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Grace now looking at her with confusion “What does that mean?” she had asked as the two men had joined in.
“If any man comes on hot and heavy with our Grace…she lifts her hand “ the other adding “Shields up…we all call it the Star Trek manoeuvre”
Grace had stared open-mouthed at them all in surprise “I…I do not!”
A chorus of “Yes you do” making her close her mouth, Alexos watching her thoughtfully,
“I see” his only comment as Grace had looked so nervous and uncomfortable.
“I am sorry to hear about your breakup” he had offered softly as she had taken a drink of the delicious wine “Please don’t be…Daryle and I are still very good friends”
The others had looked at each other, never having heard much about her personal life. Grace never normally one to volunteer anything about herself. Once more they had known that there was a back story to the two that they were unaware of, Carol looking innocently at Alexos as she had asked what the others all were dying to ask
“So…we hear that Grace once spent a weekend here?”
Grace had dropped her fork with a loud clatter, her fingers suddenly nervous as she had glared at Carol, Alexos however had smiled gently.
“Yes. I used to have parties here every month and Grace and her mother were guests”
Carol had smiled sweetly “That is so nice that the two of you would remember each other after such a long time”
This time she had blushed from her toes right to her very roots, Alexos’ eyes hardening as he had fixed her with an unreadable expression.
“Did Grace not explain our….relationship?” his voice smooth yet hard, the other three eyes moving to look at her as she had looked beseechingly back at him.
“I didn’t see the point…it was so long ago Alexos…some things are best left there”. The two had held the other’s gaze for seconds, each one to Grace seeming like minutes before his lips had twitched softly, the smile not reaching his dark eyes as he had drawled softly.
“Perhaps you are right” relief filling Grace as she had given a long sigh. The others however, had seemed disappointed as quickly she had changed the conversation, her voice still shaking as she had asked after his father.
Alexos had given a small grimace, a sadness coming to his eyes
“My father does not keep well, which is actually why I am here. He has a home on the mainland close by, and I am overseeing that it is ready for his visit”.
With a small frown Grace had spoken gently “I am sorry to hear that, would it not be easier for him to come here?”
Alexos had shaken his head, his eyes holding hers softly “My father has never set foot on this island since my mother died…too many memories for him”
With a small groan Carol had dropped her hand onto his, her look full of understanding, Grace’s eyes hardening as the other woman had touched him.
“That is terrible Alexos” Carol had breathed softly, a look of sympathy filling her pretty face. Biting down the need to pull the other woman’s hand from his Grace had dropped her eyes, not seeing as he had watched her, a strange expression entering his.
After the meal they had all moved to a living room she had not seen before, more intimate, where he had put on music and asked about their research. Again Grace had moved as far from him as was possible aware as her actions had not escaped his watchful eyes.
For several hours the group had talked about their findings, Alexos genuinely interested as he had admitted to having a soft spot for the animals.
“We really appreciated your agreeing to take part in the research” Grace had offered, as he had fixed her with a harder look.
“You are most welcome Dr Dionis” his emphases on her name pointedly telling her beyond any doubt that had he known who she really was he would never have agreed.
As the time had reached ten, Grace had given a small smile rising sure that she would be able to feign tiredness with some semblance of believability. “Well Alexos, I would like to thank you for your generous hospitality” her eyes taking in the rest of the group.
“We really appreciate that we are not sitting in this” pointing to a window, as everybody had nodded in agreement as the storm had raged noisily outside.
Inclining his head with a small crooked smile he had told them they were welcome.
“We are up very early, being the last day…so I think that I will retire for the night, so I would like to say thank you as I am sure that we will be gone before you get up”
Alexos had given a small humorous chuckle “Why Grace…of course I will be up, what kind of a host would I be not to see my guests off?”
Giving him a harder look she had forced a smile onto her lips “Well in that case…I will see you tomorrow” before looking at the others “I will see you all at five” the group groaning but nodding in agreement.
Moving from the room, she had felt relief having made it through the night, retreating thankfully into her room.
Looking at the bath within the luxurious en-suite she had groaned softly, finally giving in to the temptation, running it deep and adding some of the expensive bubble bath. Smiling at the sight of the foaming bath she had sank into the warmth with a soft sigh of pure pleasure. It had been weeks since she had enjoyed such a luxury and after half an hour of soaking she had dried off, feeling contentment through to her very bones. Humming happily her long hair had then been dried, Grace using some of the many new brushes to style it, chuckling to herself at the desire to do this. Pulling on her fitted crop top and small bed shorts she had moved from the bathroom looking forward to sinking into the soft sheets, her mind remembering the last time she had stayed at the villa, smiling softly at the memory as it had resurfaced.
The slight movement in the corner of the room had made her jump in fright, her hands covering her mouth to hold back the scream at seeing the man sitting so relaxed in the armchair.
“Alexos!” his name falling from her lips as shock had thudded into every part of her.
“Hello Grace” he drawled softly, his eyes watching her carefully “I thought you and I should have a talk”
Grace had wrapped her arms around herself, so aware that she wore so little, the crop top stopping above her navel her toned flat belly visible. With a voice which shook alarmingly she had tried to stand taller, to seem surer than she was.
“We have nothing to talk about Alexos…I appreciate your hospitality for my team” stopping as her eyes had narrowed “I locked that door…how did you get in here?”
Standing, he had moved closer, alarm bells ringing throughout her.
“I own this house Grace. I have keys for every room”
Raising her chin defiantly she had resolutely stood her ground “Please leave…as I said we have nothing to talk about and I have an early start”
Shaking his head he had continued to move towards her, Grace’s bravado starting to slip as she had moved backwards away from him.
“I disagree. You didn’t want to talk about things in front of your team…I understand that, but believe me we ARE going to talk”
His eyes were no longer gentle, no longer full of humour, but ice-cold full of hostility.
“You left me to explain to my whole family and all the friends I introduced you to, that the woman I was going to marry had eloped, married some nobody and moved to the UK”
With a gasp her hands balled, she had leapt to Daryle’s defence.
“He is not some nobody…he is the best man I have ever known”
With a raised eyebrow Alexos had stopped a frown coming to his handsome face. “And yet you are no longer married to this ‘best man’” his tone full of contempt “What happened Grace did you get a better offer, ditch that poor man too?”
Glaring back she had bitten out “You don’t understand” he had moved forward bridging the remaining distance between them.
“You are damn right I don’t understand” Grace feeling the way her heart was beating so fast in her chest, the alarm showing in her large eyes.
“You agreed to my, for a better word ‘wooing’ you. We and our families had an agreement and in that you agreed to effectively be my wife”
Looking up into his face she had once more felt the tremors of awareness, the strange flip-flopping within her stomach tinged with fear as he had glared down at her.
“I phoned you…I explained it to you, we had not officially made any announcement Alexos”
With a derisory laugh he had grabbed her by the upper arms.
“Everybody knew Grace, my father, your parents and my friends. I had finally met the woman I was going to marry…and then you eloped. You used me, you used everybody”
Shaking her head ferociously she had moaned softly “No…it wasn’t like that” eyes full of panic. “Let me go” desperately trying to pull herself from him.
