The Greek's Forbidden Innocent

by Annie West

  ‘After all,’ he continued, ‘as you pointed out so eloquently, it was my fault your trip was so...precipitate. If I’d been more conscious of your comfort I’d have organised for you to travel during the day, or ensured the bed on the plane was more comfortable. I’ll have it replaced.’

  ‘There’s no need for that. The bed was quite comfortable.’ Even to her ears her voice sounded thin. She held on to her temper by a tiny margin. All her life she’d been taught not to reveal anger. This time she dared not lose control because he’d see it as a victory.

  ‘Then it’s a wonder you didn’t sleep. Perhaps—’ she caught movement in her peripheral vision and turned to see him send a teasing look her way ‘—you couldn’t sleep because you were excited about visiting me.’

  Excited! About as excited as if she visited a zoo to see a rattlesnake. Mina sucked in a rough breath, then stilled as the movement made her more aware of Alexei’s big hand on her ribs, close to her breast.

  ‘Perhaps I didn’t sleep because I was busy contacting people to reschedule things for the period I’ll be away. Since I had no opportunity earlier.’ She slanted him a frosty stare only to find that smile lurking around his mouth.

  ‘Ah, yes, no doubt your agenda is full of priority appointments.’ His expression didn’t change but his tone revealed how unlikely he thought it.

  Mina didn’t bother to disabuse him. She might not run a multinational corporation, but nor was she idle. As well as the exhibition she was preparing for, she volunteered with disabled kids and at a nearby nursing home, doing art therapy. Plus, there was some admin work at a women’s shelter, the latest design commission for the perfumery in Jeirut and another from a French company that had seen her perfume bottle designs and wanted something similar.

  ‘Mr Katsaros.’ Her patience was perilously close to failing. One more jibe and she’d forget her resolve. ‘I really must—

  ‘Alexei, remember?’ His voice rumbled through her like an intimate caress. It was the final straw.

  ‘Put. Me. Down.’ Her voice rose from request to imperious command. ‘Now!’

  Mina caught a flash of white teeth, a glimpse of glinting eyes and suddenly the world fell away as she dropped from his arms.

  ‘As you wish, Princess.’ He spoke as she landed with a puff of expelled air on her back. She was on a bed, looking up into dark, laughing eyes. But Mina was too tired and stressed to be amused. She didn’t appreciate being the butt of his jibes or his arrogant certainty that her life was of negligible importance.

  Mina jackknifed to a sitting position, swiping a cushion off the bed with one hand and throwing it in the same, fluid movement. She had the satisfaction of seeing it hit him square on his superior chin.

  ‘Be thankful that wasn’t anything heavier. My aim is as good as any man’s.’ She heaved a breath that, to her horror, felt far too shaky. ‘Now, if you’d have the decency to leave, I’d like to catch up on some much-needed sleep.’

  * * *

  Damn. Damn. Damn.

  Alexei stalked away from the guest wing to the master suite.

  What had got into him? Half an hour with Carissa Carter and he’d veered between anger, attraction, approval and amusement. And far too much of all of them. He always controlled his emotions; he wasn’t undercut by them.

  He hadn’t expected to be impressed by Carter’s precious princess. He’d been ready to write her off as a pampered bimbo who viewed the world through the prism of her greed for an easy life. Instead he’d discovered someone witty, incisive, challenging and sexy. Ridiculously sexy, given her defiantly unfeminine clothes.

  On Carissa Carter even a baggy T-shirt and leggings made his hormones surge. And that mouth. She was sharp-tongued in a superior way that made him want to take her mouth and discover what sweetness lay beneath its cutting edge.

  There was definitely sweetness. He’d been surprised, when he held her, at the fretful way her pulse raced. He’d been mesmerised by her contrary reactions as she pretended not to respond. Her breathing had quickened, her pupils dilated, and he’d read confusion beneath her scorn and defiance. Even her awe as she admired the sculpture in the sitting room had charmed him.

  He’d lit from within at the feel of her, supple, streamlined and, he discovered, curved in the right places.

  What would happen if he followed her down onto that bed? He couldn’t remember the dark frenzy of desire ever being so immediate or urgent.

  The very fact he’d thought about it was a concern. Did he really want an affair with Carter’s daughter?

  Logic demanded an unequivocal no. Instinct screamed yes.

  Which was an excellent reason to pull back. Apart from the fact he didn’t take advantage of vulnerable women.

  Alexei rubbed a hand across his jaw as he entered his suite and crossed to the window to stand staring across the infinity pool to the sea beyond.

  Guilt trickled down his spine. Bad enough that there’d been a kernel of truth in Carissa’s accusation about how he’d got her here. It had solidified into a jagged shard of ice when he’d heard the hint of a wobble in her voice as she stared up at him from her bed. She’d been flushed and furious and he’d revelled in his power to rile her, till he’d heard the tiny crack in her façade of superiority. Suddenly it hadn’t seemed amusing.

  It hit him that he’d behaved like a kid pulling a girl’s pigtails, desperate to get her attention any way he could.

  Him, desperate?

  Hardly. Certainly not for the likes of Carissa Carter.

  Except she wasn’t as he’d expected.

  He scraped his hand across his chin, feeling the stubble he hadn’t bothered to shave. He shouldn’t allow himself to be diverted by her. She was incidental to his plans.

  But, pending Carter’s arrival, there wasn’t much he could do to bring those plans to fruition. Steps had been taken to contain the damage, and while Alexei checked in daily, working via computer and phone, his team was working hard.

  Which gave him leisure to ponder his would-be bride.

  Alexei’s brow scrunched. Funny. He’d assumed Carissa would be eager to marry. Her father had come up with the idea, no doubt desperate to cement personal ties that would save him when his embezzlement came to light. The fact a woman in her mid-twenties was willing to go along with such a plan pointed to her being venal, marrying for money and position.

  Too many women had tried to tie him down. Not for love, but as their ticket to wealth and privilege. Alexei didn’t fool himself into believing they were attracted by his character or sense of humour. Some were drawn by his looks but money was the deciding factor.

  Yet Carissa hadn’t given an unequivocal yes.

  Why? Did she believe if he had to work for what he wanted, he’d appreciate her more? Because men enjoyed the chase?

  He huffed a breath. Maybe she had something there. If she’d walked in the door and promptly agreed with everything his interest wouldn’t have been piqued.

  Except by that delectable body, which he’d discovered was curvier than he’d first thought.

  Except for her intelligence and sensitivity.

  Alexei shoved his fists in his pockets and rocked back on his feet, annoyed. He’d been so caught up in the need to draw Carter out of hiding, he hadn’t bothered researching the man’s daughter.

  He’d acted rashly, driven by fury that the one person he’d trusted since his mother died had betrayed him.

  That was a slashing wound that wouldn’t heal till Carter was made to pay. It overset Alexei’s equilibrium, evoking unwanted feelings that interfered with his decision-making.

  It wasn’t so much the money, but the personal affront of betrayal. The cold slap of horror that he’d let himself be gulled into believing the man, liking him.

  Carter had made a fool of him, conning him into giving his trust. Not just because of the man’s w
ork qualities.

  But because Carter reminded him of his father.

  Like Alexei’s father, Carter appeared taciturn to outsiders, but his features broke into smiles when he mentioned his family. Uncannily, Carter also had a mannerism, a tilt of the head, that echoed Alexei’s precious memories of the father who’d died when Alexei was six.

  Then there was his utter devotion to his spouse. There’d been no mistaking the man’s devastation when his wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness. His stoic determination to do all he could for her had touched a chord with Alexei. Plus there was that unexpected weakness for silly puns and his scrupulous honesty, both hallmarks of his dad.

  Alexei shook his head. Scrupulous honesty!

  For years Alexei’s motto had been trust no one. He and his mother had suffered because they’d been taken in by a conman. After his stepfather there’d been others, loan sharks, employers, landlords, vultures who’d preyed on his vulnerable mother, turning her life into a misery till finally loss and disappointment crushed her.

  Alexei scraped a hand across his jaw, dragging himself back to the present. To the woman in one of the guest suites.

  He’d acted instinctively, securing her to give him an edge. He should have ordered a dossier on her so he knew something about her before acting.

  All he remembered from Carter’s conversations was that she lived in Paris, where she’d attended an exclusive art school. She loved fashion and shopping and wasn’t cut out for a commercial career. Alexei had gained the impression of a pampered airhead pretending to be an artist. A blonde airhead, he remembered from the photo Carter had waved before him and which he hadn’t bothered to take in.

  So Carissa Carter had dyed her hair. That was one extra fact about her.

  Alexei considered ordering a full report on her. But why bother?

  She was here. Whatever Alexei wanted to know, he’d find out for himself. He’d enjoy the process.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  MINA STARED AT the bathroom’s enormous, full-length mirror and suppressed a groan. She looked like a stranger.

  Carissa had said pink calmed her and made her feel centred. It was proof of how stressed she’d been that she’d packed only for her favourite colour. Almost everything in the case was pink. Candy pink, flesh pink, cerise, rose madder and more.

  Mina’s mouth curled in an unwilling laugh as she surveyed herself. She wore a candy-pink skirt with matching strappy sandals and a pale pink top with a silver logo that incorporated a highly stylised Eiffel Tower and an open book. Carissa had designed it for an indie book festival in Paris, one of her first commissions.

  Had Carissa really planned to wear these clothes to visit Alexei Katsaros? If so she’d clearly had the Caribbean’s casual, sunny reputation in mind, rather than any desire to dress up.

  Or was her friend savvier than Mina gave her credit for? Maybe this wardrobe was her secret weapon, to prove she wasn’t cut out to be a billionaire’s wife.

  That stifled Mina’s humour.

  Carissa needed her help and Mina wasn’t quite as sure now about her ability to deal with her host.

  Especially in a skirt that rode high on her thighs and a top that was more fitted than anything she usually wore. Mina wasn’t ashamed of her body, but she covered more of it than her friend did. Plus Carissa was shorter and smaller in the bust, so the top was a snug fit. As for the miniskirt...

  Mina shrugged. She had more to worry about than how much bare leg she displayed. Her only clothes were what she’d worn on the plane and the ones Carissa had packed. Besides, she was on a tropical island. Alexei Katsaros would be used to guests wearing shorts or swimsuits. Or, given his reputation and the knowing gleam in those remarkable eyes, nothing at all.

  How many beautiful women had he seduced here?

  Mina blinked as she caught the direction of her thoughts. That wasn’t her concern. Deftly she caught up her long hair, winding it round and up into a tight knot at the back of her head. She jabbed in a securing pin and turned away.

  If Alexei dismissed her because of her clothes, or because she wasn’t the biddable woman he’d imagined, all the better. Clearly he hadn’t expected her to voice her opinions or have more than a couple of brain cells to rub together.

  It would be better if he concentrated on running his multibillion-dollar empire than on her. It hadn’t even occurred to him that getting to know the woman he planned to marry was a good idea.

  Remarkable!

  Unbelievable!

  What sort of man thought like that?

  One who didn’t expect to be questioned.

  Who expected everyone to bend to his wishes.

  Mina put away the hairdryer she’d used and entered the palatial bedroom where she’d slept like the dead for hours.

  Her gaze rested on the bed she’d remade after her nap. Inevitably the image that filled her mind was of looking up from there into that fabulously sculpted face, into eyes alight with mockery, and knowing that physically she was at his mercy. It had infuriated Mina, for she’d had no choice but to put up with his macho posturing and derision.

  That still smarted. She drew taller, pushing her shoulders back, as she relived the scene and wished she still had the small jewelled dagger she’d worn as a ceremonial courtesy in Jeirut. It had been decorative but deadly, and Mina had insisted on knowing how to wield it. Would he have taken her more seriously if he’d known she was fully capable of looking after herself, no matter what the situation?

  The idea conjured suitably satisfying images, but her smile faded as she faced the real source of her concern.

  Her reaction to Alexei Katsaros.

  It wasn’t only fury she’d felt. He’d been interesting.

  Lips twisting, Mina shook her head. He’d been fascinating. That combination of bold assurance and blatant sexuality would catch any woman’s attention. Especially since physically his form was...pleasing. But add to that occasional glimpses of humour and penetrating understanding that punctured her initial estimate of a smug bully, and you had a man who left her unsettled.

  Mina tried to tell herself the disorientation of tiredness had made her react to him. But innate honesty wouldn’t let her pretend.

  She had to face the truth.

  She disliked Alexei Katsaros and his high-handed ways. He was exactly the sort of man to make her hackles rise. Yet he made her blood heat.

  She was attracted to him.

  The situation she’d rushed into for Carissa’s sake became fraught with unseen snares, like the notorious patches of quicksand in the desert of her homeland.

  She hadn’t reckoned on anything like this when she’d blithely decided to help her friend. Dimly, she heard her father’s voice in her head, the memory of his disapproval as he complained of her impulsive ways. She’d tried to make him proud, do her duty no matter how dull or out of tune with her own interests. But she’d been a source of frustration for him.

  Face it, Mina. Nothing you did could satisfy your father. He didn’t want a daughter who craved love, but an automaton who could be diplomatic on every occasion, no matter what the provocation.

  She’d failed there, hadn’t she?

  Abruptly she spun on her foot and crossed to the glass doors that gave out onto a crystal pool and, beyond that, the tropical garden.

  Mina’s eyes were drawn to the profusion of flowers, cadmium yellow, pale ochre and magenta. She felt the old temptation to reach for her sketchpad. To find peace by losing herself in art.

  Instead she simply stood a little longer, inhaling the fragrance of salt air and unfamiliar floral perfumes, then set her shoulders and turned away. She couldn’t hide forever. It was time to face her host.

  * * *

  She found him on a deep, shaded veranda. Overhead, a fan rotated lazily and the combination of wicker furniture and wide, wooden floorboards hinted at g
racious days gone by, though the sprawling villa was modern.

  Alexei sat, feet up, on a lounger, typing into a tablet. His hair was ruffled as if he’d combed his fingers through it and his shirt was open again. Mina saw the dark smattering of hair on his sculpted pectorals and jerked her gaze away.

  That tiny sizzle deep inside didn’t bode well. She’d felt it before, when he carried her in his arms. Now just the sight of him set it off.

  Frowning, Mina surveyed the garden, trying to control feelings she couldn’t fully identify. On the other side of the pool, a sculpture caught her eye.

  ‘You’re awake. Excellent.’ Reluctantly Mina turned, fixing a bland expression on her face. She’d known this would be difficult but she’d hoped her earlier response to him had more to do with fatigue than genuine attraction.

  Fate was clearly laughing at her naivety.

  Alexei set the tablet aside and swung his feet to the floor.

  ‘Please don’t get up on my account. You’re working. I’ll come back later.’ She was only too happy to delay being alone with him.

  ‘No, I’ve finished.’ He gestured to the seats grouped around him and she had no choice but to take one.

  Instead of a recliner, Mina selected an upright chair, conscious of the way her skirt rode even higher up her legs as she sat. Resisting the urge to tug her hem in a futile attempt to gain an extra few centimetres, she crossed her ankles and tucked her feet under her chair. She didn’t look directly at her host but felt his gaze. It raked her from head to foot, then lifted again to linger on her legs and higher—

  Mina swung her head up abruptly and met his enigmatic dark gaze.

  Had she been wrong? She could have sworn he’d been ogling her. Or did her sensitivity about wearing Carissa’s clothes make her imagine things? The way her breasts tingled—

  ‘What would you like to drink?’ As he spoke Marie rounded the corner of the veranda, as if in response to the summons of a silent bell.