by Marie Kelly
On the Friday 7 days after his departure Lee had once again found herself with the children in the orphanage, something she greatly looked forward to. She had heard from Yanis the previous evening in which he had told her that he would still be there the next day, and Lee had sighed at the thought of having to attend the annual charity gala the next night alone. She had not yet had to make a personal appearance at a large event herself, and had not been looking forward to it, worried that she would be lost and out of place.
However, she had put this all aside as she happily worked with the children on their dance routine.
Approaching the orphanage, Yanis Demitri, had frowned. His early arrival back home that evening had been unexpected he knew, but when Lee had not been at the house he had been disappointed. When he had found out from his driver where she was, he had frowned even more, telling him that he was no longer required for the evening and that he would pick her up himself.
As he entered the building he had been approached by a tall good looking woman
“Yanis, how lovely to see you”
The smiling woman said moving forward to receive a warm hug from the tall man before her
“Rachel, you look as lovely as ever”
He replied, flashing her a genuine smile. Rachel Hunt the orphanage administrator gave him a playful punch
“Charmer” she said although she had flushed a little
“Is Lee still here” he asked
Rachel’s smile deepened
“Yes, the meeting finished about an hour ago, Yanis what a girl, congratulations you are a lucky man”
She said suddenly remembering their engagement
“She actually managed to talk Mrs Jones into agreeing to a fund raising concert… Mrs Jones…I never thought I would see the day…and she did it so well that the woman left here feeling that it had all been her idea..I’ve never met anybody so charming..accept of course you” she said with a little laugh
Yanis frowned slightly, not really sure why
“If the meeting is over..why is she still here” he asked in confusion
“Oh didn’t she tell you” Rachel said in surprise
“After the meetings, and every other night she spends some time with the kids..she’s teaching a group of them how to dance…even the boys…something called street dancing..they love it”
Yanis tried to hide the cold look in his eyes as he asked where they were. Rachel directed him to the main living room and he moved to where he knew it to be. As he reached the room he had stood within the dark connecting door where nobody could see him to watch the scene before him.
Lee stood sideways on to him facing the group. She wore leggings and a tea-shirt which hugged her perfect figure as she directed the eight boys and girls ranging in ages from 6 – 12, as music played which he briefly recognised as being in the charts.
The children where concentrating on a move in which they stepped to the side before twisting their bodies and then their head from side to side. Lee had given encouragement to each and everyone of the children by name, smiling that large warm smile which lit up her whole face before they had stopped and she demonstrated the move one more time.
Yanis watched her, admiring her graceful actions as she made the complex step seem
easy. Looking at the faces of the children he could see the concentration along with how much they enjoyed the activity and he had frowned at the way she seemed to have so quickly gained their trust.
Just at that moment one of the children caught sight of him and screamed with delight
“Yanis, Yanis”
Before running and launching herself into his arms.
Lee had spun around in shocked surprise to see him there her eyes wide as he moved forward carrying the small six year old girl in his arms. He was laughing down at the small child his smile so warm and happy that it hurt Lee to see it. She could feel her heart beating faster in her chest as she tried not to show the effect his unexpected presence was having on her.
As he reached her he had looked down at her with a strange expression in his eyes
“So what’s going on here” he asked the assembled group, who all began chattering at once, telling how they were learning to street dance, while many broke into spontaneous demonstration, making both adults laugh at the same time. Looking shyly at him Lee had managed
“They are actually really very good”
Jumping down from his arms the small girl had declared in a loud voice
“Are you getting married to Lee?”
Lee dropped her eyes to the ground her feet fidgeting slightly as Yanis had looked over at her
“Yes, Shelley I am, Why?”
“Because you didn’t kiss her” she said her face serious
“If you’re getting married why aren’t you kissing her?”
Before Lee could say anything she had felt herself being grabbed by the waist and pulled forward
“You heard the child” he said sensually as he had kissed her on the lips, his finger moving down her spine causing her to jump forward against him as he had deepened the kiss, her mouth opening instinctively.
Lee was only vaguely aware of the giggles and “ooohhs” which had erupted around them followed by the chorus of
“Yanis and Lee up a tree k.i.s.s.i.n.g”
Which had both of them laughing against the others mouth. Lee had pulled away from him looking at the children
“OK, I have to go now” she said to a disappointed chorus
“But next time we’ll do some more steps…till then practice”
Looking back at Yanis she had told him she would change and be back in five minutes, before disappearing out of the room to the cloak room where she had changed from her dance gear back into her summer dress which floated around her long legs.
When she returned she saw him being shown how to do one of the steps she had shown them on a previous day. The children were enjoying laughing at how badly he was doing it as well as showing off their own expertise, and they had all given her a hug as they were leaving.
In the car he had been quiet as he expertly manoeuvred the large car through the traffic. It was Lee who eventually could not stand the silence any longer
“I didn’t expect you” she said softly. “You didn’t say you were coming back today”
He had looked over at her with a frown on his face
“The meeting finished early so I came back early” he said with a small shrug “I thought I could pick you up myself seeing as I was in the neighbourhood and we were going to the hospital anyway”
Lee had nodded gently
“Thank-you”
Peeking over at his face which was so dark and serious she had wondered what she had done now to make him seem so angry. Finally he had spoken
“The kids like you”
She had nodded smiling
“They’re great kids”
“I guess you never thought about how they’ll feel when you disappear in mid dance”
She could feel the anger in his voice as she had looked over at him with shock
“You think I would do that” she said
“My spending time with them has nothing to do with you”
She could see how his knuckles had turned white as he had gripped the wheel tightly, his lips clenched just as tightly. Reaching the hospital and parking the car in one fluid movement he had pulled off his seat belt before turning to face her, his expression dark
“If you hurt those kids Lee, by God I will make you one very sorry girl” he barked at her
“Really” she retorted “Why what are you going to do Yanis…Marry me”
Her eyes glared back at his just as angrily. However, his lips twitched before he had laughed out loud making Lee laugh too and breaking the tension between the two. Now his eyes were warm as they looked down on her
“Do you have an answer for everything” he asked the laughter still in his voice”
Lee had giggled back shaking
They had dinner at home that evening. Maria had prepared a delicious meal which Lee had insisted on helping her to carry through to the dining room, before she had wished them a good night informing them that she would clear up the following morning.
As they sat together eating Yanis had looked over at her
“You dance well” he said
Lee had looked at him in surprise
“Thank you” she replied a small blush lighting her cheek
“I wanted to teach dancing when I was younger” she said after a small silence looking shyly over at him
“Why didn’t you” he asked his tone interested
Lee looked down sadly at her plate
“My parents were killed in a car crash, and although we had a nice home they didn’t have much in the way of savings so I had to take on the roll of bread winner and at the same time bring up a brother…so I needed to earn enough money to keep us both, and unfortunately you can’t do that straight away teaching dancing”
“I see” he replied suddenly feeling sorry for the young woman before him
“I’m sorry..that must have been hard”
Lee gave a nervous half laugh
“My parents loved each other so much…maybe it was better they died together…but it hurt my brother very much. He went of the rails a little…but he got over it” she added
“He had you” Yanis replied, his hand covering hers sympathetically. His sudden touch had sent signals all through Lee’s body as she gritted her teeth to ignore the need for him her body was crying out for. She gently pulled her hand from his
“I didn’t like lying to the children Yanis…I’ve never been good at lying” she said lowering her eyes to the hands she held clasped before her, her expression thoughtful and pained
“And you certainly didn’t have to kiss me” she added
“I kissed you because I wanted to” he said evenly, as her eyes had lifted to look back at him
“Why? … you despise me for what you believe I did to Jim and yet you say you wanted to kiss me” she said incredulously. His dark eyes continued to hold her surprised hazel ones
“The two are very different” he said
“Maybe for you” she bit back at him, “but not for me”
Yanis had laughed softly “Please Lee, let’s not play these games… they may work for your other lovers” he said softly “but not for me…sex is sex… and you and I have a fierce attraction for each other do we not” he asked raising an eyebrow
Lee had only stared at him with shock
“It may be that way for you Yanis, but you and I are not that way involved” she said stiffly “I would ask if you could fit the names of your lovers onto a sheet of paper…but the fact of the matter is that you probably wouldn’t remember half of their names”
He had looked at her with a cold glint in his eyes
“Always the moral high ground with you isn’t it Lee, and you, could you remember all your lovers names” he asked shortly
Lee had glared back at him “Yes vividly, It is a very short list”
With a disbelieving snort he had asked
“How many would that be?”
“One” she had replied before realising what she had said and looking away from him with embarrassment
He had looked at her incredulously
“So you expect me to believe that you have only slept with Jim” he asked his tone mocking
With a sigh and biting her lip she had shaken her head “No, I have never slept with Jim, but what is the point of telling you again…you will never believe me” she said looking sadly at the ring sitting on her finger
For a while silence had fallen between the two
“I enjoyed your emails” he said gently breaking the silence and the subject, as he had reached over to take her hand
Lee had swallowed hard, feeling the way his fingers had caressed her wrist causing such tempestuous sensations to fill her. She had pulled her hand away from his before her body could give away the way she longed for those hands to hold her closer to him, before pushing her chair from the table.
“We have a ball tomorrow night” she said her voice slightly ragged
“and I’m really tired” she added, despite the fact that she had never been more awake.
Moving to the other side of the room she had wished him a good night, the need to escape from him strong within her. She could sense the danger that his closeness held for her and she rushed to remove herself from it.
Yanis had remained seated watching her, as she fled the room. His initial reaction had been to stop her, but he felt tired himself. He had spent a whole week in tense talks and the sudden comfort of his home and her company had made him relax, tiredness filling his whole being. As she left he had sighed. She had hit a nerve when talking about the way he treated other women. With a frown, he knew that she was right, he didn’t remember most of the names of his ex-lovers and the realisation of this was causing him to feel uncomfortable, while he was not really sure why. Finishing his drink he moved towards his own room putting his feelings down to tiredness.
Lying in her bed that night Lee had stared at the ceiling, her emotions a turmoil of conflicting thoughts and feelings. He was the most arrogant man she had ever met, and yet at other times he was so gentle and kind, his concern for the children so sincere. He made her laugh and at the same time infuriated her like no other person she had ever met. He detested her, yet was attracted to her, just as she was to him. His sudden appearance that day had shocked her, more at the way she had felt so alive and yet so unsure of herself at the same time. The sooner, he ended this charade the better for her she thought to herself, before with a pained sob her heart had cried that it never wanted it to end, and with a gasp the truth hit Lee, as finally she knew, against her complete better judgement she had fallen in love with Yanis Demitri. With disbelief at this realisation she had closed her eyes as she had allowed the tears to fall, knowing that the only way this would end would be with Lee once more having her heart broken, only this time she knew it would be so much worse.
As the next day dawned, Yanis found that he had slept in. Scowling at the clock which read 9, he had quickly risen before showering and dressing. Fortunately, he had had no plans, deciding the previous day that he needed a break after his French trip, and he had moved downstairs. When Maria had informed him that Lee was already gone, he had felt a strange deflated sensation, suddenly realising that he had looked forward to spending the time with her. On finding out that she had gone to the salon to prepare for that evening he had smiled, well at least she was finally showing her true colours. Moving to his study, he had started to answer emails and read over draft documents which would be needed by the following weekend.
By 5 that evening he had become annoyed that she was still not home, snapping at Maria as she tried to feed him dinner. As he had moved upstairs to prepare for that evening, the door had finally opened and Lee had walked in. She had grinned at Maria, who had thrown her a warning look, as he had moved back down the stairs.
“Where the hell have you been” he asked stiffly
Lee had looked at him in surprise, as Maria had fled back to the relative sanctuary of the kitchen
“Doing what you want me to do” she said “spending your money”
With that she had held up some bags and a dress bag. For the ball she had had to go to the boutique to ensure that the dress fitted perfectly. This had taken several hours, as they had to readjust some of the dress, to precisely fit her. As she finally had Lee in the shop, the owner, Claire, had taken the opportunity to get her to try on other outfits at the same time, and while Lee had refused to buy any more at that time, Claire had furiously written down details on a note pad, sure that the time would come when each would be required.
Yanis, had turned abruptly moving back up the stairs
“You have one hour, don’t be late”
Lee had rushed up the stairs after he had disappeared, before jumping into a shower, careful not to disturb her hair which had been specially placed on her head, with small curls adding a softness to frame her lovely face.
When she had completed her make-up, Lee had carefully stepped into the long ball gown made of a soft taffeta material, of a jade colour, which clung to her body past her hips before flaring out so elegantly. She had pulled on the matching shoes and held onto the matching bag before with a last look in the mirror she had moved out of her room to meet Yanis.
As she descended the stairs she had caught sight of him standing in the hall. Lee had watched as he had turned around to look at her, seeing how handsome he looked in his tuxedo the darkness of the material highlighting his dark eyes and hair. He had stopped in his tracks as she had come into sight before looking with openly admiring eyes
“Well, if you are going to look like that at the end, then you can be out all day everyday” he said, his voice soft and sensual to her ears
Lee had flushed slightly at his words as she reached the bottom step.
“Thank you” she said shyly suddenly nervous, as he had led her out to the waiting car
The party was a grand affair, with anybody who was anybody being present. Lee had
felt like an outcast as Yanis had led her from one group of people to another. She had smiled and accepted all of the congratulations wishes which came their way.
In the main she had let Yanis do most of the talking, although she had found herself unable to hold her tongue when they had joined one group. Lee had found herself next to an older rather arrogant looking woman, who seemed to very much look down her nose at everybody else, Lee had met her type before, and didn’t enjoy being in her company. She was loudly complaining about how children from council estates were all hoodlums, and out to cause trouble, when Lee had stiffly interrupted her
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