‘I’m finished for the evening.’ Unease fluttered in her stomach at his terse nod but she kept on smiling. ‘I was going to cook some pasta for dinner—would you like me to make you some too?’
Loukas glanced at his computer screen and then stood. Pulling on his grey suit jacket over his pale blue shirt, he met her gaze. ‘Thanks, but I’m meeting someone for dinner.’
She backed out, towards her office. ‘Oh. A date? Well, I hope it goes well. It’s a lovely evening for it.’
Oh, God, she knew she was blabbering, but the idea of Loukas on a date left her all jittery. She turned and fled before her mouth really got carried away.
Out in her office, after giving herself a quick mental telling-off for not behaving professionally, she swung round to wish him a goodnight, her heart leaping into her throat at finding him standing directly behind her, fixing the collar of his jacket, his movements releasing the scent of his aftershave from the material.
Feeling a little punch-drunk by his sheer size, the chemistry oozing from his hard body, she stared blindly at the spot where part of his jacket collar still remained tucked inside against his shirt. Evening shadow darkened his throat, giving extra emphasis to the wide strength of his neck.
She pointed vaguely. ‘Your collar... Your collar...’
He stared at her quizzically.
And then, stupidly, she reached forward and fixed the collar, her fingers skimming against the warmth of his skin, the hard muscle beneath.
His hand reached up and grasped hers.
Her heart slammed to a stop.
His hand was smooth, warm, embracing.
He looked at her quizzically. But there was also a darkness, an awareness in his gaze.
Heat seeped through her body. ‘I...I was... I was just fixing your collar.’
His eyes held hers and she willed herself to look away. But there was something there—a familiarity and yet a newness, a union she didn’t understand. His eyes softened and his thumb moved over the inside of her wrist. Just once. But it was enough to send a deep shiver throughout her body, to make her legs suddenly weak.
She gave an uncertain smile.
His eyes narrowed before he dropped her hand and stepped away.
‘Have you found any suitable dates for me?’
‘I’m working on it.’ She paused at his frown and added, ‘But most of my friends are looking for love in a relationship—’
He interrupted her before she could continue. ‘Which is out of the question.’
She tried to give him a professional smile, but for some reason it died on her lips. ‘So you said.’
For a moment he looked down at the off-white smoothness of the painted and polished concrete floor that ran throughout the new offices. He rolled his shoulders in one quick movement and then looked up, his expression businesslike.
‘Before you leave can you call the event management company who are organising the movie awards ceremony in our Plaka hotel in Athens? Ask for an update—in particular if any issues have arisen since I spoke to them this afternoon.’
Thrown by the coolness in his eyes, the impatience in his tone, she hesitated before responding. She knew she shouldn’t say anything—that it would be easier to nod her agreement and have him walk out through the door—but she knew how much it dented Marios’s confidence when Loukas questioned everything he did.
‘Shouldn’t Marios be doing that?’
His mouth thinned. ‘Marios has gone on another scuba-diving trip with a customer of his. Until he starts taking his responsibilities seriously I have no choice but to check with the event company directly to ensure all is okay.’
He moved towards her office door.
The voice of logic in her head was screaming at her to let it go, to think of her bills, telling her that none of this was her business. But her heart was cheering her on to defend Marios.
‘But he might feel undermined. I’m sure he’ll have checked in with the event company.’
He turned at her words, his angry glare warning her off.
She had hated hearing them arguing this morning. She couldn’t stand by and see the tension between the brothers escalate.
‘How about I arrange it so that Marios sends you a daily summary, highlighting any issues he believes you need to be aware of?’
His expression darkened. She held her breath, convinced she was about to get the mother of all tongue-lashings.
He opened his mouth. Closed it again. His hand reached up and for a moment stroked his neck. The exact spot where she had touched him.
His eyes narrowed and he considered her for another beat. ‘Tell him I want the summary by ten tonight. No later.’
He twisted away and walked down through the now empty open-plan office, his laced black leather Oxford shoes tapping on the concrete floor, his shoulders beneath his suit jacket rigid.
She slumped down onto her chair. Was she wrong to interfere? What did she, an only child, know about the dynamics between siblings? What did she know of the pressures Loukas was under as head of the Christou Group? And shouldn’t she be focused on keeping her job, not winding up her boss?
She was about to phone Marios when she heard the clip of Loukas’s footsteps on the concrete floor again.
Awareness of him bubbled through her as he came to a stop by her desk, his size, his scent, his energy sending the elements in the air careening off in a different charge.
‘I realise that you’re trying to help, Georgie, and your suggestion for a report from Marios is good. But I know what I am doing. Please don’t interfere.’
She gulped at his serious tone, at the way those golden-brown eyes, firm but not unkind, stayed on hers. Her insides melted. ‘I want to help.’
His gaze softened ever so slightly. ‘Don’t... There’s no need.’
She nodded. And then, unable to stop herself, she asked, ‘Are you going anywhere nice tonight?’
His gaze narrowed. ‘Sakis—on the harbour.’
She tried to look enthusiastic. ‘It’s beautiful there...really romantic—out on the terrace, especially.’ She checked her watch. ‘You’ll just be in time for the sunset.’
Was that a hint of smile on his lips? ‘I’m sure my finance director will be pleased—he loves a good sunset.’ And then a genuine softness entered his eyes. ‘After you’ve called Marios go home. You’ve had a long day.’ He shifted on his feet, his eyes trailing away, and cleared his throat. ‘Sleep well, Georgie.’
He walked away, and she followed his progress through the office until he disappeared through the double doors.
Her heart spinning with a lightness that could become very addictive.
Chapter Three
LATE THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON, after a protracted meeting with the landscapers, Loukas rushed along the service corridor that ran from the hotel’s conference centre to the headquarters building, keen to get back to his desk. The acquisitions team were waiting for his response on a proposal they had sent through on an opportunity to acquire a historic hotel on the Amalfi coast.
But then he came to a sudden stop. And backed up three steps to the staff noticeboard.
His gaze honed in on the offending item he had seen from the corner of his eye as he had rushed past: a photo of Georgie in her mermaid costume, surrounded by the hotel’s male personal trainers who were dressed in nothing but red shorts and carrying way too much testosterone in their gym-honed bodies.
He stared at the photo. Georgie’s arm was around the waist of one of the men, her hip angled towards the photographer, the high curve of her bottom in profile.
He gritted his teeth and walked away. But five seconds later he was back at the display case. It wasn’t appropriate to have a photo of his PA, half-naked like that, on display for everyone to see. He tried to pull the glass panels at the front of the display case apa
rt, but infuriatingly they were held together by a single silver lock at the base.
He ignored the curious look the head of Housekeeping sent in his direction as she passed by and stabbed out Nikos’s number on his phone.
He took the stairs up to the headquarters building, and hung up when the call rang through to Nikos’s voicemail.
Why did he never answer his phone?
Within ten seconds he had his answer.
Inside the double doors of the headquarters building, he caught sight of Nikos in Georgie’s office, popping open a champagne bottle. Georgie’s laughter rolled down through the open-plan office, causing curious staff members to pop their heads up over their partitions.
In an instant he was striding towards his office, and the staff members were dropping down into their cubicles as though taking cover.
He didn’t want Nikos flirting with his PA.
In fact, come to think about it, he wasn’t too pleased with the way Georgie somehow managed to emotionally and physically ambush him whenever they were together... He remembered how good it had felt last night, when she’d fixed his collar. He should be focused on the business, on reviewing the dating profiles Zeta had sent through. Not constantly distracted by the low humming of his PA, how the scent of her perfume drifted into his office.
At the doorway he came to a stop and cast a critical gaze over the cosy scene. Nikos was propped on the side of the desk, pouring champagne into the glass Georgie was holding, whilst she giggled as the drink foamed and trickled down over the sides of the glass. Eyes dancing in amusement, she lifted her hand and one by one sucked the champagne off her fingertips.
Something low and carnal exploded inside him.
‘Alcohol is not allowed in the workplace.’
Nikos twisted around at his words and gave him an amused grin.
Loukas’s blood pressure upped a notch. Did Nikos really think that there was time for him to flirt with his new PA? With the hotel still not ready to reopen? He had tried to speak to Nikos about Eleni when he had returned from Thessaloníki yesterday, but his brother had refused to talk about it. Was he exaggerating his upset to Georgie to gain her sympathy...maybe a lot more?
He walked closer to the desk. ‘And let me remind you that relationships aren’t allowed between staff either.’
Nikos gave an incredulous laugh and Georgie gave him a curious look, before handing her glass to Nikos and gesturing towards his office. ‘Chef Jean-Louis is here for the menu tasting for the opening celebration lunch on Easter Sunday. He’s waiting for you in your office... He wanted my opinion on this champagne before you decide on which one to serve.’
Loukas gave a terse nod, trying to ignore the way Georgie was studying him closely.
Nikos stood and considered him with an amused raise of an eyebrow, and his gaze never broke from Loukas’s as he leant over towards Georgie and in a loud stage whisper said, ‘I don’t think your boss is happy with us. I’ll save some for you...meet me for dinner later.’
Over his dead body.
‘Georgie needs to work late. I want her to accompany me on a tour of the hotel tonight. We need a fresh pair of eyes to spot if anything is missing or needs to be changed.’
Georgie looked as surprised as he was himself by his announcement. He clamped his teeth together, determined to pretend that he had conceived the idea of a tour long before now. He gritted his teeth even harder when he remembered the acquisition report that he was supposed to be working on. He really didn’t have time to act as tour guide... Well, he’d keep it short.
Nikos held the champagne glass up to the light, his expression one of bored amusement. ‘It’s Friday evening, I think Georgie deserves some time off.’
Loukas levelled a stare at his brother. ‘And our guests are arriving next Thursday—to an as yet unfinished hotel.’
Nikos took a long, slow slug of champagne, shrugged and said, ‘We’ll be ready.’ He shifted around towards Georgie. ‘So, Georgie, which would you prefer—dinner with me or a hotel inspection with your boss?’
Georgie’s gaze swivelled between him and Nikos before settling on Nikos. Of course she’d choose Nikos. They were friends. Were they even more?
Loukas clenched his hands, feeling a bolt of jealous disappointment sideswipe him.
But then her gaze moved to him. And remained there.
‘I would love to have a tour of the hotel.’ Standing, she added, ‘And dinner would also be lovely, I know Angeliki is free tonight, and I’ll call Marios. Why don’t all five of us have dinner together? I was just about to leave and visit some of the businesses down on the harbour, to brief them on the reopening, so I’ll book a table while I’m there.’
Nikos knocked back the rest of the champagne in his glass and Loukas studied him, waiting for him to object, to find a reason for them all not to have dinner together. The way he and Marios normally did when he had suggested they meet. And that would suit Loukas just fine.
But, to his surprise, Nikos picked up the champagne bottle, muttered, ‘Sounds like a plan to me,’ and sauntered into Loukas’s office to join Chef Jean-Louis.
Should he be the one to say no to dinner? It was likely to be an acrimonious affair, if past family gatherings were anything to go by. Did he really want Georgie witnessing first-hand the tension in his family?
Georgie picked up a file from her desk and slung a wide cream leather handbag over her shoulder before moving towards him. ‘I’ll be back by seven for the tour. I’ll book a table for nine.’
‘Dinner isn’t a good idea.’
She stepped closer to him. ‘There’s nothing going on between Nikos and me,’ she said in a low whisper, her gaze challenging, daring him to disbelieve her.
She held his stare and he was dragged into the depths of those hazel eyes, his heart pumping faster and faster at the sight of the power, the solemnity, pride and dignity he found there.
He stepped back. ‘I know. But we are only days away from opening The Korinna. We should be focused on that.’
She gave a satisfied nod, rearranged the strap of her bag on her shoulder, said, ‘Precisely the reason you all need some downtime,’ and walked out of the office.
* * *
‘When I was a stagehand in Lisbon we had a famous elderly actor performing at the theatre, but because he couldn’t remember his lines I had to relay them to him via an earpiece. He was a complete sweetheart, and it was all going well—until one night I spilt coffee all over myself, and he shouted out in the middle of an Ibsen death scene, “Sweet divine, I’ve ruined my dress”.’
Loukas heard his siblings’ laughter fill the outdoor courtyard of the Thea Garden restaurant and Georgie shook her head in a self-deprecating manner, mischief twinkling in her hazel eyes.
She took a sip of the Moschofilero wine he had ordered for the table before moving her gaze to meet his briefly.
Angeliki, who was sitting next to Georgie, pushed their finished dessert plates aside and placed her phone down on the table between them. They began to flick through images, soon deep in conversation, their heads almost touching.
Both he and Georgie had returned to the villa after the hotel tour to change for dinner. When she had reappeared downstairs he had struggled not to stare at her as she’d joined him out in the villa’s garden. The loose denim-blue silk blouse she wore was buttoned low, and a teardrop pendant sparkled just above the valley of her breasts. White palazzo pants hugged her hips, while her hair, tied up in a loose ponytail, emphasised the high-cheekboned delicate beauty of her face.
Despite his misgivings at the start of their hotel tour together—which hadn’t been helped when Georgie had insisted that he had to inspect every female bathroom and spa changing room with her—she had made a number of useful suggestions. Including the addition of hair straighteners in the female changing rooms at the gym and the provision of extra fresh t
owels for guests using the daybeds on the beach who might want to swim on a number of occasions throughout the day.
She had also, following her briefing to some of the businesses in town, suggested that they showcase local arts and crafts in the reception area. But it had been her enthusiasm, excitement, and her belief in the future success of The Korinna that had taken him aback. Her optimism had lightened something in him. For the ninety minutes or so during which they’d toured the hotel he had started to believe that just maybe everything would be okay.
And throughout tonight’s dinner, even though tension still existed between him and his brothers, Georgie’s lightheartedness, relaxed and engaging style had made it...fun. It had actually felt good to sit for a few hours with his family and not focus on work.
Beneath a ficus tree they had eaten chargrilled squid and tender scallops with tzatziki. Their conversation had been interrupted several times by fellow diners, who had stopped to wish them well with the reopening, several saying how proud their parents would be to see them working together.
All four of them had avoided making eye contact with one another on those occasions.
Across the table from him he saw Georgie reach for Angeliki’s hair and lift it away from her face. They were obviously discussing hairstyles. Angeliki’s rapt attention never wavered from Georgie and his heart sank.
He couldn’t allow Angeliki to grow too close to Georgie. She had adored his PA before Eleni—Rea, who had left the island after a whirlwind romance with a hotel guest and moved to Chicago to marry him. Angeliki had become withdrawn after Rea had left and then had proceeded to act out. She had been suspended from school, had constantly arrived home past her curfew time, and had started dating less than desirable guys who had been more interested in who she was and what they could get from her rather than in caring for her.
She was older now, of course, but she still had a worrying need for support and reassurance. And her taste in men certainly hadn’t improved.
He leant across to Nikos and Marios, who were deep in conversation about Marios’s most recent scuba-diving expedition, biting back the temptation to tell Nikos that he shouldn’t be encouraging Marios’s obsession.
Tempted by Her Greek Tycoon Page 5
