‘Miss Ashford says...’
And on and on and on.
It had been a little irritating before but, now that he’d met Miss Ashford for himself, it was downright distracting. He didn’t need any help putting that woman front and centre of his mind. All weekend he’d found his thoughts straying to her, remembering the husky little breath she’d made up close, the way her lips had parted when he’d moved close, as though silently inviting him to kiss her. To the way her eyes had rolled back at the simple touch of his fingertip to her lips, almost as though she’d been on the brink of an orgasm from the light, meaningless flirtation.
And he’d wondered about what would have happened if he’d acted more swiftly, kissing her as soon as he’d wanted to rather than trying to fight his desire. She’d been doing the same exercise, he was certain of it, and she’d triumphed in a way he hadn’t. She’d put an end to the preamble—for surely it had been? Another minute and his mouth would have claimed hers, his lips dominating hers...and then?
Yes, that was where he came unstuck, because ‘and then’ was a slippery slope to the kind of fantasies that made it hard for him to watch Miss Ashford even at this distance without feeling a stirring in his groin.
Pushing out of the car with a determined tilt of his head, Santos strode across the street, arriving at her side before she’d even registered his presence. She glanced up at him and, at the moment of realisation, made a husky noise of acknowledgement that almost skittled the carefully thought out proposal he was about to make, given how much it reminded him of Friday night.
‘Miss Ashford.’ He couldn’t help it. The words were drawled with a hint of sensuality, so her pupils darkened and her cheeks filled with that ready blush once more.
‘Mr Anastakos.’ She took a step back, her eyes failing to meet his. Didn’t she realise how crazy that made him?
‘I need to speak with you.’
‘Oh?’ Her brows drew together and her hands fidgeted with her car keys. ‘You do? About what?’
It was an artless response and inwardly he smiled. If she thought he’d come to talk about their obvious chemistry then it proved she was at least as aware of it as he. It was a short-lived triumph. Desire for this woman would only complicate what he needed, and he was quite certain now that she was essential to his plan.
‘Cameron.’ Her expression shifted speculatively at the mention of the young boy. She hadn’t been expecting that. ‘Do you have a moment?’
‘I...’ Her teeth dragged on her lower lip and her body swayed a little, tiny gestures of temptation that didn’t escape his notice. ‘If it’s a parent-teacher interview then I suggest you make an appointment through the headmaster’s office.’
His smile was laced with scepticism. She’d already shown him how deeply she cared for Cameron. Her objection was weak at best, born of a desire not to act on the crazy, sensual impulses that were fogging them both. ‘It’s important.’
He could feel her prevaricating and then, finally, she sighed. ‘Fine. What is it?’
He gestured towards a bench, a little way down the path in the shade of a considerable elm tree.
‘That’s okay. I don’t have long right now so I suggest you cut right to it.’ She cast a glance at her wristwatch, a small frown pulling at her features. The statement pushed under his skin, making him wonder where she was going, making him wonder a great many things: what was her life like, what did she do outside of school?
‘I’ve thought about your objections to my plans.’
Her eyes clearly showed surprise.
‘You weren’t expecting that?’
‘Frankly? No.’
‘Why not?’
‘Honestly?’
‘Always.’ It was a husky encouragement.
She bit down on her lower lip as she thought about that. ‘You don’t strike me as the kind of man who would change his mind.’
‘No?’
She shook her head. ‘You seem too arrogant for that.’
His brows shifted upwards and she clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes sweetly apologetic. Sweetly? What the hell...?
‘Oh, I still believe taking Cameron to Agrios Nisi is the correct decision.’ He spoke firmly, allaying any relief she might have felt.
Her features shifted, sparking with the defiance that was instantly familiar.