Greek Tycoon, Inexperienced Mistress

‘I want to take you back to bed,’ he admitted in a raw undertone of frustration, both hands splayed on her hips to hold her close enough to feel the hard male heat of his arousal. ‘Once was very far from being enough.’

Lindy reddened, struggling with the notion of herself as some sort of temptress but loving it—and the proof of it in his physical reaction to her too.

‘Unfortunately I have a meeting up at the house,’ he reminded her.

‘Several,’ she told him with a smile.

‘Either come with me or go back to the hotel. You can do nothing here without electricity.’

‘I may not be able to make candles, but I can cut lavender and make pot pourri,’ she contradicted.

‘But you don’t have to do any of that right now.’

The bell at the front door buzzed.

Lindy peered out of the window and saw her friend’s car. ‘It’s Ben,’ she said.

‘Ben?’ Atreus queried, moving to the window to note the BMW parked on the drive.

‘A good friend of mine. He’s here to collect Pip, the little dog that nipped you. Pip belongs to his mother,’ she explained.

Ben strode straight into the hall. ‘I’m on a day off so I thought I’d come down early. It interferes less with my social life,’ he confided, with a speaking roll of his eyes.

Lindy launched right into telling him about Pip’s swollen gums. She urged him to take the little animal to his mother’s vet for a check-up. ‘Painful teeth could explain why he’s so cross. He needs treatment urgently,’ she stressed. ‘I’ll go and get him for you.’

‘Aren’t you inviting me in?’ But Ben was talking to thin air, because Lindy had already hurried off to slot Pip into his travelling basket.

‘Where did the limo outside come from?’ Ben called in her wake.

A split second after Lindy returned with the basket Atreus appeared on the threshold of the sitting room. ‘It’s mine—’

Lindy introduced the two men with a pronounced casualness that brought a gleam to Atreus’s dark watchful gaze. Ben recognised the name at once, and immediately adopted a more businesslike manner.

‘Chantry House almost burnt down last night. A crowd of us helped to clear up,’ Lindy explained.

‘But Lindy offered the most valuable assistance,’ Atreus imparted.

Lindy stiffened in surprise when Atreus curved a light arm to her spine. Ben noticed, and sent her a frowning questioning glance. Her cheeks burned.

‘I’d like to take you out for lunch as thanks for putting up with Pip,’ Ben announced.

‘Unfortunately Lindy is already booked,’ Atreus breathed silkily.

‘Sorry,’ Lindy muttered, wondering why on earth Ben should have suddenly invited her out for a meal and then understanding as she picked up on the bristling attitude between the two men: Ben was curious. She felt like a bone between two dogs, and was thoroughly irritated, both by Ben’s unprecedented invitation and Atreus’s arrogant assumption that his last-minute invitation would take priority with her. But it did take priority, she conceded ruefully, even if she disliked his methods.

‘I’ll call you later,’ Ben told her stiffly.

‘No, you can’t leave yet. I’ll make coffee for us.’

His stunning dark eyes cool as ice water, Atreus opened the front door. ‘I’ll pick you up at twelve.’

‘What the blazes are you playing at with that guy?’ Ben demanded within seconds of the door shutting in the Greek tycoon’s wake.

Lindy was tempted to tell Ben to mind his own business, and had to remind herself that close friends were entitled to ask awkward questions.

‘He’s been flirting with me…that’s all,’ she replied lightly, finding it quite impossible to even consider telling Ben the truth.

‘Of course that’s all,’ Ben agreed with wounding conviction. ‘I would very much doubt that you have what it takes to tempt Atreus Dionides into anything more. He’s a billionaire shipping tycoon and he only dates stunningly beautiful women.’

‘Coffee,’ Lindy pronounced through clenched teeth, resisting the humiliating urge to tell Ben that while he might not find her attractive Atreus certainly did.

Ben didn’t stay long, because Lindy wanted time to get dressed for lunch. He was not as relaxed with her as he usually was, and she wondered if it was insane of her to suspect that the suggestion that another man might be interested in her had thoroughly irritated her platonic friend.

Lindy put on the smartest outfit in her wardrobe—an elegant black trouser suit. Atreus had let his bodyguard come to the door for her, and when she got into the limousine he treated her to a thirty-second appraisal before saying, ‘I prefer skirts on women.’