by Selena Kitt
“She’s always like that.”
Katya’s words, spoken fondly, had Mairi crashing back down to earth. Oh dear God! She had zoned out again! If Rose had caught her this time, she would be lucky if she still had a job the next day.
Ioniko was smiling devilishly. “Is she now?”
Mairi flushed. “I’m sorry. I’m just really, really sorry.”
“It’s fine. I understand you were in an accident earlier?”
“Umm, yes.” She offered her hand. “I’m Katya’s English teacher, Ms. Tanner.”
“A pleasure.” But instead of shaking her hand, Ioniko brought it to his lips instead.
Mairi quickly withdrew her hand with a gasp.
Katya was frowning. “Ioniko!” She spoke to him rapidly in Greek.
A frown slowly formed on her brother’s forehead as well. When he looked at Mairi, his face was impassive as he said, “I apologize for being too forward. It will not happen again.”
“I told him stuff like that is not allowed in school or you’d get fired,” Katya assured her. She turned to her brother with an unhappy look. “I’m just sorry I didn’t warn him earlier, Ms. Tanner. And please don’t take him seriously. He flirts with women all the time.”
Ioniko said mildly, “You have it the other way around, darling. Women flirt with me all the time. I flirt only with the ones I like.”
Mairi coughed at the innuendo. Deciding it was time to change the subject, she said quickly, “Mr. Vlahos, Katya is one of the top students in my class – or rather, in her entire year actually.”
Ioniko raised a brow. “It must be because of you. Her English used to be appalling.”
“It is,” Katya agreed cheerfully. “English was terribly boring when I was in the other teacher’s class last year.”
Mairi cringed at the indirect reference to Charity. “Sssh!”
Katya shrugged. “It’s true, though.”
She half-begged, half-scolded, “Katya, please. You’re going to get me in trouble.”
“But it’s bad to lie. And I really mean it! When Ms. Fal---”
“Fall is glorious in Greece, isn’t it?” Mairi cut her student off desperately. Charity Fallon was only seated one desk away, and she had no intentions of getting in a fight with the other woman for no good reason.
Both brother and sister looked at her as if questioning her sanity. After all, Greece was not a four-season country.
Ignoring their looks, Mairi took Katya’s packet out of the drawer and handed it to Ioniko. “Please sign the release form, then you can take everything home with you, Mr. Vlahos.”
“Thank you.” Ioniko signed it swiftly, but upon returning the form he suddenly caught hold of her wrist.
Mairi tried to very subtly tug her wrist away, but he was not letting go. A tingling started at the base of her spine, and she turned her head around, heart thumping against her chest.
Her eyes locked with Damen Leventis unerringly, almost as if she instinctively knew where to find him. His gaze was unreadable, his face a mask of indifference.
But for some reason, Mairi was a hundred percent certain her Greek billionaire was anything but indifferent.
Warm fingers squeezed her wrist, and she quickly pulled her gaze away from Damen, gulping when she saw that Ioniko Vlahos was looking at her with a sensual glitter in his eyes. Butterfly wings fluttered faintly in her stomach, but this time Mairi was almost sure it was only because Ioniko was a gorgeous Greek billionaire – the stuff her dreams were made of.
But he was not the one.
This time, Mairi determinedly pulled her hand away, leaving Katya’s brother no choice but to let her go. “They say you speak German?”
It startled her, hearing Ioniko speak the words in the very language he was asking about. She automatically answered in the same language. “Yes.”
Ioniko smiled. “That’s perfect.”
She asked warily, “Perfect?”
His little sister’s teacher was without a doubt one of a kind. She had an innocence to her that almost made him think of her as his little sister. Almost – but not quite. Those magnificent breasts of hers, something which was sadly lacking in virtually every woman in his circle nowadays – they were abundant enough to make a grown man weep, and certainly those breasts made it impossible for Ioniko to think of Ms. Mairi Tanner as anything other than the next woman he wanted to taste.
It was a pity that she was an innocent, but that would not stop him from doing his best to seduce her. He wanted her, plain and simple, and he always got what he wanted.
And so he said frankly, “It’s perfect because this way I will not set tongues wagging when I ask you out.”
Mairi sputtered.
His lips twitched. It was Ioniko’s first time to have a woman speechless in such an unattractive way after being asked out by him. “And so, my darling little Mairi, are you free to join me for dinner tonight?”
She still did not answer.
Ioniko leaned back against his chair. “Please do not pretend to be surprised, Ms. Tanner. You should know with just one look that I found you enthralling from the very start.”
Mairi slowly shook her head, having a hard time understanding that something like this was happening. Oh, no, no, no. She squared her shoulders with a frown. Actually, she was not going to let this happen. In all the bedtime stories her aunts told her, a love triangle always ended up breaking everyone’s hearts and she so did not want that in her own love story.
When Mairi Tanner looked at him, Ioniko was startled to see a fierce look in her lovely eyes. It was almost as if she was preparing herself for a battle, and yet all he had done was ask her out.
And then she spoke in German, her voice earnest.
“Mr. Vlahos, you are a very handsome man.”
Ioniko did his best not to reveal his astonishment. He had expected her to say anything but that.
“But I have to decline because---” Mairi paused. “I…I…” Velvet would tell her to lie now. Mandy, being practical, would probably tell her the same thing. But…it just wasn’t in her nature to do that.
Ioniko asked sardonically, “Because what, Ms. Tanner?” He refused to acknowledge how crushing his disappointment was, realizing that Mairi Tanner might just be like other women, playing hard to get because they were angling for a better offer.
She smiled and it took Ioniko by surprise, the way the sight of that awkward smile hit him hard, like a fucking arrow aimed straight at his heart.
Mairi mumbled, “Because I think I might have found the man I’m meant to live happily ever after with.”
Lesson 4
To catch a Greek billionaire you must get to know him first.
She said: Find out who he really is – learn who the man is behind the billion-dollar image.
He said: What a beautiful liar you are, matakia mou. You are only ashamed to admit the truth.
She said: I am NOT a liar!
He said: Fine then, my love. You are whitewashing it. You got to know me by using an autograph book.
Goddamn asshole was stealing his woman right under his nose.
While Mairi had been locked away in the washroom, Damen had moved swiftly, issuing instructions left and right to clear his schedule for the remainder of the week. It had been a very long time since he had wanted a woman this much and he was not letting another moment go to waste. The sooner he had Mairi in his bed the better and if he had his way, Damen would not let her leave it until the end of the week.
And yet when Damen strode back into the conference room, it was to see Mairi flirting with Ioniko Vlahos.
Years of rigidly controlling his emotions allowed Damen to maintain an implacable expression on his face even though he was violently inclined to thrash the other man to an inch of his life.
One…two…three…how many fucking minutes did they need to talk about a girl’s grades in English? Damen’s blood boiled at the thought that maybe, just fucking maybe the two were no longer talking about
the girl’s grades.
And to think she had fucking said she loved him.
The memory made Damen clench his fists. He wanted to laugh at himself, at his fucking stupidity for thinking that there was a girl in this age who was still innocent and without any designs on his fortune. He was a billionaire. Of course women would do everything – pretend to be anything – to snare his interest.
Even though he had told himself he would not look anymore, Damen couldn’t help it, his gaze straying to Mairi once again.
Fuck.
They were fucking holding hands now – in a school that was supposed to fucking discourage fraternizing between faculty and patrons. What the hell did that mean? Was she ready to throw away her career and settle for being Ioniko Vlahos’ mistress?
Fuck.
Damen strode to his sister, anger stamped on his features. Diana looked at him worriedly when he reached her side. “I have to go, sweetheart.”
“Damen…” Diana stopped, realizing how hard it was to say what she wanted to say. She knew her brother very well, enough to see what the others didn’t see. Ms. Yay, for better or for worse, had captured his interest.
And more often than not, it meant heartbreak for the women who did.
Damen made an effort to smile at his sister. “What is it?”
She sighed. “I know you like her, Damen.”
He stiffened.
“If you’re not going to treat her right, then can you please just forget about her?”
His smile became cold. “Do not worry about her, Diana. I have a feeling that your sweet little Ms. Yay is a lot tougher than you think.” And a much better actress than they gave her credit for.
* * * *
Mairi barely had time to breathe when she received a request to go to the headmistress’ office. Hurriedly sliding her feet into her bedroom slippers, she walked as quickly as she could to get to the other building. It was already a quarter past eleven in the evening, with the faculty dinner lasting a lot longer than she had anticipated.
All she wanted to do right now was sleep and maybe dream about Damen Leventis. But since she was in GAYL, a request from Rose really meant it was an order that had to be obeyed – and right away, too.
She knocked softly on the door. “Ms. Thorn?”
“Come in, Mairi.”
Inside, Mairi saw Rose seated behind her desk, already dressed in her sleeping gown. “I know you’re tired dear, but you have a phone call from home and I imagine you’d like to take it.”
Mairi’s heart jumped at Rose’s words. A phone call from home? And neither Aunt Vilma nor Aunt Norah thought about calling her directly on her mobile? Immediately, her mind jumped to the worst conclusions and her voice was a little shaky as she thanked Rose. “I-I’ll take it.”
Rose gestured to the sitting area to their right. “You may take the call there, Mairi. I do hope nothing untoward has happened.”
Mairi lowered herself on one of the armrest chairs and took the receiver. “Hello?” Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear herself over it. Oh God, she hoped---
“Hello, Ms. Tanner.”
“You.” She didn’t know if she wanted to laugh, cry, or scream at Damen Leventis for nearly giving her a heart attack.
Damen asked silkily, “Did you think it would be Ioniko Vlahos?”
The question startled her --- until she realized what those words implied. “I---” Conscious of Rose’s presence on the other side of the room, Mairi said carefully but sincerely, “I am so glad to hear from you, Auntie.”
She was not alone then, Damen thought as he poured himself a shot of whiskey. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”
“N-nothing?”
“Then there shouldn’t be any problem if we meet?”
He wanted to meet up with her. He couldn’t get enough of her. He must feel the same way about her. It was the logical conclusion – right? Mairi said breathlessly, “None.”
“What time?”
“After class?”
“Fine. Where?”
She asked, “May I, umm, have Cousin Agatha’s email address so I can check her flight details?”
He gave her his email address. “Email me your number so I can call you.”
“Yes.” She was doing her very best not to sound dreamy but it was hard, even with Rose’s eagle-eyed stare focused on her back.
“Later then…and Mairi?”
“Yes?”
“Your voice sounds lovely over the phone. It makes me imagine just how lovelier it would sound when you start screaming my name in bed.”
Mairi was red-faced by the time she put the phone down.
Rose was frowning with concern. “Is everything okay at home?”
“Umm…yes. I’m…just worried because my cousin – it’s, umm, her first time to fly long-distance alone.”
“Oh. Well, I’m sure she’ll be all right as long as she takes the necessary precautions.”
Damen’s phone beeped less than five minutes later. In a few seconds, he had dialed Mairi’s number and when she answered with barely-hidden excitement, something inside him relaxed.
Whatever it was Mairi felt for Ioniko Vlahos, it clearly had not mitigated her desire for him – and it was a desire Damen was determined to fan until it became an obsession.
“So,” he purred. “Where should we meet tomorrow?”
She collapsed on her bed, Damen’s voice alone enough to make her shiver. She named the place, a dirt road that led to nearby public beaches but was rarely used. “I can be there around four-thirty.”
He frowned, disliking the idea of having to wait nearly an entire day to see Mairi again. “That is too long.”
“I know,” she agreed morosely. “I’m already missing you too much---” Mairi stopped speaking, realizing what she had once again let slip.
Damen’s low sexy chuckle traveled down the line like the most sensual touch, making her swallow audibly.
The sound of Mairi swallowing nearly made him groan. Just like that – just that fucking sound and it was more than enough to have Damen hard as a rock.
“Tomorrow won’t come soon enough for me either,” he grated out.
Mairi bit back a sigh at the words. He really did feel the same way she did. The thought had her happily snuggling under the covers.
Damen came to his feet, checking his watch as he did. There was still enough time to have a drink downstairs. It would be a good way to pass the time and perhaps finish some of his work, too. But before he could say a word, Mairi had spoken again.
“Damen?”
She sounded incredibly shy using his name. Even though he knew now it could just be an act, it still made his cock swell. “Yes?”
“Tell me more about yourself.” Mairi waited for Damen to speak, but when the silence continued she said hesitantly, “Damen?”
He cleared his throat. Had he fucking heard her correctly? Did she really say something as impossibly juvenile as that? What kind of game was she playing, wanting him to act like an inexperienced boy on his first phone call with a girl?
Why wasn’t he speaking? Perhaps he was too busy and was just too nice enough to tell her the truth? Wincing at the realization that could very well be true, Mairi mumbled quickly, “I’m sorry. You must be really busy and tired---”
“No, of course not.” Damen was just as swift in his negation, lowering himself back on the couch positioned next to the hotel suite’s scenic windows. She was probably fucking playing with him, making him think that if he did not humor her now she would immediately move on to her other Greek boyfriend.
No fucking way would he let that happen. Mairi Tanner was his until he tired of her.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.” He reached for the shot glass he had recently filled and downed it in one gulp. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Well…I just really want to know more about you.”
Know more about him in what way, Damen wondered cynica
lly. Know more in the sense that she wanted the password to his safe? Exact figures of his current net worth? How many homes he owned?
“Ask me anything and I will do my best to answer you.”
Her eyes widened. “Anything?”
“Anything.”
“Then…what’s your favorite color?”
Damen stared at the phone. Did she just fucking ask him what his favorite color was?
“Damen? Are you there?”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. He wanted to laugh out loud but managed to rein in his amusement. He had no fucking idea what game Mairi Tanner was playing, but right now it didn’t matter. All Damen knew was that she kept surprising him, and her unpredictable ways just made him want her more and more.
Clearing his throat, he managed to answer with a straight face, “Black.”
“Oh.”
He raised a brow. “You sound disappointed.”
“Oh, no, no---”
“Mairi?”
She stopped, the sudden curtness of Damen’s voice scaring her more than a little bit. “Yeah?”
“Never lie to me and I promise you that I will not hold anything against you, whatever you tell me.”
She sighed.
Damen was beginning to wonder if he just happened to be sexually infatuated with a woman with serious mood swings. His words were meant to be a warning. He already had enough of women lying to him, and he had wanted Mairi to know that. And yet, while Damen had expected her to perhaps be overwhelmed or even offended, Mairi had instead sighed like he had recited a fucking poem for her.
“Are you all right?” he asked finally.
“I’m, umm, yes. I’m sorry.” She sighed again, unable to help it. When Damen had spoken those words, he had reminded her so strongly about the Greek billionaires she used to read about that goosebumps had formed all over her skin.
Damen decided to let those sighs go. He had a feeling he would simply drive himself crazy if he tried figuring it out. “Do you have any other questions?”
“Umm, yes.” She bit her lip. “But…it’s somewhat personal so if you don’t want to answer, it’s okay.”
The words made Damen tense. He was absolutely sure it would have something to do with his parents’ scandal. He poured himself another shot.