The Greek Millionaire's Marriage (11 page)

She glared. ‘I'm sure that's true. You'd come on strong to any woman who looked vaguely willing—'

‘Not at all. I'm very fussy,' he purred. ‘I only like
women who make my body quicken with a mere glance. Who are so aware of their sensuality that it characterises every movement they make. Who can abandon themselves to the possession of their senses and lure a man on till he thinks he's going crazy. Women who respond to my touch. Who shiver and shudder and love bodily contact—'

‘Don't!' she whispered, aghast at what he was doing to her.

He was talking about
women
. How many did he know who'd given him such exquisite pleasure? And…how had he got so close to her? She hadn't noticed him moving. Only the dark promise in his velvety eyes. She took a step back and found that the wall was touching her spine. Trapped. She had only her wits left to keep him at bay—and they seemed hell-bent on deserting her.

‘Go and find one of those women, then,' she scorned, tossing up her head with a defiant swirl of her hair. ‘I'm only here as a means to an end—our
divorce
! I'm willing to continue the farce of gazing at you idiotically in public, but don't get any ideas that I'm game for a little light sex in private—'

‘It won't be little and it won't be light.'

The soft murmur ran through her like a hot wave that melted where it touched. His mouth curled in anticipation and she found herself unwillingly watching its sensual curve. Her breath shortened and she almost leaned forward to kiss those amused lips, wanting to shut him up, to impose herself on him and to remind him that he could be
her
slave when it came to sex. Because she didn't want him to seek out another woman. She wanted him for herself. Exclusively.

An impossible dream and she knew it. ‘You have to leave!' she jerked out.

He smiled, as unconvinced by her breathless order as she was. ‘It seems such a waste when you're here, those gorgeous summer-sky eyes sending me enticing messages I can't ignore—'

‘They're telling you to go!' she cried, but lowered her lashes, knowing they were doing nothing of the sort. And her gaze hovered again over his intensely masculine mouth. The urge to drive her lips into his and kiss away all her tension was overpowering.

‘Olivia, be honest,' he murmured as her hands screwed into tight fists. ‘Admit what you feel. I see it in every line of your body. The way you tremble. The swelling of your lips. The thrust of your nipples, forcing against the black silk so hard that I can hardly keep my hands from touching them. You don't know how difficult it's been for me, trying to get you to own up to your feelings instead of ripping off those straps and letting your nightie fall to the floor so I can see and touch and claim your body.' He paused, his voice husky. ‘We are virtually free agents. We can do what we want,' he whispered. ‘And at this moment I want
you
with every beat of my heart.'

She gasped with fury, his near-seduction ending as if he'd dropped her into cold water. ‘At this
moment
?' she spluttered. ‘Oh, thanks! I'm pleased to be considered for your diversion
at this moment
. And who might you want at any other moment? Like this afternoon, tonight, tomorrow? How
dare
you! I'm not someone to be picked up and put down as the fancy takes you! Maybe you didn't want to spend the night with Eleni sniggering in your ear, but that doesn't mean you can
turn to me for your sexual comforts just because there's no one else suitable around!'

She had never looked more beautiful, with her eyes sparkling, mouth parted and ready for his kiss, her head flung back and that lovely neck exposed. He had never wanted her more. Or been so determined to have her.

‘I'm not treating you as a poor substitute for anyone,' he said, croaky with need. ‘I have spent the entire evening waiting for this moment.'

His hand reached out, surprising him by the way it shook. Quickly he let it rest on her moon-silvered shoulder, then slowly slid it to linger on that slender, silken throat. She gave a little gasp, which emboldened him to move closer. His other hand slid into her perfumed hair till he could feel the warm curve of her head.

‘The love between us might have died,' he said quietly, ‘but the sexual attraction is hotter than ever. Isn't it?'

She didn't reply, but gazed at him in consternation. It was agreement enough for him. But he wanted her to say it. So he leaned forward a little and lightly touched her lips with his. He felt her breath heating his mouth in fast, jerky little bursts.

‘Isn't it?' he persisted, tasting her with the tip of his tongue.

Her eyes closed, seemingly in despair. After a long, breathless moment, she whispered with a moan, ‘Yes!'

The silk slithered down her body in an agonisingly erotic movement. He felt an odd little stab in his chest. Standing there, naked and glorious, she seemed vulnerable. Beaten.

‘Olivia!' He took her in his arms and held her close. At first she remained stiff and tense, yet trembling like
a leaf. But because he did no more than hold her she slowly relaxed. And when she lifted her head and looked at him he saw something of the old Olivia, a passionate and proud woman who rejoiced in the extraordinary chemistry between them.

And then her mobile rang.

Dimitri groaned. ‘Leave it,' he muttered, kissing her throat.

‘No… ‘ She drew in a sharp breath as his teeth nibbled her lobe. When he began to suck it, she pulled away and snatched up her bag. Sitting on the bed, she avoided Dimitri's eyes and dragged the duvet over her nakedness.

This was her chance to cool down. To give her brain an airing instead of letting it sink like a stone beneath her appalling lust.

‘Hello?' She cringed at her quavering, froggy voice.

‘Olivia?' Paul sounded puzzled.

‘Oh, yes!' she said brightly. ‘Paul! How
lovely
to hear from you.' Dimitri sat on the bed, much too close to her. Covering the mouthpiece, she flung him a false smile. ‘It's Paul,' she said unnecessarily, then, crushed by Dimitri's mocking eyes, she jerked her head away and attended to what the lawyer was saying.

‘…fabulous time. Angelaki has an entire skyscraper for his company alone. We've got a brilliant settlement—'

‘But—'

‘You'll be free of him pretty soon,' Paul hurtled on. ‘And a multimillionairess! How about that? Don't you think I've done well?'

‘Paul, I—' She slapped Dimitri's hand away. It had slid beneath the duvet and was slinking its way up her leg.

‘It's OK. Don't thank me. I'm hoping you'll come over to New York,' Paul said smugly. ‘I've some fantastic news! Guess what, Olivia!'

She grabbed the corner of the duvet, which Dimitri was tugging free. Glaring at him, she snapped an irritated, ‘What?' into the phone.

‘Are you all right?' Paul asked, just as Dimitri flung his weight across Olivia and bore her back to the bed. ‘It's not too late, is it? I tried to work out the time difference, but frankly I'm in such a whirl that I'm not sure—'

‘I'm fine,' she gritted, fending off Dimitri's determined assault on her bared thigh. His hand was smoothing it with an infuriating rhythm and she seemed to be getting short of breath as her need began to dull her brain.

‘Good. Well, this is my news,' crowed Paul.

‘Oh, help!' she whispered, feeling herself surrendering to the passionate kisses being rained on her jaw and throat.

‘I,' Paul announced proudly, ‘have been offered a job by the Angelaki New York office.'

‘A…job?' she said, incredulous. The news was like an ice-cold shower. Stiff and resisting, she glared at Dimitri, who was openly listening to the conversation while kissing the line of her jaw.

‘That's right. And you know what American lawyers can earn! This is my chance, Olivia! And—well, I don't need to tell you this because I know you and I had a kind of understanding—together we could be a great team—'

‘Paul,' Dimitri murmured, having snatched the phone from her, ‘take the job and be grateful. You're not having Olivia as well. Is he, my darling?'

‘Give that back!' she gritted, struggling. Dimitri grinned at her. His body effectively held her a prisoner and she couldn't reach the phone.

‘One more thing,' Dimitri said, his tone edged with steel. ‘Learn the time differences if you want to keep your job. It's the early hours of the morning here and we're in bed.'

‘Bed?'
she heard Paul screech.

‘Luckily we weren't asleep—if you know what I mean,' Dimitri drawled, then disconnected the call and flung the mobile on the floor. ‘Now, where were we?' he mused. ‘Here? Or here—?'

She jerked her head to one side and he just managed to avoid kissing the pillow. ‘Don't
touch
me!' she breathed in fury.

His hand cradled her cheek and he pushed firmly till she was forced to face him again. His eyes had darkened dangerously.

‘Is your conscience troubling you?' he muttered. ‘That's the little voice in your head, by the way, that tells you it's not decent to chat to an ex-lover on the phone while your husband is about to ravish you.'

She ground her teeth together. ‘Why did you instruct your people to give Paul a job?' she demanded furiously. ‘I know you have an ulterior motive in doing so—'

‘Correct. I'm ensuring he's off the scene.' Dimitri's mouth came down hard on hers in a long kiss that left her gasping for breath. ‘It was obvious to me what he had in mind. He wants to marry you and I can't allow that.'

‘Why?' she defied, as if she might contemplate the idea.

‘Because he's not man enough for the job.'

‘And you are?'

His eyes gleamed. ‘Definitely. I intend to remind you of that. Right
now
.'

T
HE
sun was gently turning her body a golden brown. She knew she ought to turn over to do her back but she didn't have the energy…thanks to Dimitri.

With a slow and languid lift of her arm, she tipped back her floppy sun hat to observe him. He, too, had been utterly still for the past hour, stretched out on one of the steamer chairs beside the pool.

The effort of holding up her hat was too much and she let it drop. But she could still see him in her mind. There was a warm glow inside her when she thought of his hard, toned body gleaming in the sun. His arms hung limply to the ground as if he was exhausted, too. Dimitri's sensual mouth seemed at odds with his strong, masculine profile and she wondered if he was thinking of the hours they had spent in bed—and out of it—till mid-morning.

Faint quivers trickled deliciously in the channels of her limp body and seeped into her very bones but she was too sated to be aroused.

It seemed as if time had been suspended. The air hummed with the heat, a slight breeze bringing tantalising scents to her nose. A stillness had descended on the garden, broken only by the gentle swish of the palms surrounding the pool.

She heard the maid, Maria, offering lemonade. The sound of it being poured and the clink of ice.

‘Olivia,' murmured Dimitri.

A cold glass touched her fingers that draped negli
gently on the hot tile and she gave just a drowsy ‘mmm' of thanks. Her hand was grasped, kissed, then released. She heard him returning to the lounger and settling himself with a contented sigh. As well he might.

She loved him. Not because of the unbelievable, earth-shattering sex, though that would have made any woman feel she'd found paradise on earth, but because they had talked and laughed too, and she had felt truly happy, utterly at ease with him.

All the feelings she'd had for him in those heady, early days when they'd first begun to work together were back in force, but far stronger now.

Dimitri had caressed her and loved her until she'd thought she might die of pleasure, and even at this moment a little sigh was escaping from her kiss-swollen lips at the very memory of those hours of bliss. But for her the sex was a part of something greater that involved her deepest emotions. He was more than a drug—he was essential to her happiness.

The thought filled her with alarm. She sat up abruptly and sipped the cold drink, hoping to steady her wild thoughts. Because if that was true then she had to fight for him. To make him love her more than he loved his freedom to enjoy other women. And how could she ever do that?

Dimitri reached out lazily, his hand touching her arm. ‘I will never forget last night,' he said huskily.

‘Nor will I.'

She hesitated, tempted to pour out her feelings, to take the risk that he'd laugh and say it was great but not for keeps. But the familiar voice of Eleni trilled out behind them and she groaned and clamped her lips together instead.

‘Did I drive all thoughts of Paul from your head?' he probed.

‘Yes—'

‘Dimitri!' Wearing a crop top and brief skirt over a bikini, Eleni flung her arms about his neck and virtually sprawled over his body. Olivia groaned. ‘Lovely party, darling,' she purred, toying with the lock of hair that had fallen onto his forehead. And she began to murmur under her breath to Dimitri.

‘Get off, wretched child!' he complained.

Olivia put down her drink and went for a swim, even though she was too tired to do much more than drift about aimlessly in the silken blue water, floating on her back with her eyes shut against the sun.

After a moment, two splashes at the far end of the pool told her that Dimitri and Eleni had joined her. She lifted her head to watch. They were fooling about, ducking one another as if they were the greatest of friends. No, she thought, seeing how often Eleni managed to slide her body against Dimitri's. More like prospective lovers taking every opportunity to touch.

Tears stung her eyes. Every time she thought Dimitri really cared, she discovered that it was merely part of his seduction technique. If he did care, he wouldn't fool about with Eleni.

She turned and began to swim to the edge but suddenly she found herself being grabbed and pulled under water. She kicked out and emerged spluttering to see Eleni's laughing face a few inches away.

‘Got you!' Eleni crowed.

‘You certainly did,' Olivia said without amusement.

‘Jealous?' Eleni taunted.

She looked for Dimitri. He'd disappeared. ‘Should I be?'

‘Oh, yes. I'm Greek and his partner's daughter. And I accept that the men of my country are passionate and have many affairs.'

Olivia blinked in astonishment. ‘You'd let him have affairs?'

‘Sure. If it meant he'd stay married to me. It's rumoured that his father had a mistress. I'd have to accept that Dimitri would probably have one too.'

Olivia knew that Dimitri had idolised his father. When Theo had died she had spent hours talking to Dimitri and comforting him. After he'd returned to England from the funeral she had done everything possible to ease his grief. A week later he had proposed.

Perhaps, she mused, it had been a mistake to marry on the back of tragedy. Maybe Dimitri had needed emotional support after losing the father he loved, and had thought marriage would provide that. It wasn't a good enough basis for a long and stable relationship, though.

One thing she did know: if his beloved father had maintained a mistress then Dimitri would have accepted that as the norm. It wouldn't be surprising if he believed that fidelity wasn't important—at least, not where he was concerned. Her spine felt as if a cube of ice were sliding down it.

‘I don't know how you could contemplate sharing him,' she said soberly.

Eleni shrugged. ‘Better that than nothing, so long as it's discreet. Though if he upsets me once we're married, or if he harms one hair of my head, my father will see to it that the Angelaki empire collapses.'

Olivia was appalled by the girl's ruthlessness. Eleni had set her sights on Dimitri and wouldn't be put off.

‘Personally,' she said quietly, ‘I'd rather have the
devotion of a man because he adores me, not because he's been threatened with financial ruin.'

Olivia swam away and climbed out of the pool. The girl had been spoilt and given everything she wanted. Eleni might idolise Dimitri, and imagine that being married to him would be all roses, but she didn't love him. Love was more than sexual attraction and starry-eyed dreams.

Thoughtfully she rubbed her hair dry with a towel. Love weathered all difficulties. It grew… Pausing in her reverie, she smiled at the masses of geraniums in a terracotta urn near by. Grew like a flower. She'd been madly in love with Dimitri from the moment she saw him. The seeds of passion had been there already, but she had grown to love him more profoundly as time went on.

Her heart thudded painfully. Perhaps she was giving up too easily. At least Eleni was fighting for the man she wanted.

Maybe it was worth the risk of being hurt. She could try persuading Dimitri that a deep and loving commitment to one person was infinitely more satisfying than casual affairs. Slowly she dabbed at her damp skin, trying to decide whether to follow her heart or her head. Her brow furrowed. Was she thinking like a woman, and forgetting that men felt entirely differently?

 

From inside the house, he watched Olivia tensely, knowing she was chewing over something that troubled her because she'd been drying the same part of her firm little rear for the past few minutes.

With difficulty, he dragged his mind from those tempting curves, irritated with himself for being so eas
ily distracted. But her body was gorgeous, the sun gleaming on it lovingly, and he couldn't help but relive his recent exploration of every squirming inch.

He slapped his hand against his forehead in rueful exasperation. Olivia invaded his mind so thoroughly that sometimes he wondered if every brain cell he possessed had her image emblazoned there.

His greedy gaze enjoyed the rhythmic movement of her hands, a stab of remembered sweet agony slicing through him. She could drive him crazy with those delicate, wicked fingers. With her wholehearted, utterly abandoned responses to his touch.

She was biting her lip and frowning. He hoped she wasn't worrying about Eleni's behaviour. That girl needed a firm hand. If he hadn't left the pool when he did, he knew she would have done something outrageous and he would have been forced to slap her down—with disastrous consequences. He knew how vindictive Eleni could be.

His tension softened at the sight of the pensive Olivia. Their odd sense of psychic communication ensured that her head lifted and she saw him watching her. She gave a little gasp, then, flinging down the towel in a determined way, she tied a colourful wrap around her body and walked towards the salon, where he stood, still in his swimming trunks.

He smiled, anticipating the kiss they would share. As she approached, he opened the double doors that led to the terrace.

‘Your little chat with Eleni didn't work. She intends to marry you,' she said bluntly, stepping past him into the room so quickly that her hair whisked over his bare shoulder.

He made the quivers die down in his body, but the
scent of her remained to provoke him. Here were the memories of last night, of the morning, crowding in on him, rendering him weak with desire.

‘I know.' He cleared his throat of the huskiness that betrayed him. ‘She told me so a few moments ago and I tried to laugh it off—without success, it seems.' His eyes gleamed with slumberous pleasure. ‘We must try harder to convince her that we're back together again and she doesn't have a chance.'

Olivia frowned and the tip of her small pink tongue touched her lips. ‘Yes. Or I'll never… ‘ She bit her lip this time. ‘Never get the divorce, will I?' she finished rather shakily.

He sensed a reluctance in her, which suited his purpose very well. If he played his cards right he could spin this out till he was rid of his addiction to her. A year, maybe. Studying her huge blue eyes and the thick fringe of lashes, he felt a thrill start its journey through his body.

Her face assumed an expression of drowsy longing. He began to plan a day of unrestricted lovemaking, his gaze wandering avidly over her curves, outlined by the clinging wrap. And she gave a little gasp, her breath shortening like his.

‘Olivia!' he whispered, managing just a croak.

‘Yes?' she mouthed, and he felt compelled to move forward, to seal her hot lips with his in a long and thorough kiss.

His hand drifted into her hair. He tipped up her chin and smiled, shaking with overwhelming feelings for her. Sexual, of course. Nothing more. He'd sealed off his heart three years ago and she was the last person he'd allow to break that seal. But she made every cell
in his body leap with life and he wasn't intending to let her go till he'd exhausted his passion for her.

‘More passion,' he ordered thickly.

‘What?' Her voice shook very satisfactorily.

‘Eleni is watching,' he whispered, and took her mouth in his, crushing it in an explosive kiss that had her whimpering in need. ‘Convince her!'

‘Yes!' she moaned.

Dizzy with love, she writhed hungrily against him, finding joy in being in his arms. For a moment she could pretend that he cared. She knew she was taking a risk with her emotions but she couldn't help it. If there was a chance that Dimitri might recognise how well they were suited, then he might learn to love her.

She lifted a long bare leg and slid it down his thigh. He gave a shudder and beneath her palm she felt the acceleration of his heart.

‘It's good, isn't it?' she whispered.

He groaned, hating her, wanting her. His mouth savaged her throat as she sighed and pressed her warmth against him; he felt his skin scorch where her naked flesh met his.

He had to tell her. She must agree to stay. The uncertainty was gnawing at him till he thought he'd go mad.

‘You know it is. You know that you drive me crazy,' he muttered.

‘Do I?' she murmured with a languid smile. Her sharp teeth nibbled at his lower lip.

He pulled her deeper into the room, out of sight, and took her head in his hands to focus her attention on what he was saying. ‘I don't want you to go,' he said hoarsely. ‘Stay with me.'

She gasped. ‘Dimitri—' she whispered.

‘Stay.'

He saw her eyes fill with tears. The radiance of her face made his stomach clench. This was what she'd wanted, he thought helplessly. She thought she'd got him back for good. But it was only till he'd had enough. The mother of his children would never be a gold-digging tramp.

‘For…how long?' she asked, her tear-washed eyes searching his.

He hauled in a shaky breath and kissed her, losing himself in the taste of her mouth, the feel, the smell of her.

‘I don't know,' he said honestly.

‘I'm afraid.'

He frowned, his finger idly brushing back and forth across her nipple. ‘Of what?'

‘Being… ‘ A faint moan fluttered from her parted lips. She moved his finger to her other breast and began to breathe hard when its peak surged into life beneath his rhythmic touch. ‘Being sh-aa-red,' she jerked.

‘Listen to me.'

He looked down at her closed eyes, the soft lashes thick and luxurious on her beautiful cheekbones. Her head was thrown back, her mouth moist from his kiss. He would do anything, promise anything to make her stay. Night and day he thought of her. Some time he had to drag his brain back to work, but while she possessed it so utterly he was useless.

So he stepped back. Held her at arm's length. ‘Olivia,' he said, ‘I wouldn't be interested in other women if we were lovers again. I'm not that much of a stud!' he added with a smile, and was curiously flattered when she seemed to doubt that. ‘You take everything I have to give and leave me sated—until you look
at me with those hungry sapphire eyes and then I want to devour you whole. There will be no other women. You have my promise.'