When Christakos Meets His Match

Sidonie sprang back. Cheeks flaming. One lazy eye had opened and was focused on her, seeing her mortification.

She spluttered, ‘How did you know?’

Before she could feel any more embarrassed he bent down and his head of thick dark hair, closely cropped to his skull, came dangerously near to her thighs. Heat bloomed from Sidonie’s groin.

Then he straightened up, holding her book in his hand. He took a quick glance at the title before handing it back to her and commenting dryly, ‘Techniques for Analysing Successful Business Structures? That’s bound to send you to sleep.’

Sidonie scowled and took the book from him jerkily. ‘I’m trying to keep up with my course so that when I go back I won’t be too rusty.’

Alexio dipped his head. ‘Very commendable.’

Sidonie felt defensive and wasn’t even sure why. ‘Some of us have to study the subject. We don’t have the natural ability or the support to be able to launch a stratospherically successful business first time.’

His mouth tightened and Sidonie knew she’d raised his hackles.

‘I didn’t have any support—or did your case study not cover that?’

Sidonie flushed and looked down, inspecting a spot of dirt on her jeans. She looked up again. ‘I didn’t mean it to sound like that... It’s common knowledge that you turned your back on your inheritance... However, you can’t deny that your background must have given you confidence and an anticipation of success that most mere mortals mightn’t feel or experience.’

His face relaxed somewhat and Sidonie felt herself relax too. Weird.

‘You’re right,’ he surprised her by admitting. ‘After all, I grew up absorbing my father’s business nous whether I want to admit it or not. And I had the best education money could buy... My brother is also a successful entrepreneur, so I learnt from him too.’

Sidonie was itching to ask him why he’d turned his back on his inheritance, but just then the stewardess turned up with a trolley, smiling winsomely at Alexio. Sidonie felt the most bizarre rise of something hot and visceral. Possessiveness. It shocked her so much that she shrank back.

Her sweatshirt felt hot and constricting, even more so now, and Sidonie longed to feel cool. While Alexio was distracted, ordering some coffee from the woman, Sidonie whipped it over her head—only to emerge seconds later to find two pairs of eyes on her. The distinctly cold blue of the stewardess and a green gaze, intent and disturbing.

‘What...?’ She looked from Alexio to the woman, who now spoke to her in tones even cooler than her arctic gaze.

‘Would you like some tea or coffee, madam?’

In fluent French Sidonie replied that she would love some tea. She could sense the small smile playing around Alexio’s mouth without even looking. Her skin prickled as she put down her table and accepted the steaming tea. She felt exposed now, in her loose singlet top, even though it was layered over another one.

Before she could reach for her purse Alexio had paid for her drink as well as his. Not a welcome move, according to the pursed lips of the stewardess who moved on with barely disguised huffiness.

Alexio seemed oblivious, though.

‘Thank you,’ Sidonie said. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’

He shrugged. ‘It’s nothing—my pleasure.’

Sidonie shivered a little to think of his pleasure.

To get away from such carnal imaginings, she remarked, ‘How is it beneficial to do a spot-check on one of your planes if everyone knows who you are?’ He quirked a brow at her as he took a sip of coffee and Sidonie blustered a bit. ‘Well, you know what I mean. That stewardess will obviously be doing her best to impress.’

‘True,’ he conceded, and put his cup down.

Sidonie was acutely aware of how dark his hands looked against the cup, how large.

‘But I never inform them when I’m coming, and I’m not just interested in the behaviour of my staff—it’s everything. I can overhear the passengers’ observations too.’

Sidonie frowned. ‘But don’t you have people who work for you who can do this sort of thing and report back?’

Alexio shrugged minutely. ‘I have to go to London today—why not take one of my own commercial flights? If I expect others to do it then I should be able to, too. I am aware of my carbon footprint. I have a responsibility.’

Sidonie could see unimstakable pride in his business on his face. She nodded her head. ‘It’s smart. Because if anyone ever criticises you you can say that you know first-hand what it’s like to fly on your budget flights. And,’ she added, warming to her theme, turning more towards Alexio, ‘it gives the customer a sense of kinship with you. You’re one of the people.’

He smiled. ‘That too. Very good, business student. It’s a pity you had to drop out.’

Sidonie glanced away, uncomfortable again under that gaze. It was as if he could see right through her to a place she wasn’t even aware of herself. Some secret part she’d not explored yet.

‘So your mother was French...and your father?’

Sidonie rolled her eyes and said lightly, ‘Back to twenty questions again?’

She sat back and tried not to notice how confined the space was. Their elbows kept touching lightly when they moved. Their thighs would be touching if she shifted hers towards him by about an inch. His legs were so long he had to spread them wide.

Instantly warm again, Sidonie answered before he could comment. ‘My father was Irish. My mother went to Dublin many years ago...she met my father and stayed in Dublin and they got married.’

Sidonie slid her gaze from Alexio’s, afraid he might see something of her very deep shame revealed. It wasn’t exactly the way things had happened, but near enough. He didn’t need to know the darker secrets of her parents’ relationship and her origins. Or about subsequent shattering events.

She looked at him. ‘And you?’

His expression became veiled, piquing her interest.

‘My mother was Spanish and my father is Greek. But you probably knew that.’

Sidonie answered, ‘I didn’t realise your mother was Spanish...’

‘I presume your fluent French is from your mother?’

Sidonie nodded and took another sip of tea. She realised then that if only she wasn’t so aware of Alexio it would actually be quite nice talking to him.

‘She spoke French to me all the time, and my father encouraged it. He knew it would come in handy at some stage.’

‘You were close to your father?’

She nodded. ‘Why do you ask?’

Alexio reached out and to Sidonie’s shock touched her cheek with the backs of his fingers for a fleeting second.

‘Because your face softened when you mentioned him.’

Sidonie touched her cheek where he had touched her and felt embarrassed. She ducked her face again, wishing her hair was down so she could hide. ‘I loved him. He was a wonderful man.’

‘You’re lucky to have had that... My father...we don’t exactly see eye to eye.’

Sidonie glanced back at him, grateful for the attention to be off her, and laughed slightly. ‘Surely he must be one of the proudest fathers in the world?’

Alexio smiled, but it was grim. ‘Ah, but my success didn’t come through him. I fought for my own piece of the pie and he’s never forgiven me for it.’

* * *

Just then they were interrupted again, when a different stewardess came along to clear up their rubbish. It gave Alexio a reality check and he balked inwardly.

What on earth was he doing? Blithely spilling his guts to a complete stranger because he was momentarily mesmerised by pale skin, beautiful eyes and a very supple, slim body?

When the stewardess had gone and Alexio was still berating himself he saw Sidonie undo her seatbelt buckle.

She looked at him expectantly before saying, ‘I need to go to the bathroom. Please.’

Relieved to have a chance to gather his completely scattered senses, Alexio undid his own seatbelt and stood up. Deliberately he didn’t move out into the aisle completely, so that Sidonie had to brush past him. He saw the flash in her eyes, making them sparkle a brilliant blue-green, and felt that punch to his gut again.

As she went past him he saw that she was doing her best not to touch him, but even the most fleeting glance of her hip against his thigh sent shards of desire into his belly. He couldn’t help but smell her scent—cool and crisp, with a hint of something floral. That was what she was like—one minute spiky, the next as soft as a fresh rose. And as alluring.

She was taller than he had expected—about five foot seven...

When he’d sat down again, and she’d moved down the aisle to the bathroom, Alexio stuck his head out to watch her, his blood heating through every vein and artery at the way her skinny jeans hugged her slim, shapely legs and cupped her surprisingly lush derriere. To Alexio’s consternation he saw more than one other male head dip out to take a look too as she passed.

It felt as if he hadn’t taken a proper breath since he’d seen her take off that horrific sweatshirt. He’d happened to look at her for her response when the stewardess had asked if she wanted something, only to find her in the act of taking it off. He’d been unable to look away as Sidonie had fought with the voluminous material, gradually showing tantalising glimpses of pale flesh, slim arms, tiny wrists, delicate shoulders and collarbone.

She’d emerged flushed, and Alexio’s libido had been suddenly ravenous. She was wearing a vest top, with a loose singlet over it, so she was showing nothing that wasn’t completely respectable. But she might as well have been naked, the effect within Alexio was so violent. He felt like a Victorian man seeing bared arms for the first time; they were almost provocative in their slim, delicately muscled definition.

He’d sat there with a raging erection, trying in vain to concentrate on the conversation and those flashing expressive eyes and not let his gaze drift down to where her small but lush cleavage was revealed under those two tops. The hint of a bright pink bra strap every now and then had enflamed him more than the most expensive lingerie modelled by any of his previous lovers. The memory of his Latin lover of last night was being comprehensively eclipsed.

Alexio wanted to see her—all of her—with a hunger that might ordinarily cause him to stop and think. He could already imagine her perfectly formed breasts, made to fit a man’s hands like plump fruits. Would her nipples be small and peaked? Or large and succulent? He hadn’t been able to resist touching her hot cheek for a second. Her skin was as soft and unblemished as a peach.

This was the kind of desire he’d missed for so long. The kind he’d lamented not feeling last night. Urgent and hot. Utterly compelling. As if he couldn’t envisage not getting off this plane and taking Sidonie with him so that he could taste her all over. And Alexio had to wonder in that moment if he’d ever really felt like this. Or had it just been a figment of his imagination till now?

The revelation sent him reeling, and he wasn’t prepared at all when a soft voice said hesitantly, ‘Er...excuse me, Mr Christakos?’

He looked up and there she was, and just like that any semblance of clear-headedness was gone. He was reduced to animal lust again. Her breasts were in his eyeline and he could see the thrust of her nipples against the thin fabric of her two tops, like berries. He had to get up and let her back in, cursing his body, which would not obey his head.

One thing he was sure of as she brushed past him in the small space again and her scent tantalised him: he wanted this Sidonie Fitzgerald with her husky voice with a hunger he’d not known before. And he would have her. Because Alexio Christakos always got what he wanted. Especially women.

* * *

Sidonie sat down again and tried to hang on to the control she’d struggled to find in the tiny bathroom space just moments before. She’d splashed cold water on her face, as if that might wake her from the trance she seemed to be in.

Any return of her equilibrium had been short-lived. As soon as she’d got back Alexio Christakos had looked at her—that molten green gaze travelling up from her breasts to her face—and it had been so intense...almost predatory. Her whole body had reacted to it, igniting like a flame. Even the air seemed to be crackling between them now, as if something had been turned up a notch.

He’s a playboy, he’s a playboy, she repeated like a mantra in her head. He’s programmed to go after anything with a pulse. But Sidonie grimaced at that. Alexio Christakos, according to her fellow enamoured students, was discerning—only choosing the most stunning models and actresses. The beauties of this era. And Sidonie, with her fair colouring, freckles and wayward hair, did not fall into that category. Not by a long shot. This crazy desire...whatever it was she was feeling...she had to be imagining it.

A wave of mortification rushed up through her body, sending her hot and cold. Was she projecting her own pathetic subconscious fantasies onto this man who had the misfortune to be paired with her for the flight?

She heard him clear his throat beside her and was almost scared to look. She could sense his gaze on her—or could she? With a sick desire to know how badly she’d been deluding herself Sidonie turned her head and met that green gaze head-on. Slamming into it, almost. The breath left her mouth in a little sigh. Her belly swooped and her skin tingled all over. Her nipples drew so tight she could feel them like stinging points, chafing against her lace bra.

‘Don’t...’ he growled softly, intimately. ‘Don’t call me Mr Christakos again. It makes me feel like an old man. It’s Alexio.’

Sidonie could feel the plane dip in altitude. Somehow she found her voice. ‘We’re landing soon. I won’t see you ever again, so it doesn’t really matter what I call you.’

‘Don’t be so sure about that.’

Sidonie blinked. Her heart spasmed in her chest. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘I’m taking you out to dinner tonight.’

* * *

Sidonie had two contradictory reactions. Head and heart/body. Her heart/body leapt and sizzled. Her head said Danger! Danger! He was definitely arrogant, and she was loath to let him see that even a small part of her was tempted. A man like this? He would chew her up over dinner and a one-night stand and then cast her out with little or no second thought.

She was a fleeting interest.

Maybe the lack of air and the confines of economy class had gone to his head. Maybe he was bored, jaded, and something about her intrigued him because she was so different from his usual women.

Sidonie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. She saw Alexio’s jaw clench, as if he was priming himself for a fight, and something deep within her quivered and then went soft and molten. She fought it. They were both oblivious to the stewardess, who had come to check their seatbelts for landing.

‘That sounded remarkably like an order and not an invitation. I’m catching a connecting flight to Dublin—or didn’t you hear that part earlier?’

Sidonie wasn’t sure exactly why she felt so threatened by his advance, but she did. Even though she knew she was probably right in her suspicions about why a man like Alexio was flirting with her, a very large part of her wanted to leap into his arms and say yes.

She would bet that not many women turned him down—if any. But she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she gave in to him for what she had no doubt would amount to one night. She told herself it was because she valued herself too highly, but she knew, treacherously, that she was afraid of how strongly this man affected her. One night would never be enough. She felt it deep in the pit of her belly. And that freaked her out. She was a naturally responsible and cautious person, not given to spontaneous acts like this.

He cast his glance to the very sexy platinum watch on his wrist, and then back to her. ‘I’d say you’ve missed that connecting flight, and as I’m the owner of the airline company the least you can do is allow me to make it up to you. By taking you for dinner.’

Sidonie snorted inelegantly and quashed the swooping sensation in her belly. ‘I don’t see you offering everyone on this plane dinner to recompense them for missing their connecting flights.’

That formidable jaw clenched again. ‘That’s probably because I don’t want to take them for dinner. However, I would like to take you for dinner. Please.’

Sidonie’s chin lifted, but she quivered inwardly at his please. ‘I’m a terrible dinner companion. I’m a fussy eater and I’m a vegetarian. Vegan, actually.’

That wasn’t true, but some devil inside her was working now. Sparking.

Alexio smiled. ‘I’m sure you are a scintillating dinner companion, and I know a fabulous vegetarian restaurant—all the eggplant you can eat.’

That humour danced in his eyes again, transporting him from downright gorgeous to downright irresistible. Sidonie scowled. He didn’t believe her for a second. His eyes dropped down her body and then came back up again. A wickedly sexy slow smile tipped up his mouth, telling her better than any words that dinner and conversation were not the only things on his mind. As if she couldn’t feel it vibrating between them. This awareness she’d never felt before.

Sidonie glared at him and tried to will down the heat in her body that mocked her with the realisation that dinner wasn’t exactly foremost in her mind either. Very belatedly she remembered she had taken off her sweatshirt and scrabbled around to find it and pull it back on.

She heard a sound beside her and looked to see Alexio making a face.

‘That thing should be burnt.’

Sidonie gasped, affronted. ‘It’s my favourite.’

‘It’s a crime to hide your body underneath that shapeless thing.’

Suddenly there was a sharp thudding and crashing sensation and Sidonie’s heart stopped. She felt all her blood drain south.

Instantly Alexio had her hands in his and he was saying soothingly, ‘We’ve just landed, that’s all.’

Sidonie’s heart was still palpitating. Her ears popped. She could see the ground through the window across the aisle and felt the powerful throttle of the plane as it pulled back.

She looked at Alexio, shocked. ‘I’ve never not noticed landing before.’ She’d been distracted. By him.

Her hands were still in his and she looked down to see them, so much smaller and paler next to his. As she watched he entwined his fingers with hers and between her legs she throbbed. He exerted pressure on her hands and Sidonie looked up, her head feeling heavy, her blood hot.

For a long, taut moment they just looked at one another. Sidonie’s breath grew choppy. Alexio pulled one hand free and brought it up to cup her jaw, his thumb moving back and forth as if learning the shape of her cheek.

His eyes were on her mouth now. She wanted him to kiss her so badly. The air sizzled. And then his eyes met hers again and he emitted a guttural sound like a curse. His jaw clenched. He took his hand away. Sidonie had to bite the inside of her lip to stop herself from crying out.

As if she’d been drugged just by that look Sidonie slowly came back to her senses, and mortification gripped her innards when she realised how she must have looked: like some love-starved groupie.

She jerked back. Thank goodness he hadn’t kissed her, because she knew that she would have put up no fight whatsoever. And she hated the part of her that felt bereft of the experience. She looked away.

‘Sidonie.’

The fact that his voice was rough didn’t give her any comfort.

‘What?’ she snapped, reaching for her bag and putting it on her lap so that she could put her stuff back into it.

She found her glasses and stuck them on, even though she only needed them for reading. They felt like the armour she needed. She looked at him and then wished she hadn’t. His face was all stark, lean lines. Nostrils flaring. Eyes dangerous.

People around them were starting to stand up, unbuckling seatbelts, reaching for bags.

Sidonie forgot for a moment that he’d even asked her for dinner. She felt ridiculously vulnerable. Exposed.

‘I’m sure you have an assistant waiting nearby to fast-track you off the plane and out of the airport.’

Alexio’s mouth firmed. She was right. Even now he could see a uniformed official saying, ‘Excuse me...’ as he fought his way through the crush to get to Alexio.

He grabbed for her hand and Sidonie glanced around them, but no one was looking. All eager to get on with their journeys.

‘Sidonie, I meant what I said. Come for dinner with me tonight.’

She looked at him and still felt that awful sting of rejection because he hadn’t actually kissed her. She hated that it made her feel vulnerable. ‘I’m going to Dublin. I can’t stay in London just on your...whim.’

His eyes flashed. ‘It’s not a whim. If you stay I’ll take care of you—get you home.’

Sidonie pulled her hand free. She shook her head. ‘No...I’m sorry, but I can’t.’

The uniformed person was at their seats now and he bent down to say something to Alexio, who made a curt reply. He stood up and reached for his jacket and coat. He looked down at Sidonie, whose eyes had been glued to that magnificent torso as he’d stretched up.

‘Come with me. At least let me try to help you make your flight.’

Sidonie looked at him and gulped. Now he was distant, unreadable. A shiver went down her spine and she knew in that moment that she would hate to cross him. He would be a formidable enemy.

Stiffly she said, ‘You don’t have to do this. I can find my own way and wait for another flight if I have to.’

He sighed deeply. ‘Just...don’t argue, okay? Come with me—please.’

He held out his hand and Sidonie looked from him to it. This was probably the last time she’d ever see him. On some level she realised with a jolt that she felt as if she could trust this man who was all but a total stranger. Even though she was fighting it.

That revelation stunned her. She’d never trusted easily after the cataclysmic events of her childhood. And losing both parents within such a short space of time, together with the recent revelations about her mother’s nefarious actions, had made the world feel increasingly fragile around her. As if nothing she knew was solid any more. Yet being in the company of this man had made Sidonie feel more solid than she’d ever felt. Protected. Which was crazy.

Even more crazy, though, was the fact that Sidonie couldn’t resist the lure of a few more minutes with this man. Her hand slipped into his almost of its own volition and it was disconcerting how familiar it felt—and yet how deliciously terrifying, as if she were stepping off a ledge.

She was out of her seat and Alexio was leading her towards the back of the plane, guided by the man who had come to fetch him. The back door was open just for them, with the frosty stewardess saying goodbye, sending Sidonie daggers on seeing her hand clasped tightly in Alexio’s.

Hating herself for how much she liked the way her hand felt in his, Sidonie followed him down the steps to where another official and a car were waiting. She heard Alexio give her name to the person and instruct him that her luggage should be brought to meet them on the other side. A VIP customs official inspected her Irish passport.

And then they were in a chauffeur-driven car and speeding towards the terminal Sidonie needed to get to for her connecting flight.

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