He loomed before her, the beginnings of a frown creasing his forehead. ‘You look pale.’
‘I’m fine,’ she lied. How many hours had it been since she’d eaten? She hadn’t been in the mood for food on the plane, refuelling on coffee and lots of it, but now the caffeine had worn off and she felt as powerful as a dandelion in a strong wind. ‘If you could show me the way?’
When Alexei didn’t immediately answer, Mina swung round towards the entry, remembering Henri heading down a corridor from there.
As she turned, another wave of tiredness hit and her movements lost their usual precise control. Her foot caught the edge of the plush carpet.
She didn’t trip or stagger, just paused, swaying as she caught her balance.
‘I’ll take you.’ The deep voice came from beside her ear as, to her astonishment, Alexei bent and curled his arms around her back and legs. An instant later she was in the air. Or, more precisely, in his arms, pressed against a hot body that seemed to be all solid muscle.
Mina’s breath stalled, then released on a shaky sigh at how extraordinary this felt. No one had ever held her like this. She registered conflicting feelings: shock, pleasure and an unexpected desire to burrow closer. As if Alexei were someone she trusted. Or desired.
‘There’s no need.’ The words were crisp, at odds with the strange wobbly feeling in her middle. It was impossible to sit straighter and assert control when she lay in his arms, unable to get any purchase.
Alexei ignored her words, marching out of the room.
With each step Mina felt her body move against his in a swaying rhythm that was surprisingly appealing. In other circumstances...
In other circumstances this wouldn’t happen, ever.
‘Thank you for your consideration,’ she said between barely open lips. ‘But I prefer to walk.’
That made him pause. He angled his head to look down at her and Mina was bombarded with impressions. The hard perfection of his squared-off jaw. From this intriguing angle, it was a study in obstinate power. The soaring, proud cheekbones that spoke of ancient Slavic heritage. The flare of arrogant nostrils and the fly-away effect of his winged eyebrows. The steady pump of his heart against her ribs and the power of those iron-hard arms encircling her.
Something shivered to life in the pit of Mina’s belly. Something that grew as she inhaled a tempting cedar-and-citrus aftershave that melded with the hot, salt scent of male skin. Her nostrils twitched appreciatively and the shiver amplified.
Astounded, Mina watched his eyes darken, the pupils dilating.
The world eclipsed to the dark mystery of that shadowy stare, heating her in all sorts of places.
When he spoke the sound vibrated from his chest into her body. She’d never experienced anything as intimate as his voice reverberating through her while his eyes devoured her.
‘Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.’
Despite the certainty he wouldn’t drop her, Mina couldn’t ignore the inner voice screaming at her to get away. Being this close to Alexei Katsaros was perilous, whatever his stated intention.
‘I prefer to walk. If you’ll kindly put me down.’ Tiredness vanished, replaced with quivering watchfulness.
‘And have you trip and hurt yourself?’ He shook his head, his rumpled locks swinging free. ‘I wouldn’t forgive myself.’
His tone was admirably sincere yet Mina read the tiny creases at the corners of his mouth and knew he was enjoying himself. Could he feel her heart hammer? She hated being vulnerable to him.
Before she could read any more, he looked away and began walking down the hall, carrying her easily, as if he carted unwilling women around every day.
Maybe he did.
‘Contrary to what you might have heard, Mr Katsaros, women are capable of thinking for themselves. We don’t appreciate he-men making our decisions for us. I—’
‘Is that what you think I am?’ Annoyingly his pace didn’t falter. ‘What exactly does that mean?’ His jaw jutted as he ruminated. ‘Someone very masculine? Someone who sees an exhausted guest and looks after her so she doesn’t hurt herself?’
Mina counted to ten. If she thought it would do any good, she’d struggle against his hold. But, though fit, she was no match for all that hard-packed muscle, especially given his superior size. He was well over six feet. If Alexei Katsaros didn’t want to release her she couldn’t make him. The knowledge infuriated her and she began stringing together curses in her own language that she couldn’t say lest he wonder how she knew Arabic.
She forced her gaze away from that annoyingly superior chin, focusing on the play of light and shadow on the ceiling as they passed down the hall.
‘After all,’ he continued, ‘as you pointed out so eloquently, it was my fault your trip was so...precipitate. If I’d been more conscious of your comfort I’d have organised for you to travel during the day, or ensured the bed on the plane was more comfortable. I’ll have it replaced.’
‘There’s no need for that. The bed was quite comfortable.’ Even to her ears her voice sounded thin. She held on to her temper by a tiny margin. All her life she’d been taught not to reveal anger. This time she dared not lose control because he’d see it as a victory.
‘Then it’s a wonder you didn’t sleep. Perhaps—’ she caught movement in her peripheral vision and turned to see him send a teasing look her way ‘—you couldn’t sleep because you were excited about visiting me.’
Excited! About as excited as if she visited a zoo to see a rattlesnake. Mina sucked in a rough breath, then stilled as the movement made her more aware of Alexei’s big hand on her ribs, close to her breast.
‘Perhaps I didn’t sleep because I was busy contacting people to reschedule things for the period I’ll be away. Since I had no opportunity earlier.’ She slanted him a frosty stare only to find that smile lurking around his mouth.
‘Ah, yes, no doubt your agenda is full of priority appointments.’ His expression didn’t change but his tone revealed how unlikely he thought it.
Mina didn’t bother to disabuse him. She might not run a multinational corporation, but nor was she idle. As well as the exhibition she was preparing for, she volunteered with disabled kids and at a nearby nursing home, doing art therapy. Plus, there was some admin work at a women’s shelter, the latest design commission for the perfumery in Jeirut and another from a French company that had seen her perfume bottle designs and wanted something similar.
‘Mr Katsaros.’ Her patience was perilously close to failing. One more jibe and she’d forget her resolve. ‘I really must—
‘Alexei, remember?’ His voice rumbled through her like an intimate caress. It was the final straw.
‘Put. Me. Down.’ Her voice rose from request to imperious command. ‘Now!’
Mina caught a flash of white teeth, a glimpse of glinting eyes and suddenly the world fell away as she dropped from his arms.
‘As you wish, Princess.’ He spoke as she landed with a puff of expelled air on her back. She was on a bed, looking up into dark, laughing eyes. But Mina was too tired and stressed to be amused. She didn’t appreciate being the butt of his jibes or his arrogant certainty that her life was of negligible importance.
Mina jackknifed to a sitting position, swiping a cushion off the bed with one hand and throwing it in the same, fluid movement. She had the satisfaction of seeing it hit him square on his superior chin.
‘Be thankful that wasn’t anything heavier. My aim is as good as any man’s.’ She heaved a breath that, to her horror, felt far too shaky. ‘Now, if you’d have the decency to leave, I’d like