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Sucking in another breath, he forced a nod.
‘Ne, you’re right.’ He licked his lower lip, tasted her again and nearly groaned. He clawed a hand through his hair and fought to regain the control that had been all but non-existent since he walked into the gym, fully intent on a mind-clearing workout, only to find her contorted in a highly suggestive stretch that had fried his brain cells. ‘Let’s chalk it down to the pressure of the past seventy-two hours.’
A look passed through her eyes before her lids lowered. ‘Is this how you normally deal with a crisis?’
He gave another tight smile, whirled away and came face to face with his image.
Theos, no wonder she was frightened.
He looked like a crazed animal, a monster with wild eyes burning with stark hunger and a raging hard-on. He kept his back to her then forced himself to answer evenly.
‘No, I normally fly down to the lake and take a scull out on the water. Or I come here to the gym and use the rowing machine. Physical labour helps me work things through.’ Unfortunately, the physical he had in mind now involved Brianna beneath him, her thighs spread out in response to his hard, demanding thrusts.
‘Um...okay. I guess I was in your way, then. Shall I...let you get on with it?’ The slight question in her tone demanded reassurance.
Sakis had none to give. He remained exactly where he was, his back to her as he willed his body under control.
‘Mr Pantelides?’
He winced at the rigid formality in those two words. Gritting his teeth, he turned to face her. ‘Don’t worry, Moneypenny. Nothing’s changed. You tasted sweet enough but this was nothing to lose my head over. Our little experiment is over. The board is reconvening at eight. I’ll see you in the office at seven-thirty.’
A gym workout was now out of the question. Brianna’s scent lingered in the air and threatened to mess with his mind.
‘Okay. I’ll see you in the morning, then. Goodnight, Mr—’
‘Kali nichta, Moneypenny.’ He cut her off before she could trot out his title again.
Sakis scooped up his shirt, thought about putting it back on and discarded the idea. Since he couldn’t stay here, a two-— no, make that three-—mile swim in his pool was the next best option.
He was still staring at his shirt when she walked past him smelling of crushed lilies, rampant sex and sweat. God, what a combination. Against his will, his gaze tracked her sleek form. The taut, bare skin of her waist taunted him, as did the tight curve of her ass as she swayed her way out. With each sexy stride, the fire sweeping through his groin threatened to rage out of control.
It took a full minute after she’d left to realise he was still standing in the middle of the gym, clutching his shirt, gazing at the space where she’d been. With his fist tightening around the creased cotton, Sakis forced himself to admit that things indeed were about to get way worse before they got better.
And not just with his company.
* * *
‘You tasted sweet enough but this was nothing to lose my head over...’ Brianna forced herself to dwell on the relief rather than the sharp hurt burrowing inside her. The dangerous theory had been tested, the fire had been breached and they’d come out unscathed.
Are you sure? Brianna kicked off her leotard with more force than was necessary. ‘Yes, I’m sure,’ she said out loud. ‘One-hundred per cent sure,’ she added for good measure.
Her top followed and she strode into the lavish cream-and-gold decorated bathroom. Turning on the shower, she stepped beneath the spray. Hot rivulets coursed over her face, over the mouth Sakis had devoured less than five minutes ago, and a fresh wave of desire rushed over her.
‘No!’ Her hands shook as she reached for the shower gel and spread it over her body. This wasn’t happening. But it was... It had...
She’d let Sakis kiss her, had fallen into his hands like a ripe peach at harvest. She’d chosen to test the waters and had almost drowned in the process.
Because that kiss had rocked her to the depths of her soul. He’d kissed her like she was the last tangible thing in his universe, like he wanted to devour her. Aside from the pleasure of it, she’d felt his need as keenly as the need she’d fought so hard to suppress.
She didn’t want to need. For as long as she could remember, needing had only brought her disaster. As a child, her needs had come last for a mother who was only interested in her next drug fix. As a grown woman, she’d let her need for affection blind her into believing Greg’s lies.
Nothing would make her return to that dark, needful place.
Her fingers drifted once again to her tattoo.
Whatever it was Sakis needed, he could find it elsewhere.
* * *
Sakis was already in the office when she arrived just before seven. He was on the phone but cool, green eyes skated over her as she entered. Replaying the pep talk she’d given herself before she’d come downstairs, she indicated his half-finished espresso cup and he nodded. The gaze that met hers as she stepped forward to pick up his cup was all ruthless business. There was no hint of the gritty, desire-ravaged man from the gym last night.
Sakis Pantelides, suave CEO and master of his world, was back in residence.
Brianna forced herself to emulate his expression as she walked out on decidedly shaky legs towards the state-of-the-art coffee machine in the little alcove just behind her office. Setting the cup beneath the stainless silver spouts, she pressed the button.
Last night’s lurid dreams, which had kept her tossing and turning in heated agitation, needed to be swept under the carpet of professionalism where they belonged. It was obvious Sakis had consigned the gym incident to ‘done and forgotten’. She needed to do the same or risk—
‘Is the machine delivering something other than coffee this morning? The daily horoscope, perhaps?’ he drawled.
She whirled around. Sakis stood directly behind her, his powerful and overwhelming physique shrinking the space to even smaller proportions. ‘I...sorry?’
His gaze flicked to the freshly made espresso and back to her face. ‘The coffee is ready and yet you’re staring at the machine as if you’re expecting a crystal ball to materialise alongside the beverage.’
‘Of course I wasn’t. I was just...’ She stopped, then with pursed lips picked up his cup and handed it to him. ‘I wasn’t that long, Mr Pantelides.’
His lips pursed at the use of his name but, now they were back in the work environment and back to being professional, he couldn’t exactly object.
Expecting him to move, her heartbeat escalated when he stayed put, blocking her escape back to her office. ‘Was there something else?’
His gaze dropped to her lips as he took a sip of his espresso. ‘Did you sleep well?’
Unwanted flames licked at the muscles clenching in her belly. She wanted to tell him that how she slept was none of his business. But she figured answering him would make him get out of her way faster. ‘I did. Thank you for asking.’
She waited. He didn’t move. ‘I didn’t,’ he rasped. ‘Last night was the worst night’s sleep I’ve had in a very long time.’
‘Oh... Um...’ She started to lick her lips, thought better of it and blew out a short breath instead. Seriously, she had to find a way to douse these supremely inconvenient flames that leapt inside her whenever he was near. ‘It’s been a stressful few days. It was bound to affect you in some way sooner or later.’
One corner of his mouth lifted. ‘Ne, I’m sure you’re right.’ Once again his gaze dragged over her mouth. The tingling of her lips almost made her rub her fingers over them, to do something to make it stop.
She clamped her hands round her middle instead. ‘Was there something else you needed?’
He threw back the rest of the hot espresso and placed the cup on the counter. Several seconds passed in silence then he heaved a sigh. ‘I’m...sorry if I frightened you last night. I didn’t mean to get so carried away.’
Brianna’s breath caught. ‘I wasn’t... You didn’t...’ She stopped speaking, her senses clamouring a warning as he stepped closer.
‘Then why did you look so scared? Has someone hurt you in the past?’
She meant to say no, to diffuse the highly inquisitive gleam in his eyes before it got out of hand. But... ‘Haven’t we all been hurt at some point by someone we trusted? Someone we thought loved us?’ Her stark answer hung in the air between them.
He paled a little, the lines bracketing his mouth deepening. ‘I hope I didn’t remind you of this person.’
‘Not any more than I reminded you of your father.’
Her breath caught in her chest as anguish etched into his face. Until two days ago, she’d only known him to display the utmost control when it came to matters of business. Except this wasn’t business. This was intensely private and intensely painful. Witnessing his raw pain made the ice surrounding her heart crack. Before she knew it, her hands were loosening and she was reaching for his arm. She stopped herself just in time. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring that up.’
His smile was grim as his fingers clawed through his hair. ‘Unfortunately, memories once resurrected aren’t easy to dismiss, no matter how inconvenient the timing.’
‘Is there ever a convenient time to dredge up past hurt?’ Pain ripped through her question.
He heard it and froze. Green eyes speared hers in a look so intense her heart stuttered. ‘Who hurt you, Brianna?’ he asked again softly.
Feeling herself floundering, she sagged against the counter for support. ‘I...this isn’t really a topic for the office.’
‘Who?’ he insisted.
‘You had problems with your father. Mine was with my mother.’ Her voice sounded reedy, fraught with the anguish raking through her.
His smile held no mirth. ‘Look at us: a pair of hopeless cases with mummy and daddy issues. Think what a field day psychologists would have with us.’
Not once in the past eighteen months had she believed she had anything in common with Sakis. But hearing his words brought a curious balm to her pain.
‘Maybe we should ask for a group discount?’ She attempted her own smile.
His eyes darkened then the pain slowly faded, to be replaced by another look, one she was becoming intimately familiar with. ‘Was there a reason you came looking for me?’ she asked a third time.
Sakis’s jaw tightened. ‘The investigators have confirmed there’s a connection between the crash and the takeover.’
‘Really?’
He nodded. ‘It’s highly suspect that a day after my tanker crashes Moorecroft Oil and Landers Petroleum make a bid for my company.’ He turned and headed back into his office. ‘Their timing was a little too precise for it to be opportunistic.’
She entered his office in time to see him snatch up his phone. ‘Sheldon.’ He addressed his head of security. ‘I need you to dig deeper into Moorecroft Oil and Landers Petroleum.’
At the mention of Landers, Brianna froze. Thankfully, her ringing phone gave her the perfect excuse to return to her desk.
When Sakis emerged, she’d found some semblance of control, enough to accompany him into the board meeting without giving the state of her agitation away.
The conference call to Richard Moorecroft descended into chaos less than five minutes after Sakis had him on the line.
‘How dare you accuse me of such a preposterous thing, Pantelides? You think I would stoop so low as to sabotage your vessel in order to achieve my ends?’
‘You haven’t achieved anything except draw attention to your own devious dealings.’ A note of disdain coated Sakis’s voice. ‘Did you really think I’d roll over like a puppy because of one mishap?’
‘You underestimate the might of Moorecroft. I’m a giant in the industry—’
‘The fact that you feel the need to point that out impresses me even less.’
A huff of rage came over the conference line. ‘This isn’t over, Pantelides. You can count on it.’
‘You’re right, this isn’t over. As we speak, I’m digging up any connection between what happened to my tanker and your company.’
‘You won’t find any!’ The bravado in Moorecroft’s voice was tinged with a shadowy nervousness that made Sakis’s eyes gleam.
‘Pray that I don’t. Because, if I do, you can rest assured that I will come after you. And I won’t be satisfied until I rip your precious company to little pieces and feed them to my pet piranhas.’ The menace in his voice made ice crawl over Brianna’s skin. ‘And any accomplices will not be spared either.’
He stabbed the ‘end’ button and glanced around the other members of his board. ‘I’ll apprise you of any news if the investigation reaps any information.’
Sakis turned to where Brianna sat three seats to his left. He’d deliberately placed her out of his eyeline so she wouldn’t prove a distraction. Not that he hadn’t noticed her tapping away all during the conference. Now that he’d let himself experience the power of his attraction for her, he noticed everything about her. From the way her sleek, navy designer skirt hugged her bottom, to the arch of her feet when she walked into his presence.
At the most inappropriate times he’d caught himself wondering how long her hair was, whether it would feel soft and silky. Many times during his sleepless night, he’d pictured himself kissing her again, imagining the many ways he’d explore her lips again given another chance.
Only now, he noticed a little bit more. Like the vulnerability she tried to hide beneath the brusque exterior. Whatever her mother had done to her still had the power to wound her. His chest tightened with the need to go to her, brush his knuckles down her cheek and reassure her that he would take care of her...
Theos!
With gritted teeth, he tried to pull himself back under control. There would be no reassuring, just as there would be no repeat of last night’s events. What happened in his gym last night couldn’t be allowed to happen again.
Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt.
So why was he walking towards her, letting his gaze devour the exposed line of her neck as she bent over her tablet? Why was he imagining himself lifting her up from that chair, sliding that tight skirt up—did she favour garter belts or thigh-high stockings?—and bending her over his boardroom table?
Stasi.
He was losing it and it wasn’t even nine o’clock in the morning! With a curt command, he dismissed his board members.
He waited until the room cleared before he murmured her name.
She lifted her head and stared straight at him. Deep turquoise eyes met his and Sakis wasn’t sure whether the interest it held was personal or professional. That he couldn’t even read her properly any more, sent a fizz of annoyance through him.
‘So, what happens now? I didn’t think you’d let Moorecroft know we were investigating his connection with the tanker.’
Stopping a mere foot from her, he shrugged. ‘I called his bluff and it paid off. I wasn’t sure until I heard it in his voice. He’s involved.’
‘Then why not go after him?’
‘He knows he’s cornered. Between the FCA investigation and my own, he’ll either come clean or he’ll try to do whatever he can to cover his tracks. Either way, his time is fast running out. I’ll give him a few hours to decide which way he wants to go.’
‘And if he reveals a connection?’
Sakis heard the tremble in her voice and wondered at it.
‘Then I’ll make sure he pays to the fullest extent.’ His father had got away with shady business deals for a long time before he’d been brought to justice. The same newspapers that had uncovered his treachery had uncovered the many families and employees his father had duped out of their rightful rewards.
Once his father had been put behind bars and Ari had been old enough to take over the reins of the company, the first thing he’d done was make sure the affected families were recompensed.
Letting anyone get away with fraud and duplicity would never happen.
He glanced down into the face of the woman whose body had invaded his dreams last night. She’d paled considerably, her eyes wide and haunted. His frown deepened.
