hunger in his groin and inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring. ‘What is your name?’ he demanded
harshly.
‘It’s…Rina.’ The words spilled from Kitty’s lips, and the moment they were out it was too late
to retract them. She didn’t understand what had prompted her to withhold her true identity, but
she knew that Nikos had previously met Liss at a party in Paris and, although it was stupid, she
could not bear the idea of him comparing her with her beautiful, glamorous sister. ‘I’m new
here,’ she mumbled, assuring herself that she had only lied to save him the embarrassment of
learning that he had mistaken a member of the royal family for a servant.
‘I see.’ Nikos strolled back across the room towards her and Kitty felt her pulse-rate quicken
with every step he took. He swamped her senses and she was tempted to turn and flee, but when
he halted inches from her she saw the gleam of sexual curiosity in his eyes and shock held her
immobile. Surely she was wrong? Nikos had dated some of the world’s most beautiful women
and it was rumoured that he had been having a white-hot affair with the stunning Hollywood
star, Shannon Marsh, for months. It was inconceivable that he could be attracted to a frump like
her— wasn’t it? She licked her suddenly dry lips and was startled when the expression in his
eyes hardened to a predatory gleam that caused her heart to pound.
‘Something tells me you have a lot to learn, Rina.’
The mockery in his voice was mixed with a blatant sensual message that sent a quiver of
excitement down Kitty’s spine. She had led a sheltered life at the palace, and at twenty-six was
painfully aware of her sexual inexperience, but the feral heat in Nikos’s eyes was unmistakable,
even to a novice like her.
‘I’d better go…and bring you some champagne, Mr Angelaki,’ she said breathlessly, jerking
away from him before she gave in to the temptation to close the space between them and press
her soft body against the muscled hardness of his. Dangerous thoughts; and instinct warned her
he was a man who was way out of her league.
‘Yes, you better had.’ Nikos laughed softly, self-derisively; breaking the web of sexual tension
that curvy little waitress had somehow woven around him. ‘Out of interest, how do you know my
name?’
‘I’ve seen your photograph, and read about you in the newspapers,’ Kitty admitted, although she#p#分页标题#e#
did not add that she regularly scanned the tabloids for articles about him or that she was rarely
disappointed by his absence in the gossip columns. Nikos Angelaki’s luck at the roulette table
was as legendary as his business acumen. He was a gambler and a risk-taker, a high-flier who
was frequently snapped by the paparazzi driving around Athens in his Lamborghini with a
seemingly inexhaustible supply of beautiful women at his side. ‘You have a reputation as a
millionaire playboy with a different blonde on your arm almost every week,’ she said stiffly.
Nikos shrugged carelessly. ‘You shouldn’t believe all you read in the papers, Rina. Some of my
“blondes” have lasted much longer than a week, and a few have even made it to a month,’ he
added sardonically. ‘But I think my private life is nobody’s business but my own—don’t you?’
‘Absolutely,’ Kitty replied tightly, stung by his rebuke. ‘It’s no concern of mine that you change
your women as often as other men change their socks.’
An ominous pause followed her defiant statement, and then Nikos threw back his head and
laughed. ‘I wonder if Prince Sebastian is aware that he has a rebel among his staff?’ he drawled,
moving before Kitty had time to react, and capturing her chin between his strong fingers. ‘If
you’re not careful that sassy mouth could get you into a lot of trouble, Rina.’
She was trapped by his closeness, and the heat from his body mingled with the sensual tang of
his aftershave stole around her and held her prisoner. The gleam in his eyes sent a tremor through
her, and for a few electrifying seconds she thought he was going to lower his head and kiss her.
She held her breath, torn between fear and fascination, and felt a crushing sense of
disappointment when he abruptly released her. Of course he hadn’t intended to kiss her; stupid of
her to have thought it.
Nikos wondered if she knew how easily he could read her mind—or how tempted he was to
accept her unspoken invitation and crush her soft mouth beneath his. It took every ounce of his
will power to step away from her and retrace his steps back across the room. ‘Go back to the