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‘For the first time, I feel you’re back where you belong…ensuring everything runs like clockwork.’ Alexei studied her closely, wishing her vibrant hair were loose instead of tightly confined and mentally reclothing her in garments more appealing than the black pinstripe skirt suit she wore. He would like those little fingernails painted too. His sense of anticipation spiked, his body reacting with hot sexuality to the concept of Billie’s lush little body clad in silk and lace lingerie, and for the first time there was no guilt, no sense that such thoughts, images and reactions were inappropriate where she was concerned. And why was that so? His intentions were wholly honourable for possibly the first time in his life.
Dry-mouthed at the full spectacular masculine effect of Alexei Drakos up close, Billie scrambled upright, her heart drumming out a disturbing tattoo behind her breastbone. ‘Everything was done before I arrived. The housekeeper here is a gem.’
His beautiful smile broadened, showing a flash of strong white teeth. ‘Generous to others as well. You have many sterling qualities, Billie. My guests arrive this afternoon and I would like you to act as my hostess while they’re here.’
Billie inclined her bright head in acknowledgement.
‘But as I imagine you didn’t pack for that eventuality I ordered some clothes for you.’
Her green eyes widened. ‘You ordered clothes for me?’ she queried in surprise.
‘I don’t want you running round dressed in a business suit for the next forty-eight hours, moraki mou.’
In receipt of the full stunning burn of his dark golden eyes welded to her, Billie tensed as sexual awareness prickled over her entire skin surface and made heat lick in private places. ‘I thought we had agreed that you wouldn’t call me something like that…’
Alexei laughed out loud. It occurred to her that for a man whose recent romance had gone down in flames of invasive publicity he was in a remarkably good mood. ‘No, you objected, but I made no such agreement. I’ll call you what I like.’
That arrogant assurance was vintage Drakos and ironically eased Billie’s tension a little, since up until that instant he had been behaving in an unfamiliar manner. With the experience of long acquaintance guiding her, she moved on to more business-orientated matters. ‘I’ve been going over the figures for the proposed renovations here and I’ll have to discuss the budget with you before I can establish—’
‘No, no work
for the moment. Go and put on one of the new outfits and join me for lunch,’ Alexei instructed, determined to lift their relationship right out of the usual business mode.
‘But your guests won’t arrive until later.’
‘Is there some particular reason why you need to argue with me today?’ Alexei enquired in a drawl as smooth and acerbic as a diamond cutter.
Billie parted her lips and then closed them again. It annoyed her that she didn’t know why he was behaving as he was. Buying her clothes, for example: what was that all about? Years ago, when he had helped equip her for her new job with him, he had known she didn’t have the money to purchase smart suits and there had been good reason for his generosity. But why now, all of a sudden, should it matter to him what she wore? Was he suggesting that she was dressing badly again? Trying to smarten her up? Embarrassment claimed her until she went up to her room where she discovered that a staggering array of designer clothes awaited her attention. Not one of those outfits impressed her as being suitable for work wear. The collection of lingerie took her very much aback as it was far too intimate a purchase for him to have made on her behalf. She assumed he had instructed some personal shopper and that the lingerie was a mistake.
Mistake or otherwise, however, Billie was intrigued by the exquisite undergarments and finally succumbed to the temptation of seeing herself garbed in pastel-blue silk lingerie of the most frivolous and revealing kind. She picked a devastatingly simple royal-blue dress with a draped neckline and a short-sleeved jacket from a famous designer and put them on, posing in high strappy heels and barely recognising her reflection. She let her hair down, ran a comb through the thick tangle of coppery red strands that tumbled round her face and smiled. So this was how feeling you looked your best felt! She knew she should take the outfit off, go back downstairs and tell him that she could not possibly accept a virtual new wardrobe from him. Shamingly, however, and her cheeks reddened at this awareness, she badly wanted him to see her clad in her fine feathers first.
Alexei’s black-lashed gaze whipped over Billie’s slender elegant figure with considerable satisfaction when she reappeared. ‘You don’t look like my PA any more.’
‘And that’s not right,’ Billie pointed out earnestly.
‘It is if you’re in line for a promotion…a major kind of promotion,’ Alexei framed with teasing precision. ‘I’ve thought a lot about you since I ditched Calisto and I have reached a fascinating conclusion. You’re the shining example of the sort of woman I want to marry.’
Her eyes wide with bemusement at that far-reaching statement, Billie breathed weakly, ‘I suppose I should say thanks for the compliment.’
‘I know you inside out. You know and understand me,’ Alexei asserted with formidable cool as he guided her into the dining room with a light hand resting to her spine. ‘You have all the qualities I admire: honesty, self-respect, courage and kindness. The people who surround me like and respect you as well.’
‘I just work for you. You’re making me uncomfortable,’ Billie reproved, shaking out her napkin and taking a seat opposite him with two high spots of colour burnishing her cheeks.
‘Don’t tell fibs,’ Alexei derided. ‘There’s a strong sexual attraction between us and there always has been.’
Her face felt so hot that she honestly feared her skin was on fire. ‘I don’t understand what all this is about or why you’re talking to me like this—’
‘Then don’t interrupt, and listen,’ Alexei cut in with withering bite. ‘I’m not a romantic man. I never have been. I never will be. Calisto was a major mistake and I’m grateful to have appreciated that fact before I put a wedding ring on her finger. But that fiasco did make me think about what’s important in a life partnership, what I want from a woman and what that woman might expect from me.’
‘Well, that’s very sensible but just at present I imagine you’re feeling rather anti-women and not thinking quite as clearly as you believe you are.’
His lean, darkly handsome face tensed and darkened, his eyes narrowing with hauteur. ‘That’s where you’re wrong. I have never been so sure of a decision before. To be frank, I don’t spend much time thinking about my relationships with women.’
‘I know,’ Billie agreed feelingly, thinking of some of the appalling mismatches that had featured in his past love life.
‘You know the worst I’m capable of.’
Billie wondered why he was talking to her in such an unusually intimate vein and her brow stayed indented in a frown. She was tense and uneasy.
