Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance 2(183)

Damen continued, “Like Diana, I find your, err, positive outlook of life quite remarkable.”

Mairi looked at him suspiciously. The Leventis siblings appeared to have a really big chip on their shoulders when it came to optimism. They made it sound like a dirty word.

“She’s the nicest girl you’ll ever meet, Damen,” Diana added.

“Diana!” Mairi could have groaned in frustration. The way her student described her, it sounded like she had SUCKER written all over her.

“A nice girl, mm?”

Everything that could quiver in her body did quiver at the way he said the words. It was as if he was subtly challenging her to prove to him that she wasn’t always a nice girl – with him. And oh, oh dear! That gaze of his! Mairi’s eyes flitted towards Diana in panic, but the younger girl appeared entirely unaware that her own brother was doing his best to seduce her with his eyes – and it was working!

Her mind shut down, panic setting in completely. What if Damen Leventis was the one? What if he was not the one? Oh God, she was so confused! She needed a moment to herself, needed a moment to think, preferably with a drier pair of panties.

Mairi looked down, pretending to check the time on her watch. She squeaked out, “Gosh, look at the time. I need to get back to the conference---”

“Perfect,” Damen agreed smoothly. Something was suddenly wrong. He felt his beautiful quarry deliberately trying to shut him out. No woman had ever tried to shut him out before, and that this woman was doing so made Damen cynically wonder if it was simply a ploy to make him more interested in her.

He nodded to Diana, his voice commanding as he said, “Lead the way, Diana. I would like to speak with your teacher in private.”

The word ‘private’ made Mairi’s head shoot up. “I don’t think---”

Diana made a face. “Don’t bully her.”

“I do not bully,” Damen answered in a cool voice. “Now go ahead and lead us.”

Mairi looked at Diana, begging the girl not to leave her alone with Damen. But all the girl did was shrug and say apologetically, “I’m sorry, Ms. Yay. He’s the boss, you know.”

Mairi would have believed her student was sincerely apologetic if not for the mischievous grin on Diana’s face. If she wasn’t mistaken, Diana had the look of someone who was trying to play matchmaker. That would have been cool – later. Right now? With Mairi in full panic mode?

“Traitor,” Mairi muttered under her breath as Diana left her alone with her brother.

“Pardon?”

Mairi cleared her throat. “I, umm, said, ‘till later’ to your sister.” She started walking as briskly as she could, following Diana to the stairs. Unfortunately, it was ridiculously easy for Damen Leventis’ long-legged strides to keep pace with her.

“Are you trying to run away from me, Ms. Tanner?” Dark amusement underlined his voice.

She blinked rapidly at him as if utterly confused. “Who? Me? Why would I?”

He smirked.

Drat. That was such a sexy look on Damen Leventis. She had to look away or she’d start to drool.

“I hope you are not mad with my sister, Ms. Tanner.”

“I’m not.” She meant it.

“If I were to be truthful, I am amazed at her transformation. When I overheard her talking to you – she is never like that at home, Ms. Tanner.”

Damen’s voice was sincere, even humbled, and her panic receded a little at the sound of it. She started to answer, but by then they had to start weaving their way through the scores of parents crowding the hall leading to the conference room. Almost everyone they walked past was keen to greet Damen, with the men either exuberant or deferential while the women were blatantly appreciative.

It enthralled and repelled her at the same time, with a good amount of jealousy mixed in, the way the women’s eyes, tipped with heavy fake lashes, blatantly ogled every inch of Damen Leventis’ body.

She honestly wanted to do the same thing. Damen was worth staring at, after all, but her inhibitions kept her from doing so.

Diana turned at the corner of the hallway and they followed suit. More people called out to Damen, who only nodded in acknowledgment, his expression aloof. It unnerved Mairi, the way even the wealthiest-looking people around them appeared almost obsequious as they courted his attention…which was still solely focused on her.

“She is doing well in school, Ms. Tanner? Please be honest with me.”

Mairi relaxed at the realization that they were still talking about Diana, which was a completely safe subject and unlikely to make her imagine more lustful thoughts about the hot, hot, hot man walking next to her. “Diana is doing better and better each day, Mr. Leventis. It takes your sister longer than usual to…relax and be herself but when she does, I’ve seen for myself that she is a well-adjusted child.”