LITMIR.BIZ

Скачать книгу

in at this late stage isn’t really the answer, is it?’

      It wasn’t really a question and, worst of all, she knew he was right. Lexi glanced outside at the endless view of the night sky and felt oddly cornered. ‘I can’t just drop everything in my life to help you.’

      ‘Think of it as helping Ty. You might find that more palatable,’ he drawled.

      Lexi made a derisive sound in the back of her throat and thought that if she wasn’t such a nice person—and the thought of touching him didn’t scare her so much—she’d smack him. ‘Oh, you’re good.’

      ‘Thank you.’

      ‘It wasn’t a compliment.’

      ‘I know.’

      Just as he knew she was about to capitulate.

      Lexi ground her teeth together and turned back and focused on the elegant dome of St Paul’s Cathedral in the distance. Anything was better than looking at Leo sprawled on the sofa with arrogant nonchalance. No doubt he would be attending parties in Greece and having a lovely time. A lovely time without his son. Lexi drummed her fingers against her arm. Just like her father.

      ‘What are you waiting for, Miss Somers?’ Leo drawled, his accent giving the words a sexy edge. ‘The stars to align?’

      Lexi fumed. Arrogant so-and-so … And then an idea sprouted. What if he took Ty to Greece and had a chance to get to know his son? Would that change his attitude towards Ty? She didn’t know, but it was worth a try and it was better than staying in London where there was no chance at all of that happening. Lexi didn’t trust that Amanda could look after Ty without her mother around and, although Leo Aleksandrov didn’t appear to be much better, she had to find out.

      She turned back to consider him and tried to ignore sensations she would rather not feel shimmy down her spine as he looked back at her with lazy insolence. ‘I’ll do it if you take Ty with you.’

      His eyelids lowered and when he raised them his eyes were no longer lazy or insolent, but hard and flat. ‘Never been to Greece, angel?’

      ‘Your list just got longer.’

      Knowing the type of man he was she hadn’t expected to win this point without a fight but, instead of arguing with her, he slowly rose to his feet, his eyes on her the whole time. Then he smiled, a killer’s smile, and Lexi felt the cold plate-glass window through her clothing and realised she’d backed up a step. ‘Careful, angel, you might fall.’

      Lexi stiffened her spine and gave him a look that had been known to stay the rowdiest of children. ‘I’m not afraid of you Mr Aleksandrov.’ Or the way he called her angel, with the tiniest hint of sexual promise behind it.

      Much, anyway.

      She lifted her chin just a fraction as he continued to stare at her and then finally—thankfully—he nodded his head and gestured towards the door.

      ‘Let me show you to your room.’

      Lexi nearly threw her hands up in the air as she realised that she’d just inadvertently agreed to go to Greece with him. The last thing she wanted to do. But how could she say no, now? ‘I must be mad,’ she muttered under her breath, trailing him up the long corridor towards the bedrooms.

      He stopped in front of the room next to the one Ty occupied.

      Lexi folded her arms across her chest. ‘Why do I have to stay here tonight if you’re not leaving until the morning?’

      ‘Insurance.’

      ‘If I give my word then I keep it.’

      ‘But you haven’t given me your word.’

      She very nearly stamped her foot at that. ‘Are you always this argumentative?’

      He leant against the door frame regarding her lazily. ‘Funny, I was going to ask the same thing about you.’ His voice held a husky quality she knew he’d probably used on a hundred other women and she hardened her resolve not to be affected by him.

      Lexi took a deep breath. ‘I give you my word I will return first thing in the morning.’

      He shrugged. ‘It doesn’t matter. I need you here tonight in case Ty wakes up.’

      Lexi wanted to argue with him but again he had a point. ‘I don’t have anything to wear to bed,’ she mumbled, feeling utterly defeated and uncharacteristically irritable.

      He held out his hand. ‘Give me your address and keys and I’ll send my driver to pick up whatever you need.’

      ‘Why can’t I go myself?’

      ‘Because Ty might wake up.’

      ‘I’ll be an hour,’ she said, completely exasperated.

      ‘No.’

      ‘Well, I’m not having someone I don’t know go through my things.’

      And she knew Aimee would be at Todd’s by now so she couldn’t very well call and get her to send her things over in a cab.

      He looked down at her, his blue eyes twin pools of open sensuality. ‘There’s always your birthday suit.’

      Lexi chose to ignore the dangerous gleam in his gaze and instead focused on the fact that this man was the worst type of playboy around. Then she remembered his suggestive comment in her office earlier. The man would probably have sex with a lamp post if it offered.

      ‘I don’t suppose one of your many girlfriends left a nightie I could borrow, did they?’ she asked sweetly.

      She was hoping he’d be a little embarrassed by her sarcasm, but instead the smile that curled the corners of his mouth was lethally sexy. ‘I don’t have girlfriends. But if you’re referring to my many bed partners, I’ll check.’

      Lexi blew out a tank-load of air after he walked out and placed her bag on the embroidered silk bedspread and stood with her hands on her hips, wondering what she had got herself into. Then the hairs on the back of her neck rose and she didn’t need to glance in the full-length mirror opposite to know he was back. She turned just in time to catch a wad of grey fabric he tossed at her. Holding it up, she saw it was a well-worn T-shirt someone might wear to the gym. ‘This is yours,’ she said huskily.

      He looked at her through heavy-lidded eyes. ‘And I’ll dream about you in it all night, angel.’

      ‘I don’t find comments like that funny,’ she reprimanded.

      He smiled again and grabbed the door handle. ‘Goodnight, Miss Somers. Oh—’ he paused and Lexi felt her nerves, already jangling on a knife edge split down the middle ‘—in case I forget to tell you. I appreciate you staying. And tell lover boy I’m sorry for ruining his plans.’ That last was spoken with not even a shred of sincerity. The louse.

      She had fallen in with the devil and he was every bit as ruthless as myth suggested.

Chapter Four

      LEXI didn’t know what had woken her. The room was pitch-black so it wasn’t yet morning and then she heard it again. A low, deep moaning sound.

      ‘Ty.’

      She stumbled out of bed and down the hall into his room, only to pull up short when she found him sound asleep, his face relaxed and peaceful in the soft glow of the bedside lamp.

      Wondering if she had been so on edge with the whole ‘sleeping at a billionaire’s apartment’ thing she had dreamt it, she was about to go back to bed when she heard it again.

      ‘Leo.’ She exhaled the word into the still night.

      It was Leo, not Ty.

      Lexi was momentarily paralysed in the middle of the

Скачать книгу