He dragged his gaze away to consider a skirt so big it had swung around her hips, leaving the slit that was supposed to be at the back at the side. She looked a mess. Not that the elderly man currently showing her to her seat seemed to notice…
He had arranged for her to sit on the front row, right under his gaze and where he could keep an eye on her. Why was the usher taking so long to settle her? What did they find to talk and laugh about? She looked relaxed. Too relaxed.
One thing puzzled him. It was clear she knew the elderly usher, but he was holding on to her arm in his enthusiasm when she’d panicked at the thought of his bodyguards touching her. It was another piece of the puzzle like the scar on her cheek…
Alexander frowned as he organised the papers in front of him. He had no time to waste on Ellie Mendoras today. She’d have her chance to speak and that would be an end of it.
‘Ms Mendoras, sit down. It isn’t your turn to speak yet.’ He couldn’t believe she was causing trouble again. She should realise that everyone here was in his camp. Maybe she did, but that hadn’t stopped her protesting. ‘Ms Mendoras!’ His voice cracked out like a blow with a gavel.
‘Mr Kosta,’ she rapped back at him to a murmur of general surprise. ‘This audience is largely composed of visitors to the island, all of whom have a vested interest in being here. I speak for the locals—’
‘I think I know that—’
‘Profit is the only goal of the newcomers you have introduced to the island,’ she went on, ignoring him. ‘These races of yours—’
‘Will take place. Now sit down, Ms Mendoras, before I have you removed from the chamber—’
‘Am I the only person here who cares about this island?’ she demanded, ignoring him as she gazed passionately around the packed council chamber.
She was certainly the only person present holding their shoes in their hand. ‘I’m warning you,’ he tried for one last time, ‘sit down now, or I’ll have you ejected.’
Her look suggested, you and whose army? And as he held her fiery gaze he wanted to be the one to cart her out, but he wouldn’t deposit her on the pavement—he would keep walking until they reached his bed. ‘I’ll tell you when it’s your turn to speak.’
‘You will?’ she panted tensely.
‘Yes, I will,’ he confirmed briskly. ‘Now, can we get on?’
Reluctantly, she sat down.
Ellie twisted the fabric of her skirt as she waited for her turn. So far she hadn’t heard anything to reassure her. What was worse, Alexander wouldn’t stop staring at her. Shouldn’t he be paying attention to whomever was talking at the time?
Ellie dipped her head to avoid Alexander’s gaze, but when she looked up again he was still staring at her. She firmed her jaw. She had every right to be here, and to be heard. And hadn’t she, in fact, come at his personal invitation? Who was going to stand up against him if she didn’t? She had to save Lefkis from Alexander.
And save Alexander from himself?
A rush of awareness pulsed through her at the thought. She was prepared to hold her hands up right now on that one; Alexander would have to save himself.
No one had listened to a word she’d said. Her audience had grown restless and impatient. No one wanted to hear about conservation issues or anything else that might skim the cream off their profit. He almost felt sorry for her as she stood up to go. She knew she had failed. She knew he had seen her fail. She had played her hand and had received muted applause for her trouble. Even if anyone had agreed with her everyone was frightened of offending him.
He caught up with her outside. ‘Hey…’
‘What do you want?’ She turned defensively, still prepared to do battle.
He looked at the angle of her chin and the rigidity of her shoulders. She was hurt. Hurt that no one had listened to her, not even the elders she cared so much about. Everything had worked out in his favour. He could have told her that was what would happen and saved her the trouble of coming. ‘I just wanted to make sure that this little protest of yours is over—’
‘Over?’ she cut across him acidly.
‘Don’t be silly, Ellie!’ he exclaimed with frustration, seeing the fight in her eyes. ‘Progress is essential, even on a small island like Lefkis. Without it everything comes to a standstill. You don’t want that, do you?’
‘I don’t want you…undiluted you, deciding what the rest of us should have to accept in our daily lives. I don’t want Lefkis becoming a place where people who aren’t rich or famous aren’t welcome. I don’t want the island I know and love becoming a satellite of your ivory tower—a multi-million-pound playground for you to dip into whenever you’re feeling bored.’ She marched on, refusing to turn and look at him.
‘And if we follow your plan,’ he said, keeping in step with her, ‘a slow-down in the economy here will be followed by steady decline. The young people, the lifeblood of the island, will be forced to emigrate in search of jobs, leaving the old people to fend for themselves. Is that what you want, Ellie? Ellie! Stop walking away from me!’ Gripping her shoulders, he turned her to face him. Her eyes blazed in passionate fury. ‘I won’t allow that to happen. I have to provide full employment…’ But as he spoke he realised he was no longer interested in words. He was consumed by her—her passion, her fight, her attempt to show her disinterest in him.
Under his dark scrutiny her gaze wavered. He steered her into the shadows, away from all the curious eyes. His gaze dropped to her lips. The chemistry between them was electric; irresistible…
Kissing Ellie was like finding harbour after an endless voyage. It was more sex and lust than a week in bed with any normal woman. She resisted him to begin with; he’d expected that. But then her hands went round his neck, and she dragged him close. The kiss was hot, angry—driven by their need and frustration. Her abandon startled him; delighted him. But it was also his cue to back right off. He couldn’t afford to lose control.
Turning his face away from her, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He was almost desperate to eradicate the taste of her. He doubted he’d ever succeed. She’d tasted fresh and young and eager and innocent. And he wanted her.
‘Is that supposed to keep me quiet?’ she asked him with contempt in her voice.
He looked at her; she was shaking, but not from fear.
‘This is going nowhere—’
‘You think I’d want it to?’ she asked incredulously, while her body told him something else.
He watched her stalk away with a heady mix of lust and relief. That was Ellie Mendoras over and done with. His attention was needed elsewhere. Business called and, in his world, business always came first.
What had she done? Ellie touched her lips again, tentatively, and then went to look at them in the mirror. She traced them cautiously with her fingertip. They were still swollen and very pink, and the delicate skin around them was still a little sore where Alexander’s beard had abraded her.
And even now, so long after The Kiss, she was still trembling, her heart was still racing and she was still aroused. What frightened her even more than her inexplicable lapse of good sense was the way Alexander had quite suddenly switched off. One minute he had been kissing her in the most bone-melting way, and the next standing aloof, staring at her coldly as if nothing at all had happened. OK, so her behaviour could be comfortably classified as insane, but his emotional detachment was chilling. What had happened to him? Could money do that to you?
Ellie turned from the mirror knowing she had too much work ahead of her to dwell on how stupid she’d been. She had put