulted over two hundred innocent virgins right here on this very spot。〃 Pitt's humor was overly forward； but he knew it was a good system for testing a female's personality。
〃Oh blimey； I would dearly loved to have been number two hundred and one； but I'm not an innocent virgin。〃 There was enough light now for Pitt to see the White of her teeth arched in a smile。 〃I certainly hope you won't hold that against me。〃
〃No； I'm very broadminded about that sort of thing。 But I must ask you to keep secret the fact that two hundred and one wasn't pure as the driven snow。 If it ever leaked out； my reputation as a monster would be ruined。〃
They both laughed and sat down together on Pitt's towel and talked while the hot sun reluctantly began its climb over the Aegean Sea。 As the blazing orange ball threw its first golden rays over the shimmering horizon； Pitt gazed at the woman in the new light and studied her closely。
She was about thirty and wore a red bikini swim suit。 The bikini was not the exaggerated brief kind； even though the lower half began a good two inches below the navel。 The material had a satin sheen to it and clung tautly to her body like an outer layer of skin。 Her figure was a beguiling mixture of grace and firmness： the stomach looked smooth and flat and the breasts were perfect； not too small but not too large and out of scale。
Her legs were long； creamy colored and slightly on the thin side。 Pitt decided to overlook this faint imperfection and swung his eyes to her face。 The profile was exquisite。 Her features possessed the beauty and mystery of a Grecian statue and would have rated near perfection except for a round pockmark beside her right temple。 Ordinarily the scar would have been covered by her shoulder length black hair but she had thrown her head back as she watched the sunrise and the ebony strands angled back behind her shoulders； touching the sand and revealing the thin blemish。
Suddenly she turned and caught Pitt's examining stare。
〃You're supposed to be watching the sunrise；〃 she said with a bemused smile。
〃I've seen sunrises before； but this is the first time I've ever e face to face with a lovely； genuine Grecian Aphrodite。〃 Pitt could see her dark brown eyes flashing with enjoyment at his pliment。
〃Thank you for the flattery； but Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty； and I'm only half Greek。〃
〃What's the other half？〃
〃My father was German。〃
〃in that case I must thank the gods that you look after your mother's side。〃
She gave a pouting glance。 〃You'd better not let my uncle hear you say that。〃
〃A typical kraut？
〃Yes； indeed。 In fact he's why I happen to be on Thasos。〃
〃Then he can't be all bad；〃 Pitt said； admiring her hazel eyes。 〃DO you live with him？〃
〃No； actually l was born here but I was raised in England。 I suffered through school there and when I was eighteen I fell in love with a dashing motorcar salesman and married him。〃
〃I didn't know car salesmen could be dashing。〃
She ignored his sarcastic remark and continued。 〃He loved to race cars on his time off； and he was good at it too。 He won trials and hill climbs and sporting car events；〃 She shrugged and began drawing circles in the sand with her finger。 Her voice became strange and husky。 〃Then one weekend he was racing a supercharged MG。 It was raining； and he skidded off the course and hit a tree。 He was dead before I could reach his side。〃
Pitt sat silent for a minute； staring at her sad face。 〃How long ago？〃 he asked simply。
〃It's been eight and a half years now；〃 she replied in a whisper。
Pitt felt dazed。 Then anger set in。 What a waste； he thought。 What a rotten waste for a beautiful woman like her to grieve over a dead man for nearly nine years。 The more he thought about it the angrier he became。 He could see tears welling in her eyes as she lost herself in the remembrance； and the sight sickened him。 He reached； over and gave her a hard backhand slap across the face。
Her eyes jerked wide； and her whole body tensed from the sharp blow。 It was as if she was struck by a bullet。 〃Why did you strike me？〃 she gasped。
〃Because you needed it； needed it badly；〃 he Snapped。 〃That torch you carry around is as worn out as an overcoat。 I'm surprised someone hasn't taken you over a knee and spanked it off。 So your husband was dashing。 So what？ He's dead and buried； and mourning over him for all these years won't resurrect him from the grave。 Lock away his memory somewhere and f orget him。 You're a beautiful woman…you don't belong chained to a coffin full of bones。 You belong to every man who turns and admires you as you pass by and who longs to possess you。〃 Pitt could see his words were penetrating her weak defenses。 〃Now you think about it。 It's your life。 Don't throw it away and play 'Camille' until you're withered and gray。〃
Her face was distraught in the morning sun； and her breath came in sobs。 Pitt let her cry for a long time。 When she finally raised her head and turned it towards him； he could see that her cheeks were streaked with tears； mixed with tiny grains of sand； clinging to the wetness。 She looked up at him； and he caught the gleam in her eyes。 They were soft and scared…looking； like a little girl's。' He lifted her in his arms and kissed her。 Her lips were warm and moist。
〃When was the last time you had a man？〃 he whispered 。
〃Not since。。 。〃 Her voice trailed away。
Pitt took her as the long shadows of the rocks crept upward over the beach； shielding their bodies from the sun。 A flight of sandpipers circled overhead and descended upon the damp sand at the water's edge。 They scurried back and forth； p