The Andreou Marriage Arrangement (3 page)

‘You require my input?'

‘Personally or professionally?'

A trick question? ‘Professionally, of course.'

Of course. His eyes narrowed a little as he took in the red power suit, the killer heels, the upswept hair, and his fingers itched to loosen the pins holding the elegantly contrived knot in place.

Her choice of apparel made a statement, one she'd deliberately sought to portray, he noted silently. And wondered why she'd thought it necessary.

Because she felt threatened by him? Perhaps she had cause, professionally.

‘The current state of Karsouli requires swift action, and formal meetings with each of the men who head the corporation's three out-of-state offices are imperative. Personally, not via conference call.'

Alesha didn't give him the satisfaction of verbally agreeing with him. ‘When will you be back?'

‘Late Thursday evening.'

‘I trust you'll keep me posted. Is that all?'

One eyebrow quirked a little. ‘There's the matter of our wedding details.'

Her stomach executed a painful somersault, and it took considerable effort to remain calm. ‘Email me the time and venue.'

‘Wolseley Road, Point Piper.' He offered the number. ‘Friday, four o'clock in the afternoon.'

A slight frown creased her forehead. ‘That's a private residence.' Situated amongst Sydney's most expensive real estate.

‘My home, which is currently in the final stages of redecoration.'

Sufficient money could achieve almost anything…and obviously had. It explained his preference for temporary hotel accommodation.

‘There's also the legalities attached to the union,' Loukas relayed smoothly. ‘We have an appointment at three-thirty this afternoon to tend to the necessary paperwork.'

Ensuring everything was neatly tied together before he flew out to Melbourne, she perceived, and attempted to quell the feeling she'd boarded a runaway train from which escape would involve irreparable damage to life and limb.

‘Fine.'

‘There's nothing you want to add?'

A whole heap in verbal castigation…none of which would do any good! Instead, she managed a stunningly sweet smile. ‘Not at this moment.'

She turned and made for the door, only to discover he was there before her, and she attempted to ignore his close proximity, the musky tang of his cologne, the sheer sensuality he managed to exude without any seeming effort at all.

Assuring herself she was immune didn't quite cut it. Nor did likening him to
all
men.

Loukas Andreou stood alone, a male entity that defied categorization.

So where did that leave
her
?

Right now…out of here!

‘Ten in the conference room,' Loukas reminded her silkily as she exited the room.

A meeting he chaired with the type of ruthless strategy that left no room for doubt his proposed restructuring of Karsouli would be immediate and far-reaching.

Details were provided in individual folders placed in front of the attending executives, who were each given forty-eight hours in which to submit approval, reservations…or otherwise.

It took considerable effort on Alesha's part to contain her resentment and present a neutral front when she wanted to silently rage at his high-handedness.

She managed it,
just
, until Loukas called the meeting to a close, and she bore the carefully polite glances as the executive staff filed past her as they exited the room.

Questions would follow by the long-serving personnel, concern expressed by those whose tenure was more recent…and she'd do her best with damage control.

But
now
she had a bone to pick with the self-appointed man in control.

With care she closed the door and crossed to where Loukas stood assembling paperwork into his briefcase.

‘How dare you initiate changes without consulting me?'

She resembled a pocket virago, Loukas noted. Dark eyes flashed with anger as she sent him a venomous glare. ‘My father—'

‘Allowed his emotions to rule, and didn't keep you apprised of the reality.'

‘You can't just terminate—'

‘Dimitri kept performance details on file of every employee.' He handed her a memory stick. ‘Study them in my absence, together with my recommendations, and we'll confer on my return.'

‘And if I don't agree?'

‘We'll discuss it.'

‘
We
will?' The fine edge of sarcasm was evident. ‘Should I express gratitude at being slotted into your busy schedule?'

His cellphone beeped and he checked the screen. ‘I need to take this call. Three-thirty, Alesha. My office.'

The temptation to throw something at him was uppermost, and she deliberately held his dark gaze, glimpsed his recognition of her intent, together with his silent threat of retribution.

For a timeless few seconds the air between them pulsed with electricity, a perilous force so overwhelming she almost forgot to breathe.

Then he activated the call, effectively dismissing her.

Panache, control, she possessed both, and she turned away from him and exited the room, closing the door with an imperceptible click behind her, when she would have delighted in slamming it. Except the door was carefully weighted to avoid anything other than a smooth, almost silent action.

She wanted badly to vent, and she would the moment she had him alone, she promised as she crossed to her office.

Three-thirty couldn't appear soon enough!

A
LESHA
spent what remained of the morning attending to the immediate business at hand, and chose to have her PA send out for a chicken and salad sandwich with mayo on rye and a double-strength latte.

Something that became a working lunch eaten at her desk as she accessed computer data, inserted reference notations, took phone calls and instructed Anne to clear an hour between three-thirty and four-thirty.

The adherence to punctuality was something Alesha considered important…personally, and professionally. And
this
was business, she qualified as she allowed time to freshen up before presenting herself at Dimitri's…dammit,
Loukas'
office on time.

He stood close to the plate-glass window with its cityscape view of the inner harbour, cellphone at his ear in quiet conversation as he gestured she take a seat.

Contrarily she opted to remain standing, and she caught his faint gleam of amusement as he continued conversing in French…with a woman, from the light tone of his voice.

A lover? Past or present? Certainly a
close
friend.

She told herself she didn't care…and, in truth, she didn't. So how did she explain the sudden warmth flooding her veins, the slow invidious curling sensation deep within?

Because she envied the woman his affectionate attention?

Oh,
please
. Get real. She no more wanted another man in her life than she wanted to fly over the moon.

Especially not
this
man. Impressive, too powerful,
too much
.

A slight shiver feathered the length of her spine.
Way
too much on a personal level.

Why not call it as it was? The forceful Greek exuded a magnetic sexuality that verged close to the primitive.

The sensual promise was
there
, almost a tangible entity, and for one wild moment she wondered what it would be like to be ravished beneath his hands, his mouth…dear God, his possession.

Soul-destroying. Utterly. Completely.

Enough
already, she upbraided silently. Focus on the here and now.

Dimitri's office had undergone a few changes. State-of-the-art electronic technology replaced the standard desktop her father had preferred, several files were stacked at the end of the desk, an MP3 player. Tidy, but very much the workspace of a busy man.

‘Shall we leave?'

Alesha cast Loukas a deceptively cool glance as he pocketed his cellphone, collected a briefcase, laptop, and indicated she precede him from the room.

‘I'll meet you at the lawyer's office,' she indicated as the lift transported them down to the underground parking area.

‘We'll go together in my car.'

‘It might be easier if I follow you.'

The lift doors slid open and Loukas shot her an analytical look as they entered the concrete cavern. ‘Are you determined to debate me on every issue?'

The air sizzled with a tension she refused to define. She
should cease and desist, but there was a dangerous imp sitting on her shoulder bent on mischief and mayhem.

‘My apologies.' She offered him a sweet smile. ‘I tend to forget most women merely
exist
to do your bidding.'

‘But not you.' His drawled response held a tinge of humour.

‘No,' she managed with a degree of dry mockery. ‘However, in this instance I'll concede and get a taxi back to the office when we're done.'

They reached the Aston Martin and he unsecured the locking mechanism to the doors, the trunk, deposited his briefcase and laptop, then closed the trunk. ‘I'll drop you off before I continue on to the airport.'

‘It's out of your way.'

‘Get in the car, Alesha.' His voice held a silky quality that boded ill for further argument.

She slid into the passenger seat and waited until he moved in behind the wheel before posing with deliberate sweetness, ‘Are you always so appallingly arrogant?'

He ignited the engine. ‘Whenever the occasion demands.'

Inner-city traffic and numerous electronically-controlled intersections ensured it took fifteen minutes to cross town, a further five to find a parking bay beneath the lawyer's office building.

Alesha was conscious of Loukas' studied look as he jabbed the call-button summoning the lift, and she tilted her head a little as she held his gaze.

‘What?' she challenged. ‘My mascara is smudged? Too much bronzing powder or not enough?'

‘Faultless.' His silky drawl held a tinge of amusement as the lift drew to a smooth halt.

‘While you resemble the quintessential male,' she re
sponded an instant before she preceded him into the spacious reception area.

Within a very short space of time she'd sign documentation detailing precise legalese pertaining to the terms outlined in Dimitri's will. A pre-nup covering every known contingency.

Copies of which she'd already perused.

So why
now
were the nerves in her stomach tying themselves in knots?

Because each step she took brought her closer to a marriage she didn't want. To a man she had no choice but to trust on every level.

Sure, she could opt out. Except losing Karsouli was too heavy a penalty to pay.

Consequently she listened to the lawyer's clarification, the reassurance he felt beholden to relay.

When he was done, she took up a proffered pen, signed where indicated, then solemnly watched as Loukas attached his signature.

‘I consider it an honour to act as a witness to your marriage on Friday. Dimitri would be very pleased with this outcome.'

Alesha managed a faint smile at the lawyer's words.

What about
her
? Didn't she count? Or was she merely a pawn in a diabolical game?

Don't go there. It's done.

Almost.

Next step…marriage.

She preceded Loukas into the lift and pressed the ‘ground' button on the instrument panel.

He stood too close as he chose ‘basement', and when they reached street level he merely bypassed her command and sent the lift down.

Her mouth tightened and she cast him a fulminating glare…which had no effect whatsoever.

‘Give it up,' Loukas advised as the lift doors slid open and he indicated the black Aston Martin.

He waited until they were both seated before engaging the engine. ‘Can I leave the choice of second witness with you?'

There was only one person she'd consider asking. Lacey Pattison, lifelong friend and trusted confidante who had, ironically, acted as chief bridesmaid at her first wedding. ‘Yes.'

Was there such a thing as the sound of silence? If so, it seemed to hang heavy in the car's interior as he negotiated city traffic before easing the car into the kerb adjacent the office tower housing Karsouli.

‘You have my cellphone number if you have any concerns.'

She met his dark gaze with equanimity. ‘Is this where I wish you a safe flight?'

The edge of his mouth quirked a little. ‘I'll be in touch Thursday evening.'

‘I might be otherwise engaged with a male stripper at a very private “hen” party.'
As if
.

‘In which case, have fun.'

That was it? No macho follow-up?

‘Not quite.'

He read minds?

The next instant he leant forward and took her mouth with his own in a slow evocative kiss that drained the breath from her body…and then some.

There was no demand, just a sense of intent…
his
.

Then he straightened, and his eyes narrowed at her faintly dazed expression, the sudden paleness of her cheeks.

In one fluid movement she released her seat belt, caught up her bag and slid out from the passenger seat before
crossing to the building's foyer without so much as a backward glance.

It was only as she rode the lift that she permitted herself to reflect.

The feel of his mouth on her own lingered, and she pressed light fingers to her lips.

What was that?

No matter how she viewed it, there had been nothing to prepare her for the unexpected sensuality evident…or her reaction.

The unbidden need to deepen the kiss was merely a transitory figment of her imagination, she dismissed as she entered Reception and moved into her office.

 

The phone call to Lacey resulted in a barrage of rapid-fire questions, to which only truthful answers would suffice.

‘Okay,' Lacey said with deliberate calm. ‘We've covered the
who, why, when
and
where
. I've done the
ohmigod
thing. Now it's down to basics. What are you going to wear?'

‘I'm sure there's something suitable in my wardrobe.'

‘We'll go shopping tomorrow afternoon.'

‘Lacey—no.'

‘
Yes.
Double Bay.' She named a place. ‘I'll be there at three.'

‘I don't finish until five.'

‘You're the boss. Leave early.'

‘You're impossible.'

‘Yes, I know. That's why I'm your friend.
Three
, Alesha. Don't be late. We have a lot of ground to cover in a short time.'

She opened her mouth to protest, except the faint click indicated Lacey had already hung up.

The next morning Alesha went into the office early,
declined a lunch break and collected Lacey mid-afternoon to shop for
the
dress.

‘Coffee first, double shot of caffeine, double sugar,' Alesha determined as Lacey indicated one of a few streets in exclusive Double Bay where boutiques offered designer wear with exorbitant price tags.

‘Darling,
no
.' Lacey gave her a
don't mess with me
look Alesha recognized from old. ‘Dress first, coffee later.'

‘I need sustenance.'

‘Delaying tactics,' Lacey dismissed. ‘We're shopping for your
wedding dress
. Something that cannot be rushed. We need to
look
.'

‘
One
boutique,' Alesha stated firmly. ‘I choose, try it on, present plastic, we leave.'

Lacey's smile was pure imp dressed in steel. ‘You think?'

Alesha achieved an expressive eye-roll. ‘I
knew
inviting you was asking for trouble.'

‘Precisely why you displayed
some
sense,' came the airy response. ‘
Chill
,' her friend commanded as they paused outside a small boutique with one model displayed in the window. ‘Let's go inspect the merchandise, shall we?'

She uttered an expressive sigh. ‘I don't think—'

‘You don't
need
to think while I'm here to advise and guide.'

‘That's what concerns me.'

The vendeuse greeted them with refined politeness, whereupon Lacey launched into her verbal spiel.

‘White, of course.'

‘Ivory,' Alesha corrected.

‘Full-length,' Lacey insisted.

‘Mid-calf.'

‘Stunning.'

She did the eye-roll thing. ‘Simple.'

‘Perhaps it would help if you tell me something about the venue, the reception, the number of guests,' the vendeuse suggested.

‘A civil ceremony held in a private home with two witnesses.'

‘Ah. I see.' There was a faint click of the fingers as she accurately appraised Alesha's slim curves. ‘I think I can offer you something suitable.'

The design was fine, the colour was not.

‘It's a very pale blush.'

‘Thank you, but no.'

The second boutique had the perfect gown, Chanel…except it only came in black. Alesha considered, only to be firmly outvoted by Lacey. ‘You are
not
getting married in
black
.'

‘Hey, whose wedding is this, anyway?'

‘Yours, and just because it's not traditional, doesn't mean we won't do it
right
. Agreed?'

Lacey had a point. ‘Coffee,' Alesha insisted.

‘Soon, promise. Let's go.'

‘Heaven forbid…
where
? I thought we had a one-stop deal.'

Lacey took hold of her arm and led the way to the car.

‘Get in and drive.'

‘It had better be good.'

Doing it right
was achieved in a beautiful little boutique that sold vintage designer gear. Gorgeous gowns in cream, ivory…and Alesha sighed as she caught sight of sheer perfection. A slim-fitting gown in layered ivory and pale champagne silk, accented by a fine pin-tucking edged with narrow lace.

‘Delicate strappy sandals with killer heels,' Lacey advised. ‘Minimum jewellery, just diamond ear-studs. Maybe a bracelet.'

Alesha removed the gown, handed it to the sales person, endeavoured not to blink at the price, presented plastic and
minutes later walked from the shop with a signature-emblazoned glossy carry-bag.

‘Strappy sandals,' Lacey insisted. ‘Then we get to have coffee. OK?'

‘Thanks.' She gave her friend an impulsive heartfelt hug. ‘I couldn't have done this without you.'

A light bubbling laugh emerged as Lacey initiated a high-five gesture. ‘Who else, when we've been friends since for ever?'

‘Sisters in every way but by blood.'
There
for each other, the first one to call.

It was later as they sat sharing coffee that Lacey adopted a serious expression. ‘You so deserve to be happy.'

Alesha smiled. ‘Wisdom over double-shot lattes?'

‘Loukas is a good guy.'

She slanted an eyebrow. ‘And you know this…because?'

‘I've met him, remember? He made a lasting impression.'

Alesha took time to sip her coffee. ‘That's supposed to be reassurance?'

‘He's hot. Those eyes. That mouth.' Lacey gave a lascivious sigh. ‘Yum…and then some.'