Carole Mortimer - Irresistible Greeks - Defiance and Desire

What was it about this man in particular that made her behave so completely out of character? Gemini barely recognised the wanton she became every time Drakon took her in his arms.

And a drivelling, romantic idiot too, apparently!

Something a man like him would certainly be repelled by.

Gemini kept her back towards him and moved to the safety of the other side of the shop before turning. Only the whiteness of Drakon’s shirt was visible where he still stood in the shadows. She licked her lips. ‘Don’t misunderstand me, Drakon. I’m really very grateful for the help you gave me earlier in getting rid of Angela, but not grateful enough to—’

‘I strongly advise that you don’t insult me by finishing that sentence,’ he warned, the tone of his voice dangerously soft.

Gemini shivered as she felt the chill of his warning down the length of her spine. A warning she would be insane not to heed! ‘I don’t mean to insult you—’

‘No?’ he rasped as he bent down to pick his jacket and tie up from the floor.

‘No,’ she reiterated wearily. ‘That’s the last thing I want to do when you’ve been so…kind.’ She shrugged. ‘It’s just been one hell of a day. Emotions are running high, and I really think it would be best if you just left now.’

Drakon agreed with the logic of her reasoning. At least he would have agreed with it if he could have thought logically at all. As it was, he was still reeling from the knowledge that, although Gemini was a sophisticated young woman in her late twenties, she was a physically inexperienced one.

How was such a thing possible in this day and age? Especially for a beautiful young woman whose father’s wealth would have ensured she had lived her life in privilege and self-indulgence? When her late teens and early twenties would have been spent socialising with men of wealth and experience? When Gemini’s own stepmother was an acknowledged seductress?

But perhaps Gemini’s contempt for the latter was the very reason she had chosen a completely different path for herself?

Whatever the explanation for her physical innocence, Drakon was stunned by it. Stunned and at the same time wary. He had been sexually active for more than twenty years now, and never in all his thirty-six years had he made love to an innocent. As much as he still wanted and desired Gemini—and it seemed he had only to look at her to want her—he had no intention of complicating his own life or hers by becoming her very first lover.

His movements were measured, deliberate, as he shrugged back into his jacket and then neatly folded his tie and placed it in one of his pockets before looking across at Gemini once more. ‘After witnessing her behaviour earlier, I don’t believe for a moment that you have seen the last of your stepmother,’ he remarked with obvious distaste.

Gemini didn’t think so either; she knew her stepmother far too well to ever believe that. Angela seemed to have set her sights on ensnaring one of the Lyonedes men as her next husband—preferably Drakon—and, as Gemini knew only too well, the older woman wasn’t easily deterred once she had set her mind on making a conquest.

Knowing of Gemini’s acquaintance with both men—these encounters with Drakon were far too physically volatile for her ever to think of them as friends—was surely only guaranteed to make Angela even more determined to capture one of the Lyonedes cousins. If only out of spite towards Gemini.

She shrugged ruefully. ‘As long as you and Markos stay well away from her in future there shouldn’t be a problem.’

Drakon gave a humourless smile. ‘That may be a little difficult when we are in the middle of a business transaction with her.’

Gemini stiffened at this reminder that Lyonedes Enterprises was in the process of purchasing her family home from Angela. ‘I believe you walked yourself into that particular situation,’ she said unsympathetically.

‘Indeed,’ he accepted dryly. ‘And it is a situation I am more than capable of dealing with. But I would advise that you do everything in your power to avoid any further confrontation with her.’

Gemini looked him directly in the eyes. ‘Maybe you should just give her what she wants and take her to bed?’

Drakon drew in a harsh breath at the very thought of having a sexual relationship with the avaricious widow. Not that she was unattractive—if a man did not mind knowing her interest was mainly in his bank balance!

Which, he acknowledged, was something that had never particularly bothered him before. Indeed, it was the reason he had become so cynical and jaded about ever finding a woman who might love him for himself, and whom he could love in return. Years of having women attracted to the Lyonedes name and his excessive wealth had resulted in unemotional and consequently fleeting relationships with women.

His continued attraction to Gemini—a young woman whom he now knew was neither avaricious nor experienced—was unsettling to say the least.

He eyed her dispassionately and nodded abruptly. ‘I will give your suggestion all the consideration it deserves.’ Which, as far as he was concerned, was none whatsoever.

Gemini recoiled as if Drakon had physically struck her. Which, in a way, he had.

For the past four years she had stood back and watched as dozens of men had fallen prey to the allure of Angela’s voluptuous beauty—her own father included—and to think of Drakon, a man whose attraction she seemed unable to resist herself, becoming another one of Angela’s conquests brought a return of Gemini’s earlier nausea.

She frowned. ‘Obviously you must do what you think best…’

Those almost black eyes glittered coldly. ‘I invariably do,’ he rasped harshly.

Yes, she had no doubt that he was a man who answered to no one for any of his actions. And really she had brought this current situation on herself. Out of self-defence and confusion over her attraction towards Drakon, maybe, but nevertheless she had instigated this particular conversation.

‘Thank you once again for your help earlier.’

‘You’re welcome.’ He gave a brief inclination of his head.

‘No doubt you’ll be returning to New York now?’

Drakon had decided earlier that to leave England before the issue of Angela Bartholomew was settled to his satisfaction would be an error of judgement on his part. But this time spent with Gemini, when he had once again found himself unable to resist making love to her, only to learn that she was an innocent, told him that it would perhaps be an even bigger error of judgement on his part if he were to remain. Only perhaps? It could become a catastrophic error of judgement for both of them if he were to remain in England at this present time!

‘No doubt,’ he replied noncommittally as he strolled over and opened the shop door. ‘Lock the door behind me.’

Gemini glared at his autocratic back as she followed him. ‘I have every intention of doing so.’

Drakon looked down at her wordlessly for several long seconds before sighing. ‘Don’t hesitate to call on Markos if it should become necessary.’

Call on Markos, not him, she noted heavily as she shut and secured the door after Drakon left. He couldn’t have told her any more plainly that their own brief association, whatever it might have been, was very definitely over as far as he was concerned.

Drakon waited only long enough to hear Gemini lock the door behind him before taking his mobile out of his pocket and pressing a quick-dial button as he walked the short distance to where he had parked his car earlier.

‘Have Max arrange for a twenty-four-hour watch to be kept on Gemini,’ he instructed economically when his cousin answered the call on only the second ring. ‘And first thing in the morning have him do a thorough check on Angela Bartholomew,’ he added grimly before Markos had time to respond to that first instruction. ‘I also want him to look into the possibility of Miles Bartholomew having drawn up a will dated later than the one that was presented for probate.’ He unlocked and opened the door of the Mercedes and slid into the leather seat behind the wheel. ‘A will that may have left Bartholomew House to his daughter rather than his wife.’