Page 50 of Billion-Dollar Baby Shock

He stalked over to her before she could take another breath and pulled her up out of the chair, close to his body.She felt his heat and strength and her insides predictably melted into a pool of lust.She was so not over it.

‘You’re saying you don’t want me any more?’

Her gaze roved over his face, the lean lines, the intense expression.She wanted to make him laugh.She loved him.She reached up and touched his face, tracing his hard jaw.

She shook her head.‘No, I was just…saying nonsense.’

He speared a hand in her hair and pulled her head back.His gaze went to her mouth and lingered there.He said something in Greek.Tara imagined he was cursing her for this crackling chemistry between them.Well, tough.It wasn’t her fault that it wasn’t burning out.

He lowered his head and took her mouth in an open kiss, explicit, immediately sexual, and she welcomed it, meeting him with equal hunger and passion.

The fire was raging between them in seconds, no words spoken as Dion pulled open her shirt and palmed her breasts, finding those hard peaks and pinching them gently, making Tara moan.She was leaning back against Dion’s desk and reached for his shirt.She pulled it apart too and thought she heard ripping, buttons popping, but she didn’t care.

He opened her shorts and pulled them down, takingher underwear with them.He lifted her, sitting her on the edge of his desk.‘Open your legs.’

She did, feeling like a goddess as Dion fumbled with his clothes.His face was flushed.She reached up and pushed that lock of hair back and for a moment he looked at her, but then he was moving into her and then filling her with his hard body, making her back arch.She put her hands behind her, head thrown back as Dion caught her up against him and moved in and out, taking them higher and higher.It was fast and explosive.Over in minutes.Both gasping for air, skin slick.Clothes half on, half off.

Tara clung to Dion and thought to herself,As long as we have this…there’s hope.

* * *

But that hope felt very elusive the following day when Tara stood, with Niko in her arms, in a vast penthouse apartment in an exclusive suburb of Athens.Not far from Dion’s villa.

She turned around, taking in the huge open-plan living-dining area.There was also a separate living room with full media centre.

There was a state-of-the-art kitchen.Three bedrooms, all en-suite.The master suite had a dressing room and small private sitting room.There was an outdoor terrace.A gym.A home office.It was stunningly modern and sleek and impressive and… Tara turned to Dion.‘Why are you showing me this?’

‘I bought it for you.’

Tara nearly dropped Niko.She had to tighten her grip on him and he squirmed a little, reaching out for Dion, who took him easily, perching him high against his chest.The little boy snuggled in.Traitor.

‘You bought it, for me,’ Tara echoed flatly.

Dion nodded.‘This is one of Athens’ newest developments.Easy access to the city.Parks nearby.Lots of cafés and restaurants.There’s a concierge downstairs.’

All that she could possibly need for her independent life once Dion cut her loose.She looked around, feeling a little bewildered.She noted, ‘It’s not very child-safe.’

‘I’ll have people come in to make sure it’s safe, but it shouldn’t cause problems in the short term.Niko is barely crawling.’

No, he was pretty stationary.Tara looked at Dion again.‘You didn’t have to buy this… I could have rented for a while, bought my own place eventually.’

‘You’re the mother of my child, Tara.I will provide for you.It’s in your name, yours to do with as you wish.’

Her gaze narrowed.‘You mean I could sell it?’

He shrugged minutely.‘If you wished, of course.’

Because, on some level, Tara was sure that Dion still believed her capable of disappearing.Maybe this was a test, to see how she would react?She forced a smile.‘Well, it’s lovely, and far too generous.But thank you.When is it available?’

Dion held up a key.‘It’s yours as of now.’

Tara blanched.She hadn’t been expecting that.In the normal world people didn’t just move into new houses or apartments the minute they saw them.

Dion went on, ‘I’ve arranged for your things to be packed and moved over tomorrow.’

Tara felt winded again.‘And how…how will we do this?’

‘You’ll be living here, you can come and see Niko asoften as you like, or have him here if and when it suits, maybe when I’m away, working.’