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CHAPTER EIGHT
THEPLACEBOASTED a state-of-the-art gym that Zach doubted Alekis even knew existed, but he chose the beach ahead of the treadmill. Two hours of flat-out pushing-himself-to-the-limit running later, he felt he had regained a sense of proportion, enabling him to think past crippling lust and recognise that being thrown into the company of someone whose early life mirrored his own to some minor degree had dredged up some deeply buried memories, and added an intensity to his feelings when she was around.
A logical explanation, without falling back on the tired old clichés of soul mates, made him feel more comfortable and confident he was able to deal with the next few days without betraying Alekis’s trust.
He just needed to keep her at an emotional arm’s length and fulfil his commitment to Alekis.
* * *
Having breakfasted alone, Kat asked directions to the study, where apparently Zach was waiting for her.
The question in her mind was, which Zach?
It seemed to Kat that there were more than one. There was the Zach who seemed warm and interested, even sympathetic, when she told him about her past, or the one who was the distant and cool executive hiding behind defensive walls to keep emotions out.
She understood the decision to protect her heart in an emotional armour, but her heart had always ached for people who didn’t realise they had imprisoned themselves at the same time. Not your business, Kat, she told herself firmly.
The thought had been a recurring theme through the long night that had been punctuated by fitful dreams, a session of trying on shoes from the cavernous wardrobe and minutes spent on the balcony, listening to the soothing sound of the waves.
Thank God for caffeine!
‘Good morning, did you sleep well? Excellent.’
She blinked. So this was how it was going to be?
‘Coffee?’ He stood there with pot in hand, more good-looking than any man had a right to be in a black T-shirt and jeans. If his manner had been as informal as his clothes, she’d have been toast. It wasn’t, so she wasn’t. All positive—this was not the right time to develop a crush and this was not the Zach whose opinion she would ask about the outfit she had chosen for this evening.
‘Yes, please, black.’ Matching his manner, she took a sip of the scalding strong brew, though the effort was wasted on him as he’d already turned to the desk. ‘Right, there will be thirty-five guests tonight. I have subdivided them—society, business and social.’ He stabbed a long finger towards the screen of the tablet that was on the desk and tagged on casually, ‘Only one royal.’
‘Only one?’
He flashed her a look. ‘He won’t be a problem,’ he promised, dismissing blue blood with a snap of his long fingers. ‘However, these might. You can see...’
She couldn’t. She was still standing on the other side of the room. Seeing his look of impatience, she overcame her reluctance to move closer, and after a moment’s hesitation she reacted to his gesture to step in and look, planting her hands palms flat on the surface as she leaned in.
‘As you can see, I have red-flagged those who might be a problem,’ he explained. ‘Number one is probably Spiro Alekides.’ He leaned across her, causing her breath to hitch as he scrolled down the screen before moving back to a distance she found comfortable once more as he explained, ‘He can be slippery and has an unsavoury reputation when it comes to women.’
Kat turned her head. He had said that with no discernible trace of irony in his voice, and, yes, there was none at all on his face that she could see—staggering!
‘Unfortunately, Alekis has a joint venture with him,’ he tagged on, explaining the man’s presence.
‘You don’t sound as though you approve?’
‘Alekis does not need my approval.’
‘Who is she?’ Kat asked, looking curiously at the glamorous blonde woman whose photo was next to the red-flagged man.
‘That’s Ariana.’
Something in his voice made her turn again in response to a little spurt of something alarmingly close to jealousy tightening in her chest. ‘You know her?’
‘That sort of intuition will do you no harm,’ he complimented her smoothly. ‘We have both dated Ariana, as it happens at the same time. Spiro sent her to do a little industrial espionage and I used the situation to my advantage to plant a little false information. He has never actually forgiven me, so keep clear,’ he warned.
Kat caught her breath. This was not close to jealousy, and more a flood than a spurt. This was the real thing with bells on! The shaft that pierced her was so intense that she would not have been surprised to see a knife hilt protruding from her chest.
Kat was as deeply shocked by her visceral reaction as she was scared by it. Lowering her gaze to hide the emotions she felt were written across her face in neon letters, she amazed herself by responding in a relatively calm voice.
‘So she used you, and you used her. Does that cancel out all the using?’ she wondered in a voice that sounded too bright. ‘I’ll look at this myself later. Don’t worry, I always did my homework.’
