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CHAPTER THREE

‘HOW did he arrange for these dresses to be delivered so fast? And how did he guess my size? On second thoughts, don’t answer that.’ Confronted with a rail of the most beautiful dresses she’d ever seen, Selene felt as if she’d stepped onto a Hollywood movie set. Part of her felt anxious about her decision to stay, but another part felt wildly excited. She listened to the excited part and ignored the anxiety. That, she reasoned, came from too many years of not being allowed to make her own decisions. It was natural that it felt strange.

Maria pulled an elegant clutch bag from tissue paper. ‘When Stefan picks up the phone, people respond at supersonic speed. The benefits of being a man of power.’

‘Except that you were the one who did the phoning.’

‘True.’ Maria smiled. ‘Power by proxy. Why don’t you start by choosing a dress?’

‘Is Stefan joining us?’

‘He sends his apologies. He has one more important meeting he has to take before you leave.’

‘I don’t mind. I’d be too self-conscious to strip in front of him anyway and it’s more fun with a woman. It was thoughtful of him to arrange for you to help me.’ She saw Maria’s expression change. ‘You don’t think he’s thoughtful?’

The other woman removed a beautiful pair of shoes from a bag. ‘That’s certainly an adjective I’ve not heard applied to him before.’

‘He’s running a business. Of course he has to be tough. But on the two occasions I’ve met him he’s been kind to me.’

Maria put the shoes down in front of her. ‘You have no idea how pleased I am to hear that. Why don’t you pick a dress and try it on? Because once he’s finished his meeting he won’t want to hang around. Is there anything in particular that grabs your attention?’

‘The red one.’ There was no other choice for her and the colour matched her mood. Bold. ‘I’ve never worn anything like that in my life.’ She reached for a shimmering sheath of scarlet with jewels on the strapless bodice. ‘This is gorgeous. Will it be over the top?’

‘No. It’s a very glamorous party. That dress is very sophisticated.’ Maria stared at it for a long moment. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to pick a different one? Maybe the blue?’

‘You don’t think Stefan will like the red one?’

‘I think he might like it a little too much.’

‘How can he possibly like it too much?’

‘Selene …’ The other woman hesitated. ‘Are you sure you want to go to this party?’

‘Want to go? I’m desperate to go. You have no idea how boring my life has been up to now. I’m going to dress up, drink champagne and have the most amazing night with Stefan.’

‘Just as long as you know that’s all it will be.’ Maria cleared her throat gently. ‘Stefan is the stuff of female dreams, but he quickly turns into a nightmare for most women. He isn’t the happy-ever-after type—you do know that, don’t you? Because you seem like a really nice girl and I’d hate to see you hurt.’

Selene paused with her hand on the dress.

She knew all about hurt and this wasn’t it. ‘I won’t be hurt. I’m excited. It will be fun to just enjoy myself for one night.’ Fun to be able to make a decision to go to a party. Fun to decide what to wear. For once, her life felt almost normal.

‘You don’t usually enjoy yourself?’

‘I have an overprotective father.’ Realising that she’d said more than she intended to, Selene draped the dress over her arm. ‘Is there somewhere I can try it on?’

‘You’ll need underwear.’ Maria handed her several boxes. ‘Go and change and if you need help, call me.’

An hour later Selene was the proud owner of the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen, along with a small emergency wardrobe suitable for an overnight stay at a luxury villa on a Greek island. Ahead of her lay the most exciting night of her life, and if lurking underneath her happiness was a fear that her father might return early she dismissed it.

That wasn’t going to happen.

She’d have plenty of time to get home, persuade her mother to leave and be long gone before he returned.

‘You can’t do this. You can’t take that girl to the party. It’s immoral.’

Stefan glanced up from the papers he was signing to find Maria standing in front of his desk like a general facing down an enemy army.

‘Now, that’s the look you’re supposed to give unwanted visitors.’ He flung down his pen. ‘Do I need to remind you that you were the one who showed her into the lion’s den?’

‘I’m serious, Stefan. Take someone else. Someone more your type.’

‘Just this morning you were lecturing me on picking the wrong type. Make up your mind.’

‘I wasn’t telling you to prey on innocent girls.’

‘She’s an adult. She knows what she’s doing.’ He picked up his pen and flicked through the papers on his desk.

‘She’s an idealist. She thinks you’re thoughtful and kind.’

‘I know.’ Smiling, Stefan signed the back page. ‘For once, I’m the good guy. An unfamiliar role, I admit, but I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying the novelty.’

‘You’re treating her like a shiny new toy that you can play with.’ Maria’s mouth set in a firm line. ‘Send her home to her father.’

Stefan was careful not to let the sudden flare of emotion show on his face. Slowly, he put his pen down. ‘Do you know who her father is?’

‘No. Although she mentioned something about him being overprotective.’

‘Is that a useful synonym for “tyrant”, I wonder? Her father, Maria, is Stavros Antaxos.’ He watched as Maria’s face lost some of its colour. ‘Yes. Exactly.’ He heard his voice harden and it irritated him that just saying the name was enough to do that to him. He’d had over two decades to learn how to control his response.

‘How on earth can a man like that produce someone as charming as Selene?’

He’d been asking himself the same question.

‘I assume she takes after her mother.’

Maria looked troubled. ‘But why would someone as wealthy as her, from such a close family, come to you?’

He’d been asking himself the same question. Repeatedly. ‘I’m a hero, didn’t you know? I’m the first man women think of when they’re in trouble.’

‘You’re the man who causes the trouble.’

‘Ouch, that’s harsh.’ Stefan leaned back and stretched out his legs. ‘Here I am, sword at the ready, eager to chop the head off a dragon to save the maiden, and all you can do is knock my confidence.’

She didn’t smile. ‘Is that really what’s going on here? Because it occurred to me that maybe you’re using the maiden to taunt the dragon.’

Stefan’s smile didn’t slip. ‘When we were dishing out roles in this company I picked cynic, not you.’

‘We’re all cynical here. It’s contagious. Does she know how much her father hates you? Does she know the story?’

No one knew the story. Not even Maria, whom he allowed more liberties than most. Oh, she thought she knew—thought it was all about business rivalry and two alpha males acting out their deeply competitive natures. She had no idea how far back it went, or how deep the scars. And why would she? They weren’t visible. He didn’t allow them to be visible.

‘It’s because of my relationship with her father that she chose me.’

Maria’s mouth flattened with disapproval.

‘Are you sure this isn’t a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire?’

‘You’re suggesting I’m worse than Antaxos? That is hardly a complimentary view of one’s boss.’

‘We’re not talking about work right now. My admiration for your intellect and business skills is boundless but when it comes to women you’re bad news. What are your plans for her, Stefan?’

‘When it comes to women I never make plans. You should know that by now. “Plan” implies a future and we both know I don’t think like that. I’ve agreed to help her with her business—which, by the way, looks remarkably interesting on paper, particularly when you consider the product. And I’m taking her to a party. I intend to provide more fun than she’s had in the rest of her life. She can make her own decisions about how she spends her time. She’s twenty-two and on a quest for independence.’ Stefan battled a disturbingly vivid image of her breasts revealed through a cloud of lace. ‘All grown up.’

‘She’s very inexperienced.’

‘Yes. I’m finding that unusually appealing.’

‘And does that appeal have anything to do with the fact you are the last man her father would want her to be with? Thinking of her with you will drive him demented.’

Stefan smiled. ‘I consider that an added bonus.’

‘I’m worried about her, Stefan.’

‘She came to me. She asked for my help. I’m giving it.’ It was obvious that there was something going on beneath the surface and it intrigued him. She was playing a game, but he wasn’t sure which game. ‘I don’t recall you ever being this protective of the women I date before.’

‘That’s because you normally date women who don’t need protecting from anything.’

‘So maybe it’s time for a change.’ Cutting off the conversation, he rose to his feet. ‘How long until she’s ready? No doubt she’s still pulling clothes on and off, trying to decide what to wear.’

‘She decided what to wear in less than five seconds and it took her barely more than that to try it on.’

Used to women who could waste the best part of a day selecting one outfit, he was impressed. ‘I like her more and more.’

‘She has a very high opinion of you.’

‘I know.’ He walked past her to the door and Maria made a frustrated sound.

‘Where is your conscience?’

Stefan picked up his jacket. ‘I don’t have a conscience.’

When he’d mentioned his villa she’d imagined somewhere small. She hadn’t for one moment expected this spacious, airy mansion with high ceilings and acres of glass. Here, in this testament to innovative architecture, there were no dark corners or contagious gloom, just dazzling light exploding across marble floors and picking out the warm Mediterranean colours that turned the deceptively simple interior into a luxurious sanctuary.

Outside, a vine-shaded terrace led to gardens that created a blur of extravagant colour as they tumbled down a gentle slope that led to a crescent beach. And even there the idyll didn’t end. Unlike Antaxos, there were no killer rocks or dark, fathomless depths that threatened to swallow a person and leave no trace. Just sand of the softest, creamiest yellow and tiny silver fish dancing in the clear shallow water. The whole scene was so tempting that she, who avoided water, just wanted to rip off her shoes and plunge into the safe, cool shallows.

‘So this is why people see the Greek Islands as a tourist destination.’ She spoke without thinking and her unguarded comment earned her a questioning look.

‘Was the reason for that choice in doubt?’

Staring out of huge windows across the garden to the turquoise sea, she felt something stir inside her. It was like living a life in black and white and suddenly seeing it in colour. ‘Antaxos isn’t anything like this. No soft sand, just nasty rocks—’ She just stopped herself mentioning the rumour that a woman who’d been madly in love with her father had once fallen from those rocks and drowned. ‘My father’s house—our house—is built of stone with small windows.’ She managed to say it without shuddering. ‘The design supposedly keeps the heat out.’ And it kept everything and everyone else out, too. The bleak, dark atmosphere inside the place had somehow permeated the stone so that even the building felt unfriendly. ‘It’s stuffy in the summer and dark and cheerless in the winter. I like the light here. You have a very happy home.’

‘Happy?’ He glanced up at the villa, a faint frown between his eyes. ‘You think a building has moods?’

‘Definitely. Don’t you?’

‘I think a building is a building.’

‘Oh, no, that isn’t true. A building can make a person feel different. Here, the sunshine makes you want to smile. And all this space—it feels like being free.’ She spread her arms. ‘I’ve always wanted to be a bird so I can fly.’ Fly away from the island that had held her trapped for so long.

But she’d finally escaped. She’d done it.

This was the start of her new life.

Excited, she did a twirl. Stefan shot out a hand and steadied her before she lost her balance. ‘Probably best if you don’t fly here. I’ve seen pictures of your home on Antaxos. You live in a building the size of a castle.’

Selene was conscious of the strength of his fingers on her arm. ‘It isn’t anything like this. My father doesn’t like spending money on material things.’

‘Is there anything that your father does like?’

Hurting people.

She stood, searching for an appropriate response to his question, her heart a ball of pain in her chest. ‘Winning,’ she said finally. ‘He likes winning.’

‘Yes.’ His hand dropped abruptly from her arm. ‘Yes, he does.’

And he’d know, of course, because he was her father’s biggest business rival. She sensed the anger in him and she also sensed something more. Something dark lurked behind those sexy eyes. ‘You really hate my father, don’t you?’

‘It’s true to say he’s not my favourite person in the world.’ The deceptively light banter and that attractive slanting smile didn’t fool her.

This man was every bit as tough as her father.

She felt a twinge of unease, but already he was strolling ahead of her. She tried to ignore the little voice in her head telling her this might not have been such a good idea after all.

It was her first party. Her first ‘date’ with a man. It was natural to be a little apprehensive.

She followed him through a beautiful living space with white walls and uninterrupted views of the sea into the most beautiful bedroom she’d ever seen.

Forgetting her unease, Selene stared around her in delight. ‘It’s gorgeous. There’s a pool outside the doors and you can see the sea from the bed. It’s stunning. Is this my room?’

He turned to her with a slow, deliberate smile. ‘It’s my room,’ he said, his tone soft and intimate as he lifted his hand and gently pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, ‘but you’re sharing it, koukla mou.’

She didn’t know whether it was the endearment that made her heart bump harder, the seductive brush of his fingers against her cheek or the anticipation of what was to come. ‘The bed looks comfortable.’

‘It is. Unfortunately proving that will have to wait until later.’

‘I didn’t mean that.’

‘I know. I’m finding your tendency to speak before you think surprisingly endearing.’

The crazy thing was she wasn’t normally like that. At home she had to guard every word. She wondered why she’d suddenly lost that built-in inhibition and decided it was just because her father wasn’t present. It was liberating not to have to watch what she said. ‘I’m going to zip my mouth.’

That dark gaze dropped to her mouth. ‘Don’t. I like it.’

Heart thudding, she looked at his lips. Noticed that they were firm and slightly curved.

‘No,’ he said gently.

Her eyes lifted to his. ‘No?’

‘No, I’m not going to kiss you. At least, not yet. Tempted though I am to snatch a few moments, there are some things that shouldn’t be rushed and your first time is one of them.’

The fact that he knew it was her first time should have embarrassed her but it didn’t, and she didn’t waste time denying something that would be obvious to a man like him.

There was an almost electric connection between them that she felt right through her body. Warmth spread through her pelvis and she felt shaky with need. She wanted him to kiss her so badly she couldn’t imagine how she was going to last a whole evening without just grabbing him. ‘Maybe I don’t mind being rushed.’

Frowning slightly, he brushed this thumb over her lower lip, the movement slow and lingering. ‘You need to be more cautious around men.’

And normally she was cautious, of course, not least because all the men she knew worked for her father in some capacity. But Stefan was different. He wasn’t afraid of her father. And he’d got her through that horrible night when she was a teenager. ‘I don’t feel a need to be cautious around you. Does that sound crazy?’

‘Yes.’

‘I trust you.’

‘Don’t.’

‘Why not? You’re not being paid by my father.’

Silence stretched between them.

His eyes glittering, he lowered his head a fraction until his forehead was against hers and their mouths were a breath apart. The brush of his fingers against her cheek was gentle and seductive at the same time. ‘You’ve come here with me but I want you to know it’s not too late for you to change your mind.’

‘I’m not going to change my mind.’

His gaze darkened. ‘Maybe I should just cancel the party and we can have our own party here, just the two of us.’

Awareness twisted in her stomach. The tension was stifling. She felt as if she were standing on the edge of a deep, dark pool about to jump, with no idea whether she’d be able to save herself from drowning. ‘If we have our own party here, I couldn’t wear my new dress.’

‘You could wear it for me.’ His mouth slanted into that sexy smile. ‘And I could remove it.’

Her hand was resting on his arm and she could feel the hardness of his biceps under her fingers. ‘Isn’t that rather a waste of an expensive dress?’

‘The dress is just packaging. It’s the product underneath that interests me.’ His fingers stroked her neck gently and then his phone rang. He stepped back with a regretful smile. ‘Probably a good thing. I need enough time to do justice to the moment. Our guests will be arriving in a few hours and in true Cinderella style you need to get ready.’

A few hours? ‘How long do you think it will take me?’

‘In my experience most women take a lifetime to get ready. In the hope of speeding up that process, I’ve arranged for you to have some help. Not only am I a knight in shining armour, I’m also a fairy godmother. In fact the extent of my benevolence is starting to astonish me.’ His phone continued to ring and he dragged it out of his pocket. ‘Excuse me. I need to take this.’

As the door closed behind him Selene stood still. Her cheek tingled from the touch of his fingers and the only thing in her head was the memory of hard, male muscle under her fingers.

With a shiver, she wrapped her arms around herself and turned to look at the bed. It was enormous, draped in white linen and facing the sea. Indulgent, luxurious and like nothing she’d ever seen before. Experimenting, she slid off her shoes and jumped into the middle of it, moaning with delight as she felt the soft mound of pillows give beneath her. It was like being hugged by a cloud.

She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, smiling.

She felt free.

Right this moment no one knew where she was. No one was watching her. No one was reporting her every move to her father. No one had told her where she had to be. She was here because she had decided she wanted to be here.

Going to Stefan for help had been her first good decision and agreeing to come to the party had been her second.

Feeling light-headed, she sprang off the bed and explored the rest of the bedroom suite.

There was a ridiculously luxurious bathroom with a wall of glass that made it possible to lie in the bath and look at the sea.

Determined to indulge herself, Selene unpacked her own candles and soap. Then she ran herself a deep bath and lay in it, enjoying the scent of the candle.

She wasn’t so naïve she didn’t know what was going to happen and she wanted it to happen. She’d dreamed about Stefan for years. Had had years to think about it. Imagine it. It was perfect that he should be the first.

Soon, she thought. Soon she’d know everything there was to know about seduction.

She washed her hair and was wrapped in a soft towel, wondering why getting ready was supposed to take hours, when there was a tap on the door and two young women entered, clutching several cases.

‘Selene? I’m Dana. I’m a genius with hair.’ Dana pushed the door shut with the toe of her shoe. ‘This is Helena—she’s the make-up fairy.’

‘I don’t own make-up.’ It was embarrassing to admit it but her father had never allowed make-up or anything that he described as ‘vanity’. He’d only paid for her to have a brace because the dentist had told him it would cost him more in the long run if she didn’t have one.

Dana flipped open her case. ‘No problem. We have everything you’ll need.’

‘Do you think you can do something about my freckles and my non-existent eyelashes?’

‘You’re kidding, right?’ Helena peered at her. ‘Your eyelashes are incredible. Thick and long. What’s wrong with them?’

Selene had assumed it was obvious. ‘Don’t you think I look a bit freakish? They’re so fair they barely show up.’

‘Freakish? No, I don’t think you look freakish. As for being fair—that’s why mascara was invented, sweetie.’ With a dazzling smile, she flipped open another case to reveal an array of different make-up. ‘I have everything we’ll need right here.’

‘Hair first.’ Dana pulled a chair into the middle of the room. ‘Sit. And don’t look in the mirror or you’ll ruin the “wow” moment and that’s our favourite part. Just trust me.’

‘Will I recognise myself?’

‘You’ll be the best version of you.’

Selene, intrigued by what the best version of herself was going to look like, sat still as the girl trimmed her hair, trying not to flinch as blonde curls floated onto her lap. ‘You’re cutting it short?’

‘All I’m doing is taking off the ends to improve the condition and cutting in a few layers to soften it. Stefan threatened never to use me again if I ruin your beautiful hair, although if you want my personal opinion—’ Dana squinted at her ‘—I think it would suit you short.’

He liked her hair. The thought went round and round in her head.

He liked her hair.

It was her first compliment—not actually spoken, of course, but a compliment none the less—and with it came the discovery that the feeling of flying was something that could happen inside you. Her spirits lifted and a smile touched her lips, and as well as the smile and the happiness there was something else. A lump in her throat that caught her by surprise.

‘It’s in great condition.’ Dana’s fingers moved through her hair as she snipped and combed.

He liked her hair.

The girl worked speedily and skilfully, dodging Helena, who was doing Selene’s nails.

Once Selene’s hair was dry Dana swept it up, twisted and pinned until finally she was satisfied. ‘You’re ready for make-up.’

‘Can your magic make-up box get rid of my freckles?’

‘Why would you want to? They’re charming. Part of you. We want to keep you looking like you. That’s one thing he insisted on. This is just primer I’m using, by the way.’ Helena smoothed her fingers over Selene’s face. ‘You have beautiful skin.’ The girl opened a series of pots, potions, colours, concealers, the sight of which made Selene’s head spin. ‘What cleanser do you use?’

‘Soap I make myself.’ Selene delved into her bag and pulled out a bar. ‘Try it. I make candles, too, but Stefan isn’t convinced there’s a market for those.’

‘He’s a man. What does he know?’

Selene smiled and her heart pounded because finally, finally, she believed this might actually happen. Her new life was almost visible, shining like a star in the distance.

The girl sniffed the soap. Her brows rose. ‘Smells good. And your skin is wonderful so that’s a good advert.’ She dropped it into her bag. ‘I’ll try it, thanks.’ She turned back to Selene. ‘I’m not going to use too much make-up on you because you have a wonderfully fresh look and I don’t want to spoil that.’

It took ages, and Selene was just starting to fidget and wonder how much longer it was going to take when Helena stepped back.

‘God, I’m good at my job. You look spectacular. Don’t look in the mirror yet. Get dressed first so that you can see the full effect all at once.’ She grinned. ‘I almost feel sorry for Stefan.’