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There was a perceptible silence, then Nic heard the locks disengage, and the door swung open.
She was more petite than he recalled, but then she was barefoot. The bath-towel had been discarded in favour of a towelling robe.
She looked tired, and there were dark smudges beneath her eyes. The result of grief, lack of sleep…or both?
‘Another Leandros emissary?’ Tina took in the tall, broad male frame clothed in superb tailoring, forced herself to meet and hold those dark, almost black eyes…and felt all her protective self-defence instincts rise to the fore.
‘We have been introduced.’
The voice held a faint American-inflected drawl, and she suppressed a shiver of unease. Nic and Vasili Leandros might share the same father, but as men they were as chalk to cheese.
Whereas Vasili had borne an air of insouciant youth, Nic Leandros possessed an indefinable quality that meshed ruthlessness and power…and combined it with a sexual chemistry no woman could successfully ignore.
Raging hormones had to be the reason why she felt vaguely off balance. It couldn’t be the man unsettling her.
‘You want to conduct this conversation on the doorstep?’
Oh, Lord. She’d just emerged from the shower. ‘You’ll have to wait while I get dressed.’ And she shut the door in his face.
It took only minutes to step into underwear, jeans, add bra and tee shirt. She didn’t bother with her hair. As for make-up…forget it.
He was there when she pulled back the front door, his tall frame seeming even more threatening than before.
Men of Nic Leandros’ ilk weren’t used to having doors shut in their faces, she perceived with a certain wry humour as she silently indicated he could enter.
‘Thank you.’ His voice was dry, and held a degree of impatience as he followed her into the suite.
Tina turned to face him, aware of the need to take control.
‘Let’s get this over with, shall we?’
One eyebrow rose, and his gaze remained steady. ‘Dispense with polite conversation?’
She lifted a hand and smoothed back a wayward fall of hair, only to silently damn the visible indication her nerves were twisting every which way but loose.
‘Why pretend civility when we have opposing agendas?’ Tina queried, and saw those dark eyes harden fractionally.
‘Can you blame Stacey and my father for wanting to share a part of their grandson or granddaughter’s life?’ he queried quietly.
‘Do you think I don’t know where this is leading?’
‘Enlighten me.’
‘Let’s see.’ She tilted her head and began listing probable possibilities. ‘What comes next? Any minute soon you’ll present several attractive reasons why I should agree to your parents’ desire to assign the Leandros name to Vasili’s child.’ She paused and drew in a deep breath.
Nic Leandros dominated the room, his presence a compelling entity that disturbed her more than she was prepared to admit.
‘If I agree, the heat will be on for it to be raised and educated according to Leandros tradition.’
‘And that’s a problem…because?’
He didn’t get it. ‘I’ll lose control.’
‘Any decisions made will, of course, be reached by mutual agreement.’
‘Oh, please.’ Tina raked his features with evident cynicism. ‘Give me a break.’ Her gaze speared his. ‘How long will it take your parents to lodge an unfit parent complaint after the birth?’ She closed her eyes, then opened them. ‘Deny that’s the master plan.’
A muscle tensed at the edge of his jaw. ‘I doubt anything of the sort has entered Stacey’s mind.’
‘But it will, eventually.’
Her fierceness and her fragility were a contradiction in terms, something he found intriguing.
‘When I return to work and put the babe into a day-care nursery?’ She felt as if she were on a runaway train. ‘Employ sitters on the rare occasion I feel the need to socialise?’
‘It’s my parents’ intention to provide handsomely for the child’s welfare.’ He waited a beat. ‘The ball is in your court. Name your terms.’
‘And they’ll be met?’ She lifted a hand and ran it wearily over her hair. ‘Thanks, but no, thanks.’
He’d tabled each stumbling block and had a strategy for every one of them. It was just a matter of time…‘Perhaps you’d care to elaborate why?’
‘I don’t see how a one-night stand qualifies the right for the child to assume its deceased father’s name.’ If she’d hoped to shock, she gained no visible reaction from his expression. ‘Especially when I had no intention of making it my own.’
Nic’s eyes became hooded. ‘Vasili meant nothing to you?’
Tina took her time with the question. ‘We played the boyfriend/girlfriend game.’ She paused fractionally. ‘It was…convenient. For each of us.’ She had no obligation to relay why.
‘The age difference didn’t bother you?’
Her chin tilted a little and her eyes acquired a dangerous gleam. ‘Are you implying Vasili was my toy boy? We were friends.’
‘Yet you moved in with him.’
Explanations tended to become complicated. Yet Nic Leandros was entitled. How else would her decision make any sense?
‘I sold my apartment,’ Tina defended. ‘I was in negotiations to buy another. Vasili suggested I move in with him instead of securing a hotel room or renting short-term.’ It had seemed so logical at the time, and she’d insisted on contributing towards food and utilities.
‘And shared his bed,’ Nic accorded in a hateful drawl.
Her chin tilted a little, and her eyes blazed green fire. ‘Once.’
Dammit, that was all it took. Once. A little too much champagne, a friendly kiss that had become more, and somehow they’d ended up in the same bed.
She dimly remembered voicing a half-hearted protest as instinctive wisdom had fought against the persuasiveness of Vasili’s mouth, his hands. Then it had been too late. The sex had been less than noteworthy. Not that she’d had much experience to compare it with.
All the pent-up emotion of the past few weeks caught up with her. ‘I should disillusion your mother…sorry, stepmother?’ she offered the correction. ‘Your father? Paint a false picture of a relationship that was only friendship?’ She was on a roll, unable to stop. ‘Enlighten them that the conception of their coveted grandchild was a mistake? Dammit,’ she said forcefully, ‘a meaningless, forgettable mistake.’ She wanted to hit something, throw something. Anything to rid the impossible anger that burned within…at herself, for being so senseless.
‘Obviously there were no precautions taken.’
Tina heard the words, and only just refrained from hitting the man who uttered them. ‘Obviously.’
‘Yet you’ve taken no steps to abort the foetus.’
She drew in a sharp breath and pressed a protective hand to her waist. ‘No.’
Nic’s eyes narrowed. ‘Would you have, if my parents had been unaware of the pregnancy?’
Tina didn’t hesitate. ‘No.’
The insistent ring of a cellphone sounded loud in the silence of the room, and Tina watched as he withdrew the unit, checked the caller ID, and registered his irritation as he thrust the cellphone back into his jacket pocket.
‘Have you eaten?’
Her eyes widened. ‘Excuse me?’
‘Dinner.’ His voice held an element of impatience.
He was talking of food? ‘I don’t see that’s a relevant question.’
‘It’s relevant if you haven’t eaten.’
‘Why?’
‘I’m suggesting we share a meal.’
‘Again…why?’
She irritated and fascinated him at the same time. She was also the first woman in a long time to refuse his invitation.
‘Go change. I’ll make a reservation.’
Tina closed her eyes, then opened them and shot him a fierce glare. ‘Are you usually this dictatorial?’
He extracted his cellphone, and hit a speed-dial button. ‘I’m known to get what I want.’
‘Really?’ She was singularly unimpressed. And remained so at the ease with which he secured a table.
Nic regarded her steadily. ‘You want to argue with me?’
‘Heaven forbid any female would dare,’ Tina offered facetiously, and caught a glimpse of something that was almost humour in those dark eyes.
‘You being an exception?’
‘Count on it.’ She glared at him, then she crossed to the door. ‘I want you to leave.’
His expression remained unchanged, except there was a sense of innate power, a strength of will, evident beneath the surface.
Her gaze arrowed in on his, and didn’t waver. She could feel her spine stiffen…literally. ‘I don’t want to share a meal with you.’
‘Same destination,’ Nic stated. ‘Separate cars.’
‘That’s a persuasive ploy?’
‘A compromise. It’s almost seven, neither of us have eaten, and we’ve yet to reach a satisfactory resolution.’
‘My decision is made.’
‘One that concerns you. However, there’s a child’s life at stake. Your child.’ He paused slightly. ‘But indisputably also my brother’s child.’
She was hungry. In the past few days she’d developed a heightened sensitivity to the smell of food. The thought of ordering a meal of her choice that she didn’t need to prepare or cook was enticing. Besides, it was clear Nic Leandros wouldn’t let up any time soon.
‘Go wait outside while I change.’
‘And have you lock the door behind me?’ His expression held wry cynicism. ‘Collect what clothes you need and get dressed in the en suite.’
She wanted to kill him…or at best do him physical harm. Yet it was no contest. A venue they drove to in separate cars was preferable to the intimacy of a hotel suite.
At least she’d be free to walk out of a restaurant undeterred. Whereas here it would be a different matter entirely. And, while his presence was unlikely to pose a threat, she had the distinct feeling he’d play any game by his own rules.
‘There’s a problem?’
Tina sent him a scathing glare. ‘I’m deciding what method I should use to render you physical harm.’
His mouth quirked in silent amusement, and she bit back an attempt at childish retaliation as she crossed to the storage unit.
With quick, economical movements she collected black silk evening trousers, an emerald green silk camisole, matching jacket, and headed for the en suite.
A few minutes, minimum make-up, a vigorous brush through her hair, and she was done. When she emerged it took only seconds to step into stiletto heels, then transfer money and keys into an evening purse.
Tina was conscious of his appraisal, and deliberately arched an eyebrow. ‘Shall we leave?’
They rode the lift down to the basement car park, and within minutes Tina followed Nic’s black Lexus to the trendy heart of Double Bay, parked, then accompanied him into a small, intimate restaurant filled with patrons.
The maître d’ greeted Nic with the obsequious fervour reserved for a favoured patron, personally escorted them to a table, saw them seated and summoned the drink steward.
Prestigious, known for its fine cuisine, and expensive, Tina acknowledged as she cast the room a casual glance.
The service was excellent, and she requested mineral water, chose a starter as a main meal, and settled back in her chair.
The steward brought their drinks, served them with deferential good humour, then retreated.
‘You eat here often.’ It was a statement, not a query, and Nic subjected her to a solemn appraisal.
‘Whenever I’m in Sydney.’
Uh-huh. The Leandros corporation had its main base in Melbourne. Vasili’s parents resided there. So did Nic, Vasili had relayed…in between business trips to New York, London, Athens and Rome.
‘I imagine you’ll acquaint your parents with my decision?’
