Drakon looked down frowningly at his slender gold wristwatch, surprised to see that he had been talking with Gemini for almost half an hour rather than the ten minutes he had originally thought necessary before dismissing her. Incredible!
‘I believe Miss Bartholomew has said what she wished to say…?’ He turned to give her a pointed glance.
Instead of taking that as the invitation to leave Drakon intended it to be, she turned and walked gracefully across the room to where Markos stood at the top of the staircase. ‘I’m pleased to meet you, Mr Lyonedes.’ She smiled warmly as she thrust out her hand.
Markos briefly raised dark and questioning brows in Drakon’s direction before turning to take her slender hand in his own. ‘I assure you the pleasure is all mine, Miss Bartholomew.’ Markos’s voice had become dark and smoky.
‘Gemini,’ she invited lightly.
‘Markos,’ he returned warmly.
Her smile widened. ‘I apologise if I’ve made your cousin late for an important business meeting.’
‘Not at all.’ Markos’s gaze darkened appreciatively as he continued to hold onto that slender hand and looked down into the pale beauty of her face. ‘In Drakon’s place I wouldn’t have been in any hurry to leave you in order to attend a boring business meeting either.’
Drakon found himself suddenly deeply irritated by the obvious flirtation taking place in front of him, and became even more annoyed as Gemini gave a husky and appreciative laugh before deftly extricating her hand from Markos’s. ‘I will join you downstairs in a moment, Markos,’ he bit out harshly.
His cousin gave him an amused glance. ‘I would be more than happy to stay here and keep Gemini company until you return from talking with Bob Thompson.’
Drakon’s mouth thinned. ‘That will not be necessary. Miss Bartholomew and I will be meeting for dinner this evening in order to conclude our conversation.’
Wide and startled sea-green eyes turned sharply in his direction. ‘We will?’
Drakon bit back his inner frustration, having no idea why he had even made such a statement. Except he had not liked the idea of Markos remaining alone here with Gemini any more than he had appreciated the way in which his cousin had held on to her hand for far longer than was necessary or polite…
Implying what, exactly?
This woman had forced her way into his presence today by making a damned nuisance of herself, before making several surprising statements—including one concerning Drakon’s relationship with her stepmother. And as a reward for that unacceptable behaviour he was now inviting her out to dinner?
No, he had not invited her out to dinner. He had told her the two of them would be having dinner together this evening in order to finish this conversation. Not the same thing at all…
‘We will,’ Drakon stated flatly. ‘I will send a car to Bartholomew House to collect you at seven-thirty this evening.’
‘I haven’t lived at Bartholomew House for years.’ Her nose wrinkled ruefully. ‘I’m afraid Angela cornered me several months after she and Daddy were married and asked me to leave,’ she explained with a grimace.
Drakon scowled darkly, liking the situation between the two Bartholomew women less and less the more he learnt of it.
Admittedly, as the second wife of Miles Bartholomew, Angela had been perfectly within her rights to ask her stepdaughter to find somewhere else to live—especially as Gemini must have been twenty-four or five at the time—but morally…
But as he had already assured Gemini once today, unfortunately morality often had very little to do with anything!
‘Then you will give your current address to the receptionist downstairs when you leave so that the car can be directed there,’ he ordered.
‘I’ll go down to Reception with Gemini,’ Markos offered.
Drakon shot his cousin a narrow-eyed glance as he once again sensed Markos’s interest in this ethereally beautiful young woman. ‘I am sure Miss Bartholomew, having already managed to force herself into my presence today, is more than capable of taking herself down in the lift,’ he drawled dismissively, feeling an inner satisfaction as he saw the guilty flush that instantly warmed Gemini’s cheeks.
Markos gave an amused smile. ‘I’m sure she is too. But wouldn’t it be better if one of us were to ensure she has actually left the building?’
The blush deepened in Gemini’s cheeks. ‘I resent the implication that I’m some sort of criminal who needs escorting from the premises!’ she defended irritably.
‘Forgive me if I inadvertently gave that impression,’ Markos apologised.
She nodded. ‘I only behaved in the way that I did earlier because I needed to speak to your cousin on a—a personal matter, and it seemed to be the only way to achieve that.’
Drakon now sensed Markos’s speculative green gaze on him, aware that after their earlier conversation his cousin no doubt now believed that ‘personal matter’ was something totally other than what it actually was. ‘Escort the lady downstairs by all means, Markos,’ he said as he strolled across the room to join them. ‘Until later this evening, Gemini,’ he added huskily, before turning to descend the spiral staircase without so much as a backward glance.
‘Do I have a smudge of dirt on my nose or something?’ Gemini shot a puzzled frown at the man standing beside her in the lift as she sensed his silent appraisal.
‘Not at all.’ Markos shook his head. ‘It’s just—Drakon has never mentioned knowing you before today.’
Her brows rose. ‘That’s probably because he didn’t know me before today!’
‘No?’
‘Mr Lyonedes—’
‘Markos,’ he reminded her smoothly.
Oh, he was a charmer, this one, Gemini acknowledged ruefully—but she had no doubt that there was a will of steel every bit as forceful as his cousin’s beneath that outer charm. ‘Why don’t you just say what you have to say, Markos?’ she invited.
He shrugged broad shoulders. ‘I am merely curious as to your reason for coming here today.’
Gemini smiled. ‘There’s really nothing for you to be curious about.’
‘No?’
‘No,’ she stated firmly.
‘But I am correct in assuming you are Miles Bartholomew’s daughter?’
Gemini tensed warily. ‘Yes…’
Markos pursed his lips. ‘As I thought.’
And he was no doubt thinking a lot of other things if he was aware of his cousin’s very personal relationship with Gemini’s stepmother!
If Angela were to learn that she was having dinner with Drakon this evening, it would no doubt result in her stepmother throwing one of her temper tantrums. But that was Drakon’s problem, not Gemini’s; there really was nothing more Angela could do to her that she hadn’t already done!
‘Well, it’s been nice meeting you, Markos.’ Gemini’s smile was now brightly non-committal, and she stepped out of the lift as soon as the doors opened onto the ground floor. ‘I’ll be sure and leave my address with the receptionist on my way out.’
Thankfully Markos took that for the dismissal it was meant to be and remained standing inside the private lift. ‘I hope you enjoy your dinner with Drakon this evening.’ He nodded his farewell, amusement still dancing in those deep green eyes as the lift doors slowly