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Forcing a laugh, she pulled out of his arms. ‘Never say never. Shower time; I’ll be out in ten.’ She backed away, all the while noting he remained where he stood, his intense eyes on her. ‘Um, there’s coffee in the kitchen if you want some. I’m afraid I don’t have much in the way of food as I wasn’t expecting to stop here last night.’
Finally, he nodded. ‘Coffee will suffice.’
Brianna held her breath until he left her room, then flew into the bathroom.
Eight minutes later she was slipping on high-heeled designer leopard-print shoes as she pinned her hair up in its usual chignon. With one last look to check her appearance, she tugged the sleeves of her black Prada suit, picked up her large handbag containing her tablet and left the room.
Sakis stood at her tiny living-room window gazing down at the street below. He turned at her entrance and handed her the second cup in his hand just before his phone buzzed. As she sipped her coffee, Brianna couldn’t stop staring at the magnificent man who paced her living room.
A man who’d not only taken her body but had found his way into parts of her heart she’d imagined had withered and died.
The thought of walking away from this man for ever gouged her with pain that left her breathless. When he speared her with those mesmerising eyes, she fought hard to stop her feelings from showing.
She would have time to deal with the heartache later. Because, of course, there would be heartache. Her feelings for Sakis had gone way beyond the professional. She’d known that before she’d slept with him last night. This morning, watching him struggle with fresh adversity made those feelings more intense.
So intense she set her coffee cup down before her trembling hands gave her away. ‘Do you need anything else before we leave?’
‘Yes. Come here.’
She went willingly, unable to resist him. He looked around the room then set the coffee mug on the window sill. ‘You’ll enlighten me as to why this apartment has barely any furniture in it later, but for now I have a greater need.’
‘What?’
He pulled her closer and cupped her face in his large hands. ‘I haven’t said good morning properly. I may not get the chance once we leave here.’ He sealed his mouth over hers in a long, exploratory kiss. When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were the dark green she associated with extreme emotion. ‘Good morning, pethi mou,’ he murmured.
‘G-good morning,’ she responded in a voice husky with fresh need.
Reluctantly he dropped his hand and stepped back. ‘Let’s get out of here now or we’ll never leave.’
The journey to the office was completed in near silence. Sakis seemed lost in thought, his answers monosyllabic as she tried to slip back into professional mode.
As they entered the underground car park at Pantelides Towers, she couldn’t bear it any more. Turning to him, she waited until he faced her. ‘If you’re wondering how to play this, you need not worry. No one needs to know about what happened last night. I know what happened with Giselle—’
‘Is ancient history. What’s going on between us is different.’
Her heart lurched then hammered. ‘You mean you don’t mind if anyone finds out?’
He stiffened. ‘I didn’t say that.’
The hurt that scythed through her was as unbearable as it was irrational.
When the car stopped she scrambled to get out. Sakis grabbed her arm to stay her and waved the driver away when he approached.
‘Wait, that didn’t come out right. What I meant was that the last thing I want is for you to be caught in the crosshairs because of my past. It’s very easy for the wrong person to put two and two together and come up with fifteen. You don’t deserve to suffer for my father’s sins.’
She sagged backwards. ‘Was he... He wasn’t always that bad, was he?’ It was unthinkable that they both could’ve suffered such outwardly different, but inwardly similar and painful upbringings. At least, she hoped not, because her heart ached for the pain in his voice every time he spoke about his father.
She had come to terms, somewhat, with her non-relationship with her mother.
He sucked in a long breath. ‘Yes, he was. He was a philanderer and an extortionist who was corrupt to the core and very clever at hiding his true colours. When his deeds were finally uncovered, our lives were turned inside out. Our every word and deed was scrutinised. Several times, our house staff discovered tabloid journalists digging through our garbage in the middle of the night, looking for more dirt.’
Distress for him scythed through her. ‘That’s horrible.’
‘As horrible as that was, I mistakenly thought that was the worst of it.’
She was almost afraid to ask. ‘What else did you find?’
‘It turned out my father had mistresses stashed all over the globe, not just the secretary who’d grown tired of his philandering ways and empty promises—she was the one who blew the whistle that started the ball rolling, by the way. Once the first mistress crawled out of the woodwork, they were unstoppable. And you know why they all came forward, every single one of them?’
