‘Andreas bought you?’ Adrienne’s eyes were like saucers and Libby suppressed a groan. She’d forgotten that the child didn’t know the story.
‘He just bought a date with me, that’s all,’ she said quickly, throwing a warning glance at Alex. ‘The money was for a good cause. It was all very harmless.’
Except that the sum hadn’t been harmless. He’d paid a small fortune for the privilege of spending an evening with her.
Adrienne’s eyes were very round. ‘Wow. That doesn’t sound like him. Andreas is very picky about women. Especially women he doesn’t know. He doesn’t trust them. Grandma says it’s because he’s handsome, Greek and a millionaire,’ she said ingenuously. ‘They’re after him for the wrong reasons. So why you were sleeping in our spare room?’
Aware of her brother’s amused gaze, Libby gritted her teeth. ‘It’s a bit complicated.’
Alex drained his coffee-cup. ‘I’ll just bet it is,’ he muttered under his breath, and Libby rolled her eyes in frustration.
Whoever thought it was great to be a triplet had never had a brother as infuriating as Alex.
‘None of this would have happened,’ she snarled, ‘if you’d fulfilled your brotherly duty and bought me.’
Alex stood up, as cool and relaxed as ever. ‘Of course, there’s always the possibility that he might have outbid me if he’s that rich.’
‘You’re filthy rich and I’m your sister!’ Libby looked at him in exasperation. ‘You should have been prepared to pay whatever it took.’
‘To keep you out of the clutches of a handsome Greek millionaire?’ Alex’s eyes brimmed with laughter. ‘I don’t think so. I think he could be just what my baby sister needs.’
Libby stared at him, a suspicion forming in her mind. ‘You did it on purpose, didn’t you?’ she said slowly, her eyes narrowing as she looked at him. ‘You never intended to buy me.’
‘I’ve always been very careful with my money,’ Alex said lightly, ‘and, anyway, there’s not
hing like a new love affair to take your mind off your old one. You needed a distraction from Philip.’
He lifted one broad shoulder in a careless shrug and with a conspiratorial wink at Adrienne he strolled out of the room, leaving Libby fuming.
He was so infuriating.
‘He’s gorgeous,’ Adrienne whispered, her eyes still fixed on the door as if she was hoping that Alex would reappear. ‘Really, really handsome. Those blue eyes are amazing.’
‘He’s dangerous,’ Libby muttered, pushing her plate away and reaching for her coffee. ‘Wherever he goes, he leaves a trail of broken hearts and sobbing women.’
At that moment her brother was not her favourite person.
‘Like Andreas,’ Adrienne observed wisely, and Libby smiled wryly.
She could imagine that it was true.
Andreas Christakos was staggeringly good-looking and if he was rich as well then that would be enough for most women.
But not her.
She was far too cynical to be taken in by a handsome face and buckets of sex appeal.
And she certainly wasn’t interested in his money.
She stood up and smiled at Adrienne. ‘Come on. Let’s do your hair before he picks you up.’
Andreas rang the doorbell and glanced at his watch in frustration.
He was much, much later than he’d planned. Stabilising the little girl in A and E had taken a long time and in the end he’d admitted her to the ward, leaving instructions with the staff that they were to call him if there was any change in her condition. It had been a nasty attack.
The door opened and, instead of Libby, he found himself staring at a tall, dark-haired man with very blue eyes.
Andreas tensed and the warmth of his greeting froze on his lips.