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Because Ioniko had always been on his best behavior during their past meetings – and now Mairi knew he had just been biding his time – the words were a complete shock to her, making her hands shake and causing her to accidentally spill scalding hot coffee on her bare legs.
“Ow!”
Ioniko reacted with lightning speed, scooping Mairi up in his arms and taking her to the whirlpool bath nearby. He placed her inside gently and turned the taps on. In seconds, cold water blasted the reddening skin on her thighs.
Tears stung her eyes, but Mairi did her best to blink them away. If she had found the strength not to cry over Her Greatest Mistake, then she was not going to cry over this either.
“You can cry, you know,” Ioniko said quietly.
She shook her head furiously.
She looked like an adorable kid doing her best to pretend she was an adult, and somehow that only made Ioniko want to take her in his arms and promise her that he would protect her against all the evils in the world.
Ioniko could not think of any other woman that would make him feel this...nice or this protective. But then, most other women were made of sterner stuff than Mairi. There was just something stubbornly fragile about her – even though he knew the words did not make sense. It was as if every time she spoke, every time she looked at him or did something – it was as if Mairi was telling the world she had her rose-colored glasses on and she was never going to take them off.
Mairi breathed a sigh of relief when the pain started to recede.
“Good job,” he said approvingly.
She grinned. “Yay me!” He laughed – and the sound of it made her suspicious. She said with a sinking heart, “You know, don’t you?”
“It was a very cute story.”
Mairi made a face. “Suuuuuuure it is – if I weren’t 24 and a teacher to boot!”
Laughing, he carefully scooped her out of the tub. “I’ll have the crew dry your dress. But for now, change into something else. There’s brand new stuff in the guest bedroom.”
Mairi was still smiling when she changed into a fresh bikini before covering herself up with an oversized black terry robe. Ioniko was as big a flirt as his sister had let on, but he was a nice flirt. She could see them being friends, just not—-
She pushed the thought away. She was not going down that road. She would get over Her Greatest Mistake and when she did, she could start again. This time, she would be more careful as she searched for the Greek billionaire she was meant to live happily ever after with.
A few more minutes passed before she finally made her way out to the deck. “Ioniko?” She climbed up the short flight of stairs that led to the VIP living room. She turned – and instead of Ioniko, she found another Greek billionaire.
“You?”
Damen Leventis stood in the center of the room, a dominating force dressed in an expensive suit, dangerous tension vibrating from his profile. He took off the dark shades hiding his gaze and Mairi gulped at the sight of his silvery gray eyes, which were blazing with fury.
He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Yes. Me.”
Jealousy of the most vicious sort made him inhale sharply, struggling to stay in control as he watched Mairi ascend the last step and come inside the room. He hated the fact that she had on another man’s robe and was in another man’s yacht, and he fucking hated hearing another man’s name on her lips.
“How did you get here?”
“I granted him entry to board.” Ioniko suddenly appeared on the other doorway, which connected the VIP room to the main deck. For long moments, he had managed to keep himself still behind the tinted glass door, waiting and watching to see how Mairi would react to Damen Leventis’ presence.
The flash of emotion in her eyes upon seeing the other man told Ioniko everything he needed to know.
She cared for Leventis.
That was more than enough to make Ioniko move. He wanted Mairi and he was never one to back off a challenge. She might have feelings for Leventis now, but there was no saying it could not change.
Mairi shook her head in confusion. “Are you friends?” A light bulb clicked inside her brain and she stumbled back, her eyes suddenly wide with fear. “Oh my God—-”
Damen tensed at the fear darkening Mairi’s gaze. “What is it? Did this bastard hurt you?”
“Fuck you, Leventis. It’s obvious that you were the one who hurt her.” Ioniko started towards Mairi but stopped when she took another step back. Perplexed and concerned by the apprehension on her face, he asked, “Mairi?”
Her head went from Ioniko to Damen and back again. Maybe other women would consider this scenario a dream come true, but not her. This was way out of her comfort zone. When they took a step towards her simultaneously, she shrieked. They froze.
