The Andreou Marriage Arrangement (8 page)

Don't think…in the name of heaven don't let your mind slip back and compare the past with the present.

Yet how could she not?

Sex with Loukas had been mind-blowing. Except it hadn't just been sex, it had been
intimacy
, at a level she hadn't previously experienced.

A shaft of sheer sensation spiralled through her body at the mere thought…

Oh,
move right along
, why don't you? Focus on the prosaic. Get dressed, go join Loukas for dinner, indulge in pleasant conversation…and escape in due course with the need for an early night.

Rethink that excuse, or he might take it as an invitation to join her in bed. Time spent on her laptop, catching up with email, work…that should do it.

Act
…you're good at it, she admonished as she forked delicious morsels from her plate.

Did Loukas guess she was harbouring a conflicting mess of nerves? Possibly. He was an intelligent man, and way too astute for her peace of mind.

Why should she feel so acutely sensitive…on edge, and extremely conscious of him? Dammit, she could still
feel
him inside her, his penetration so deep and all-consuming her vaginal muscles quivered on mere reflection.

Oh, hell. Now she was
really
losing it.

Somehow she managed to get through dinner, and when she was done she excused herself on the pretext of work.

Loukas let her go, his gaze thoughtful as he watched her leave the room. She was like a cat treading hot bricks, at odds with herself,
him
.

He tamped down the inclination to go after her. Instead, he refilled his cup with coffee, then took it into his home office and participated in a conference call with the Andreou Athens office, issued orders, and faced the possibility he might need to personally deal with the problem.

It was late when Alesha closed the laptop down and headed towards the master suite, only to find it empty.

She completed her nightly routine, discarded clothes for sleep trousers and top, then she stood hesitantly unsure whether to occupy Loukas' bed or her own.

There was a part of her that wanted the comfort of his arms, his body and the pleasure he could gift her.

‘One or the other,' Loukas declared from the doorway, startling her. ‘But we share.'

She turned and offered him a level look. ‘What if I choose not to?'

‘We sleep together,' he drawled. ‘With the emphasis on sleep.' He pulled his shirt free, tended to the buttons and reached for the zip fastening on his trousers, shed them and crossed to his en suite.

Alesha slid into bed, her own, closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, only to unconsciously tense as she sensed the bedcovers shift and Loukas joined her in bed.

‘Sleep well,
agape mou
.'

His voice held quiet amusement, and she refrained from uttering a word in response.

Within minutes his breathing steadied, and she silently cursed his ability to fall asleep so easily.

At some stage she must have succumbed, for she woke at dawn feeling warm, secure…and aware she lay gathered in against a hard male body.

Had she moved in the night…or had he?

Did it matter?

The question was how she could extricate herself without waking him. A mission in itself, given his arm lay heavy across her waist.

It was a nice feeling.

Nice?
Oh, please. The word didn't even begin to cut it. It felt so good, so
right
, there was a part of her that wanted to remain where she was, curled in against him.

Safe, secure,
here
where she was meant to be.

Where she wanted to be.

To touch him, lightly, with her lips, the tips of her fingers…to watch him stir, become aware, awake. And see his mouth curve into that sensual smile he did so well, the soft gleam appear in those dark eyes…and have his mouth close over hers in the prerequisite that would lead to early-morning sex.

Whoa.
What was happening here?

Being held in his arms was one thing…sex, a whole different ball game. One she didn't feel sufficiently equipped to play. At least, not yet. But just for a moment, while he slept, she savoured the luxury and let her mind wander to possible maybes…until reality surfaced.

So, just shift his arm, and move. What's the big deal?

But what if…? Oh, hell.

‘I can almost hear your mind working.'

So much for thinking he still slept.

‘Then you'll know I want out of this bed.'

She was almost certain she sensed his soft laugh. ‘I can't persuade you to stay?'

‘No.'

‘Pity.' He removed his arm and rolled onto his back as she escaped from the bed, taking pleasure in watching her cross the room.

A beautiful young woman, who came alive beneath his touch, wondrous at the measure of her response, yet tentative about losing her inhibitions.

There was a part of him that wanted the opportunity to physically thrash the man who'd treated her with such deliberate mercilessness.

Except there was a better, more subtle way to inflict pain. He had the resources, the influence, the knowledge.

All he needed to do was set the wheels in motion.

P
EAK-HOUR
traffic into the city seemed more hectic and hazardous than usual, and Alesha silently cursed her independence in refusing to ride in to the office earlier with Loukas.

It set the day on a wrong foot; her laptop refused to boot up, her PA called in sick, and almost anything that could go wrong…did.

Worse, her BMW developed a puncture en route home at day's end and the spare happened to be flat. Enlisting the help of an automobile service took wait time, together with the need to have the car towed to an approved workshop, where she called for a taxi to take her home.

Loukas arrived as she paid off the driver, and she grimaced a little.

‘Don't ask,' Alesha declared as he reached her side. ‘You really don't want to know.'

He examined her pale features, the tenseness apparent as he cupped her chin and tilted it. ‘You weren't in an accident?'

Her eyes met his with fearless disregard. ‘No.' Without preamble she relayed the puncture, the flat spare.

‘You should have called me.'

It simply hadn't occurred to her to do so. ‘Why? I took care of it.'

He touched a light finger to her lower lip. ‘Next time, call.'

He'd been concerned about her?

‘Maybe.'

‘Do it, Alesha.'

He cared? Really cared enough to worry about her safety? No other man, with the exception of her father, had shown such concern.

Loukas managed to surprise her, when she least expected it, and whatever frustration the day held dissipated to nothing.

‘Okay, I will. I promise.'

Standing so close to him was beginning to affect her, and she moved around him, entered the foyer and ran lightly upstairs.

She thought wistfully of the spa-bath, a scented candle or three, and muted soothing music. Except it wasn't going to happen. Instead she'd settle for a leisurely shower.

On reaching the master suite she discarded her outer clothes and entered the en suite, loosened her hair, set the water dial to medium, then she shed bra and briefs and stepped into the large tiled stall.

Heaven, she determined as the water cascaded over her body, and she reached for shampoo, lathered her hair, rinsed and applied conditioner, then she reached for the scented soap…only to freeze as the glass door opened and Loukas joined her.

Splendidly naked…as if he'd be
clothed
, a wicked imp taunted…he loomed large in the confines of the shower stall.

Shocked surprise didn't cover it. Without conscious thought her hands moved to act as an automatic shield.

‘Modesty,
agape
?' Loukas drawled with musing humour as he caught up the soap and began smoothing it along her arm.

‘Why are you doing this?' Her voice sounded strangled, even to her own ears.

‘Sharing your shower?' He turned her away from him and tended to her back, using long strokes that eased over her bottom and slid down to her knees…then crept up to encompass her shoulders. When he was done, he caught hold of her shoulders and turned her to face him.

‘Don't.' It was a heartfelt plea he chose to ignore as he shifted her hands and palmed her breasts, lightly examined their soft fullness, then slid to the curve at her waist before slipping to the intimate vee between her thighs.

The brush of his fingers caused her body to arch, and she balled one hand into a fist and aimed for his chest.

Except he deftly fielded it before it could connect.

For a wild moment her eyes seared his own, and her lips formed a soundless gasp as he brought her fisted hand to his mouth and lightly brushed his lips across her knuckles.

His eyes were dark, heavy with lambent warmth, and she gave a startled cry as he clasped her shoulders and began to massage the taut muscles, easing in to loosen the kinks.

It felt so
good
, and she sighed as he rendered a similar treatment to her back, easing up to her neck to knead and soothe until she relaxed completely beneath his touch.

Not content, he massaged her head, and she closed her eyes and let her mind drift until he shifted her beneath the beating water to rinse the suds from her hair, her body.

Alesha turned to face him and swept her hands over her face to dispense the excess water.

‘Better?'

‘Much,' she admitted. ‘Thank you.'

The stress of the day had diminished, together with the loosening of tense shoulder and neck muscles. Although there was a need to escape the confines of the shower stall…and the man who stood far too close for her peace of mind.

A wet naked man who with just a look could cause her body to go into sensual meltdown.

Did he know?

She hoped not. After Seth she'd vowed never to allow another man to get beneath her skin…
ever
.

Yet Loukas was steadily invading her senses,
there
…a strong magnetic force who managed to arouse feelings she hadn't known she possessed.

For one wild moment she wondered what it would be like to let go…to feel sufficiently secure to initiate sex and soar together in mutual delight. To gift him every sensual pleasure and
know
they were twin souls meant only for each other.

How emotionally freeing that must be.

Loukas glimpsed the faint wistfulness apparent, the fleeting emotions…and wondered if she knew how well he read her expressive features.

There was an urge to lift her high in his arms and take her, here, now. He could, easily. Except he wanted more than her mere compliance.

A quick coupling in the shower, invigorating as it would be for him, wouldn't be her idea of fun…yet. He was treading delicate ground, with the need to earn her trust…completely and without reservation. Something that required time, patience and care.

‘I should go.' Did her voice sound as awkward as she felt?

His mouth formed a faint smile. ‘You could stay and return the favour.'

Run the soap over his body? Reach for him?

‘It's easy,' Loukas encouraged gently as he placed the soap in her hand and covered it with his own.

Her eyes flared as he brought the soap to his chest and
began easing it in a slow circular pattern extending to his throat, the tops of his arms and down to his waist.

Easy? How could this kind of intimacy be
easy
when she'd never indulged in it before?

Especially
when the man was Loukas…who steadily with every day and night that passed seemed to extend the boundaries in their marriage.

Worse, she found herself increasingly in a state of ambivalence…alternating longing for his tenderness, the promise of something more, yet nervously reluctant to accept it.

The nerves in her stomach tightened into a painful ball as memory provided vivid recall of Seth's unfeeling cruelty, both verbal and physical.

Don't
…the word screamed silently inside her head. Don't bring your ex into the equation. There's no comparison between Seth and Loukas.

Focus on the now. You can do this.

Slowly, in gradual increments, the stroking of soap combined with the hiss of hot water cascading from the dual shower heads began to have a soothing effect, and there was a sense of pleasure verging on eroticism evident in washing a man's body.

Not any man. Loukas, she admitted with a degree of surprise.

Alesha avoided meeting his gaze as sensation flared deep within and began to pulse through her veins as fascination combined with reluctant admiration for his superb musculature, defined and sculpted by physical fitness. The slender waist, the lean hips…dear God, the size of him in a state of semi-arousal.

Surely he wouldn't take the soap there…except he did, much to her embarrassment, although to be fair he kept it clinical and he released his hand from her own as he turned to present his back.

Not that it made much difference, and for a brief few seconds she was strongly tempted to throw down the soap and escape.

Instead, she began smoothing the soap across the expanse of his shoulders, noting the flex of powerful muscle tone as she swept long strokes down to his waist and back to his shoulders until she'd covered every inch.

He possessed a tightly shaped butt…cute, she accorded, then she stilled in shock at the thought she might actually be deriving a degree of enjoyment in washing him.

When she was done he turned to face her, and colour flooded her cheeks as she saw he was fully aroused.

Ohmigod…
Chill
, she bade silently as she endeavoured to keep her breathing steady. It's just a normal male reaction.

Didn't
his
ministrations with the soap have a similar effect on you?

Had that been the object of the exercise?

She needed to get out of here
now
.

One wrong move…

‘I'm sure you can manage the rest.'

With that, she stepped around him and pushed open the glass door, filched a folded towel from one of many stacked on a nearby rack and wrapped it round her slender form before collecting another to deal with her hair.

Alesha was dressed when he emerged, and she spared his impressive frame a quick glance. A white towel hitched at his hips accentuated his olive-toned skin, and her pulse quickened as he discarded it and pulled on briefs.

‘I'll go check on dinner.'

They enjoyed a pleasant meal, sipped wine, and indulged in easy conversation. Loukas was a skilled raconteur, and she began to relax…until he mentioned the need to return to Athens for a short period of time.

‘Business,' he relayed.

‘How long will you be away?'

‘We,' Loukas corrected, and saw her lips part in disbelief.

‘You want me to go with you?'

‘It's an opportunity to reconnect with the family.'

Alesha had met his parents and his younger sister several years ago when she'd accompanied her parents to Greece. Then she'd been a carefree young woman of twenty, in love with life, establishing her career with Karsouli and studying for an honours degree in business management.

A lot had happened in the intervening years. Now she was Loukas' wife, an equal partner in Karsouli, and all too aware Loukas' parents knew the facts surrounding their son's marriage.

How could she refuse…and on what grounds?

‘We'll take an evening flight out tomorrow evening.'

So soon?

Athens.
At this time of year the temperatures would be similar, with autumn in one country and spring in another.

There was a part of her that looked forward to visiting the city again. The ancient and the new, the sense of history.

Playing the newly-wed wife beneath the keen eyes of Loukas' family was something else.

‘I'll take these through to the kitchen and load the dishwasher.'

Loukas joined her, and set up the coffee-maker, then when it was ready he filled two cups, placed one on the servery and leaned a hip against its marble edge and spared her a discerning look.

‘We'll stay at my home in suburban Kifissia, then spend a few days on the island.'

Okay, she could do this. Like she had an option?

‘Pack light. My mother and sister will undoubtedly plan at least one shopping expedition.' He shifted to his full height and indicated his coffee. ‘I'll take this with me and work for a few hours.'

 

A full day at the office and packing with lightning speed ensured Alesha didn't have time to
think
…which had to be a bonus.

Loukas, on the other hand, juggled everything with admirable expertise, filled a carry-on bag with essentials, and offered a musing smile as she queried, ‘Is that all you're taking?'

‘I have clothes in each of my homes.'

Of course. ‘You lead a charmed life.' Not exactly fair, when he worked long hours between office and home, and achieved more in a day than most men accomplished in a week. What was more, he managed to do so with exemplary ease.

He crossed to her side, slid a hand to her nape and kissed her briefly, but with a thoroughness that left her catching her breath.

‘Relax.'

Like she could do that when he invaded her senses and melted her bones?

He made her think of the impossible…only to dismiss it out of hand. They had a marriage. The beginnings of affection…maybe. It was enough. More than she'd expected. So why did she feel as if her emotions were spinning out of control?

Ridiculous, she chided silently as she tossed cosmetics and perfume into a bag and slotted it into a suitcase.

She caught up her shoulder bag. ‘Shall we leave?'

A chartered Lear jet awaited them at Sydney airport, and, once airborne, Loukas opened his laptop and focused on work, while Alesha did likewise.

Although her father had preferred to travel via a commercial flight, she admired the advantage of a chartered jet whose interior held luxurious recliner sleep chairs, together with designer office accessories enabling a corporate high-flier to work in comfort.

For the duration of the flight they both spent large slices of time on their laptops, ate, slept and took the occasional break.

Alesha found it stimulating to discuss Karsouli on a one-to-one basis; to present a few of her ideas for its future…proposals Dimitri had listened to, but not implemented due to lack of capital—something she hadn't known at the time.

The strategies Loukas intended—some of which were already in place—had her approval, and she could only applaud his long-term plan to return Karsouli to its former power amongst a global industry.

His keen mind, intelligence combined with a certain ruthlessness to elevate him sharing equal prestige with some of the world's known financial peers.

Qualities that offered a different perspective to the man who'd taken on the husband role…in a business arrangement that, for her, was becoming increasingly personal with every passing day.