The Billionaire's Bodyguard Bride (2 page)

He captured her gaze, eyes shining with sardonic amusement. Clearly he hadn’t missed the way she’d practically devoured him. There was no time for further rumination as the actor playing the celebrant commenced the exchange of vows.

She zoned out, besieged by a flood of memories that sent the scripted words flying in one ear and out the other. She was back on that Grecian beach where they’d first met, cradled in the solid strength of his arms as he schooled her in the pleasures he could impart with that amazing body.

His kisses had tasted like forever. How could those beautiful, masculine lips have spewed such venom after making her believe he cared? His cruel words had burned like acid. They’d poisoned her heart.

“You may kiss the bride,” the mock celebrant announced, drawing her out of her reverie with a start and unceremoniously depositing her back into the nightmare playing out before her. Her heart gave a jolt. Darn. She’d forgotten about this part. She couldn’t possibly. Wouldn’t. No way was she locking lips with this man again.

Rafe clearly had other ideas. Before she had a chance to steel herself, he was laying claim to her mouth in a kiss that was half sensual challenge and half seductive temptation.

Incendiary
, Lauren thought when he unabashedly deepened the kiss. And though he tried to control his ragged breathing as he broke away, she could tell by the way his eyes deepened to stormy midnight he was just as affected. It took her a moment to realize the thundering in her ears was the audience’s roar of approval as they rose to give them a standing ovation.

And then Rafe was drawing her into his arms as they joined the rest of the bridal party for the show’s dance finale. Her legs trembled in time to her thundering heart. She was certain the solid support of his arms around her waist was the only thing standing between her and an up-close-and-personal view of the gorgeous marble floor.

“I know I’m not stepping on your toes, so why the pained expression?” he queried softly. “Aren’t you pleased to see me?”

She’d entrusted him with her heart and he’d crushed it, leaving her soured on love. Did he really believe she’d break out the pom-poms to celebrate his exalted return? If so, he was going to be sorely disappointed. The fatted calf would be staying in the barn.

“Did you honestly think I would be thrilled to see you?” she demanded in a ferocious whisper. “If I’d known you were in New York, I would have been certain to be out of town. Shouldn’t you be in France? I just read an article about your new publishing house there. Judging by the photo of you with your latest conquest, you’re still mixing business with pleasure.”

“You know what they say about all work and no play,” he shrugged, the subtle movement drawing her attention to impossibly broad shoulders magnificently showcased by the tuxedo’s exquisite tailoring.

“So what brings you here? Another acquisition?” She hated that she needed to know.

“In a manner of speaking.” He paused, capturing her gaze and holding it. “I have business with you, actually.”

“You came here to see me?” she asked, incredulous.

He nodded, pulling her closer while soft, romantic music pulsed and ebbed around them.

Lauren’s head urged her to pull away and put some distance between them. Her body, lured by the heady scent of his cologne, the warmth radiating off him, and the hard, muscular lines that provided the perfect counterpoint to her soft curves, defied her. Her body won the battle and she reluctantly gave in, allowing him to pull her closer.

She had to know why he’d sought her out after all this time. “Why are you here now, when you haven’t wanted to have anything to do with me since Greece? When you wouldn’t even listen to my explanation? Why?” she choked out.

Her little tirade didn’t faze him in the least. If anything, it appeared to amuse him. “I’m here because you’re key to the success of a little business venture I’m currently pursuing. It happens to mean a great deal to me.”

“And you think I care about something that means ‘a great deal’ to you after you cast me aside like I was garbage?”

“You know why I walked away. And I think you’ll care when you hear who may be negatively impacted if you refuse to help.”

“What are you playing at, Rafe?”

“Make no mistake, I’m not playing. I have a proposition for you.”

“You can take your proposition and stuff it,” she spat, outraged.

“Really?” he asked, his vivid blue eyes narrowing as they bored into hers. “That seems a bit hasty. Business used to be more important to you than anything. As I recall, you were always willing to do whatever it took to see an assignment through. After all, you did sacrifice your virginity to me for the sake of a story.”

Lauren’s face heated and her palm itched to slap the smug expression off his handsome face. “Why you . . . you . . .”

“Careful,
agapi mou
. If you don’t tone it down a bit the audience isn’t going to believe we’re lovers. How about showing a little enthusiasm for your groom? We want those donations now, don’t we?”

Agapi mou
.
My love.
To think there’d been a time when she’d believed those words had really meant something.

She knew better now.

It was a brilliant plan
, Rafe thought, as Lauren shot daggers at him through those gorgeous emerald eyes of hers. She was even lovelier than she’d been two years ago when he’d first laid eyes on her after he’d fished her out of the waters off his private beach. Though he’d tried, he hadn’t been able to forget her.

He’d been on his usual pre-dinner jog, following his favorite path along the cliffs by the ocean. He was relishing the view of the sunset and the invigorating smell of the fresh sea air after a day spent sequestered in an interminably drawn-out board meeting when a movement in the ocean below caught his eye.

A woman was swimming off his private beach. The black bikini she wore hugged her curves, its daring cut leaving little to the imagination. She was as graceful as a mermaid, and, captivated by her lithe form, he watched her flirt with the ocean waves.

His curiosity quickly morphed into arousal. A moment later both curiosity and the physical response she’d incited were replaced by concern. The woman was floundering, clearly in trouble. Sparing only a second to strip off his clothes, he dove to her aid. In hindsight it had been a dangerous move—stupid really—but his instinctive reaction had allowed him to reach her just as she was disappearing under the turbulent water again for what he’d been certain would have been the last time.

He’d saved her life, but it had cost him dearly. He had been the one to go under, powerless to ignore the sparks of attraction flaring between them. He might have thought twice before risking his life for her that night if he’d known she was plotting to cause immeasurable damage to the Dimitriou family empire.

He’d been convinced she was the polar opposite of his cunning and deceitful ex-fiancée, Melanie. Drawn in by Lauren’s guileless and trustworthy façade, he’d allowed her to thaw the iceberg around his heart. He’d let himself feel something beyond the purely physical for a woman for the first time in years. And, for a fleeting moment, she’d been a comforting balm to his wounded heart.

The music stopped and, frustrated at the direction his thoughts were taking, he released her. He stepped back, spearing her with a hard glance and effectively dousing the flames roaring between them. He ignored the fiery embers that remained. There’d be time to fan them later, if he chose to. This wasn’t about the sexual chemistry between them, even though it surpassed everything he’d ever experienced. This was about revenge. He’d do well to remember that.

It would be in his best interest not to forget what Lauren was capable of.

When he’d learned of her deception, he’d had to face the indisputable reality that she was cut from the same cloth as Melanie after all. The realization had struck him as searingly as if someone had plunged a knife in his gut and twisted it.

And his anger had burned even fiercer than the pain of her deceit. She’d deliberately gotten close to him in an effort to undermine the Dimitriou family empire. Learning of her plan, he’d cast her out of his life, cursing his stupidity for allowing himself to believe she’d been special.

Now he’d exact retaliation for her deception. He needed a temporary bride, and Lauren would be perfect for the role. The chemistry between them was as potent as ever. He wouldn’t force her to share his bed if she chose not to, but he was certain she wouldn’t be able to resist him for long. Revenge would be sweet.

“I have a full day of meetings tomorrow, so I’ll outline my proposition over dinner afterwards,” he told her.

“I’ve already said I’m not interested in hearing what you have to offer, she shot back, her eyes sparking with indignation. “I will not be having dinner with you.”

“I wouldn’t be so hasty if I were you, he murmured, his tone dangerous. “Your brother, Luke, is editor-in-chief for
Intrepid Explorations
magazine, isn’t he?”

He knew the answer, of course, just as he was well aware that Luke was the only family she had left, and that her brother meant everything to her. He saw her gulp back the fear, determined not to let him see he’d struck a nerve.

She raised her eyes to meet his, her chin tipped up defiantly. “I fail to see how my brother has anything to do with this.”

“Oh, you’ll find he has a great deal to do with this. Trust me when I say it’s in your best interest to meet with me,” he warned. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Don’t keep me waiting, Lauren. You know I’m not a patient man.”

Lauren escaped to the sanctuary of her dressing room immediately after the curtains closed on the mock wedding segment of the fashion show. As Stephanie helped her change out of her gown, she trembled in the aftermath of having just come face-to-face with a man she thought she’d never see again.

“That was him, wasn’t it?”

The mixture of surprise and consternation swimming in Stephanie’s eyes told Lauren her friend had guessed tonight’s pseudo groom was the man she had fallen head over heels for while on assignment in Greece.

“Yes, that was him,” she confirmed with a bemused nod of her head, her heart still pounding furiously from the unexpected and totally unnerving encounter. Only her brother, Luke, her boss, Liz Meyers, and Stephanie were aware of her whirlwind encounter with Rafe and how badly it had ended.

Stephanie whistled softly. “What is he doing here in New York of all places? I’m guessing he didn’t make the trip just to donate generously to a worthy cause. His appearance here tonight wasn’t a coincidence, was it?”

“No,” Lauren confirmed with a frazzled sigh. Stefanie had zeroed in on the situation with her usual unerring accuracy. “He knew I was going to be here.”

“Did he at least tell you why he decided he needed some face time after all these months? That looked like a pretty intense conversation you were having.”

“He says he needs my help with a business deal. Isn’t that ironic? He’s gone from wanting nothing to do with me to needing me urgently enough to offer up veiled threats to ensure I meet with him. He’s using my brother as incentive.”

Stephanie’s eyes rounded in disbelief. She knew how close Lauren and her only sibling were, and the idea of Rafe using that bond to his advantage infuriated her. “What are you going to do?”

That was a good question, Lauren conceded. How was she going to deal with Rafe when simply being in the same room with him sucked all rational thoughts out of her head and left her at the mercy of her hormones? “Hear him out, I guess,” she asserted with far more confidence than she felt.

“If you ask me, he doesn’t deserve the chance to be heard. He didn’t listen to your side of the story after that incident in Greece. He should have given you a chance to explain before jumping to all the wrong conclusions. He let his pride stand in the way of the best thing that ever happened to him.”

Lauren worried her lower lip. “I need to know what he thinks he has up his sleeve. He’s left me no other option but to meet with him. But thanks for being such a loyal friend, Steph. It’s great having you in my corner.”

Lauren had first met Stephanie after enlisting with Sentinels, an agency providing covert protection services to an elite clientele. She had embarked on her new career after learning of the agency’s existence—and her brother’s involvement with it—after she’d unwittingly stumbled into the middle of one of Luke’s assignments. A single misstep on her part could have easily blown his cover, but she’d adapted seamlessly and he’d been able to carry his mission through without a hitch.

Lauren had been pleasantly surprised and intrigued when Sentinels’ owner, having heard how impressively she had handled the dicey situation, approached her with a job offer. Embracing the opportunity with passionate intensity, she had excelled in every aspect of her training, from foreign languages to weapons handling.

Discovering there was another facet to her brother’s life he’d kept hidden from her had been a disappointment. Stephanie had helped her understand how important the work was to Luke and that he’d only kept his career a secret from her due to the highly sensitive and confidential aspects of his assignments.