Читать книгу Greek Bachelors: Buying His Bride: Bought: The Greek's Innocent Virgin / His for a Price / Securing the Greek's Legacy - Julia James - Страница 13

CHANTAL woke to find the bed empty and no sign of Angelos.

Even without glancing at her watch she knew it was late.

Hot sun shone through the open bedroom doors, illuminating the room like a stage set, and from outside by the pool she could hear the low hum of male voices.

Obviously the physical demands of the night and the complete absence of sleep hadn’t affected him at all.

Memories flooded back into her head with embarrassing clarity.

It had been like being caught in the focus of an earthquake, watching helplessly as everything familiar had crumbled around her. She’d had no control over her reactions. She hadn’t recognised herself.

Covering her face with her hands, she gave a groan of disbelief as she forced herself to face the uncomfortable truth.

She had made love with a man she barely knew. Again and again. And then again.

And not just any man. A man with more wealth than she could possibly imagine. A billionaire. Which made the situation a hundred times worse as far as she was concerned.

Hadn’t she always promised herself that she would never have that sort of relationship? Not when she, of all people, knew what such a relationship meant.

She’d come here on her own terms, living by her own rules. And now everything had changed. Sex had shifted the balance. Instead of being a guest, she was—she was—

What was she? His mistress? His lover?

It didn’t really matter what she called herself, because the reality was that technically she was now a kept woman. She was on his territory, living by his rules. He was paying for her. She was staying in his villa, eating his food, swimming in his pool, luxuriating in his bathroom—

Her breathing suddenly increased and she sat upright in bed, faintly panicky as the reality of her situation sank in.

She’d let a man buy her.

All right, he hadn’t actually given her cash, but she was using his hospitality, which amounted to the same thing, and she couldn’t allow that to carry on. Not for one moment did she fool herself into believing that the money she’d given him anywhere near covered their expenses so far.

Which meant that she had to leave.

How could she stay when staying went against everything she believed in? He wanted sex from her, that was all. Sex.

She became conscious of every delicious ache and tingle in her body and she glanced at the rumpled sheets, admitting to herself that her reluctance to leave wasn’t all to do with his father.

She was crazy about Angelos.

What woman wouldn’t be?

But it wasn’t an equal relationship, was it? And she’d always promised herself that this wasn’t going to happen to her.

Angelos had drained his third cup of coffee and was trying to concentrate on what his father was saying when Chantal stepped hesitantly onto the terrace.

No one looking at her could have been in any doubt as to how she’d spent the previous night. Her eyes were adorably sleepy, her mouth was soft and bruised, and the haphazard way that her blonde hair had been pinned to the top of her head suggested that her hands hadn’t been quite steady at the time.

The simple pair of shorts she’d elected to wear simply accentuated her ridiculously narrow waist and the generous curve of her hips. She somehow managed to ooze sexuality and innocence at the same time, and the combination was intoxicating.

His mind suddenly wiped of all coherent thought, Angelos endeavoured to recall exactly why he’d opted to join his father for breakfast when there had been such a good reason for staying in bed. Looking at her now, he cursed his generosity in allowing her to sleep, wishing instead that he’d woken her up and continued his exploration of her exquisite body with the benefit of full daylight.

Clearly her mind was running along the same lines as his because she met his gaze and her cheeks immediately turned a deep shade of rose. Her eyes slid longingly to his mouth and then she looked away again.

‘I’m sorry I’m so late,’ she mumbled, and Angelos watched with growing amusement, wondering whether she was aware that she’d as good as announced their level of intimacy to anyone watching.

He loved the fact that she couldn’t hide her feelings.

At least his father would need no convincing as to the exact nature of their relationship, he thought with wry humour as he stood up and pulled out a chair for her.

She blushed more than any woman he’d ever met and he found it incredibly appealing.

‘Kalimera.’ His hand brushed against hers and he heard her softly indrawn breath. Then she sat quickly in the chair and the sudden flash of lush, creamy flesh and the glorious scent of her hair sent an explosion of lust tearing through his body. The desire to remove her clothing and rediscover her amazing and addictive curves was so powerful that Angelos inhaled sharply and stepped backwards.

Costas chuckled and put down his coffee cup. ‘It’s time I left the two of you alone.’

Realising that his reaction to her had clearly been as transparent as hers had been to him, Angelos frowned. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

What was the matter with him?

Discretion and discipline were just two of the rules he stringently applied to his love life, but so far both had been notably absent in his dealings with Chantal.

When he remembered the passionate interlude in the swimming pool, he felt as though he were reviewing the actions of a stranger.

His father’s smile widened. ‘You should congratulate yourself, Chantal,’ he said cheerfully, reaching for another piece of fruit. ‘You’ve achieved what other women have only dreamed of achieving. You’ve distracted my son from the share price. This is the first meal I’ve shared with him when he hasn’t bored me to death on the subject of the money markets. In fact, he hasn’t noticed me since he sat down at the table. Clearly he has something far more absorbing on his mind.’

Wishing he’d encouraged his father to leave them alone, Angelos ignored the growing sexual hunger inside him and instead applied cold, hard logic to the situation. What would he normally be doing after a night of incredible sex?

The answer was that he would be working, having left the woman in his life to occupy herself in whatever way she found most amusing. In his experience, that usually involved shops.

And that, of course, was exactly what he should do in this case. Send her shopping. It would remove the distraction caused by having her around, enable him to get some work done, and it would please her. And he wanted to please her.

Satisfied with that solution, Angelos lounged in his chair, a faint smile touching his sensuous mouth as he anticipated being on the receiving end of her gratitude that coming night.

‘Contrary to my father’s expectations, I do have to work today,’ he said smoothly. ‘You’re welcome to occupy yourself around the villa, or Jannis can take you by boat to the mainland. We keep a car there, so if you fancy a trip of some sort. Shopping, perhaps?’ He waited for her face to brighten with the appropriate display of enthusiasm, but she merely stared at him.

‘Shopping for what? I don’t need anything.’

‘Then feel free to buy something you don’t need,’ Angelos drawled, extremely amused by her naïve response. He decided that he liked her more and more. She was original, and entirely different from the women he usually dated. ‘The female desire to shop usually stems more from want than need.’

‘There’s nothing I want, either.’

Never before having found himself in the position of having to encourage a female to spend money, Angelos was momentarily at a loss as to how to respond. Then it occurred to him that she might be assuming that he was expecting her to pay for herself. ‘I’m offering you my credit card, agape mou.’

Her narrow shoulders tensed. ‘I don’t want your credit card. I don’t want anything from you.’

His father laughed with delight. ‘A woman who doesn’t want anything from you, Angelos. Take my advice and hold onto her.’

Angelos frowned. Was she playing a game? Was this all to do with his remark about gold-diggers? Was she trying to impress him? ‘If you change you mind just speak to Jannis,’ he said smoothly. ‘He can take you anywhere you want to go.’ But he was starting to wonder whether that should be the bedroom. If it weren’t for the numerous business calls that were demanding his attention, he would drag her there right now, without even giving her time for breakfast.

Early night, he promised himself, his body tightening as he remembered how responsive she’d been the night before. ‘Coffee?’

‘Please.’ She reached forward and lifted the pot, not waiting for Maria to serve her. Then she smiled at his father. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Like a spring lamb. After breakfast I am starting some exercises with the physiotherapist.’ He glanced at Angelos. ‘You chose her. Is she better-looking than the nurses?’

‘She’s a grandmother,’ Angelos said dryly as he lifted an orange from the bowl. ‘And the purpose of her visit is to assist in your recovery, not liven up your love life.’

‘I have no problems with a mature woman, but is she thin?’

Intercepting Chantal’s surprised look, Angelos smiled. ‘My father is very wary of thin women.’ Deftly he peeled the orange and placed the segments on her plate. ‘Try this. It’s straight from the tree and absolutely delicious.’

His father waved a finger. ‘It isn’t natural for a woman to be thin. A thin woman—’

‘—has her priorities all wrong,’ Angelos finished, watching transfixed as Chantal licked her fingers of the last of the juice. Her lips were soft and pink, and as they closed round her fingers he felt the immediate and predictable response of his body. ‘My father thinks a woman should enjoy her food.’

‘When it tastes as good as this, it would be hard not to.’ She reached for another segment of orange and then met his gaze. Her hand stilled.

Aware of the effect he’d had on her, Angelos smiled.

The anticipation was burning him up inside and clearly she felt the same way.

Driven by the demands of his libido, he was tempted once again to ignore the mounting pressures of his business—but then he reminded himself that the wait would be good for both of them. It would make the conclusion all the more satisfying.

By the time the sun set, both of them would be so desperate that the night ahead would prove to be doubly satisfying.

It was the perfect solution.

Why hadn’t she thought of it immediately he’d suggested that she might like to go shopping?

As the boat sped across the bay, Chantal kept a close eye on the coastline.

When they arrived at the harbour, she leaned forward and spoke to Jannis. ‘This is perfect. Can we stop here?’

He moored the boat. ‘There are no expensive shops here. I will drive you to Athens.’

‘I don’t want expensive shops.’ She stepped out of the boat and scanned the restaurants that were strung along the beach. ‘This will do fine.’

‘You wish to spend half an hour here?’

‘No, I want to spend the day here.’ Grabbing her bag, she smiled at him. ‘Thank you so much for the lift. Is there a water taxi or anything that would take me back to the island?’

Jannis looked startled. ‘No taxi—’ He cleared his throat. ‘If you give me a time, I would be honoured to collect you.’

Chantal wrinkled her nose and thought for a moment. She didn’t really want him to collect her, but what alternative did she have? ‘All right. If you’re sure. Shall we say five o’clock?’

That should give her plenty of time to do what needed to be done.

Never had Angelos found so little in his working day to interest him.

After just one phone call he found himself staring at the door of his office, wondering what Chantal was doing.

Was she lying in the sun? Swimming?

The memory of her body outlined by a tight swimming costume sent the heat surging through his body and he ran a hand over the back of his neck, struggling against the impulse to go outside and check that she had everything she needed.

Concentration eluded him, and by the time Maria came to tell him that lunch was served on the terrace he’d already decided to take the rest of the day off and take Chantal back to bed. So it came as a shock to discover that she wasn’t there.

‘Jannis took her in the boat to the mainland,’ Maria told him as she placed several dishes on the table. ‘He’s picking her up at five o’clock.’

She was planning to be out all day?

Angelos’s expression didn’t alter. So much for her protests about not wanting or needing anything.

Obviously that had all been for his benefit, he thought cynically as he picked an olive out of a bowl and silently examined its dark, glossy skin. As soon as he was out of the way she’d vanished on a shopping trip.

Which wasn’t surprising.

What was surprising was how disappointed he felt.

Why should he be disappointed when she was simply doing what her sex was programmed to do?

Exhausted after a night without sleep and a day spent on her feet in the heat, Chantal lay on the sun lounger, sipping an iced drink and listening as Costas Zouvelekis entertained her with stories of Angelos as a child.

‘—and he was so competitive. Always he had to win.’ Costas gave a wry smile at the memory. ‘If he found something difficult, then he just set his jaw and tried again until he succeeded.’

‘I hope you’re not showing her baby pictures.’ A deep, dark drawl came from behind them, and Chantal turned and saw Angelos standing there, a sardonic expression in his eyes as he watched them.

He looked so sleek and handsome that her stomach dropped like an express elevator with a major technical fault.

Watching her reaction with an approving smile, Costas stood up. ‘I’m going to have a short rest before dinner.’

Angelos watched him walk across the terrace and into the villa and then his gaze swivelled back to Chantal. ‘I missed you today.’ His eyes dropped to her mouth, and for a moment she couldn’t breathe. Her body heated in an instantaneous response that shocked her. The attraction between them was so powerful that it obliterated everything else. And it didn’t matter how much she tried to control it, she just wanted him now.

‘You missed me?’

‘Did you doubt it?’ His voice was low and seductive and he sat down on the edge of her lounger. The width of his shoulders blocked out the sun, and for a moment she was in the shade unable to think of anything except the differences between them. Her legs were creamy and smooth. In contrast his thighs were strong and well muscled, shadowed by dark hairs that simply emphasised his masculinity. Male and female—the contrast between them increased the sexual heat still further.

‘Did you work today?’ She shifted her gaze from his legs to his face and then wished she hadn’t because the dark stubble that hazed his jaw was just another indication of his virility.

‘I tried to, but I confess my concentration was a little lacking.’ His eyes were hooded, the sudden curve of his mouth slow and seductive. ‘Are you tired?’

‘Tired?’

‘You had a long day—’ with his customary assurance he ran a long, bronzed finger over her trembling thigh and lingered at the curve of her knee ‘—and you didn’t have much sleep last night.’

‘Last night?’

‘You are supposed to answer me, agape mou,’ he drawled softly, ‘not just repeat everything I say like a parrot.’ But the amusement in his eyes made it clear that he was well aware of the effect he was having on her, and the fact that he knew simply increased her embarrassment.

No wonder he had a healthy ego, Chantal thought faintly, if all women were as useless at hiding their feelings as she was.

She tried to think of something cool and dismissive to say, but he was just too close for her to concentrate on speech. The density of his eyelashes made his eyes seem even darker and for a moment she just gazed at him, enraptured by the lean perfection of his bone structure and his firm, sensuous mouth. He was extravagantly, impossibly handsome and it was impossible not to stare.

With a soft laugh he leaned forward, but stopped just short of kissing her, his mouth tantalisingly close to hers. ‘If you won’t talk,’ he murmured softly, the words brushing her lips in a sensuous promise, ‘then we will have to find some other way of communicating.’

Her excitement levels soaring through the roof, Chantal gave a low moan of desperation, the anticipation of his kiss so acute that it was like a physical pain. When he finally ended the torture and captured her mouth with his, the heat erupted between them in a violent explosion of sexual chemistry.

The passion threatened to soar out of control, but this time Angelo pulled back. ‘Not here.’ His usually faultless accent was a long way short of perfect and his voice was hoarse. ‘We will go inside.’

‘No.’ Seriously disturbed by how out of control she felt when he touched her, Chantal slid away from him.

‘No?’ It was his turn to repeat her words, and he did so in such a disbelieving tone that at any other time she would have smiled. But she was a long way from smiling. Her insides were suffering from a serious case of turbulence.

‘No. We can’t. Not until we’ve sorted something out. It’s important.’

‘Ah—’ His gaze softened with understanding. ‘You are talking about contraception, but you needn’t worry. This time I promise to take very good care of you—as I did last night.’

‘I’m not talking about contraception.’ The fact that it hadn’t even occurred to her was yet another indication of just how dangerously he affected her.

His gaze was indulgent. ‘You want to show me your purchases?’

‘What purchases?’ Concentrating was impossible when everything about him made a woman want to touch: his glossy hair, his bronzed skin, the sheer masculinity of his athletic physique.

‘You spent the day shopping,’ he reminded her, his eyes amused. ‘I’ll tell Maria to make dinner an extra-special occasion, so that you can have an excuse to wear whatever it is that you bought.’

‘I didn’t buy anything.’

He lifted a brow in sardonic appraisal. ‘You spent an entire day shopping and you didn’t buy anything? How is that possible?’

‘I wasn’t shopping.’ Deciding that the sooner they sorted everything out the sooner her principles would be satisfied, and they could do what they were both longing to do, Chantal dug her hand into her bag and pulled out an envelope. ‘Here. This is for you.’ She pushed it into his hand and he looked at her quizzically, before flipping open the envelope with a lean finger and examining the contents.

‘Not again!’ A flash of exasperation in his eyes, he fingered the notes and looked at her with a total lack of comprehension. ‘Why are you giving me money this time?’

‘It’s for my food, expenses—w-whatever you want to call it,’ Chantal stammered. ‘And please don’t argue, because I really want you to take it. Actually, I insist on it. I mean, when I was here because of your father it didn’t matter so much because I was here for a reason. But now that we’ve had—now that our relationship has changed—and it’s—I can’t have sex without paying you…’ Aware that her words were spilling out in the wrong order, she let her voice trail off. She waited for him to give a nod of understanding, but his only response was a long, incredulous silence.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, he spoke. ‘You’re paying me for sex?’

‘No!’ Flustered, she shook her head. ‘Of course not.’

‘You said that you can’t have sex without paying me.’

‘I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.’

‘But you’re giving me money?’

‘Because I don’t want you subsidising me.’