by Maggie Cox
‘Where do you think you are going?’
The commanding tenor of his captivating voice made it impossible for her to move.
‘I shouldn’t have done that.’ Even though she’d intended to withdraw, his languourous sexy gaze continued to transfix her.
With his hands now resting lightly on her hips, Ludo made no concession to the comment other than to subject her to a provocative study of her eyes and lips.
‘You did absolutely the right thing, paidi mou. Make no mistake about that. I was in a dark place and your warm, very welcome embrace brought me out into the light.’
‘Then I don’t regret it.’ Proffering a tentative smile, Natalie found she could neither move nor look away, and didn’t wish that she could.
‘That pleases me very much.’ His hand reached out to capture a long strand of her glossy brown hair and he wound it round and round his fingers, as though mesmerised by the treasure he’d found.
If his housekeeper hadn’t appeared on the patio just then Natalie wondered how long he would have kept her there, just playing with her hair and staring at her as if he’d like to do so much more …
‘Excuse me, Mr Petrakis.’ Allena’s charming faltering English was no doubt in deference to his guest. ‘Your rooms are ready.’
‘Efharisto, Allena,’ Ludo replied, reluctantly freeing the coil of hair he’d captured and stepping round to Natalie’s side.
Feeling her face grow hot at being caught out in what could have been a highly awkward situation, she turned slowly. Her lips still ached and throbbed from the passionate kisses she’d exchanged with Ludo, and the expensive musky cologne he used that smelled of pure sex clung to her skin, as though to ensure she would never forget the encounter. Just in time she remembered there was no need for any awkwardness or embarrassment as she was supposed to be Ludo’s fiancée. But the inflammatory thought didn’t help to cool the heat that still tumbled like an unstoppable raging river through her bloodstream …
‘Come.’
Placing his hand beneath her elbow, the man at her side led her back into the pleasantly cool villa and up a flight of white marble stairs. Determinedly holding on to the fact that Allena had said ‘rooms’, and not ‘room’, Natalie tried not to feel so tense. Even though she found herself intensely attracted to Ludo, it was still overwhelming to imagine being in his bed. For one thing, her experience of such a scenario was extremely limited. In fact one might legitimately say it was non-existent. No wonder she was tense. And if that weren’t enough to contend with tomorrow she would be introduced to his parents as his intended bride-to-be! What if they saw immediately that she was merely putting on an act and she was no such thing?
‘This room is for you.’
Gesturing that she should enter the light and spacious room ahead of him, Ludo was quiet as Natalie endeavoured to take in her luxurious surroundings. Her heart raced when her gaze fell on the imposing carved bed in front of her. With its sash curtaining of sumptuous gold silk and matching counterpane scattered with an array of scarlet and gold-braided cushions, it was a bed fit for a princess. More than that, Natalie thought, it was a bed created for the perfect seduction …
Realising that Ludo was intimately observing her reaction, she didn’t let her gaze linger a moment longer than necessary on the imposing bed. Frowning, she examined the art on the walls instead. It didn’t help matters when she saw that the framed scenes depicted some of the most sensually charged stories in Greek mythology. There was an elegant print of The Awakening of Adonis by John Waterhouse, and two skilfully executed oil paintings of the beautiful Aphrodite and Andromeda. Andromeda was depicted in the part of the legend where she was chained to the rocks before Perseus came to rescue her from the sea monster.
Studying the pictures of the two bare-breasted women, Natalie felt the blood slow and thicken in her veins as though it were treacle. Ever since she’d first laid eyes on Ludo she seemed to have developed a heightened awareness of her womanhood—of needs that had lain dormant for too long without true opportunity for release. It was extremely disconcerting that they should come to the fore now.
She turned away and a far less provocative scene met her gaze, utterly stilling the anxious thoughts dominating her mind just then. Emitting a heartfelt sigh of pure pleasure, she stared transfixed at the awe-inspiring vista presented before her. The generously proportioned French windows stood open to reveal the most breathtaking view of the sparkling, still aquamarine sea. An exquisite breeze imbued with the arresting tones of bougainvillaea and pine in drifted intoxicatingly just at that very moment. Overwhelmed at her good fortune in being able to experience such beautiful natural delights, Natalie turned round to share her joy with her host.
‘I’m almost speechless. This is one of the most incredible views I’ve ever seen. I feel so lucky.’ She smiled, then added quickly, ‘To be here, I mean.’ Her smile started to slide off of her face when she saw the knowing look in Ludo’s arresting blue eyes.
‘Because you are here with me or because you have fallen in love with my country?’ he teased.
‘I’ve always been in love with Greece,’ she murmured, crossing her arms over the soft linen bodice of her dress. ‘This is my mother’s country too, remember?’
‘I did not forget, my angel. Did you think I had?’
He had gradually been moving towards her as he spoke, and now he stood in front of her with a scorching glance hot enough to melt her innermost core. Nervously, Natalie smoothed a less than steady hand down the front of her dress. ‘You said—you told me that this was my room? I have to ask … do you intend to share it?’
‘No, Natalie, I do not.’ His flawless blue eyes glinted enigmatically. ‘The only room you will share with me—and then only if you invite yourself—is mine. It is right next door to this one and the door will always be open during the night, should you feel inclined to visit me, glykia mou.’
It wasn’t what she had expected him to say at all. For a long moment, even though her mind teemed with all the possible reasons she could think of as to why he didn’t simply announce he was expecting her to act like his fiancée from day one and sleep with him—especially after their explosive kiss downstairs—Ludo’s matter-of-fact answer perturbed her.
‘That’s fine,’ she answered tetchily, immediately on the defensive. ‘As long as you don’t take it for granted that I will visit you.’ Two hot flags of searing heat scorched her cheeks. ‘We are only pretending to be engaged after all.’
Chuckling softly, Ludo lightly pushed back the slightly waving strand of hair that glanced against her cheekbone, and the movement reacquainted her with the tantalising drift of his provocative cologne.
‘What a charming young woman you are, glykia mou. Yet, charming as you are, I hasten to remind you that we made a bargain, did we not?’
Lifting her chin, Natalie scowled, even as her heart thundered at her own daring. ‘Yes, we did. But as far as I can recall our bargain didn’t involve casual sex. We only agreed that I would come to Greece with you and pretend to be your fiancée. There was nothing said about our having intimate relations.’
‘Are you saying that you are not attracted to me?’
‘Clearly, after the kiss we shared downstairs, that would be a lie. But just because I find you attractive it doesn’t mean I’m going to sleep with you at the drop of a hat!’
‘No …?’
Even as he sardonically uttered the word Ludo overpowered her with an ardent embrace and once again captured her lips. As her mouth opened to receive the hot invasion of his tongue and his arms possessively encircled her narrow waist Natalie couldn’t help whimpering with pleasure. Immediately his action acquainted her with the intoxicating heat radiating through his linen shirt, as well as the steely hardness of his strong, hard-muscled body. If he continued to drug her into submission with his arousing kisses, much as she secretly revelled in the seductive attention, she realised she wouldn’t have a prayer of denying him that nocturnal visit
—and the implications of such an action terrified her.
Dragging her lips determinedly away, she tried to shape what she hoped was a blasé smile. ‘Do you think I might have some time to myself to unpack? Perhaps when I’m done I could join you for that cool drink your housekeeper said was out on the terrace?’
‘You certainly know how to drive a hard bargain, angel. Was that your intention? To drive me crazy with desire so that I will give you anything you ask for?’
‘You make it sound like I have some kind of plan. I definitely don’t. The only reason I’m here at all is because you agreed to pay my father a fairer price for his business. You kept your end of the bargain before we left England and now I’m keeping mine. Other than that I have no expectations … except perhaps to enjoy a holiday. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper break.’
The stunning Adonis in front of her threw up his hands in frustration. ‘Then go and unpack your things and meet me out on the terrace as soon as you can. Just so that you know—my own intention is to monopolise every moment of your time while you are here, Natalie … so much so that when the time comes for you to leave the very notion of parting from me and my country will break your heart!’
Striding to the door, he didn’t spare her a single glance before angrily departing. Staring after him, Natalie moved over to the sumptuous silk-covered bed and sank down onto it, clutching her hands over her chest in bewilderment and shock.
He was not a man to be easily subdued when frustrated. When a long cold shower didn’t help temper his thwarted desire, Ludo strode out onto the private balcony adjacent to his bedroom in an attempt to lose himself in the breathtaking Mediterranean view that for the past three years he had denied himself. Vying with the tantalising images of Natalie he had in his mind, memories of his childhood and youth inevitably came flooding back.
Inhaling a deep breath, he endeavoured to get a better grip on his emotions. He had just started to relax a little when on the horizon glinting in the sunshine he glimpsed a small white sailing vessel. It was about the same size and proportion of the boat that Ludo’s brother had used whilst staying on Margaritari. Why didn’t I insist on providing him with a bigger and sturdier vessel? If I had it would have had a much better chance of staying afloat in those gusting winds than the one Theo used … the one Theo drowned beneath …
But even as his heart pounded with renewed sorrow and regret Ludo couldn’t help remembering his big brother’s amused voice saying, ‘You need more than one sailor to handle a bigger boat, little brother, and I want to be by myself on this holiday. I’m surrounded by people every working day of my life, and often during the night too if I’m on call. A small boat will do me just fine!’
Rubbing his chest with the heel of his hand, Ludo freed a heartfelt sigh. Some way, somehow, he was going to have to come to terms with what had happened to his brother properly, or the crowd of ‘what ifs’ and ‘if onlys’ would burden him for the rest of his life. He couldn’t let that happen. If he did, then Theo’s inspirational and admirable example of how to live a good and useful life would be buried along with his memory.
Once again he sought to divert his troubling thoughts with the memory of the honeyed heat of Natalie’s sexy mouth and the feel of her slim, shapely body in his arms. Allowing himself a brief smile of anticipation, he wondered if tonight would be the night when she paid that visit to his room. The hope that she would made him realise that it had been at least an hour since he’d left her to her own devices—ostensibly to unpack and maybe to take a reviving shower after their travels, like he had. Surely she must be finished by now?
He’d noted that all she’d brought with her was one small suitcase and a tote. Women in Ludo’s experience usually brought far more than that when going on holiday with him—but then he already intuitively knew that Natalie was unlike most of the women he was acquainted with. She was neither self-centred nor vain, and if he was right she wasn’t trying to impress anybody either.
When he knocked on her door a couple of times and she didn’t appear, he immediately turned on his heel and hurried downstairs to see where she had got to.
CHAPTER SEVEN
WITH HER INSIDES churning at the prospect of facing Ludo again after he’d stormed from the room, Natalie made herself unpack and hang up her clothes. This wasn’t the way she’d envisaged her stay in Greece starting out.
In the streamlined, beautifully accessorised marble bathroom she took a quick cooling shower and then, in a bid to lift her spirits, selected one of her favourite dresses to wear. It was a burnt orange halter-neck in a flatteringly soft fabric that trailed elegantly down to her feet, and she teamed it with some pretty Indian bangles and flat Roman-style sandals. With the timeless Mediterranean glinting in the sun behind her, wearing the dress helped her feel as though she really was on holiday … at least so long as she didn’t think about Ludo being angry with her, or the myriad of potentially difficult connotations of agreeing to pose as his fiancée.
What had he meant by his declaration that by the time she came to leave the very idea would break her heart? It had sounded as though he was furious that she would dare to deny him anything. It had already occurred to Natalie that he was probably a man who used physical gratification as a way to soothe deep private pain. Having been denied his chosen way of gaining some relief, it wasn’t hard to understand why he’d reacted so furiously. The death of his brother and his own self-imposed exile from his home had to be weighing heavily on him. But, whatever Ludo’s meaning, Natalie had heard pain and longing in his voice and that alone already had the power to break her heart.
Turning into the cavernous arched hallway that led to the dining room, kitchen and the herb garden so lovingly attended by Allena and her husband, Ludo discovered exactly where his guest had gone. She was immersed in animated conversation with Christos, and he saw with a start of pleasure that she was wearing the most beautiful burnt orange-coloured gown. Her long hair was arranged in a loose fashion on the top of her head, so that a few silken tendrils drifted free to frame her face, and the halter-necked design of the dress revealed her long slim neck and slender shoulders. The flowing material was the perfect foil for her stunning womanly form.
As if intuiting his presence Natalie turned, and the rose-tinted blush that heated her cheeks rendered her pretty as a picture. Ludo’s lips shaped a deliberately slow and appreciative smile. ‘So this is where you are. And I see that you have dressed for dinner. You look as lovely as Aphrodite herself. Come … let me look at you.’
Catching hold of her hand, he made her pivot slowly so that he could study every facet of the gown and her lovely, lissom shape. Behind them, Christos discreetly made his way out into the garden with a knowing smile.
‘You remind me of a beautiful water-nymph in that dress,’ he commented, the timbre of his voice turning unwittingly husky.
‘Aren’t they supposed to be graceful, ephemeral creatures?’ Her luminous grey eyes teasingly sparkled. ‘You can’t be comparing me to one of those, surely? When I was a child my dad always told me I was about as graceful as an elephant with two left feet.’
‘I’d ask you if he was blind but, having met him, I know that he isn’t.’
‘No … I suppose he was just being realistic.’
‘And you have carried the belief that you are not graceful around with you since you were a child?’
‘It was just playful family banter. It doesn’t mean that he didn’t love me.’
As Natalie once again managed to bewitch him with her beautiful smile and sparkling eyes Ludo impetuously drew her against him, suddenly needing to hold her so he could once more experience the pleasure of having her in his arms, her exquisite feminine curves pressed up close to his body. It seemed that every time he touched her, every time he so much as glanced at her, a fire spread throughout his blood that wouldn’t easily be extinguished. At least not until he made her his. Then and only then, when she gazed up at him with the same fever of long
ing and lust that he now experienced, would he attest to feeling remotely satisfied.
‘He should have told you every day how beautiful, how precious you were to him,’ he murmured, brushing a gentle kiss to the side of her velvet-soft cheek.
‘He might never have said those exact words,’ Natalie demurred, ‘but I knew he felt the sentiment behind them. I’d hate you to get the wrong impression about him. Honestly, behind his bluff, confident exterior is a man who cares deeply about his loved ones.’
Happy to stay right where he was, with his hands resting lightly on the gentle flare of her slender and yet pleasingly curvaceous hips, Ludo stared hungrily back into the soft grey eyes and thoughtfully reflected on her comment.
‘I seem to remember when we first met you questioned whether you were a kind and devoted daughter. In my opinion, from what I’ve observed so far Natalie, you most definitely are. But I think you take on far too much responsibility for your father. Is it your fault that he acquired the destructive habits that resulted in him being forced to sell his business?’
‘Of course it isn’t.’
Frowning, Natalie abruptly stepped away, and Ludo couldn’t help regretting the impulse that had made him mention her father’s debts. But he honestly felt aggrieved on her behalf. It was one thing being a good son or daughter, but quite another feeling responsible for every mistake a parent made. He sighed, and then, because she looked so enchanting, immediately found a smile.
‘Please don’t believe I am telling you how to think or feel. I am only concerned that you do not regard yourself enough. Also, it has been a lifelong habit of mine to be frank, and I know my earlier display of temper must have upset you.’
Moving nearer, he gently curled one of the long loose tendrils of hair that glanced against her cheek behind her ear. At first her answering smile was tentative and uncertain. But then, like the sun emerging from behind a rain cloud, the warm curve of her lips became quite simply exquisite.
