The defeat in her stance made Damen flinch because it was not like Mairi to be like that. He had known her for over a day, but even in that short span of time he fucking knew Mairi was like a goddamn sun that kept shining.
“I want you in my life, Mairi.”
The words stunned her, and even though she didn’t want to admit it, the words made hope unfurl its leaves and start to blossom inside her again. “You do?” Mairi whispered.
“I know it sounds fucking crazy, but there’s something about you that I can’t get enough of. I never stopped thinking about you these past two weeks. I wanted to fix things but you didn’t take my calls---”
“You called once!”
“You didn’t let me visit---”
“You tried once!”
“You didn’t reply---”
“You texted me once!”
“Those were all things I have never done for any other woman but you!” he snapped, his hand slashing the air in an expansive gesture of frustration. “Do you think it’s easy for me to do any of those when all my life it’s always been the other way around?” He looked at Ioniko with contempt. “And I still fucking want you, even if you are here with him.”#p#分页标题#e#
Ioniko said evenly, “I trust Mairi’s judgment. I’m sure she’ll eventually see that she will be happier in my bed than in yours.”
“You will never touch her!” Damen spat.
“Careful with your tone, Leventis. I can easily order you off my yacht.”
Realizing in a panic that the two were close to coming to blows, she protested, “Stop!” Their gazes swung back to her, barely suppressed rage evident in their tense forms.
Swallowing, she looked at Ioniko first. “I’m so sorry I got you involved in this.”
Ioniko breathed hard at the words. “And I am sorry that you are choosing this bastard over me.” She started to speak, but he shook his head. “You did nothing wrong – and it is not over between us. Don’t think I’m giving you up. I am simply respecting your decision – for now. But know this, Mairi - he does not deserve you.”
“And you do?” Damen asked coldly.
“At least I do not lie about being unattached.” Ioniko smiled mirthlessly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think it is best that I leave the two of you to work out your differences.”
The door swung shut behind Ioniko’s back silently, leaving Mairi and Damen staring at each other.
Everything she had ruthlessly buried in the deepest recesses of her memories suddenly came back in a rush, and she nearly fainted at the way her heart was close to bursting with happiness. Damen Leventis wanted her in his life. Her Greek billionaire had missed her, had not been able to stop thinking about her – had chosen her.
Lesson 9
To catch a Greek billionaire, you must be prepared to be hurt.
He said: That makes you sound like a masochist.
She said: Good thing you’re very much a sadist. We’re the perfect pair.
(He said: Note to editor – make sure this book is rated for mature readers. I do not want my daughter to read this and start having ideas.)
“Please don’t tell me we ran out of gas.” Mairi was the first one to break the silence that had developed between her and Damen the moment they were aboard his sailboat, which he had anchored next to Ioniko’s yacht.
She had been terribly impressed to see Damen in action behind the steering wheel, but now, with the winds dying down and the engine suddenly shutting down in the middle of the Mediterranean, Mairi was starting to feel faint. She had watched a lot of movies that took place in marooned and lost ships and none of them had happy endings.
“Damen?”
He shook his head. “I simply ran out of patience. I’m too hungry for you.” He extended his hand.
Her eyes widened. “Now?”
Damen’s face became shuttered. “Does it feel too soon?”
“I…no…”
“Did you perhaps forget about my touch and how it felt to be in my arms after spending time with Vlahos?”
Before she could answer, Damen had her trapped between his body and the wall. “Damen---”
The rest of what she wanted to say was swallowed by his hard and possessive kiss. All her emotional defenses were shattered by that kiss, the heat and passion that she could only feel in Damen’s arms coming back to her with a vengeance.
With a little cry, she curled her arms around his neck and surrendered herself to Damen’s kiss, her tongue moving as insistently as his, needing more of his taste, wanting more of his dominance.
“Did he make you feel like this when he kissed you?” Damen growled against her lips, jealousy driving him crazy. Mairi was his but he still had this insane urge to storm back into Vlahos’ yacht and beat the other man for even thinking about Mairi.