LITMIR.BIZ

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and Lauranne bit her lip.

      ‘I didn’t get round to it.’

      ‘You didn’t get round to it?’ Tom gaped at her. ‘Why the hell not?’

      Because she’d meant every one of her vows. Because divorcing him would have meant facing up to the end of their relationship and she just wasn’t able to do that.

      ‘Because I didn’t really want to think about it.’

      Tom shook his head. ‘And Volakis? What’s his excuse?’

      Lauranne bit her lip. ‘I think he probably forgot he was ever married to me,’ she croaked and Tom rolled his eyes.

      ‘Oh, great. So technically you’re still married to him.’ He let out a long breath. ‘So what did he want? Apart from causing mayhem, which is his favourite pastime, I seem to recall.’

      Lauranne folded her hands in her lap to hide how badly they were shaking. ‘He wants me to work for him.’

      Tom gave a short disbelieving laugh. ‘You’re kidding.’

      ‘I wish I was.’

      Tom’s mouth tightened. ‘But you’re not going to, right? Tell me you’re not even considering it!’ He raked his fingers through his already-tumbled blond hair and looked at Lauranne with naked exasperation. ‘This is the man who took your heart and trampled it into the dirt, remember? This is the man who slept with another woman, fired you from a job you adored and then did everything in his power to make sure that you couldn’t get another one.’

      Faced with the unpalatable truth, Lauranne bit her lip. ‘I know that, and I’m not—’

      ‘Yes, you are.’ Tom let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head in despair. ‘I know you so well and I know how you felt about him. I also know that there’s been no man in your life for the five years since he dumped you. And I’m beginning to question the real reason that you didn’t get round to divorcing him.’

      ‘Tom—’

      ‘You’re already dreaming about him, aren’t you?’

      Lauranne opened her mouth, wanting to deny it, but no sound came out.

      Tom groaned. ‘Don’t go getting ideas, Lauranne. Zander Volakis is bad news. He might have just walked back into your life but sooner or later he’s going to walk straight back out again, taking all the vulnerable bits of you with him.’

      She flinched. ‘I know that and I wouldn’t—’

      ‘Yes, you would,’ Tom said flatly. ‘You can’t help yourself, and neither can he. It’s like watching a natural disaster in the making. Tell me he didn’t kiss you.’

      She felt betraying colour flood into her cheeks and Tom swore softly.

      ‘I knew it!’ He spread his hands in a gesture of exasperation. ‘The pair of you can’t be in a room and not rip each other’s clothes off!’

      ‘Tom, please—’

      ‘Let’s get one thing straight.’ He pointed a finger at her, stabbing the air to emphasise his point. ‘I’m not doing it again! I’m not watching you go through it again, Lauranne. For six months you were an emotional wreck. I had to drag you out of that bed of yours every morning. I’m your best friend, Lauranne, but the guy almost destroyed you. I put you back together piece by piece. I can’t do that a second time.’

      ‘I’m not asking you to.’ Her voice was little more than a croak as she was forced to face memories that she’d tried to lock safely away. ‘I didn’t ask him to come here. He just barged in and took over—’

      ‘Conquering Greek tycoon,’ Tom said bitterly, pacing across the office and thumping a fist against the wall. ‘You should have told him to go to hell.’

      ‘I tried that, remember? His listening skills definitely need attention.’ Lauranne made a pathetic attempt at humour but it fell flat.

      ‘Divorce him, Lauranne. You’ve got any number of options. Unreasonable behaviour—adultery—’ Tom’s mouth tightened. ‘Or had you forgotten the adultery?’

      Lauranne felt a lump build in her throat and shook her head. Of course she hadn’t forgotten the adultery. Until that awful day she’d never known the true meaning of pain.

      Tom sighed. ‘So now what? Presumably it was him I saw just now burning up the road in his flash car. Is he coming back?’

      Lauranne hesitated. ‘He’s picking me up at seven-thirty to discuss business over dinner.’

      ‘Dinner?’ Tom gaped at her incredulously. ‘The last time we saw the guy, you were his dinner and so was I! Main course and dessert. He’s a predator, Lauranne, and if you trust him then you’re a fool.’

      ‘I don’t trust him.’

      Tom glared at her. ‘This is the man who landed me in hospital—’

      She closed her eyes briefly and shivered at the memory. She’d been so afraid. Afraid of what she’d caused. If she hadn’t kissed Tom— ‘I know that, but he’s Greek and he saw you and I together and he’s a possessive guy—’ She broke off, wondering why she was trying to excuse his behaviour.

      Judging from the appalled expression on his face, Tom was obviously wondering the same thing. ‘Possessive? Unhinged, you mean. Does being Greek somehow make you lose your brain?’ His voice was bitter. ‘The guy is supposed to be ferociously intelligent. If he’d looked closely he would have noticed that you’d been howling. Generally speaking when I’m with a woman I don’t make her howl.’

      Lauranne bit her lip. ‘B-but he saw me on the bed with you.’

      Tom had the grace to look sheepish. ‘Yes—well—’ he shrugged awkwardly ‘—I admit that bit was my fault. I’d been drinking with clients and then you turned up looking all vulnerable and—well—’

      ‘It’s all right.’ Lauranne reached out a hand and touched his arm. ‘We both know it was just the drink that made you leap on me. Just friends, that’s all you and I have ever been, isn’t it?’

      Tom sighed. ‘I learned a long time ago that there’s only one man on this planet that you ever notice,’ he said dryly, ‘so fortunately I gave up on you years ago and found myself a decent love life somewhere else.’

      Lauranne gave a wan smile. ‘Glad one of us did.’ Her smile faded. ‘It’s all my fault that Zander hates you. That night when he found us together— I could have punched you on the nose if I’d wanted to but when I looked up and saw Zander standing there all I could think about was revenge. It was my fault really. I shouldn’t have done it. I shouldn’t have made him jealous.’

      She’d played a dangerous game but she hadn’t been thinking straight. In fact she’d discovered that she was capable of being every bit as stubborn and jealous as Zander.

      Tom shuddered at the memory. ‘Well, do us all a favour and don’t make the guy jealous again. Did you see the look on his face when he saw me today? I thought I was dead.’

      Before Lauranne could answer Mary came hurrying into the room, pink-cheeked and breathless.

      ‘That was Zander Volakis! The Greek wonder boy—here—in our office—and you, you—’ she looked at Lauranne, wide eyed. ‘You’re married to him?’

      ‘In name only,’ Lauranne said stiffly and Mary shook her head.

      “I’ve never heard you speak to a client like that before—’

      ‘He isn’t a client,’ Lauranne said shortly and Mary glanced at Tom, her confusion evident.

      ‘But he’s probably the richest man in the world. And this is just the sort of challenge that you both love,’ she pointed out. ‘Everyone thinks Volakis is ruthless

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