AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter. I went on a round-the-island coach trip when I first arrived but we didn’t see very much of it. The organiser seemed more concerned with getting us to buy vases than wanting to show us the place.’
He shuddered. ‘I know those vases.’
‘Ugly.’
‘Neh. As you say, ugly. Yet this island has her secrets. Places where the tourists tend not to go. We could drive through some of the villages. Watch the sunset from the Dhassos Rock. Maybe find ourselves something to eat.’
Her grey eyes regarded him suspiciously and this was definitely not a reaction he was used to.
‘Are you asking me to have dinner with you?’
‘Sure. Why not?’
‘Well, for a start, I don’t even know your name.’
Conditioned by a lifetime of expectations, Leon felt an instinctive tension enter his body. ‘It’s Leonidas. Leonidas Kanonidou.’ He watched for some sort of reaction but when there was none, he relaxed a little. ‘Most people call me Leon.’
‘Like a lion,’ she said slowly.
‘Exactly like a lion. Do you speak Greek?’
‘Very funny. That would be the hardest thing in the world.’
No, not quite the hardest, he thought ruefully, aware of the exquisite throb at his groin. ‘So, now you know who I am, are you going to have dinner with me?’
She didn’t answer straight away and even her hesitation was a turn-on. He was used to capitulation. To women being available at the metaphorical snap of his fingers. To being hit on—sometimes subtly, sometimes not. His growing reputation as one of the world’s most eligible men had contributed to his recent absence from the dating scene, his appetite jaded by too much choice and too much opportunity.
What Leon wasn’t used to was being kept waiting, because people went out of their way to please him. As if his gratitude would somehow improve the quality of their lives. Hoping he would give them a break, or a job, or a wedding ring. He was used to people laughing at his jokes, even if they weren’t funny—which wasn’t often. Was this what happened to men who were not billionaires, he wondered idly—were they judged on their merits rather than the size of their wallet? Was this unknown Englishwoman destined to be remembered as the only woman who had ever turned him down?
But she didn’t.
Of course she didn’t.
‘Okay.’ She shrugged. ‘Why not?’
Her reluctance was possibly contrived—yet Leon didn’t care. He seemed to have stopped caring about anything right now, other than this diminutive woman with attitude. He watched her lift her arms to tie her hair back then almost wished she hadn’t because it drew his attention to the heavy curve of her breasts. Had she been intending to showcase the nipples which had tightened so enticingly and was she aware of her power over him at that moment? Another surge of hunger flooded through him, which was crazy.
Crazy.
He thought about the busy timetable for the weekend ahead. The selected cream of young Grecian society would be in attendance, eager to participate in the lavish events lined up for them. There certainly hadn’t been many slots available to accommodate the reckless acquisition of a new lover he’d only just met. Plus, there would be an available slew of far more suitable hook-ups than this spiky blonde with the wintry eyes. Leon swallowed. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
But common sense was no match for the heavy slug of his heart or the growing heat of his blood. It certainly wasn’t powerful enough to stop him grabbing his T-shirt from the back of his motorbike and pulling it roughly over a body which once again was exquisitely aroused.
‘Then let’s go,’ he said roughly.
CHAPTER TWO
‘SO WHAT DO you think? Like it?’
The drawled questions, delivered in Leon Kanonidou’s knockout velvety voice made Marnie’s cheeks grow hot and, hoping he hadn’t noticed—she looked around the restaurant.
It was gorgeous. Like something you might see in a film. Just a few tables perched on a dramatic rocky outcrop above the sea, into which the sun was sinking like a giant red ball. Beneath them was a long beach of fine sand, lit crimson and mauve by the dying light. Still early, the place was empty except for them—though surprisingly for such an out-of-the-way location, every table was reserved. In fact, the proprietor had borne down on them rather forbiddingly when they’d arrived, all windswept and dishevelled and she’d thought they were going to be turned away. Until Leon had spoken to him in Greek and Marnie had watched an astonishing transformation take place. The man had almost done a double take before nodding his head, quickly removing a ‘Reserved’ notice and reverentially ushering them to the table with the best view.
Marnie thought she could understand why. Had her companion used his lazy charm to get what he wanted, or had he simply turned on the full force of his charismatic personality which made it hard to imagine refusing him anything?
She felt supremely relaxed, sitting here with him. The tiny place had none of the unashamed opulence of the Paradeisos complex where she worked, which sometimes made her feel a little bit uncomfortable. Yet as she shifted her bottom on the chair, she found herself wondering what she was comfortable with—because climbing onto the back of a total stranger’s motorbike and speeding off in a cloud of dust wasn’t her kind of thing at all.
Usually she was cautious with men and as unlike her twin sister as it was possible to be. She had never acted impetuously with a member of the opposite sex because up until now there hadn’t been a good reason. Was feeling as if someone had reached inside her body to stir up her senses a good enough reason? As Leon’s eyes met hers she saw his lips curve into a faintly mocking smile—almost as if he’d guessed at her thoughts. Yet instead of bristling defensively, Marnie found herself grinning back and that was addictive too. For a moment she felt as if she
