looked down at Lucy and felt the knot of frustration which had started the minute he’d left their bed earlier this morning intensify. Every moment he spent not touching this woman meant dealing with a level of frustration he hadn’t experienced before. He looked at her properly for the first time. He’d tried to avoid looking directly at her all day—if he was honest since last night, when she’d—His belly flipped over and he ruthlessly quashed the memory of such weakness. He still couldn’t believe it had happened …
But now she did look tired, with faint circles of violet under her eyes. She also looked a little strained, and a dart of guilt struck him when he remembered the urgency he’d felt to get off Paros and back here, bringing them straight to the office and working them both like dogs.
Lust was a force within him, crying out for satisfaction … but he would not admit to that. She wanted to go to bed alone? Well, he was damned if he was going to let her see that the notion of that went against every clamouring instinct to throw her over his shoulder and carry her to his own bed.
So he backed away, and did not like the visible look of relief that crossed her face. He almost stopped and gave in to his primal urges—had to clench his fists not to.
‘We leave for Parnassus’ villa at nine a.m. I’ll see you in the lobby.’
She nodded and then disappeared into her room, shutting the door between them with a firm click that seemed to resonate all the way through Ari’s body right to his feet.
On Thursday evening Lucy thought back to the gentle exhaustion she’d felt the previous Sunday and could have laughed. Since then it had been like the first week—a frenetic blur of work, whizzing from Parnassus’ villa, back to Ari’s office, and back to the hotel. Ari had been out late nearly every evening, having private meetings with Parnassus and their legal teams, and much to Lucy’s relief hadn’t thought it necessary for her to be there too.
She’d carefully locked the interconnecting door on her side each night, even though all she’d fantasised about was slipping naked between Ari’s sheets and awaiting his return.
Instead, as she’d thumped her pillow, she’d told herself that this was the best way. Nip it in the bud now, and when they got back to the UK she’d calmly inform him that this brief moment of madness was over. Her mind froze at the thought of calling women for him, arranging dates, seeing him come in in the morning with that satisfied look on his face, slight shadows under those amazing eyes from not sleeping—
‘Lucy, what are you doing hiding over here? Has Ari told you to stay out of sight in case people realise he’s sleeping with his PA?’
It took a moment for Lucy’s focus to return to the room and realise that Anatolios was standing in front of her, with a smarmy look on his face. She could almost feel sorry for him now that she knew he’d been rejected in the end, despite his mother’s vast efforts to secure him number one place in his father’s affections.
‘I’m not hiding.’ She felt defensive. She had been guilty of hiding, hoping to get a glimpse of Ari and compose herself before going over to him. ‘I’ve just arrived and I was looking for Ari.’
They’d come separately to this, another charity ball which was being held in their hotel in honour of Parnassus’ contribution to helping the homeless in Athens. It was going to be the precursor of the announcement of the merger, which would be made the following morning, with the papers being signed at a press conference.
Lucy felt a prickle of unease skate up her spine when she saw how Anatolios’s eyes were all but devouring her breasts, and she realised she was hemmed in between him and a wall. She moved to try and edge past him, but he moved too, surprising her with his agility.
He came and stood close, effectively blocking her from the room, and Lucy was very aware of how intimate it might look. She was plastered against the wall behind her now, could feel Anatolios’s breath, smell the alcohol. Her belly spasmed.
‘Anatolios, I have to go and find Ari. Would you excuse me, please?’
He laughed, and it was nasty. He didn’t move. ‘You English, you’re always so polite—please and thank you. You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what Ari is cooking up with Parnassus.’
Lucy flushed, and her eyes were immediately caught by Anatolios’s. He couldn’t hide his look of triumph.
‘I knew it. I knew there was something big going on.’ He grabbed Lucy’s arm then, making her wince.
‘Tell me what it is right now, I have a right to know what my brother is—’
Abruptly Anatolios was moved out of the way bodily, and then Ari was standing there. Lucy felt weak with relief.
He gestured with a hand for her to come with him, and she went gratefully, her legs feeling like jelly. She didn’t look back, and when Ari said to her, ‘What was going on there?’ she avoided his eye and shook her head, saying, ‘Nothing. He just … we were just chatting, that’s all.’
The whole scene, with its air of menace, was making her feel sick, but she didn’t see the point in rising Ari’s ire now, when the deal was all but done.
Lucy made sure to stick close to him after that, figuring the devil she knew was better than dealing with Anatolios or Helen, who she’d also seen in the distance.
Just before everyone started to disperse Ari pulled her aside and took a sheaf of folded documents out of his inside jacket pocket. He handed them to her and they were still warm from his body heat. Even that made her tremble.
‘Put these up in the safe in my room, would you, please? They’re the official merger documents for tomorrow.’
She just nodded, avoiding his eye, and hurried out of the ballroom, glad of the respite and a chance to get herself back under control.
Ari watched Lucy leave the room, his eyes drawn helplessly to her glorious body in the figure-hugging strapless dress. His hunger for her was like a wild thing within him—a beast clawing to get out.
He rationalised it: it had to be because she’d been holding him at arm’s length all week, her door firmly closed by the time he’d come back each evening. His mind had been helplessly distracted, despite the fact that he’d told her not to come to those late-night meetings, but now—His body tightened unbearably. The thought of her right now, in his room … He glanced around and knew he wouldn’t be missed for a few moments. His blood surged at the thought of tumbling her onto his bed and sating this demon desire inside him.
Lucy was walking over to where the safe was hidden in the wardrobe of Ari’s bedroom when she heard something at the door. She turned and went back, thinking it might be the turn down staff. When she saw Anatolios slipping into the room she froze.
‘What are you doing here? How did you get in?’
He smiled nastily, and she saw his eyes take in the documents in her hand. She hurriedly put them behind her back.
He kept coming towards her, and she started to back away into the bedroom.
‘Oh, let’s just say I’m in Athens a lot more than Ari these days, so I have my contacts. Now, why don’t you show me what you have hidden behind your pretty back?’
He was coming straight at her and Lucy froze for a second,
