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Alexio was oblivious to it, though. He was feeling more and more off-balance. Exposed. And, even worse, vulnerable. The last time he’d felt like this had been in front of his mother as a child, when she’d coldly infected him with her cynicism. From then till now it had formed a part of his protective armour. It had become a second skin, and everything in his life had merely compounded his world view.
As soon as he’d turned his back on his inheritance so publicly his coterie of so-called friends and hangers-on had left him—apart from one or two people and his brother. Then, as soon as he’d shown signs of making a fortune, they’d come back in their droves.
Nothing much had surprised him after that telling experiment in human nature—as if he hadn’t had enough lessons from his parents. Until Sidonie. She surprised him. She was like a whirling dervish, smashing everything in her path and taking him with her. He’d had no intention of taking a few days’ holiday until he’d woken up beside her in London the morning after that night and felt the insistent throb of hunger in his blood and his body.
No way could he have let her go.
He’d known one night wouldn’t be enough, but he’d felt then as if a month wouldn’t be long enough to sate himself with her. Feeling slightly panicked, Alexio had decided that the best thing to do would be to take her away, so that he could indulge this desire day and night and let it burn out.
However, this was the third night, and he felt as if a lifetime wouldn’t be enough to sate himself with Sidonie. He’d done his best to hold her at a distance, deliberately curbing the way she made him want to relax and speak whatever was on his mind. But it was hard. And getting harder.
When she’d leapt onto his back earlier, to be carried up the steps, Alexio’s chest had swelled with an emotion that had made him shake. No woman he knew was so impulsive, so tactile, so effortlessly affectionate.
Yet despite her easy affection she wasn’t suffocating him with emotion—far from it. She was holding back—exuding an air of nonchalance.
Something dark inside him had raised its ugly head. Suspicion. He remembered showing her the closet full of clothes on that first day. He’d expected shock, awe, gushing gratitude. Even his most cynical lovers never failed to put on an act when he presented them with gifts. But Sidonie, whom he would never have put in their category, had been completely blasé, and since then he hadn’t been able to push down a niggle of disquiet.
One minute she was like an open book, her expressions as unguarded as a child’s and equally disarming. The next she was as mysterious as the Sphinx, exhibiting an age-old feminine mystique that made him wonder if he was being completely naïve.
Alexio didn’t like the reminder that from the moment he’d met Sidonie on that plane he’d been acting out of character. He never encouraged a woman to stay overnight in his apartment, even if they’d had dinner there. And he certainly never took off at a moment’s notice, throwing his normally rigid schedule out of the window.
The growing doubt had prompted Alexio to put in a call to his most trusted employee and personal friend—his solicitor—just a short while before. He was one of the few who had stuck by Alexio’s side through his lean times. Pushing down a feeling of guilt, he had instructed him to engage someone to do a background check into Sidonie.
His friend had chuckled. ‘I thought you only did this when you wanted to take over another company or find an adversary’s weak points? Now you’re including your lovers?’
He’d answered far more curtly than he’d intended. ‘Just do it, Demetrius. I don’t expect a discussion about it.’
Despite the guilt he’d felt at taking such action, when Alexio had put the phone down he’d felt some semblance of equilibrium return. Sidonie hadn’t scrambled his head so badly that he wasn’t still aware of protecting himself. He was in control.
That control was about to be shot to pieces, though, as he heard a sound and turned around. Sidonie had emerged onto the terrace and for a long second Alexio literally lost his breath. All he could feel was his heart pounding as it struggled without oxygen.
The dress was a burnt orange colour and silk. Looped over one shoulder, and strapless on the other side, It had a big hole cut out over one hip, showing off the naked indentation of Sidonie’s waist. A hint of one breast was visible just above the top of the dress as it swooped over her chest, hugging the delicious curve. The silk fell to her knees, but one leg peeped out of a thigh-high slit.
She was wearing nothing that he hadn’t already seen on other lovers. He’d seen far less. But Alexio had to battle the very strong urge to tell her to go back and change, like an over-protective father. Or a mindlessly jealous lover, imagining the effect she’d have on other men. That thought alone made him stop and take in a breath. His chest swelled painfully.
‘Is it okay?’
Sidonie was frowning, plucking at the dress. She looked at Alexio and this was one of those moments when she looked endearingly exposed, reminding him of the woman he’d met on the plane—all at once spiky and yet vulnerable.
‘Come here,’ he husked.
Sidonie moved towards him and Alexio had to bite back a groan of need. One long, slender leg was displayed in all its provocative glory as she walked towards him, her dainty feet encased in gold peeptoe heels.
She stopped before him and looked up. Her hair lay loose and long around her shoulders, glinting like golden fire in the dusky light. Her skin had already taken on a golden glow from the sun, despite the copious amounts of factor fifty he’d insisted she keep putting on—much to her disgust. Her freckles had exploded and magnified across her nose and cheeks. And her shoulders.
When Alexio finally felt able to touch her without tipping her over his shoulder and taking her back inside, he slid a hand around the back of her neck. That silky fall of hair against his hand made his body throb.
‘You look...stunning.’
The vulnerability he’d seen dissipated and Sidonie smiled. ‘Thank you...so do you.’
Alexio was used to compliments and they always felt empty. Except when she said it. He took his hand away, because he knew if he did something like kiss her now he’d never stop. Instead he took her hand and led her out of the villa to a nearby hidden garage which housed a sports car—one of his brother’s new models.
It was a convertible, and Sidonie whistled in appreciation as she got in. Alexio held the door open for her, trying his best not to look at her exposed leg. Dammit, maybe he should get her to change?
Gritting his jaw, and wondering why on earth he’d thought taking her out would be a good idea, he got in the other side and soon they were driving along the coast, towards the bustling night-life of Fira.
* * *
