Jacqueline Baird - Mediterranean Tycoons

Lisa closed the bathroom door behind her and crossed to the bed. She pulled back the covers, and climbed into bed, tugging down the bottom of her crisp white cotton nightshift, and closed her eyes. She felt the light brush of warm lips against her own and sighed; she was in that hazy period before sleep, and lazily she opened her eyes. A naked Alex was bending over the bed.

‘What are you doing?’ she asked stupidly.

‘Hush, Lisa,’ he murmured, lifting the coverlet and sliding in beside her. She edged back along the bed, but a long arm reached out and curled around her waist. ‘I simply want to hold you.’ Drawing her against his hard body, he covered her face with countless little kisses.

Her startled gaze met a pair of amused brown eyes. ‘But…’

‘Hush, I know,’ He whispered with mocking humour, continuing to press kisses to her cheek, the curve of her ear. His fingers brushed the pulse at the base of her throat and she sighed. Her lips parted and finally his mouth claimed hers.

The trouble was he knew her too well. She was helpless to resist the tenderness of his embrace, the curling of his tongue against hers, the delicious pleasure as his hand trailed down to cup the underside of her breast. He had a magic touch, Lisa thought dreamily.

A second later he lifted his head, ‘What on earth are you wearing?’ he demanded with a chuckle.

With the dim glow of the bedside light illuminating the room, Lisa stared up into his shadowed face. She had succumbed to him so easily she was ashamed. His dark eyes smiled down into her own, deep and lazily humorous, and his hand lifted to trace the soft contours of her breasts again, over the soft cotton of her nightshift. She felt a needle-sharp quiver of delight pierce her body, and she burst out, ‘Get off,’ and brushed his hand away. ‘This is a genuine Victorian antique I bought in Bath.’

His roar of laughter would have wakened the dead.

‘You can laugh, but it was very expensive. I had to search…’

‘Shh.’ He brushed his thumb over her lips. ‘I’m sure it is lovely.’ She could hear the lingering trace of laughter in his voice. ‘And I know you’re not well. But later, when you know me better and you are not quite so shy, I will teach you ways to make love that know no boundaries, ways you’ve never dreamed of.’

His deeply evocative words made the heat flood through her body, even as she reminded herself he did not love her, it was only sex on his part.

‘But not now,’ Alex husked, noting the flush of embarrassment on her lovely face. Replacing his hand with his mouth, he nipped at her lips, and she opened her mouth in ready acceptance of his tender, possessive kiss. ‘I simply want to kiss you goodnight,’ he whispered against her lips. ‘We have had our first argument as man and wife.’ His lips trailed to her throat and he laved the pulse that beat frantically in her neck. ‘It should not have happened.’ He raised his head and brushed her lips briefly with his own. ‘And we will never argue again.’

It was so Alex! So arrogant. We will never argue again. He said it as if it was a done deal, Lisa thought, a wry smile curving her mouth.

Alex’s dark eyes narrowed on her face. ‘What is so amusing?’

‘You… “We will never argue again.” Some hope,’ she jeered.

‘You don’t agree? But there is no reason to fight. To build a good marriage one must learn to compromise.’

‘You sound like you are quoting from a marriage guidance book. Some people like to fight.’ Alex being one of them, she privately thought.

‘Rubbish. It’s a ridiculous waste of energy.’

‘Alex, are you arguing with me?’ Lisa asked sweetly, and her smile broadened at the look of exasperation on his handsome face.

‘You’re a witch. Close your eyes and go to sleep before I change my mind and ravish you.’ And with one hard kiss on her laughing mouth, he rolled over on to his back and hauled her into his side. With his free hand he switched off the bedside light.

In the darkness, curved into Alex’s large body, the warmth and comfort of him enfolding her, Lisa closed her eyes, and within minutes was fast asleep.

It was déjà vu, she thought lazily, the brush of warm lips against her own. But the voice shouting, ‘Wake up, woman,’ was not. Her eyes flew open and rested on Alex. He was standing by the bed, shaved and dressed in an immaculate grey silk suit with a white shirt and conservative grey and blue striped tie, apparently ready to leave.

‘What time is it?’ she demanded, dragging herself up into a sitting position.

‘Coffee time.’ He indicated with a tilt of his dark head the bedside table, where a large cup of steaming coffee was standing. ‘Also time I left for the airport.’

‘Oh, well, thanks for the coffee. I have to get going myself. I said I would be in Stratford by ten.’ Lisa tried for a light tone. Which was no mean feat, considering for the first time since their marriage, she had just spent the night very comfortably in Alex’s arms without making love.

‘It is not too late for you to change your mind, Lisa, and come with me to New York,’ he offered casually. ‘I could, at a pinch, put off going until tomorrow.’

Lisa looked at him carefully. She could not believe he had said it, and for a second she was tempted, but quickly she squashed the idea. ‘No. No, really. I have far too much work to catch up on.’

‘As you like.’ He leant down and pressed a brief kiss on the top of her head. Lisa looked up in surprise.

‘Try not to miss me too much,’ he commanded, a gleam of mocking amusement glinting in the dark eyes above her own.

The trouble was, Lisa realised with a sinking heart, she would miss him. ‘I won’t have time,’ she returned brightly, ignoring her innermost feelings.

His dark gaze sharpened on her cool face. ‘Hopefully after this week your work will no longer be a problem. It is not that hard to hire a secretary. Or you could consider selling the company.’

Lisa glanced away from his penetrating gaze, the word selling echoing in her head, her worst suspicion confirmed. Her eyes fixed on the folds of the coverlet, an icy chill penetrating her heart. ‘I have no intention of ever selling, and finding a secretary for Mary will be no problem, I can assure you.’

‘I certainly hope so. I have no desire to have a part time wife,’ Alex countered with devastating frankness, and left.

So now she knew. He had suggested she sell the company. Her fingers curved convulsively in the coverlet. How long before he put himself forward as a buyer, or suggested razing the factory to the ground? she wondered on a shaky breath. And what could she do about it when he did?

Turning the key in the drawer which held her mother’s papers, Lisa found what she was looking for. The offer to buy had been made by Xela Properties with no mention of changing the business. She debated ringing them, but decided to display caution. She searched the Internet instead and found Xela Properties, only to discover to her horror that Solomos International was the parent company to it and a host of others. Starting in alphabetical order: Alexsol Cruises, Alomos Financial Services, and, of course, at the end, Xela Properties.

Switching off her computer, Lisa stared at the blank screen. In a way it was her own fault. She could have checked to see if Solomos International had a web page ages ago, but it had never occurred to her to do so. So much for her idea of a white knight helping her. It had been Alex who had tried to buy Lawson’s out a year ago…

The telephone rang, and Mary answered it. She listened for a second, then covered the mouthpiece with her hand. ‘It’s for you, Lisa. Your husband.’

Reluctantly Lisa reached out to take the call. ‘Alex. What are you calling for?’ she asked calmly, when she really felt like shouting every obscenity she could think of at him. He had been planning for over a year to get control of Lawson’s and destroy it!