Mediterranean Tycoons

‘Neither do you.’ Folding both arms around her, his dark gaze steady on her troubled face, he added, ‘Think about it from my point of view Lisa. Last night I fell asleep with my wife in my arms. You get up in the middle of the night, and another woman attempts to climb into our bed. Do you really think I am stupid enough to go to bed with one woman while waiting for another?’

She had trouble holding his gaze. His dark eyes bored into hers, and her own innate honesty forced her to admit that, if it had not been for the knowledge she had gained earlier about Nigel’s involvement with Alex she probably would have stopped Margot at the door. ‘I don’t know,’ she mumbled.

‘Of course I am suspicious of the circumstances. But is your scenario any more valid? I think not,’ he declared firmly.

‘No,’ Lisa conceded in defeat; she had to, unless she told him she knew about his plan to take over her company, and she was not ready to do that. She needed to make some investigations of her own first.

‘Good, then let us make a pact, you and I. We will forget last night ever happened.’

‘Very convenient for you,’ Lisa could not help sniping.

‘Come on, Lisa. Do you really want to go back and face your family and friends after a few short weeks, declaring your marriage to be over? Our wedding was reported in the press. Do you want to look a failure in the eyes of the world? More importantly, do you think for one minute I would allow you to make a failure out of me?’ he demanded, with silken emphasis on the last question.

Lisa tensed, her slender frame taut as a bowstring, as she searched his darkly handsome face for any sign of weakness. There was none. Did she dare take a chance and defy him? More importantly, did she really want to?

‘You are wise not to argue. This was our first fight, probably the first of many; you are a very feisty lady, which is why I adore you. But enough is enough, Lisa. Forget last night, and we start again from today,’ he urged softly.

‘Just like that?’ Lisa shook her head at his arrogant conceit.

His dark head bent and he brought his mouth gently down on hers. ‘No, just like this.’ He mouthed the words against her lips and then parted her lips to the seductive invasion of his tongue.

Heat coursed through her, and even as she knew she should resist a muffled whimper escaped her, and the familiar ache of longing arrowed through her body.

Alex only broke the kiss when she was utterly relaxed in his arms. ‘If only I had time,’ he murmured throatily, and raised his head to study her lovely face. His hand slid down to her buttocks and pressed her hard against his thighs, leaving her in no doubt about the potency of his masculine arousal.

Lisa was completely mesmerised by the desire in his dark eyes. She dragged in a ragged breath, fighting the pull of his attraction, but she did not need to. He flung his arms wide and stepped back.

‘No more foolish talk of leaving, Lisa. You want me. I could have you now on the floor, and we both know it.’ His dark eyes met and held hers, mutinously blue. ‘And before you take off in another tantrum, know it is the same for me, Lisa.’ His huskily voiced confession stopped the expletive she had been about to throw at him.

‘It’s just sex,’ she muttered instead.

‘Sex, love—call it what you will. But consider you may already be carrying our child.’

‘I am not,’ she shot back curtly. She had discovered the fact after her shower. ‘I found that out as well.’ To her utter astonishment Alex burst out laughing, his dark head thrown back, the morning sun streaming through the window glinting in the blue-black of his hair.

‘Ah Lisa, now I understand. The wrong time of the month,’ he chuckled, straightening his shoulders, his firm lips curving back over brilliant white teeth in a broad grin. ‘Forget the foolishness of last night, sweetheart; I have. You were not thinking logically; it is perfectly understandable in your condition.’

‘My condition?’ She spluttered, almost incandescent with rage. He actually thought her outburst was all down to PMT, the chauvinist. She could see it in his tender, patronising smile.

‘Come, I can hear Mrs Blaydon arriving. She and her husband look after this place for me. I will introduce you, and then you go back to bed, rest. Leave everything to me.’ With his hand at her elbow he urged her along towards the kitchen, and she was so speechless at his high-handed arrogance she let him!

CHAPTER FOUR

‘IT IS a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Solomos.’ The smiling, plump woman extended her hand to Lisa. ‘I am so happy for you both, and if there is anything you want me to do for you, you only have to ask.’ Smiling at Alex, she added, ‘The coffee is fresh; what would you like to eat?’

‘Just coffee, Mrs B; I have to dash. But I trust you to look after Lisa for me, and make sure she eats. She is feeling a bit tired today.’ After downing the cup of coffee Mrs Blaydon had handed him he settled his dark gaze on Lisa. ‘Come, walk me to the door. Mrs B understands. We are newlyweds,’ he invited, his voice laced with a cynicism that only Lisa recognised as Mrs Blaydon chuckled with delight.

Alex’s hand on the small of her back created a disturbing sensation that held a hidden warning; it also succeeded in fuelling her anger. ‘I can walk,’ she breathed in an undertone as they exited to the hall.

‘So long as you know that you cannot walk out on me.’ Alex’s lazy reply only served to infuriate her further.

‘You’ve made your point. I wouldn’t dare.’ Her head tilted fractionally and she met his dark gaze with clear control. ‘Can I go and eat now?’

He lifted a hand and caught hold of her chin. ‘Eat, yes. Go, no.’ He stressed silkily, and his thumb traced a semicircle up her chin, over her full lips and back down to slide to where the pulse beat heavily in her throat. ‘Forget last night. Forget our fight. And remember only this appetite.’ Alex tapped the pulse-beat in her throat, his head lowered and his lips brushed her cheek and the edge of her mouth. ‘This appetite you and I will always share, Lisa.’ She looked at him, the tug of sexual awareness impossible to deny. ‘But do not underestimate me, Lisa. If I find you have betrayed my trust I can be a ruthless enemy, your worst nightmare.’ It was the very softness of his tone that was enough to convince Lisa he was speaking the truth.

‘And what of your betrayal?’ she managed to retaliate.

Alex’s eyes hardened fractionally. ‘The question will not arise; you can trust me absolutely.’ He caught hold of her hand and raised it to his lips. ‘With this ring I thee wed’ he repeated softly, and kissed the ring on her finger. ‘I keep my promises. Be sure to keep yours, and we will have no more problems.’ Dropping her hand, he also dropped a swift kiss on the top of her head. ‘Rest. You look tired.’

‘Thanks for the compliment.’

‘Sarcasm does not become you, Lisa,’ Alex opined dryly. ‘See you tonight, and remember we are dining with my father.’ Turning he opened the door and left.

Deprived of any chance to retaliate, she stood for a moment staring at the closed door. Alex was right in one respect. She did not relish the idea of returning home a failure, her marriage over after only a few weeks. Then there was still the problem of Nigel. It went against her nature to give in to blackmail, but it occurred to her that if Alex actually meant to destroy her stepfamily, that meant Harold. She could not keep Lawson’s without Harold, so common sense told her she was better to stay where she was until she discovered exactly what was going on.

Lisa made her way back to the kitchen. Mrs Blaydon was putting toast in the electric toaster, and her smile was warm as she watched Lisa walk over to the breakfast table and sit down. Lisa filled a cup with coffee and took a much needed drink of the reviving brew.

‘Scrambled eggs on toast all right for you, Mrs Solomos.’

Lisa replaced the cup on the table. ‘Just toast, thanks.’

‘Like my Bert; that’s all he ever has.’

‘Bert is your husband, then?’ Lisa asked making idle conversation, as the older woman placed a plate of toast in front of her.

‘Yes, married thirty-five years, and for the last fifteen we have worked for Mr Alex. He was twenty-one and still a student at university when he moved in here. He gave Bert and I the apartment below, and we’ve looked after the penthouse for him. He hasn’t been around as much the last few years, but he still keeps us on to take care of all his visitors, and Bert acts as the official Solomos chauffeur when he’s needed. Mr Alex usually drives himself, but then the man does everything himself; he’s a real workaholic. Of course, that father of his is no help. Always in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons.’

‘I haven’t actually met Alex’s father yet. Apparently I am to have that honour tonight,’ Lisa cut in having finished her food.

‘Some honour! The man hasn’t done a hand’s turn in years, and yet to hear the old fool going on in the media, he’s a brilliant businessman. Brilliant is as brilliant does, I say,’ the housekeeper ended bluntly.

Lisa drained her coffee cup and stood up. ‘Well, no doubt I shall discover for myself tonight, but right now I’d better get down to work.’

‘Oh, no, you can’t do any housework. That’s my job.’

‘Not housework.’ Lisa corrected the housekeeper with a smile. ‘But I do run a business in Stratford-upon-Avon. I’ve brought my computer with me, and I’m going to commandeer the first guest room for my office, if that’s all right with you. Don’t worry, Mrs Blaydon, I won’t interfere with your work. Why don’t you finish up here? It’s a beautiful sunny day; you and Bert can have the day off.’

‘Well, if you’re sure.’ Mrs Blaydon’s pleasure was evident.

‘Yes.’ Lisa smiled, getting to her feet. ‘But if you’ll excuse me, I’d better get to work.’

In a matter of minutes she was seated at the desk in the room where she had spent the night, her laptop on, planning her defence. Buying the Lee shares was her safest option, but it didn’t take Lisa long to realise she was paper rich but cash poor. Next, she checked everywhere she could think of to find the name of the company that had made the offer to buy Lawson’s before her mother died. If she needed a white knight to help her fight off Alex’s takeover attempt, that bidder seemed a good bet. At least that company hadn’t wanted to flatten the place. After an hour she gave up in disgust. Perhaps the letter of refusal had never been filed on the computer; given the shock of her mother’s illness at the time, it wasn’t surprising. It would have to wait until she got back to the office on Monday, it might be in her mother’s private papers, and Lisa was the only one with access to them.

As the morning progressed, Lisa fought against recalling last night’s events, but she failed. She was mulling over her own ambivalence about the situation when Mrs Blaydon burst into the room, closely followed by two men.

‘I was on my way out when these two men arrived. It’s for you, from Mr Alex.’

‘That’s fine, Mrs Blaydon.’ She watched the old woman scurry off with a smile on her face. To say Lisa was astonished was an understatement. Alex had sent her a state-of-the-art computer, and the accompanying card read. ‘I hope this will keep you at home.’

Lisa shared a smile with the two young delivery men, and watched with close attention as they installed the new computer. Later, she set about E-mailing Mary, and then Jed. Then she broke off for a coffee. Returning half an hour later, she got the shock of her life when she clicked on and a disembodied female voice declared, ‘You have mail.’ Her old computer hadn’t got a voice facility and she was fascinated by it.

The E-mail was a reply from Mary. ‘Congrats: but I still think diamonds are a girl’s best friend.’ Chuckling to herself, Lisa spent the rest of the morning thoroughly absorbed in her work. It was only when her stomach rumbled and she glanced at the time in the corner of the screen that she realised the morning had gone.

She couldn’t resist one more visit to the Internet, and was rewarded with ‘You have mail’. As it was the afternoon in the UK, it had to be early morning in Montana, from where Jed was replying.

‘You lucky lady. The computer sounds great, but do I detect a trace of coolness in your attitude to the giver, and so soon??? Correct me if I am wrong. I’ll get back to you later. I have to go milk the cows.’

Something in the tone of her message must have given him an insight into her confused state of mind. That was just so Jed. For a man she had never actually met, he had an amazing sensitivity where she was concerned. She sent a brief reply: ‘Stick to analysing the cows, farm boy. I’m fine. A glimmer of a genuine smile brightened her face as she closed down the computer and wandered back through the apartment to the kitchen.

Lisa made herself a cheese sandwich and, filling a glass with milk, she placed it and the plate on a tray and took her late lunch out to the rooftop garden. It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon, and, placing the tray on a Victorian wrought-iron table, she sat down on one of the matching chairs and picked up one half of her sandwich.

She munched her food without really tasting it, her mind awash with conflicting thoughts. She glanced at the gold watch on her wrist; it read slightly after three o’clock. Alex wouldn’t be back before five-thirty at the earliest. There was still time for her to leave. But did she really want to? she asked herself. And, much as she hated to admit her weakness, the answer was no. The trouble was, she realised Alex the man she had married, was not the man she’d thought he was. She had never really known him…

She had always recognised Alex had a ruthless streak in him. He wouldn’t be a success in the business world without a certain killer instinct to succeed. But, naively perhaps, she had never expected that side of his nature to be turned on her.

Even now she was not convinced he had meant his threat. He had said they would make a pact to start again, and by her silence she had given her agreement.

She could almost forgive him Margot’s amazing intrusion last night. Her lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile. Alex’s face had been a picture of outraged horror when she had clicked the light on and he had realised it was Margot climbing into their bed! He could not have faked his expression in a million years. He was usually so self-possessed—even in the throes of passion he never totally lost control.

Passion. That was another problem. Lisa had decided to stay, but was she prepared to crawl back into bed with Alex? The next week was taken care of; he wouldn’t bother her knowing she had her period.

A deep sigh escaped her and, arching her back to get the tension out of her shoulders, she picked up the glass of milk and drained it, before replacing it on the tray. Then she stood up and carried the lot back to the kitchen. Lounging around the roof garden solved nothing, she told herself firmly. Action was what was needed.

Half an hour later Lisa was standing in the hall, a pile of clothes topped with lacy underwear in her arms, as she tried to push open the guest bedroom door with her rear.

‘What the devil….?’ Alex was walking towards her discarding his tie in the process, and looking distinctly puzzled.

‘You’re back early,’ she said inanely, and met his dark gaze with a frown, her eyes lingering on the chiselled features and settling briefly on his mouth. Which was a mistake. He was tight-mouthed with anger.

‘No, just in time, it would seem. Care to explain what you are doing? Or shall I guess,’ he drawled cynically, moving to stand inches from her. His hand plucked a pair of crimson lace briefs off the top of the pile of clothes she was carrying, and swung the offending garment back and forth on one long finger.

He had caught her at a disadvantage, with her back to the door and her hands full. She had nowhere to go. ‘Put them back,’ she muttered, the colour rising in her cheeks, and she knew her face must almost match the briefs.

‘I think that is my line, Lisa.’ A faint smile tugged the edges of his mouth, but the expression in his eyes was still totally cynical. ‘That room is your study, nothing more. So try acting like an adult instead of a spoilt child and return these.’ He dropped the red briefs back on to the pile of clothes. ‘Back to where they belong, in the master suite. I thought we had settled our differences this morning. I hope I was not wrong?’ Shrugging out of his jacket, he hooked it over one shoulder and with his free hand began unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt.

He was too close, his height and wide shouldered frame intimidating. Her gaze slipped to the broad expanse of his tanned chest, and Lisa felt the familiar flood of warmth weaken her defences. She fought against it and, glancing up, her eyes met his. He knew how he affected her, at least on a sexual level, but to her surprise a tender smile curled his mouth.

‘Sometimes I forget how innocent you are,’ Alex murmured, and trailed a long finger over her burning cheek.

She felt about two inches tall, and totally foolish. She had decided to stay with Alex, but no way was she climbing meekly back into bed with him. ‘Not any more,’ she said bitterly, ‘you saw to that.’

‘Hush.’ He pressed a finger to her lips. ‘Allow me to apologise. You should never have been subjected to what happened last night. The lady had no right to intrude on our privacy, and it was unkind of me to even hint that you were in any way at fault. As your husband, it is my duty to protect you from any embarrassment, and I singularly failed to do so.’ With the pad of his finger he flicked her bottom lip before dropping his hand to his side. ‘Please forgive me.’

Lisa’s mouth fell open and her blue eyes widened to their fullest extent on his serious face. Alex apologising and begging forgiveness? She could hardly believe it.

‘Forgive you?’ she parroted.

‘Yes,’ he said simply. ‘I should have realised you, with your lack of experience of predatory females who are all too common in the world, were in no position to argue with a woman like Margot. The golden purity that drew me to you in the first place should have reminded me of the fact. So, once again, am I forgiven?’

His deep velvet voice flowed like honey over her raw nerves, and in a voice she hardly recognised as her own, Lisa said, ‘Yes, apology accepted.’ In that moment she would have forgiven him murder. His body moved in close against her own, his dark head bent and he angled a kiss across her open lips, a kiss of tenderness and gentle possession.

Lisa stared up into his sexy, slumberous eyes as he raised his head and moved back a pace. ‘Thank you, Lisa.’ he husked.

Fighting down the urge to fling her arms around him—an impossible action given she was still holding a pile of garments, she realised, glancing down at her overloaded arms—she was suddenly aware of where she was and what she had been doing, and she stumbled into speech. ‘Actually, it is I who should thank you. The computer is brilliant; it was good of you to buy it for me, but no need.’ She was babbling, but couldn’t seem to stop.

‘Enough, sweetheart.’ Alex grinned, and with a toss of his dark head he indicated the door opposite. ‘After you.’

Her nervous tension dissolved and, taking a deep breath, she slipped past him and into the dressing room. Alex confounded and confused her, and retreat seemed the best option, but that did not mean she was going to crawl back into bed with him. Moving swiftly, she quickly placed the lingerie and clothes in the requisite drawers and the closet. His apology, she knew, was genuine, but it did not alter the fact he was about to betray her, by dealing with Nigel. Perhaps that was the difference between men and women, Lisa thought sadly. Men could separate business completely from their emotional life.

Lisa, unfortunately, could not. By the same token, she knew she would never agree to Lawson’s being flattened to make way for something else. It was her parents’ memorial. Maybe that made her a poor businesswoman, but she did not care. There had to be more to life than simply the pursuit of riches. But she had a growing conviction her husband did not share her view.

Reluctantly she walked back into the bedroom; she heard the sound of the shower from the ensuite bathroom and heaved a sigh of relief. She didn’t have to face Alex again just yet; a glance at her watch told her it was five. Time to have a cup of tea and restore her equilibrium before she got ready for the evening ahead.

‘Pour me a cup,’ Alex commanded, and Lisa almost dropped the teapot. He had showered and shaved and was sporting a pair of well-washed jeans and nothing else.

‘I didn’t think you drank tea?’ she murmured.

Pulling out a chair opposite her he sat down. ‘If you do, I do. It is part of marriage, the sharing.’ Alex’s faintly accented statement had a mocking edge as he reached out and accepted the cup she had automatically filled for him.

‘Yes, yes, I suppose so,’ she acknowledged.

‘Which is why I thought, tomorrow, you and I could spend the day in the countryside. I had my people get on to some real estate agents while we were away, and they have come up with a couple of quite decent looking properties.’

‘Properties? You mean houses?’

‘But of course.’ And with a brief glance around the kitchen Alex returned his attention to her puzzled face. ‘This place is adequate in the short term, but obviously we will need a family home. Knowing you as I do the country is the answer, I think.’

Lisa sipped her tea, unsure of how to respond. She had always lived in a large house on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon; she had only to walk out of her garden to take a stroll along country lanes. Alex was right; she did prefer the country. But what of Alex? While not notorious as an international jet-setter like his father, she wasn’t sure she could see him as a country squire. ‘Do you actually have a proper home?’ she surprised herself by asking. ‘I mean, apart from here?’

His black eyes twinkled with laughter. ‘I hate to spoil my image, but in fact I actually still live with my mother. Officially my residence is the villa on Kos. The yacht is berthed in the harbour there, and whenever I have time I go back home. Otherwise I tend to stay in an apartment the company owns, or a hotel.’

‘Of course!’ Lisa exclaimed. ‘I should have guessed the villa we stayed in when we visited your mother was yours.’ She remembered thinking at the time that the sitting room and bedroom of their suite had had a very lived-in feel about them; the pictures on the walls had been mostly of boats—a hobby of Alex’s—and there had been a couple of trophies for yacht racing that had borne Alex’s name. For a few timeless seconds her eyes locked with his and they shared a mutual memory of a night spent in sheer bliss.

‘Yes,’ Alex confirmed, his eyes sweeping over her shoulders and the curve of her breast before returning to study the surprised and faintly embarrassed expression on her delicately etched features. A smile quirked the corner of his mouth. ‘But now I think I am old enough to own my home,’ he teased. ‘Don’t you agree?’

Lisa couldn’t disagree without getting into a morass of lies. The truth was not an option. She was waiting to see if Alex was going to betray her, along with her stepbrother. She gave the only answer she could think of. ‘Yes, well,’ she qualified, ‘we will see.’ And, pushing back her chair and getting to her feet, she added, ‘But right now I’d better get dressed. What time did you say we were meeting your father?’

Only the slight narrowing of his dark eyes gave away the fact her evasion had been noted and disliked, but, rising to his feet, he said, ‘Seven or seven-thirty. I have a few calls to make in my study. I won’t be long.’

The bathroom off the master bedroom was almost as big as the bedroom itself. Elegantly designed and constructed in pale pink streaked marble, it held a large double shower and a circular spa bath. Plus all the usual facilities. The lingering scent of Alex hung on the air, making her catch her breath.