‘I’m a little tired.’
Nikos slanted her a veiled look through half-lowered lids. ‘I find it strange that you feel obliged to apologise for behaviour that needs no apology but not for insults you throw so indiscriminately at me.’ He shook his head when she opened her mouth to respond.
‘Hush!’ he urged, pressing a finger to her parted lips. ‘We will not squabble. I am not so unimaginative that I cannot see you are at the end of your tether. As for what I would do, we are not talking about me.’
Not talking, thinking or fantasising about, which was something she really ought to bear in mind! Unconsciously she ran the back of her hand across her lips where he had touched.
‘I just thought that Tom isn’t going to lose any sleep over what he doesn’t know about. Besides,’ she added brightly, ‘he knows I don’t need him to hold my hand every time something goes wrong.’
‘You are a tough, independent woman, then?’ Nikos asked, sounding amused.
Katie’s eyes narrowed. Her want-to-make-something-of-it? look was weak, but strong enough to make her opinion of his condescension known.
‘If you’re asking if I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, then,’ she told him proudly, ‘yes, I am. Do you have a problem with that?’
He would prefer his women clingy and needy; that went without saying. The sort that would tell him at frequent intervals how big, strong and marvellous he was, and never, ever disagree with him! In short, women who would not upset his theory that the world revolved around him, she concluded scornfully.
‘Does Tom?’ he fired back smoothly.
Katie waved her tastelessly large diamond ring at him. ‘Quite obviously not.’
‘Maybe you are more circumspect around him?’ he suggested drily.
‘Around Tom I can relax,’ she breathed, closing her eyes and imagining herself in his undemanding company. With Tom she never felt stressed or under pressure or…excited?
Her eyes shot wide open; where did that come from?
‘But not around me?’
Katie laughed; she couldn’t help herself. It was such a ludicrous idea: relax with Nikos! She could more readily imagine falling asleep on top of an active volcano! But then, she mused as her eyes moved over his tall, elegant figure, he did have something of a volcano’s explosive qualities…and he was liable to erupt for no apparent reason.
‘Do I look that stupid?’ If ever there was an invitation, this was it.
Katie heaved a sigh and squared her shoulders, steeling herself for the inevitable scathing riposte…it didn’t come. In fact the strange, tense silence between them stretched on and on…
He had stilled to the point of seeming not to breathe at all as his restless dark eyes got as far as her face and didn’t move. An expression she couldn’t decipher flickered across his taut face; it was only there for a moment, but this was long enough to unsettle her completely.
‘No.’
After the build-up she’d been expecting something a bit more—memorable than that.
‘You didn’t answer my question.’ Except with a question—he seemed to be good at that. ‘Do you have a problem with strong women?’
Nikos shrugged. ‘Strength is not an issue. My relationships with women are rarely competitive either physically or intellectually.’
Katie’s contempt increased. In other words he picked them weak, thick and great in bed. Just as well I’m not after the job because I don’t qualify in any of the above.
‘Some women feel there is a need to sacrifice their femininity in order to compete on an equal footing with men; that is their choice. I just happen not to find them particularly attractive. I admire women that manage to succeed but do not try to be one of the boys.’
‘Are you calling me unfeminine?’ she demanded hotly.
‘I would hardly categorise you as a high-flyer who is anxious to compete with men on their own terms.’
Why, the patronising—!
‘Are you leaving your job before or after the wedding?’ he wondered with a guileless smile.
Katie caught her breath. You had to hand it to the man—he could deliver insults with a smile better than anyone she had ever met.
‘I’m not leaving at all. My job may not be high-powered but I happen to enjoy it,’ she told him with frigid dignity.
‘Really?’ One dark eyebrow lifted. ‘Tom led me to believe you could not wait to leave…’
‘I haven’t told Tom yet,’ she interrupted tightly.
‘Do you tell Tom anything?’
‘My relationship with Tom is none of your business.’
‘Actually it is very much my business.’
‘Only because you’re an insufferably, interfering…’ Lips compressed, eyes glittering with suppressed frustration, Katie bit back the rest of her tirade; this was neither the time nor place for a slanging match, especially one she was likely to lose.
‘Don’t you think Tom is capable of making his own decisions without you to shove him in the right direction? Not that you could,’ she added quickly. She lifted her chin. ‘Tom is his own man!’ she declared proudly.
‘I’m sure Tom is more than capable of making his own decisions when he is in possession of all the facts…once he has them I will be more than happy to abide by his decision.’
‘It’s not the facts, it’s the way you present them.’
‘Then you present them in the manner you feel shows you in the kindest light; I have no objections. Even if Tom accepts his wealth has nothing to do with your desire to be his wife.’ His expression made it clear he was a lot less gullible. ‘That does not alter the fact you are not free to marry him.’
‘I could be if you weren’t such a stubborn, malicious…’ She heaved several steadying breaths; she would not resort to name-calling. ‘Why should I marry Tom when apparently I’m already married to a billionaire?’
Nikos, who seemed prepared for her comment, totally misinterpreted her throw-away sarcasm.
‘Before the pound signs start flashing before your eyes I will draw to your attention the fact that the pre-nuptial agreement Harvey had me sign works both ways. I’ve checked, Harvey knows his business, it’s watertight. Sorry, but I’m not your golden goose. What’s wrong?’ he asked as the colour seeped from her skin.
Katie, her eyes bright pools of shimmering anger stared up at him. Incredibly his bafflement seemed genuine…how could anyone possibly insult a person like that and not realise it might offend?
She
