‘I’ve been working. Wasn’t that why we came here? Market research?’ She put her bag down on the sun lounger and slid off her shoes—white pumps that had obviously been provided along with the uniform. ‘I’ve spent the day in the spa, talking to the staff and the customers. It’s been so useful. They loved the candles, by the way, and the whole approach of exclusive seems to work for them.’ She ran her hands through her hair. ‘It’s so hot. I’m going to change out of my uniform and then take a dip in the pool.’
‘Selene—’
‘And I wanted to talk to you.’ Her hands were on the buttons of her dress and he felt heat whoosh through him.
This was it.
This was the moment when she talked about the future. Where she tried to turn today into tomorrow and the day after.
‘Selene—’
‘I felt really strange talking to them about business when they know I’m sharing your suite. It doesn’t feel professional. So I propose we end the personal side of our relationship right now. It’s been fun, but we don’t want to ruin everything.’ She poured herself a glass of iced water from the jug on the table. ‘Do you want water? I’ll pour you some. It’s important to drink in this heat and, knowing you, you’ve been working so hard you’ve forgotten to drink.’
‘End our relationship?’ Having planned to suggest exactly the same thing, Stefan was thrown by how badly he didn’t want to
do that. ‘Why would you want to end our relationship?’
‘Because I want to be taken seriously in business and that isn’t going to happen if I’m having sex with the boss.’
‘I don’t like hearing you describe it in those terms.’
‘Why not? I’m just describing exactly the way it is.’
She drained her glass and he found himself staring at her throat. And lower.
‘It isn’t awkward and I’m not your boss. You don’t work for me. I’m simply investing in your business. It’s different.’ He wondered why he wasn’t just jumping through the escape hatch she’d opened and perhaps she did, too, because she looked surprised.
‘It’s not that different. I just don’t want things to be awkward.’
‘I don’t have that word in my vocabulary. I do what suits me and if people don’t like it that’s their choice.’ He watched as she lowered the glass.
‘I wasn’t talking about things being awkward with other people. I was talking about being awkward between us.’ She put the empty glass down on the table. ‘It was fun, but I think we should call it a day. Move on.’
‘Well, I don’t.’ Furious, almost depositing his laptop on the terrace, Stefan rose to his feet, dragged her into his arms and kissed her. Her mouth was soft and sweet and the more he tasted, the more he wanted. Desire clawed at him, brutal and intense, driving out every thought he’d had about cutting the threads of this relationship. Usually he was wary of anything that threatened his sense of purpose, but in this case she’d become his purpose. He lifted his head. ‘You’re not moving on. We’re not moving on.’
She looked dazed. Dizzy. ‘I—I assumed that was what you wanted.’
So had he. ‘Well, it isn’t.’
He wondered if ‘moving on’ meant seeing other men. The thought had him scooping her up and taking her back to bed.
* * *
He was a mass of contradictions, she thought days later as she sat across from him in the pretty restaurant that overlooked the bay and the sunset. She’d been so sure that he’d been freaked out when she’d said the word ‘forever’ and she’d intentionally stayed out of his way, giving him space, only to return and have him behave as possessively as if their relationship were serious.
She wondered if she’d overreacted. If she’d imagined it.
Candles flickered in the faint breeze and sounds of Greek music played in the background.
It felt so far from her old life. ‘Has anyone heard anything of my father?’
Stefan frowned. ‘You don’t need to be worried about your father.’
‘I just wondered. I know you’re in constant touch with Takis.’
‘Of course. He’s my head of security.’
‘And you briefed him to tell you where my father is at all times.’