What the Greek Can't Resist

by Maya Blake

  ‘Please, don’t.’ She was very much aware that she was begging. For as long as she could remember she’d wanted someone to notice her, give her a little bit of their time and attention. Although she’d found that to some extent with Terry and Sarah, it ultimately wasn’t the right kind.

  The attention Ari was giving her now felt like the right kind. Which was extremely frightening because it was the skull-and-crossbones kind, guaranteed to annihilate her with minimal effort.

  ‘I’m as puzzled by my fascination as you are, pethi mou,’ he murmured. ‘Or perhaps my inner ten-year-old is still reeling from the discovery that his favourite TV actress’s red hair came from a bottle,’ he said dryly.

  ‘How traumatic for you. Would it be better if I dyed my hair black or shaved it all off?’ she half teased.

  He sucked in a sharp breath and his grip tightened around his glass. ‘I invite you to dare,’ he breathed in a low, dangerous voice.

  ‘You know, this would be the moment when I tell you that it’s my hair, and I can do with it what I choose.’

  ‘And I would in turn threaten to lock you up in a faraway dungeon until you came to your senses.’

  Against her will, she felt a smile curve her lips. His mouth twitched too, as if sharing her amusement, but then his face turned serious again, and they went back to staring at each other.

  Dirty, delicious thoughts of dungeons and shirtless heroes cascaded through her brain, sending spikes of desire darting through her body.

  Realising just how pathetic she was being to take pleasure in the possessive tone in his voice, she cleared her throat. ‘Can I make a suggestion?’

  He took a sip of his drink without taking his eyes off her. She desperately wished she could follow suit but she needed to stay as clear-headed as possible. ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘Perhaps if we agree to stay out of each other’s way, this...thing will eventually go away.’

  ‘Haven’t you heard the new saying? Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder?’

  ‘I think we can both agree our hearts aren’t the problem here.’

  His face slowly froze until it was a hard, inscrutable mask. ‘No. They’re most definitely not.’ The depth of feeling in his voice made something sharp catch in her chest. Again that torment stained his expression.

  ‘You must miss her very much. Your wife,’ she blurted before she could stop herself.

  His fingers tightened so forcefully around the stem of his glass she feared it would snap. ‘Sofia’s death is a loss to the world. And to me.’ The agony in his voice cut right into her heart.

  Unable to look into his face, bleak with pain and guilt, she glanced away. Her own fingers were curled around the warming glass of champagne which trembled wildly, threatening to spill its contents. Hurriedly, she set it down on a nearby table.

  ‘I never got the chance to say it before. I’m sorry...for your loss. Um, please excuse me. I think I’m needed now.’

  She hurried away before she could do or say something rash, like ask him to define what that kind of love felt like. Or expose the emotion writhing through her that felt shamefully like jealousy.

  She’d wanted a love like that for herself, had built all her hopes around Morgan, who had taken her desperate need and used it to blackmail her. Fate had kicked her in the teeth for daring to hold out her hand and ask.

  She wasn’t foolish enough to even contemplate asking a second time. The lesson had been well and truly delivered.

  * * *

  Ari watched Perla walk away, stunned by what he’d just revealed. He never spoke about Sofia. Never. Not to his brothers, not to his mother. And certainly not to traitorous strangers he’d made the colossal mistake of sleeping with.

  And yet, with one simple sentence, he’d spilled his guts; would’ve spilled some more if Perla hadn’t rushed away. Because the admission of how Sofia—a warm-hearted, gentle innocent whom he’d ruthlessly clung onto and used to soothe his ravaged soul right after his father’s betrayal—had come into his life and ultimately left it, had been right there on his tongue.

  Absently nodding to a guest who’d approached and started talking to him, he tried to reel in his flailing senses.

  It was unconscionable that he still felt this unrelenting pull towards Perla Lowell. What had happened between them—twice—should’ve been enough to curb whatever appetites he hadn’t even realised were growing until he’d met her.

  At first he’d thought his fascination with her was because she was the first woman he’d slept with after Sofia. That had been his excuse in the weeks following his discovery of her real identity.

  And the second time?

  He gritted his teeth. The second time, their emotions had been running high. So high, he hadn’t had the common sense to use a condom. Hell, even that little nugget hadn’t hit him until he was halfway across the Atlantic on his way to the US. A shudder raced under his skin at the sheer stupidity of his actions.

  How many times, growing up, had he cautioned his brothers on the responsibility of taking care of their sexual health and those of the women they slept with, especially after finding out the bitter and humiliating legacy their father had left behind?

  Granted, both Sakis and Theo were old enough now and no longer his responsibility. But for him to have fallen in the same trap, under the same spell that—

  Enough. Beating himself up about it would achieve nothing. He smothered his thoughts and concentrated on the guest next to him, expertly hiding his distaste when he saw who it was trying to get his attention.

  ‘She’s something, your new organiser.’ Roger Hamilton’s gaze was fixed on Perla as she spoke to his guests, her smile open and friendly. The clear interest in his eyes sent a bolt of anger through Ari.

  ‘She’s also off-limits.’ The snarl in his tone was unmistakable.

  Hamilton’s eyes widened, then his thin lips curved in a sly, knowing grin. ‘Right, she’s marked territory. Got it, buddy.’

  Ari gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to deny the assertion. ‘Very marked. And I’m very territorial. Are we clear?’ Theos, where had that come from? He was losing his mind. There was no doubt about that.

  Roger slapped him on the arm. ‘As crystal, buddy. But tell me something; between you and I, is that hair colour real?’

  Ari’s fists clenched so hard his knuckles screamed in protest. From the first, he’d found an almost unholy fascination with Perla’s hair. To hear that same fascination in another man’s voice made the blackest fury roll through him.

  ‘That, buddy,’ he breathed, ‘is something you’ll never find out.’

  From then on, he made sure he kept a room’s width between himself and Perla at all times. Not that he actively needed to. She seemed just as determined to stay away from him.

  A thought that should’ve pleased him, but only succeeded in darkening his mood further. On impulse, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled.

  Theo answered on the first ring. ‘A call from the big man himself. I haven’t been naughty, have I?’

  ‘You tell me. And while you’re at it, tell me what the hell is so captivating about Rio that you can’t seem to tear yourself from the place?’

  His youngest brother laughed. ‘Sun, sea and wall-to-wall gorgeous women. Need I say more?’ Despite his tone, there was something cagey that set Ari’s radar buzzing.

  ‘Is everything okay, man?’ The worry that never abated when it came to his brothers rose higher. Of all his family members, Theo had been the youngest and most vulnerable when their world had unravelled, thanks to his father. That worry had never gone away.

  ‘Of course. How about you? Normally, you send me terse one-line emails asking me to report in.’

  ‘Half of which you never answer. Thought I’d try another means to get your attention.�
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  Theo remained silent for a minute. ‘You sure you’re okay, bro?’

  A flash of red caught his eye and he tensed further. ‘I’m fine. But it would be good to row again, all three of us, some time soon.’

  ‘Ah, you’re nostalgic to get your ass whopped. I can oblige. But would this need to burn energy have anything to do with the headache you’ve created for yourself by hiring the Lowell woman?’

  He gave an inward sigh. ‘You’ve heard?’

  Theo snorted. ‘The whole company’s wondering if you’ve lost your mind. Hell, I’m wondering if you’ve lost your mind. Theos, she’s not blackmailing you in any way, is she?’ he asked sharply.

  The tense note in Theo’s voice made Ari’s hand clench over his phone as a wave of pain swept over him. Theo had been kidnapped as a teenager and their family held to ransom for a tense two weeks before he’d been released, which made the subject of blackmail a very volatile one.

  ‘No, she needed a job, she proved to have the skill and I gave her one.’

  ‘Did you run it past Sakis, because I’m pretty sure he’ll blow a gasket once he crawls out of his love cocoon and returns to the real world.’

  Ari’s jaw tightened. ‘I’ll deal with Sakis. In the meantime, have your assistant check schedules with mine about our next rowing session. I want to get together sooner rather than later, and get to the bottom of exactly what you’re doing in Rio.’

  ‘Dammit, anyone would think I was still twelve instead of a grown man.’

  ‘You’ll always be a twelve-year-old to me, brother, simply because you can’t help but act like one.’ He noticed the gruffness in his voice but couldn’t help it.

  He hung up to Theo’s pithy curse and realised he was smiling. Pocketing his phone, he looked up and found Perla’s gaze on him. Wide green eyes held shock and wonder, which she quickly tried to bank. When he realised it was in reaction to his smile, he cursed under his breath.

  Was it really so strange that he would smile? Was he such an ogre that he’d given the impression that smiling was beyond him?

  Yes...

  A lance of pain speared his heart. Smiling and laughter had become a thing of the past for him, ever since he’d lost the most precious thing in his life through hubris and carelessness. He’d believed he’d paid enough, sacrificed enough for his family and deserved happiness of his own. He’d believed he’d bled enough to owe fate nothing else.

  He’d been careless with Sofia’s health, given in to her penchant to always look on the bright side, when deep down he’d known the bright side rarely existed. Guilt rose to mingle with the pain, wiping away every last trace of mirth from his soul. He had no right to smile or laugh. Not when he had blood on his hands...

  Realising Perla was still staring at him, he turned away abruptly. But the unsettled feeling wouldn’t go away.

  Perhaps Theo had been right. Had he lost his marbles by employing her, despite her obvious talent? He knew had he looked harder, he’d have found someone equally talented to employ who didn’t rock the boat or make his male clients salivate just by the sight of her. He pursed his lips. Hell, she herself knew she was distracting enough to have made some of his employees talk, made her own life uncomfortable—

  Frowning, he removed his phone from his pocket and dialled his assistant. ‘Contact my head of HR—I want a conference call first thing tomorrow. Tell him I want to discuss Perla Lowell.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ‘WHY DID YOUR HR director just call to check up on me? And please don’t tell me he does that with everyone else because I asked David and Cynthia and he didn’t call them so I know I’m the only one he’s called.’

  Ari continued to admire the stunning penthouse view from his latest hotel set in the heart of Washington DC and forced himself not to react to the huskily voiced accusation or the unwanted intrusion. But it was difficult not to turn around; not to tense against the electricity that zapped through him at her presence.

  It’d been three weeks since Miami, and the last time he’d seen Perla. He’d left the day after Fashion Week and busied himself with his other casinos and hotels on the West Coast. But he’d needed to return because Pantelides WDC was by far his most successful hotel yet and he needed to throw his every last waking moment into making it the jewel in the Pantelides Luxe crown.

  That he’d spent far too much time thinking about Perla Lowell was something he preferred to view as simply making sure she wasn’t causing any more ruffles in his company. Of course, he’d have preferred if word hadn’t got out that he was doing so but...

  He sighed. ‘Discretion really seems to be thin on the ground these days.’

  Her gasp sounded just behind his left shoulder. He tensed further, bracing himself for the impact of the sight and scent of her.

  ‘So you’re not denying it? You do realise how you’ve made me look by doing that, don’t you?’

  ‘What exactly did my director say to you?’ he asked.

  ‘He asked me how I was getting on with work and with my colleagues.’

  ‘And you immediately jumped to the conclusion that I was trying to undermine you somehow?’

  ‘Did you or did you not ask him to call to check up on me?’

  ‘Perla, you brought a potential workplace problem to my attention. And I took steps to rectify it. I think my director may have taken his directive a little too seriously given who you are. If you think it was an unnecessary step—’

  ‘I do,’ she flung at his back.

  Ari gritted his teeth and tried to remain calm as she continued.

  ‘Now you’ve said something—’

  ‘Actually, you said something. Had you come to me instead of seeking verification from your colleagues, they would’ve been none the wiser.’

  ‘So you’re saying this is my fault?’ Outrage filled her voice. ‘And can you turn around when I’m talking to you, please?’ she snapped.

  With another sigh, he started to turn. ‘I think you’re blowing things out of proportion—’ He stopped dead when he caught his first glimpse of her.

  Her hair was a long, dark, wet ribbon curling over her naked shoulder. And she wore a black bikini with the thinnest strings that looked as if they were about to succumb to the laws of gravity. Heat punched into his gut so viciously, he had to lock his knees to keep from stumbling backward against the floor-to-ceiling window behind him. Around her waist, a carelessly knotted black sarong rested on her hipbones.

  ‘I’m not blowing things out of proportion. The fact is you’ve severely undermined me in the eyes of my colleagues.’

  ‘Did it occur to you that singling you out for attention could be for a beneficial reason rather than a detrimental one?’

  He couldn’t breathe. And he couldn’t move. Even though words emerged from his mouth, his tongue felt thick and all his blood was rushing painfully south. In exactly one minute, she’d know the effect she had on him.

  The intensely crazy, intensely electrifying effect he’d thought he had under control.

  Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. ‘I...no, I didn’t.’

  His smile felt a little tight around the edges. ‘Perhaps you should’ve given it a little further thought then. As for David and Cynthia, don’t rule them out completely. They may be receiving phone calls as well. You may simply have been lucky number one, this time.’ His gaze slid over her once more and he wondered how many other people had seen her in that bikini, her exquisite body on full show? He forced himself not to think about it.

  She frowned. ‘I find it hard to believe that you check on every single employee...’ She stopped and took a breath. ‘Ari, why did you really do it?’

  The sound of his name on her lips sent hot lust-filled darts to his groin. ‘Why does it upset you so much?’ he murmured.

 
Her eyebrows shot up. ‘Are you serious? I have to work with these people!’

  He shrugged. ‘Then I’ll leave it in your capable hands to smooth things over, assure your colleagues that my HR director was conducting a simple employee assessment and you jumped to a conclusion. Because that’s what really happened.’

  ‘God, you really expect me to believe that, do you?’

  ‘I do.’

  ‘You must think I’m really gullible.’

  ‘If I did, you wouldn’t be working for me. And you shouldn’t take too much stock in what others think of you. Unless that’s the problem here? Are you saying you don’t trust your own judgement, Perla?’

  She froze. Before his eyes, her face leached all colour. Her fingers twisted around each other in a clearly distressed way that made him curse inwardly. ‘Yes,’ she whispered raggedly. ‘That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m...I’m not a very good judge of character.’

  The visible distress made something catch in his chest. Before he could think better of it, he closed the distance between them and took her chin in his hand. This close, the scent of her warm body mingled with the chlorine from her swim hit him in the throat. His blood pounded harder, but Ari consoled himself with the fact that with her gaze on his, she wasn’t witnessing what her proximity was doing to him below the waist.

  ‘What makes you think that?’

  ‘I got it spectacularly wrong with you, didn’t I?’ she asked.

  His mouth firmed. ‘But I wasn’t who you were thinking of just now.’ He knew it as certainly as he knew his name.

  ‘What, you read minds now?’

  ‘No. But, unlike you, I can read people. Who was it, Perla?’ he asked, although he had a fair idea.

  ‘Does it take a genius to figure out that I misjudged the man I married?’ she said, confirming his theory. ‘I thought he was someone I could depend on. Instead, he...he...’ She closed her eyes and shook her head. The pain in her face and her words struck a dark chord within him. A chord he absolutely did not want struck.