What the Greek's Money Can't Buy(19)

                Irritation returned, bit deeper. ‘I don’t give a damn about personal liability or corporate risks. What I do give a damn about is your ability to function properly tomorrow if you don’t get enough sleep. You’ve been up for over eighteen hours. So, unless you have super powers I’m not aware of, put that hose down and get down here.’ He held out a hand, unwilling to examine this almost clawing need to take care of her.

                She didn’t put the hose down. Instead she handed it over to a salvage crew member. Finally, she faced Sakis.

                ‘Fine. You win.’ Again he saw the tiniest mutinous set to her lips and wondered why that little action pleased him so much.

                He was tired; he must be hallucinating. He certainly wasn’t thinking straight if the thought of getting under his executive assistant’s skin held so much of his interest.

                She swung long, slim legs over the side of the boat and dropped into the dinghy. The movement made the vessel sway. She swayed with it, and threw out a hand to steady herself as Sakis turned.

                Her torso bumped his arm and her hand landed on his shoulder as she tried to find her feet. His arm snagged her waist, encountered firm, warm muscle beneath his fingers.

                Heat punched through his chest and arrowed straight for his groin.

                ‘Stasi!’

                ‘I...I’m sorry,’ she stammered, pulling away with a skittishness very unlike her.

                ‘No harm done,’ he murmured. But Sakis wasn’t so hot on that reassurance. Harm was being done to his insides. Heat continued to ravage him, firing sensations he sure as hell didn’t want fired up. And especially not with his PA.

                A quick glance showed she’d retreated to the farthest part of the small dinghy with her arms crossed primly around her middle and her face averted from his. He tried not to let his gaze drop to her plump breasts...but, Theos, it was hard not to notice their tempting fullness.

                With a muttered curse, his hand tightened on the rudder of the dinghy and steered it towards shore.

                This time she didn’t refuse his offer of help when they stepped into the shallow water. After making sure the vessel was secure, he followed her onto the floodlit beach.

                When he neared, he caught another glimpse of distress on her face.

                ‘What’s wrong? Why were you on the salvage boat? And, before you trot out “nothing”, I’d advise you not to insult my intelligence.’

                He saw her hesitate, then shove her hands into her pockets. This time, he couldn’t stop himself from staring at her chest. Thankfully, she didn’t notice because her gaze wasn’t on him.

                ‘I was talking to the some of the locals earlier. This cove was a special place for them, a sanctuary. I...I felt bad about what’s happened.’

                Guilt lanced through him. But, more than that, the rare glimpse into Brianna Moneypenny’s human side intrigued him more than ever. ‘I’ll make sure it’s returned to them as pristine as it once was.’

                Her gaze flew up and connected with his, surprise and pleasure reflected in her eyes. ‘That’s good. It’s not nice when your sanctuary is ripped away from you.’ The pain accompanying those words made him frown. Before he could probe deeper, she stepped back. ‘Anyway, I assured them you would make it right.’

                ‘Thank you.’