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“Apparently not Mr Black, and I’m guessing he is not setting another place at Christmas dinner either”.
He had laughed loudly at her response, his eyes growing softer, as in a more serious tone she had added
“It is difficult for him, Mr Black, it is not easy to find that you suddenly have a sister you knew nothing about”.
She had seen as he had nodded back his look full of respect.
“That is very forgiving of you, and I do wish you would call me Joe”.
Flashing him a dazzling smile she had insisted that he then call her Mina, the two falling into silence. After several seconds he had once more lent forward.
“May I ask you a question Mina?”
Looking back she had nodded “Of course…please”.
“How do you intend to vote?”
The question had caught her off guard, but looking back without even blinking she had answered “With Nikos”.
Seeing the surprise on Joe’s face she had finished “My understanding is that the company is doing well and that a sale will result in many of the workers losing their jobs”.
He had nodded softly, his brows knitting together thoughtfully “You are aware Mina that you will gain a great deal of money if you vote for the sale”.
Frowning slightly she had held his gaze.
“I have no real interest in money Joe. My life is just fine as it is”.
Giving a small smile “What you never had you never miss, but it seems wrong to throw so many others out of work for the sake of a quick profit for so few”.
Once more she could see the respect in the man’s eyes, as she had asked a question of her own.
“I thought that you were against the sale?”
Her question raising a look of surprise to Joes face “Why would you think that?” he had replied.
“Nikos gave me files to read on all the board members. Yours said you were more inclined not to sell”.
His laugh had made her look up in surprise, seeing how his large smile had made his pleasant features almost handsome.
“Smart, beautiful and honest - I have to tell you Mina you are not what I was expecting”.
With wide more serious eyes she had asked softly “And what were you expecting?”
His eyes had travelled to where Alexander was still sitting, downing yet another drink.
“I am ashamed to say that I had made assumptions based on other members of your family”.
With a smile that he had not hinted at her birth situation she had nodded sadly.
“Perhaps having money can lead to somebody being a little lost in their own lives” she had muttered softly, Joe nodding beside her, his eyes regarding Mina with a new strange light.
As the music had stopped, she had made to move as he had kept hold of her.
“Please, one more dance” he had grinned “I feel that I have interrogated you and would like a chance to redeem myself”, smiling Mina had nodded her head, her lips twitching as she had allowed him to keep dancing with her.
Nikos had frowned watching as she had failed to return from the dance floor, his eyes narrowing seeing the way that the other man had looked at her, a hot fire of jealousy filling the pit of his stomach, scowling at the realisation of his own feelings. Joe was not only one of the board members, but also his most trusted lawyer, he was also not a man who Nikos had ever really seen with many different women, frowning again as he had seen the unmistakable signs of attraction the other man showed. The hand on his shoulder had made him jump forcing a smile as he had seen Claire.
“You look lonely…come dance with me” she had crooned softly, her eyes shining seductively.
Rising he had followed her to the floor, taking her hand as he had led her close to where Mina swayed so sensually with the other man.
“I had hoped that you would have been the one to ask me to this dance” Claire’s soft voice had cut through his thoughts as he had looked down at her in surprise.
“Did we make plans?” he had frowned, as she had laughed softly shaking her head.
“I said hoped Nikos” she had repeated playfully, before looking over at Mina.
“You brought Mina?”
Looking down in surprise, he had nodded “Yes, she needs to meet with the board” shrugging “seemed like a safe environment for her”.
There had been silence for a few seconds before Claire had once more spoken, her smooth tone holding something strange, something Nikos had recognised instantly, holding back the sigh.
“She looks amazing…even more so than the night she barged in on us”.
“I suppose” he had replied, trying to sound as disinterested as possible, hoping that the woman in his arms would drop the subject. She however, had continued, the jealousy in her voice becoming more palpable.
“Do you find her attractive Nikos?” the question one which he had no intention of answering, as with a frown he had looked down at her.
“What is this all about Claire?” he had hissed in as low a voice as possible, she looking uncomfortable, but a smouldering anger filling her eyes.
“It is a simple question…or are you already sleeping with her?”
“No I am not sleeping with her” he had fired back, feeling his own anger rise “But if I decided to sleep with somebody else then it would be my business Claire…not yours”.
He had groaned feeling the way she had tensed in his arms.
“So what…our relationship is what exactly?”
The words whispered angrily at him “Am I just somebody you phone when you feel horny?”
Nikos had been shocked by the change in the woman he had known for nearly a year, her coarseness surprising him.
“We had an agreement Claire. Nothing too heavy just fun…what are you expecting?”
Raising her head, their eyes had locked together, in a hurt whisper she had pled “I just thought…that one day you would see what a good thing we have going, that maybe one day…”
Her voice had trailed off as hurt had filled her lovely features. Groaning, Nikos had felt like kicking himself. Normally he could see the signs, see when a woman was becoming too emotionally involved. However he had completely missed the signals from Claire.
“I’m sorry” he had murmured softly to her “I just don’t want that. I don’t need that kind of commitment Claire. I am just not interested in a long term relationship. I thought you understood that.”
Looking down, he could see as she had nodded softly, fighting hard to control herself, her eyes not able to hold his as her expectations had been dashed against his reality, trying to pull a shaky smile to her beautiful features.
“I guess I should have known” her eyes darting to Mina, shining with tears held back with supreme control.
“Maybe she will have more luck with you than I did. After all being a long term mistress seems to run in her blood”.
Nikos had bitten back the return comment that her spiteful statement had risen within him, feeling as Claire had pulled back, stiffly turning and making her way to a table on the other side of the room.
Nikos had exhaled a long low sigh, moving slowly back to his seat. Rubbing his lip with his finger he had once more wondered why when he was so clear, women always seemed to expect so much more. Claire was only the latest in a long line of ex casual girlfriends, his mind remembering Mina’s words, not understanding why they bothered him so much. Lifting his hand he had beckoned one of the waitresses to bring him a whisky.
On the dance floor, Mina had enjoyed dancing with Joe, finding him to be a funny man as he had spoken so softly against her ear, he in turn enjoying the quick retorts she would make. When Nikos and Claire had taken to the floor, she had found herself watching the scene that seemed to be unfolding between the two. She had taken in the way he seemed so angry, seeing as his normally so controlled expression had slipped as he had leaned closer to the stunning woman, his words unheard. Her reaction however, was unmistakable, the hurt and bitter look so obvious on her features, before she had pulled herself from his arms and moved away. Mina had instinctively known that the relationship between the two, no matter how tentative, had just ended, not sure why this had made her insides flip so alarmingly. As the music had once more stopped, Joe had led her back to the table, Mina sliding back into her chair beside Nikos.
Watching as he had sipped his drink, his eyes not focussed on one thing in particular, she had leant forward.
“Are you OK?”
He had looked at her ready to tell her to mind her own business, but the real genuine concern in her lovely green eyes had stopped him, Nikos pulling a small lopsided smile to his lips.
“I’m fine…honest”, knowing that she had seen everything and had understood what had just happened. Nodding she had sat back, Nikos appreciating that she had not felt the need to delve further, one more thing that he could add to Mina Lane’s many attributes.
The rest of the night had flown by with little else happening. Alexander had been put into his limo, by Nikos less than an hour later, his whole body swaying with the amount of alcohol he had consumed. She had danced with all of the male board members, each and every one impressed with the young woman they were meeting, all liking her very much. Mina had also found that many men from other tables had taken the opportunity to come over and introduce themselves, Nikos smiling at her.
