What The Greek Wants Most(24)

Inez glanced at Theo. 'Will you let me choose?'

He sat back in his chair, his gaze brushing her face. 'It's your show, anjo.'

She rattled off the order and added a few more dishes that had Camila nodding in approval before she bustled off.                       
       
           



       

Alone with Theo, she tried to calm her giddy senses. Not read too much   into why he'd brought her here of all places. But her emotions refused   to be calmed.

He was making her feel things she had no business feeling, considering   their circumstances. Her heart was very much in danger of being   devastated. And this time the danger signs were not disguised as they'd   been with Constantine. She was walking into this with her heart and  eyes  wide open …

'You're frowning too hard, querida.'

Plucking a piece of bread from the basket, she fought to focus on not   ruining their truce. 'I think I may have ordered too much food.'

'You have a healthy appetite. Nothing wrong with that.'

'It's that healthy appetite that keeps me on the wrong side of chubby.'

'You're not chubby. You're perfect.'

Her hand stilled on the way to her mouth. In the ambient light, she   witnessed the potent, knee-weakening look of appreciation on his face.   The look slowly grew until hunger became deeply etched into his every   feature.

Desire pounded through her, sending radial pulses of heat through her   body to concentrate on that needy place between her legs. 'Obrigado,'   she murmured hoarsely.

He nodded slowly, leant forward and took the piece of bread from her   hand. Tearing off a piece, he held it against her mouth. When she opened   it, he placed it on her tongue and watched her chew.

Then he sat back and ate the remaining piece.

She eventually managed to swallow and cast around for a safe topic of   conversation that didn't involve her father or the dangerous emotions   arcing between them.

Whether he noticed her floundering or not, she smiled gratefully when he asked, 'Did your mother grow up around here?'

'No, both she and Camila grew up near the Serra Geral, although she   spent part of her childhood in Arizona where my grandmother was from.   Their fathers were ranch-owning gauchos and neighbours but after they   both married they moved to Rio and stayed in touch. Camila is like a   second mother to me … '

'Da Costa Holdings isn't a cattle business, though,' he replied, then stiffened slightly.

She smiled quickly, wanting to hold onto the animosity-free atmosphere   they'd found. 'No, after my grandfather died, my mother sold the ranch   and let my father expand the company instead.' She breathed in relief   when Camila returned with their wine and first course.

The older woman's warm smile and effusive manner further lightened the   mood. By the time she took her first sip of the bold red wine the   slightly chilly interlude had passed.

Theo complimented her on the food choice and tucked into the grilled   fish starter. The conversation returned to safer topics and eventually   turned to his previous career as a championship-winning rower.

'Why did you stop competing?'

He shrugged. 'I tried a few partners after Ari and Sakis retired. The   chemistry was lacking. In a sport like that chemistry is key.' He topped   up her wine and took a sip of his own.

'You've been lucky to have had the opportunity to do something you loved,' she replied wistfully.

His smile looked a little taut around the edges. 'Luck is a luxury that normally comes along as a result of hard work.'

She glanced down into her wine. 'But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, fate has other ideas for you.'

His eyes narrowed into sharp laser-like beams. 'Yes. But the answer is to turn it to your advantage.'

'Or you can walk away. Find a different option?'

One corner of his mouth lifted. 'Walking away has never been my style.'

She slowly nodded. 'You wouldn't have won championships if you were a man who walked away.'

His expression morphed into something that resembled gratitude. She   couldn't claim she understood all his motives but she was beginning to   grasp what made Theo tick. As long as he could see a problem in any area   of his life, he would not walk away until it was resolved. It was why   he was the troubleshooter for Pantelides Inc.

She'd watched footage of him rowing. His grit and determination had held   her enthralled throughout the feature and she would be lying now if  she  didn't admit it was a huge turn-on.                       
       
           



       

'But there's also strength in walking away. You walked away from rowing rather than risk partnering up with the wrong person.'

He stiffened. 'Inez … '

She fought the urge to back down. 'I don't want to mess up our truce but   I want you to just think about it. There's no shame in forgiving. No   shame in letting the past stay in the past.'

His eyes grew dark and haunted. 'What about my demons?'

'Do you have a cast-iron guarantee that they will be vanquished by the path you've chosen?'

He frowned for several seconds before his eyes narrowed. 'You're right. Let's not mess up the truce, shall we?'

'Theo … '

'Anjo. Enough. Have some more wine.' He smiled.

And, just like that, her pulse surged faster. Hell, everything he did   made her pulse race. She took a sip and licked her lips as the   languorous effect of the wine and the captivating man sitting opposite   her took hold.

She really needed to stop drinking so much. She pulled her gaze from the   rugged perfection of his face as Camila returned to offer them coffee.

Inez declined and looked over to see his eyes riveted on her.

'I think we need to get you back to the boat.'

Laughter that seemed to be coming easier around him escaped her throat.   'You make me sound as if I've been naughty,' she said after Camila   collected their empty plates and left.

'Trust me, I would tell you if you'd been.'

'Well, the night is still young and I'm not ruling anything out.' She laughed again.

His mouth curved in one of those devastating smiles as he reached for his wallet and extracted several crisp notes.

'I say it's definitely time to get you back and into bed.'

Her breath caught. He didn't mean what she thought he meant. Of course   he didn't. But images suddenly bombarded her brain that had her   blushing.

As she said goodbye to Camila and headed outside, she prayed he wouldn't see her reaction to his words.

'Hey, slow down, you'll break your ankle rushing in those heels.' He   caught up with her outside and slid a hand around her waist.

The warmth of his body was suddenly too much to bear. 'It's okay, I'm   fine.' Her voice emerged a touch too forceful and he glanced sharply at   her.

'What's wrong?'

She raked an exasperated hand through her hair and tried to stem the   words forming at the back of her mind. They came out anyway. 'You're   supposed to be my enemy. And yet you brought me to one of my favourite   places in the world. You're being so kind and attentive and I can't   help … I … I want you.'

The transformation that occurred sent her senses reeling. From the   charming, desirous dinner companion, Theo turned into a hungry predatory   beast in the space of a heartbeat.

He pulled her into a dark alley between two high-rises. Her heart hammered as he held her against the wall and leaned in close.

'You don't want to say things like that to me right now, Inez,' he grated harshly.

His mouth was so tantalising close, she shut her eyes to avoid closing   the gap between them and experiencing another potent kiss. 'I don't want   to be saying them either. I can't seem to stop myself because it's the   truth.'

'That's just the wine talking,' he replied.

She nodded then groaned when he leaned in closer. Heat from his body   burned hers and his breath washed over her face. When his stubbled jaw   brushed her cheek, she bit hard on her lower lip to stop another groan   from escaping.

'Open your eyes, Inez.'

She shook her head. 'Nao … por favor … '

'What are you begging me for?' he whispered in her ear.

A deep shudder coursed down her spine. 'I don't know … ' She stopped and sucked in a desperate breath. 'Kiss me,' she pleaded.

With a dark moan, he touched his mouth to the corner of hers. Fleeting. Feather-light. Barely enough.

Her hands gripped his waist and held on tight. 'Please,' she whispered.

'Anjo, if I start I won't be able to stop. And neither of us wants to spend the night in jail for lewd behaviour.'                       
       
           



       

She finally opened her eyes. He stood, tall, dark, devastatingly   good-looking and tense, with a hunger she'd never seen in a man's eyes.   That it was directed at her made her pulse race that much harder.