Christoph rolled his eyes, trying to appear irritated with her words. But she’d just used the term “sexy” to describe his voice. So, he was willing to overlook her impertinence in favor of kissing her.
And towards that goal, he wrapped his fingers around her upper arms and pulled her into his arms, holding her close. “I’m glad you think my voice is sexy,” and he kissed her. Possibly because of the alcohol he tasted on her lips or maybe because of the kiss earlier this morning, Lana immediately melted against him, kissing him back with equal fervor, completely unconcerned with the other people walking by on the sidewalk.
When he lifted his head, he noticed the dreamy smile and knew that he wanted more than just a damn kiss! She was breathless and stood quietly in the circle of his arms for several moments, not sure what had just happened. Or why!
“Um…”
He turned to face Willow and Tamara. “Ladies, I’m Christoph Anastas. You must be Willow Jackson,” he said, taking Willow’s hand after tucking Lana’s onto the crook of his arm. He bowed ever so slightly to Willow, making her smile at his charm. “And you are Princess Tamara el Hamid of Nadir.” Once again, he tilted his head respectfully, the gesture offered because Tamara was friends with Lana rather than her title, which instantly won Tamara over.
“You’re nothing like what we expected,” Willow replied, staring up at him with her wide, hazel eyes.
He smiled, winked so quickly that if one wasn’t looking carefully, one would have missed it. “I suspect that tonight is going to be revealing for everyone involved.”
Lana leaned slightly against Christoph’s shoulder and felt his hand move around her waist. She knew that the movement was wrong, but she couldn’t quite remember why. Maybe that last lemon drop martini hadn’t been such a good idea.
“I believe our table is ready,” Christoph said, extending his hand to the main restaurant so that Tamara and Willow cold precede him and Lana.
Both of her friends moved through the door of the restaurant, whispering to each other. But Lana held back, looking up at him with a confused look in her beautiful eyes. “Why did you kiss me like that?”
Christoph stared down at her, his eyes moving over each of her features slowly. Finally, he said, “Because you ran out on me earlier today. I believe we have some unfinished business.”
Lana swallowed, but it didn’t help. She wanted to finish that “business”. But that was wrong. In so many ways.
“We should go inside,” Christoph rumbled huskily, interrupting her mental waffling.
They were seated immediately at a secluded table in the back of the restaurant. The atmosphere here was one of muted elegance and refined opulence. It was exactly the kind of restaurant the three ladies avoided. Lana, Willow, and Tamara preferring the more casual, hole-in-the-wall places. The food was normally just as good and usually more creative, and everything was significantly less expensive.
A waiter immediately appeared at the table. “Should I order another round?” Christoph asked, watching each of the ladies as they settled into the comfortable chairs.
“Lemon drop martinis!” Willow commanded.
“Yes!” both Tamara and Lana exclaimed.
Christoph chuckled softly and nodded to the waiter. “I’ll have a scotch,” he said to the waiter. The man nodded, hiding his amusement, then left to get their drinks.
Tamara, as usual, was the first to get down to business. “Okay, so we are here to figure out a solution to this mess,” she announced.
Christoph’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “What mess?” he asked, glancing at Lana, trying to determine what she’d told her friends.
“The mess that Lana’s father left for her.” She turned to Willow. “Remember when Ms. Dunworthy made us clean out the stalls after that one prank?” she said, referring to their favorite teacher from their boarding school days.
Willow laughed, nodding her head. “Yeah, now that was a true mess!”
“Hey!” Lana exclaimed. “How is manure all over a stall more of a mess than what my father did to me?”
Tamara grinned. “Granted. Cleaning up manure is a whole lot easier of a mess to clean up than what you’re facing now.”
Tamara leaned forward as the waiter arrived with their drinks. Christoph watched as each of the lovely ladies charmed the waiter with their smiles. Each woman was beautiful in her own way. Willow was the stereotypical southern belle but with fiery red hair, a charming accent, and a sweet, southern demeanor. Without the alcohol, Christoph suspected that Willow Jackson was on the shy side. But he could already detect the steel underneath her magnolia smile. The woman was no pushover. Her biscuit colored dress with maroon edging made her pale skin seem soft and delicate. But her hazel eyes were sharp and knowing, intelligent and thoughtful.
His eyes moved to the other friend. Princess Tamara had a reputation as a bad girl, a party girl. But he saw none of that in her tonight. If she’d truly been the naughty princess that the press portrayed, she’d be wearing something more revealing for one thing. She was wearing a pair of black wool slacks and a black turtleneck sweater. The only color were the silver chains she wore around her neck, breaking up the black. Even her hair was up in a conservative twist, the exact opposite of a party girl. From her easy smiles and the way she held herself, he suspected that the real princess was much different from her public image. The contrast was interesting. There was a mystery there.
Then his eyes turned to Lana and his gut tightened as he watched her smile easily with her friends. They weren’t guzzling down the martinis as he’d expected. In fact, they only sipped the martinis, drinking more water than alcohol, although he knew that they’d been drinking earlier. He admired that they’d arrived in a cab instead of getting into a vehicle and driving under the influence. Smart, he thought. He liked that about Lana. She might be in a difficult situation, but she didn’t act irresponsibly and put others’ lives in danger.
The waiter arrived again and they all looked at their menus, quickly deciding on a meal. Another point in their favor, he thought as the waiter walked away. They weren’t indecisive. They knew what they wanted and went for it.
That brought him back to last night. Where had Lana been? She hadn’t been at her father’s house. So, where the hell had she spent the night? The possibility of her being with another man infuriated him. Watching her laugh with her friends as they recounted boarding school pranks, he dismissed the idea. She didn’t seem like the type of woman to kiss one man in the morning and spend the night with another man.
Besides, if she had another man in the wings, she could easily put together a pre-nuptial agreement to marry, sell off her father’s assets, and pocket the profits. There were several easy ways around her father’s will. But he wasn’t going to point out those options to Lana. He’d wanted her since that first dance years ago. He didn’t understand why, but he’d been entranced by her beauty as well as by the way she’d shivered in his arms, silently showing him that she too felt the immediate pull.
Just thinking about the way her body had trembled with shock and anticipation this morning made his body ache to repeat that scene, and take it further. Sipping his scotch, he half listened to the ladies talk and half contemplated the various ways he would make love to Lana as soon as he got her alone.
He’d take her to his seaside villa, he decided. Yes, a honeymoon on a remote beach would be excellent. Where he could explore her body any number of ways. All day and all night.
Their meals arrived and the three ladies stopped talking amongst themselves. Turning to him, he knew that his silent contemplation time was over. The inquisition was about to begin.
“So Christoph,” Tamara began. “May I call you Christoph? Or would you prefer that we address you as Mr. Anastas?”
His first trap, he thought with amusement and increasing respect. “Please call me Christoph.”
“Fine. Christoph, are the rumors about your past liaisons accurate?”
He’d expected her to d
emand that they formulate a plan that didn’t involve marriage. This was an interesting twist in the conversation.
“I don’t know what the rumors are, so I can’t speak to the accuracy of them.”
She stabbed a piece of meat with her fork. “You know what I’m talking about,” she pointed out with a warning to her voice. “Are you a player?”
He contemplated the three ladies, his eyes eventually landing and staying on Lana. She seemed to be trying to be casual about the question, but the tension in her shoulders indicated that she was more than slightly interested in his answer.
“I haven’t been a saint,” he finally replied. “But I will be faithful to my wedding vows.”
Tamara and Willow shared a glance. But Christoph’s eyes never strayed from Lana. As soon as he spoke, he saw her shoulders relax.
“And I expect my wife to remain faithful as well.” Christoph almost laughed at the outrage that sparked in her eyes. But he remained quiet, enjoying her reaction. Yes, she would be a beautiful, faithful wife. Integrity. He added that to the list of positive attributes of his future wife.
“Good,” Willow replied flatly. “Because fidelity isn’t just a health issue. It’s a trust issue. It means that you take that person seriously. That you’re going to take your relationship seriously and not callously toss a person aside when they no longer interest you. That’s a rare quality in a man. Extremely rare.”
Christoph watched as both Tamara and Lana laid understanding hands on their friend’s arm. What that understanding was, Christoph had no idea. Another mystery. So many things to learn about these ladies. But his gaze moved back to Lana.
“What about respecting a woman’s answer?”
That question came from the lovely princess and he turned toward her politely, although he kept his peripheral attention on Lana. Once again, she tensed, as if his answer was of the utmost importance. So instead of being offended by the question, he took it more seriously.
“I will always respect a woman’s answer,” he replied. “No one should be forced into a sexual encounter that they don’t want.”
Lana’s shoulders relaxed again. As if there was any other answer, he thought with silent outrage. Any man that forced himself on a woman was not a man. He was a coward! Using brute strength to force sex was repulsive. Especially when seduction was so much more interesting and exciting. A real man knew that he had to seduce a woman’s mind before enjoying the seduction of her body. It was a bit off topic with Lana as they seemed to be unable to temper the passion that exploded between them, but Christoph eagerly anticipated learning about Lana’s mind as well as her body.
And with that thought, he looked directly at Lana. “Although, I reserve the right to tempt a woman physically, to discover what she likes and doesn’t like.” Two sets of eyes lit up with that response.
“Tempt? As in giving a woman gifts?” Willow probed.
He laughed as he shook his head. “A real man does not need to bribe a woman into his bed,” he replied with confidence. He looked back at Lana. “A man senses a woman’s desire. He approaches and watches for the subtle signs of interest. I enjoy the temptation, the exciting dance of a woman who challenges me to prove my desire for her.” He paused for a moment, watching as her mouth opened slightly. “If there is any bribery to be offered, it is the promise of intense pleasure.”
She stopped breathing, he noticed. Christoph also saw that her pulse pounded at the base of her throat, indicating that his words tempted her more than she wanted to admit.
Excellent, he thought. He liked that she wasn’t giving in too easily. She needed proof of his desire. She wanted to be seduced. Something had happened in her past, something that held her back. Perhaps her father’s old fashioned views or something else. But he wanted her. She wanted him. That was a good start.
Lana listened and watched, shocked at how tempting his words were. She watched while Tamara and Willow continued to interrogate him, trying to see if their questions bothered him. A man with a short temper was dangerous. But a man who showed no emotions wasn’t good either.
As Tamara asked him about his business plans and he answered – carefully, she noted – his eyes seemed to change, an intelligence glowing out through those pale blue eyes. Interesting. He didn’t give away his five year business strategy, but he explained how Lana’s businesses would merge with his, how he would incorporate the redundant personnel into various positions. Lana was impressed that he even had a training plan in place to help everyone learn new roles.
Then Willow asked about the women in his past and those ice-colored eyes shifted. Did she detect amusement now? Perhaps, and yet, he explained that he’d had several mistresses over the years but those relationships were over, with no hard feelings between his past lovers and himself.
“Who ended the relationships?” Tamara demanded.
Patience. And still a tinge of amusement as those eyes turned to look at Tam.
“I did.”
“Why?”
Lana swallowed a giggle at his hesitation there. He was uncomfortable answering questions like that, especially with his future wife sitting across the table from him.
“Because the desire dissipated.”
Tamara leaned forward. “You say that you will remain faithful to Lana. And yet, your interest in the women in your past has waned in a predictable pattern. How can you promise fidelity to Lana?”
“Especially,” Willow added, “when twenty percent of marriages become sexless?”
Christoph tilted his head, acknowledging their comments. “You have valid points. But Lana will become my wife as well as my lover.”
Lana’s breath caught at the way he said that. Heat. Passion. Desire. It was all there. Then his eyes moved to hers, capturing her gaze and she felt the bolt of lightning hit her. His eyes seemed to caress her. “There is a difference, psychologically, between a lover and a wife. I am Greek enough and masculine enough to need to ensure that my wife’s needs, all of her needs, are met. She will never want for anything. She will have more money than she could ever need and I will ensure that her pleasures are also met.”
Lana swallowed, not sure if she should attack his comment about money or sex first. “What about love?” Lana challenged, and cringed in the stunned silence that followed. She lowered her lashes, trying to hide her expression. With a trembling hand, she reached for her martini. “Forget it. I know that you don’t love me. And I don’t know you well enough to love you. I’m sorry I brought it up.”
She took a long swallow of her drink, then looked down, noticing the food in front of her for the first time. “Goodness, I’m starving,” she gasped and straightened. “This looks delicious,” she said to Tamara, although she couldn’t really see what was on Tam’s plate. When she realized why, she hated herself for crying.
“Excuse me,” she whispered and stood up quickly, grabbing her purse. Without waiting for them to reply, she turned and wove her way through the tables towards the bathroom. She didn’t mean to, but the door to the bathroom stall slammed, the sound echoing through the empty room. Leaning against the wood door, she took several deep breaths. When that didn’t stop her tears, she angrily swiped her cheeks. “This is stupid!” she scolded herself.
“Lana!” Tamara called out.
Lana closed her eyes, not saying a word. She just needed a moment alone to get her head back on straight.
“Hey!” Willow snapped, rapping on the door. “Don’t you dare ignore us. You know what happened the last time you did!”
A peal of laughter burst out of her before she could stop it. “I just need a moment,” she said when she had herself under control.
“No you don’t. If we leave you alone, you’ll wallow in your disappointment.”
She squeezed her eyes closed. This was the problem with having friends that went way back. They knew her too well. “I won’t. I just…”
“Come on out and talk to us,” Willow ordered.
The woman only look
ed sweet and kind. Willow could be tough and mean when she needed to be.
Lana groaned, but opened the door. Both women were standing there, looking at her with a strange look.
“You love him,” Willow declared.
Lana laughed weakly, shaking her head as she walked over to the sink. “I’ve known the man for about a week. And in that time, we’ve had only contentious interactions. So no, I’m not in love with him.” She splashed cold water on her hands, then grabbed a towel to try to repair her makeup. Or at least make sure that Christoph couldn’t tell she’d been crying.
Tamara pulled powder out of her purse and stepped in front of Lana. “You might not be in love with him at the moment,” she offered while dabbing expertly at Lana’s cheeks, covering up the evidence of tears. “But you want love in your marriage.”
That’s true enough, but Lana remained silent.
“And everything he’s said tonight indicates that he might meet all of your physical needs, but you can do that on your own.”
Willow handed Tamara lipstick and she went to work on Lana’s smudged lips.
“You want love in your marriage and you don’t think he can give it to you,” Willow finished.
There was no use denying it. “Is that such a horrible thing to want?” she asked wistfully.
“No!” Tamara asserted firmly.
“Yes!” Willow asserted angrily. Tam and Willow glared at each other, their different circumstances creating a difference of opinion. But they tamped down on their histories, and futures, in order to focus on Lana.
“No, it isn’t bad to hope for love. But maybe you should figure out how to have a productive marriage with mutual goals instead of striving towards an elusive and fickle emotion,” Willow suggested.
Tamara shook her head, her dark, silky hair shimmering in the dim lights of the bathroom. “Ignore her. She’s warped because of…well, let’s not get into that again.” She dabbed lipstick on Lana’s lips, then closed the lipstick. “If you want love, make him fall in love with you. You’re a beautiful, intelligent, creative woman,” she said firmly. “Figure out how to make him love you.”
Her Enemy, Her Lover (The Ladies of The Burling School Book 1) Page 7