An Offer She Can't Refuse

Her mother demolished the fig tart and green-tea macaroon. Theo gobbled up the white chocolate cake. She forced herself to eat a caramel slice. They were then presented with another plate of wicked temptations: a strawberry dipped in white chocolate and decorated with a gold leaf, a meringue lemon tart, a passionfruit ball with an oozing liquid centre … more, more, more, and she had to pretend to enjoy it all while her stomach was in knots over Ari’s presence behind her.

She smiled at Theo. She smiled at her mother. Her face ached with the effort to keep smiling. She silently cursed Ari Zavros for spoiling what should have been a special experience. The fear that he could spoil a lot more kept jogging through her mind. Finally her mother called enough and suggested they return to the grand lobby and take another leisurely look at everything before leaving.

‘Yes, I want to see the fish again, Yiayia,’ Theo agreed enthusiastically. ‘And sit on the camel.’

Tina knew this was the moment when she had to take control. Every nerve in her body twanged at the vital importance of it. She had already planned what to say. It had to come out naturally, sound sensible. She forced her voice to deliver what was needed.

‘I think a toilet visit first might be a good idea. Will you take Theo, Mama? I want to get a few photographs from different windows up here. I’ll meet you at the elevator.’

‘Of course I’ll take him. Come, Theo.’

She stood up and took his hand and they went off happily together. Mission accomplished, Tina thought on a huge wave of relief. Now, if she could get past Ari without him taking any notice of her she was home free. If the worst happened and he chose to intercept her departure, she could deal with the situation on her own.

Having slung her travel bag over her shoulder, she picked up her camera, stood at the window, clicked off a few shots of the view, then, with her heart hammering, she turned, meaning to walk as quickly as she could past the danger table.

Ari Zavros was looking straight at her. She saw the jolt of recognition in his face, felt a jolt of shock run right through her, rooting her feet to the floor, leaving her standing like a mesmerised rabbit caught in headlights.

‘Christina …’ He spoke her name in a tone of pleasurable surprise, rising from his chair, obviously intent on renewing his fond memory of her.

No chance of escape from it. Her feet weren’t receiving any messages from her brain which was totally jammed with all the misery this man had given her.

He excused himself from his companion who turned in her chair to give Tina a miffed look—long, silky, blonde hair, big blue eyes, peaches and cream complexion, definitely one of the beautiful people. Another fond memory for him, or something more serious this time?

It didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was getting this totally unwelcome encounter over and done with. Ari was approaching her, hands outstretched in charming appeal, his mouth tilting in a wry little smile.

‘You’ve cut your beautiful hair,’ he said as though that was a wicked shame.

Never mind the shame he’d left her in.

Her tongue leapt into life. ‘I like it better short,’ she said tersely, hating the reminder of how he’d enjoyed playing with the long curly tresses, winding it around his fingers, stroking it, kissing it, smelling it.

‘What are you doing in Dubai?’ he asked, his amber eyes twinkling with interest.

‘Having a look at it. Why are you here?’ she returned.

He shrugged. ‘Business.’

‘Mixed with pleasure,’ she said dryly, with a nod at the blonde. ‘Please … don’t let me keep you from her, Ari. After all this time, what is there to say?’

‘Only that it feels good to see you again. Even with your cropped hair,’ he replied with one of his megawatt smiles which had once melted her knees.

They stiffened in sheer rebellion. How dared he flirt with her when he was obviously connected to another woman? How dared he flirt with her at all when he’d used her up and left her behind him?

And she hated him saying it felt good to see her again when it made her feel so bad. He had no idea of what he’d done to her and she hated him for that, too. She wanted to smack that smile off his face, wanted to smack him down for having the arrogance to even approach her again with his smarmy charm, but the more dignified course, the safer course was simply to dismiss him.

‘I’m a different person now to the one you knew,’ she said oddly. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I’m with my mother who’ll be waiting for me to catch up with her.’

Her feet obeyed the command to side-step, get moving To her intense frustration, Ari shot out a hand, clutching her arm, halting a swift escape from him. She glared at him, resentment burning deep from the touch of his fingers on her skin, from the power he still had to affect her physically. He was so close she could smell the cologne he used. It made her head swim with memories she didn’t want to have.

The amber eyes quizzed hers, as though he didn’t understand her cutting him off so abruptly. He wanted to know more. Never mind what she wanted.

‘Your mother. And the boy …’ he said slowly, obviously considering her family group and what it might mean. ‘You’re married now? He is your son?’

Tina seethed. That, of course, would be so nice and neat, dismissing the intimacy they had shared as nothing important in her life, just as it hadn’t been important to him.

She should say yes, have done with it. Let him think she was married and there was no possible place for him in her life. He would shut the door on his charming episode with her and let her go. She would be free of him forever.

Do it, do it! her mind screamed.

But her heart was being ripped apart by a violent tumult of emotions.

Another voice in her head was yelling smack him with the truth!

This man was Theo’s father. She could not bring herself to palm his fatherhood off on anyone else. He ought to be faced with it. A savage recklessness streaked through her, obliterating any caring over what might happen next.

‘I’m not married,’ she slung at him. ‘And yes, Theo is my son.’ He frowned.

Single motherhood did not sit so well with him. She was free but not free, tied to a child.

No ties for Ari Zavros.

That thought enraged Tina further. She fired bitter truth straight at him.

‘He’s also your son.’

It stunned him.

Totally stunned him.

No seductive smile.

No twinkly interest.

Blank shock.

With a sense of fiercely primitive satisfaction, Tina got her feet moving and strode past him, heading for the elevator where she hoped her mother and Theo would be waiting for her. She didn’t think Ari would follow her. Not only had she cut his feet out from under him, but he was with another woman and it was highly unlikely that he’d want to face her with the complication of an illegitimate son.

Though a fast getaway from this hotel was definitely needed. No loitering in the lobby. She’d tell her mother she didn’t feel well—too much rich food. It was true enough anyway. Her stomach was churning and she felt like throwing up.

She shouldn’t have told Ari he was Theo’s father. She hadn’t counted on how much he could still get to her—his eyes, his touch, the whole insidious charisma of his close presence. Hopefully telling his wouldn’t make any difference. For a start, he wouldn’t want to believe her. Men like him usually denied paternity claims. Not that she would ever make any official claim on him. All the same, it had been stupid of her to throw the truth in his face and give herself this panic attack, stupid and reckless to have opened a door for him into her life again when she wanted him out, out, out!

Please, God, let him not follow up on it.

Let him shrug it off as a put-down line.

Let him just go on with his life and leave her alone to go on with hers.

That boy … his son? His son?

Ari snapped out of the wave of shock rolling through his mind, swung on his heel, and stared after the woman who had just declared herself the mother of his child. Christina Savalas wasn’t waiting around to capitalise on her claim. Having delivered her bombshell she was fast making an exit from any fall-out.

Was it true?

He quickly calculated precisely when he had been in Australia. It was six years ago. The boy’s age would approximately fit that time-frame. He needed to know the actual birth date to be sure if it was possible. That could be checked. The name was Theo. Theo Savalas. Who looked very like himself as a child!

A chill ran down Ari’s spine. If Theo was his, it meant he had left Christina pregnant, abandoned a pregnant woman, left her to bring up his child alone. But how could that happen when he was always careful to sheath himself against such a consequence? Not once had he ever failed to use protection. Had there been a slip-up with her, one that he didn’t remember?

He did remember she’d been an innocent. Unexpectedly and delightfully so. He hadn’t felt guilty about taking her virginity. Desire had been mutual and he’d given her pleasure—a good start to her sexual life, which he’d reasoned would become quite active as time went by. Any man would see her as desirable and it was only natural that she would be attracted to some of them.

But if he had left her pregnant … That would have messed up her career, messed up her life—reason enough for those extremely expressive dark eyes of hers to shoot black bolts of hatred and contempt at him with her punishing exit line.

Impossible to ignore what she’d said. He had to check it out. If the boy was his son … Why hadn’t Christina told him about his existence before this? Why go it alone all these years? Why hit him with it now? There was a hell of a lot of questions to be considered.

‘Ari …’

His teeth automatically gritted. He hated that whiny tone in Felicity’s voice.

‘What are you standing there for? She’s gone.’

Gone but not forgotten.

‘I was remembering my time in Australia, which was where I’d met Christina,’ he said, forcing himself to return to his chair and be reasonably civil to the woman he had invited to be his companion.

‘What were you doing in Australia?’

‘Checking out the wine industry there. Seeing if any improvements could be made to the Santorini operation.’

‘Was this Christina connected to the wine industry?’

The tone had changed to a snipe.

He shrugged. ‘Not really. She was part of an advertising drive for the Jacob’s Creek label.’

One eyebrow arched in knowing mockery. ‘A model.’

‘She was then.’

‘And you had fun with her.’

He grimaced at her dig, which he found extremely distasteful in the circumstances. ‘Ancient history, Felicity. I was simply surprised to see her here in Dubai.’

‘Well, she’s loaded down with a child now,’ she said with snide satisfaction. ‘No fun at all.’

‘I can’t imagine it is much fun, being a single mother,’ he said, barely containing a wave of anger at Felicity’s opinion.

‘Oh, I don’t know. Quite a few movie stars have chosen that route and they seem to revel in it.’

Ari wanted this conversation finished. He heaved a sigh, then mockingly drawled, ‘What do I know? I’m a man.’

Felicity laughed, leaned over and stroked his thigh. ‘And a gorgeous one, darling. Which is why I don’t like you straying, even for a minute.’

The urge to stray to Christina Savalas had been instant.

He’d had his surfeit of self-centred women like Felicity Fullbright and the flash of memory—a sweet, charming time—had compelled him out of his seat. But it wasn’t the same Christina he’d known. How could it be, given the passage of years? A different person, she’d said. He would need to get to know her again if she was the mother of his child.

He would track her down in the very near future. Obviously she was on a tourist trip with her mother and would be on the move for a few weeks. Best to wait until she was back on home ground. In the meantime, he had to sever any further involvement with Felicity, attend his cousin’s wedding, then free himself up to pursue the big question.

Was Theo Savalas his son?

If the answer was a definitive yes, changes to his life had to be made.

And Christina Savalas would have to come to some accommodation with him, whether she liked it or not.

A father had rights to his child, and Ari had no qualms about enforcing them.

Family was family.

CHAPTER THREE

TINA felt continually tense for the rest of their short stay in Dubai, knowing Ari Zavros was in the same city. Although she didn’t think he would pursue the paternity issue, and a second accidental encounter with him was unlikely, she only felt safe on the red tour bus in between its stops at the various points of interest; the gold souks, the spice markets, the shopping centres. It was a huge relief to board their flight to Athens on the third day, not having had any further contact with him.

They were met at the airport by Uncle Dimitri, her father’s older brother. After a brief stop to check in at their hotel, he took them on to his restaurant which was sited just below the Acropolis and where all their Greek relatives had gathered to welcome them home. It wasn’t home to Tina or Theo, both of whom had been born in Australia, but it was interesting to meet her mother’s and father’s families and it was a very festive get-together.

Her mother revelled in the company and Theo was a hit—such a beautiful grandchild—but Tina couldn’t help feeling like an outsider. The women tended to talk about her in the third person, as though she wasn’t there at all.

‘We must find a husband for your daughter, Helen.’

‘Why did she cut her hair? Men like long hair.’

‘She is obviously a good mother. That is important.’

‘And if she is used to helping in a restaurant …’

Not helping, managing, Tina silently corrected, observing how Uncle Dimitri was managing his. He was constantly on watch, signalling waiters to wherever service was required. All the patrons were treated to a plate of sliced watermelon at the end of their meals—on the house—a nice touch for long hot evenings. People left happy, which meant return visits and good word-of-mouth. It was something she could copy at home.

Most of the tables were out on the sidewalk, under trees or umbrellas. Herbs were grown in pots, their aromas adding to the pleasant ambience. The food was relatively simple, the salads very good. She particularly liked the olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar dressing—a combination she would use in future. It was easy to relax and have a taste of Athens.

There’d been a message from Cassandra at the hotel, saying she and her fiancé would join them at the restaurant, and Tina kept looking for their arrival, eager to meet up with her sister again. Cass had brought George home to Sydney with her six months ago, but had been working a heavy international schedule ever since. They had just flown in from London and were spending one night in Athens before moving on to the island of Patmos where George’s family lived.

‘Here they come!’ her mother cried, seeing them first.

Tina looked.

And froze in horror.

There was her beautiful sister, her face aglow with happy excitement, looking every inch the supermodel she had become.

Hugging her to his side was George Carasso, grinning with pride in his bride-to-be.

Next to him strolled Ari Zavros.

Her mother turned to her. ‘Tina, isn’t that the man we saw …’

She heard the words but couldn’t answer. Bad enough to find herself confronted by him again. It was much, much worse with him knowing about Theo!

People were on their feet, greeting, welcoming, hugging and kissing. Ari was introduced as George’s cousin who was to be his best man at the wedding. His best man! And she was Cass’s only bridesmaid! The nightmare she had made for herself was getting more torturous by the second and there was no end to it any time soon. It was going to be impossible to enjoy her sister’s wedding. She would have to suffer through being Ari’s partner at the ceremony and the reception.

If she hadn’t opened her mouth in Dubai and let her secret out, she might have managed to skate over their past involvement. There was little hope of that now. No hope at all, given the look Ari Zavros had just turned her way, a dangerously simmering challenge in the riveting amber eyes.

‘And this is your sister?’ he prompted Cass, who immediately obliged with the formal introduction.

‘Yes. Tina! Oh, it’s so good to see you again!’ she bubbled, dodging around the table to give her a hug. ‘George and I are staying in Ari’s apartment tonight and when we told him we were meeting up with you, he insisted on coming with us so you won’t be strangers to each other at the wedding.’

Strangers!

He hadn’t let the cat out of the bag.

Tina fiercely hoped it suited him not to.

Cass swooped on Theo, lifting him up in her arms and turning to show him off to Ari. ‘And this is my nephew, Theo, who is going to be our page boy.’

Ari smiled at him. ‘Your Aunty Cassandra told me it’s your birthday this week.’

He’d been checking, Tina thought grimly.

Theo held up his hand with fingers and thumb spread. ‘Five,’ he announced proudly.

‘It’s my birthday this month, too,’ Ari said. ‘That makes us both Leos.’

‘No. I’m Theo, not Leo.’

Everyone laughed at the correction.

‘He didn’t mean to get your name wrong, darling,’ Cass explained. ‘We’re all born under star signs and the star sign for your birthday is Leo. Which means a lion. And you have amber eyes, just like a lion.’

Theo pointed to Ari. ‘He’s got the same colour eyes as me.’

Tina held her breath. Her heart was drumming in her ears. Her mind was screaming please, please, please don’t claim parentage now. It was the wrong place, the wrong time, the wrong everything!

‘There you are, then,’ Ari said with an air of indulgence, taking Theo’s outstretched hand and giving it a light shake. ‘Both of us are lions and I’m very glad to meet you.’ He turned to Tina. ‘And your mother.’

Relief reduced her to jelly inside. He wasn’t pushing his fatherhood yet. Maybe he never would. She should be saying hello, but she was so choked up with nervous tension it was impossible to get her voice to work.

‘Tina?’ He gave her a slightly quizzical smile as he offered his hand to her. ‘Short for Christina?’

‘Yes.’ It was a husky whisper, all she could manage.

Then she was forced by the occasion to let his strong fingers close around hers. The jolting sensation of electric warmth was a searing reminder of the sexual chemistry that had seduced her in the past. It instantly stirred a fierce rebellion in her mind. No way was she going to let it get to her again, making her weak and foolish. If there was to be a fight over custody of Theo, she couldn’t let Ari Zavros have any personal power over her. She wriggled her hand out of his as fast as she could.

Seating was quickly re-arranged so that Cass and George could sit beside her mother. Uncle Dimitri produced an extra chair for Ari at the end of the table, right next to her and Theo. It was impossible for Tina to protest this proximity, given they would be partners at the wedding and apparently Ari had already stated his intention to make her acquaintance.

The situation demanded polite conversation. Any failure to follow that course would raise questions about her behaviour. As much as Tina hated having to do it, she adopted the pretence of being strangers, forcing herself to speak to George’s best man with an air of natural enquiry.

‘When did you meet my sister?’

It was a good question. She needed information and needed it fast to help her deal with Ari in the most sensible way. If it was possible to avoid a showdown with him over Theo, grasping that possibility was paramount.

‘Only this evening,’ he answered with a wry little smile. ‘I knew of her, of course, because of her engagement to George, but within the family she was always referred to as simply Cassandra since she is famously known by that name in the supermodel world. I’d never actually heard her surname. I chanced to see it written on her luggage when she set it down in the apartment. Very opportune, given the circumstances.’

The fact that he’d immediately seized the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting with her gave no support to the wishful thought of avoiding an ultimate showdown.

‘So you proceeded to draw her out about her family,’ Tina said flatly, feeling as though a trap was closing around her.

‘Very enlightening,’ he drawled, his eyes mocking the secrecy which was no longer a secret to him.

Fear squeezed her heart. Sheer self-defence demanded she ignore his enlightenment. ‘You live in Athens?’

‘Not really. The apartment is for convenience. Anyone in the family can use it, which is why George felt free to bring Cassandra there for tonight. More private for her than a hotel.’

‘Very considerate of him,’ she dryly remarked. ‘Where do you normally live then?’

All she’d previously known about him was he belonged to a wealthy Greek family with an involvement in the wine industry. During the time they’d spent together, Ari had been more interested in everything Australian than talking about himself.

He shrugged. ‘Various business interests require quite a bit of travelling but my family home is on Santorini.’

‘We’re going to Santorini,’ Theo piped up, looked at Ari as though he was fascinated by the man.

Ari smiled at him. ‘Yes, I know. Perhaps we could do something special together on your birthday.’

Tina’s stomach contracted. He was intent on moving in on her, getting closer to their son.

‘Like what?’ Theo asked eagerly.

‘Let’s wait and see what we might like to do, Theo,’ Tina cut in firmly, inwardly panicking at spending any more time than she absolutely had to with Ari Zavros. She didn’t know if it was curiosity driving him or he was dabbling with the idea of claiming Theo as his flesh and blood. She turned hard, quelling eyes to him. ‘You said family home. Does that mean you’re married with children?’

He shook his head and made an ironic grimace. ‘Much to my father’s vexation, I am still single. It’s his home I was referring to.’

‘Not exactly single, Ari,’ she tersely reminded him.

He knew she’d seen him with a woman in Dubai. She didn’t have to spell that out. If he thought he could start playing fast and loose with her again, cheating on the beautiful blonde, he was on an ego trip she would take great satisfaction in smashing.

‘I assure you I am, Christina,’ he replied without the blink of an eyelid.

Her teeth gnashed over the lilted use of her full name—a reminder of intimate moments that were long gone. She raked his steady gaze with blistering scepticism. The amber eyes burned straight back at her, denying the slightest shift in what he had just declared.

‘Another charming episode over?’ she sliced at him.

He frowned, probably having forgotten how he had described his relationship with her. Whether he recollected it or not, he shot her a look that was loaded with determined purpose. ‘Not so charming. In fact, it convinced me I should free myself up to look for something else.’

His gaze moved to Theo, softening as he said, ‘Perhaps I should become a father.’

Tina’s spine crawled with apprehension. This was the last thing she wanted. The very last! Somehow she had to fight him, convince him that fatherhood would not suit him at all.

‘I don’t have a father,’ Theo gravely informed him. ‘I had a grandfather but he got sick and went to heaven.’