The old man frowned, and then his wrinkled eyes suddenly beamed at her. “You have good sense, madame.”
Another conquest fell at Daisy’s feet. But then, who could resist her?
Not Leonidas.
But he was, stupidly, the only man on earth who’d given his word of honor never to kiss her.
How strange it was, he thought. To want a woman like this, but not be able to touch her, not be able to seduce her. He thought he might literally die if he never possessed her again.
He would win her, he told himself fiercely. He would. And not just for one night, but forever.
“This is so good,” Daisy moaned softly over the sweet crepe, drizzled with butter and sugar. Automatically pushing his own dessert crepe toward her, he tried to distract himself from his unbearable desire.
“I’m sorry you didn’t care much for the shopping today.”
“I liked the people... They were very nice.”
“Some other day I’ll show you more of Liontari’s brands. I want you to appreciate my company. It will all belong to our child one day.”
Daisy’s eyes almost popped out of her head. She actually put down her fork. “Our daughter will inherit your company?”
Hadn’t she realized that? Incredible. With any other woman, he thought, his business empire would have been the first thing on her mind. “Of course. It will all be hers.”
Her forehead furrowed. “But what if...she doesn’t want it?”
Now Leonidas was the one to be shocked. “Not want Liontari? Why would she not want it?”
Daisy took another bite, slowly pulling her fork out of her mouth, leaving a bit of sugar on her lower lip. He was distracted, until she said thoughtfully, “Not every child wants to follow in the footsteps of her parents’ professions.”
He looked up, annoyed. “It’s not just a profession. It’s a multibillion-dollar conglomerate, with the biggest luxury brands in the world—” He steadied himself, took a deep breath. Daisy couldn’t have meant her words as an insult. “Don’t worry.” He made his voice jovial, reassuring. “I will teach her everything she needs to know. When it’s her time to lead, she’ll have the board members eating out of the palm of her hand.”
“Yes. Maybe. If she wants.”
“If she wants?” Leonidas repeated incredulously. “Why would anyone not want an empire?” Especially one he’d created out of his own sweat, blood and bone!
Daisy shrugged. “She might find running a corporation boring. Maybe she’ll want to be... I don’t know...an accountant. An actress. A firefighter!”
He was offering everything he had, everything he’d spent his life pursuing—everything that proved to the world, proved to himself, that his parents had been wrong, and Leonidas Niarxos had value, had a right to be alive.
But Daisy, who had such warmth and concern for strangers, didn’t think his empire was worth anything? He thought their daughter might not want it?
He stared at her. “Are you serious?”
“I just want her to find her true passion. Like you found yours.”
“My passion?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” She gave him a cheeky smile. “Business is your passion.”
Her smile did crazy things to his insides. “Business is my passion?”
“The way you’ve done it—yes. What else would you call it? There’s no guidebook for creating a world empire. No business degree could tell a person how to do it.”
“What’s your passion, then?” he countered.
Her face fell, and she looked down at her plate. “Art, I guess. Even though I’m not very good at it.”
She looked sad. He thought again about how she’d treasured that old painting.