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In the three weeks since London, he’d used every ounce of his focus to push Phoebe from his thoughts, but that didn’t change the fact she was there, all the time, those huge, liquid eyes staring up at him, her silky hair falling over those perfect, rounded breasts with their creamy skin and pale pink nipples.
“It’s just a heads up. You can do what you want with the information.”
“But you’ll kill it?”
“For now. Just—see if you can get me a proper denial, then legal won’t let us run it.”
“The fewer people involved in this the better.”
“It might not be a bad idea to brace Maggie for the gossip. If this woman decides to talk…”
“She won’t.” Anastasios scraped back his chair, taking one last look at the Acropolis before storming from his office, his face wearing dark thunderclouds.
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m going to make sure of it. Thanks for the tip off, Tommy.”
“No worries—,”
Anastasios had already disconnected the call.
* * *
When Phoebe arrivedfor her shift, he was the first person she saw, occupying the same table as last time, his eyes fixed on the room, brooding, mysterious. Delicious.
She shuddered, but not with fear so much as need. It tore through her instantly, flooding every cell in her body, so she had to force her feet to stay planted to the ground, rather than allowing them to propel her forwards, towards him, into his arms, his lap.
She sucked in a sharp breath and turned, looking desperately for her manager. He was in the bar.
“Edward, any chance someone can cover my shift?”
He let out a laugh. “You’re kidding, right? Fiona’s kid’s sick—again—so she’s out, Raul is getting his teeth looked at,” Edward winced, “And Clare’s in Barcelona, remember? Why? What’s going on?”
“I—nothing. It doesn’t matter.” This job paid above the minimum and the tips were excellent. God knows she needed the money. “Forget I said anything.”
“Atta girl. Table two needs their order taken.”
Table two just happened to be right beside Anastasios. Steeling herself for the inevitable interaction, she grabbed a notepad and pen from next to the cash register and moved with cold determination through the packed restaurant. As she neared his table, his eyes flicked to her and the second they collided with hers, energy sparked between them and her steps faltered.
She forced herself to look away, staring at table two instead.
“Hi,” she smiled overbrightly, trying to tune out the beautiful man who was still watching her intently, trying not to remember how good it had felt when he’d touched her, kissed her, taken her nipple in his mouth... “Are you ready to order?”
She wrote down everything the four diners said, word for word, offered another smile, took the menus, then moved away, but after only two steps, he beckoned her.
“Waitress?”
She ground her teeth.
“My name is Phoebe,” she hissed, when she’d drawn level with him. A hint of his masculine fragrance assailed her and her knees knocked together. “As you’re well aware. What do you want?” It was too late for civility. Her insides were squirming painfully at the sight of him, as so many things came rushing back to her. That he’d given her money after what had happened between them! That he no doubt still believed she was capable of sleeping with his father! The very idea made her skin crawl.
“To speak with you.”
A shiver ran the length of her spine. “I’m working.”
“Until when?”
She gripped the notepad more tightly. “I don’t know. It’s busy. And besides that, I have nothing I want to speak to you about.”
