The Mediterranean Tycoon. Margaret Mayo

go on talking business, but it’s not the sort of place where you can underdress.’

      Peta narrowed her eyes speculatively, her head tilted to one side. ‘And in what exact capacity would I be going?’ It was something she needed to get very clear in her mind right from the beginning.

      Eyebrows rose. ‘Why, as my very able assistant. I thought you understood that. I shall rely on you to take notes, make sure I didn’t miss anything. You can familiarise yourself with the agenda in the morning. As I said, the conference begins at two. We’ll have a sandwich lunch in the office.’ He paused and studied her face intently. ‘You still don’t look as though you’re sure about coming.’

      ‘I somehow don’t think I have a choice.’

      ‘Correct. It’s all part of the job. Is it your son you’re worried about? Have you no one to look after him?’

      ‘I have, yes, but he’s my whole life, I hate leaving him. I feel I’m letting him down.’

      He nodded as if he understood, but she couldn’t see how, and when he turned towards the door she gave a sigh of relief. ‘I’ll see you at nine sharp in the morning,’ he said. ‘Say goodbye to your son for me.’

      ‘His name’s Ben.’

      ‘Say goodbye to Ben for me, then.’

      ‘Why don’t you do it yourself? He’s dying for you to see his Scalextric in action.’ Now, why had she said that when she was anxious to be rid of him? Peta gave a mental shake of her head. She was out of her mind.

      Andreas shot a look at his watch. ‘I really should be getting back, but—maybe a couple of minutes.’

      Back to whom? wondered Peta as she led him up the stairs. His current girlfriend? His mistress? Or back to the office? Did he work on a Sunday?

      She felt his eyes boring into her back, maybe assessing her figure, her bottom in her tight denim jeans, checking her out to see whether she could be added to his list of conquests. Some chance!

      But Ben had spotted them. ‘Hello, have you come to play?’ he asked brightly.

      ‘Only to look,’ explained Andreas. ‘It’s a very fine layout you have there, but maybe if you…’ In no time at all he was on his knees making adjustments, much to Peta’s amazement, and it was another half-hour before he finally left.

      Ben couldn’t stop talking about him. ‘Is that man going to come again?’ he kept asking. ‘Look what he did, Mummy. It’s so much better. Come and play with me.’

      But Peta had other more important things on her mind. ‘Not now, darling, we have to go and see Auntie Susan.’ Sue wasn’t really Ben’s aunt; she was a friend from her schooldays, divorced and happy, leading a full social life.

      ‘Peta, how lovely to see you. And hello, Ben. How are you, little man? Come in, come in. I’ll put the kettle on. Unless you’d like wine, Peta? You look worried. Is everything OK?’

      ‘I’ve come to ask a favour. I need a cocktail dress for tomorrow night.’

      Sue’s brown eyes widened and her mouth broke into a smile. ‘You’ve got a new boyfriend? Wonderful! Tell me about him. What’s his name? How did you meet? Where—?’

      ‘Shut up, Sue,’ laughed Peta. ‘It’s nothing like that. It’s a business do. I’m going with my boss.’

      ‘The one you told me about? The Tyrant? Goodness, I bet you’re not looking forward to that!’

      Peta grimaced. ‘It’s either go or lose my job.’

      Sue’s eyes flashed. ‘The man’s a pig. Come on; let’s have a look. We need to knock that man dead. Make him realise how irresistible you are. Hey, Ben, do you want the telly on while we go upstairs?’

      ‘I don’t want to be irresistible,’ retorted Peta.

      ‘Indispensable, then; you know what I mean,’ said Sue airily. ‘What sort of a do is it?’

      ‘I don’t altogether know,’ said Peta, following her friend. ‘A conference, followed by a black-tie dinner, but the meeting goes on while we eat, apparently.’

      ‘Sounds fishy to me,’ snorted Susan. ‘Are you sure he hasn’t got his eye on you?’

      Peta laughed. Andreas Papadakis certainly had no designs on her, of that she was very sure.

      At work the next morning her employer gave her no time to think about what lay ahead. It was head down and get on with it. They hardly had time to eat the smoked-salmon sandwiches he had sent in.

      ‘You can use my private bathroom to freshen up,’ he said when it was almost time for them to go. ‘You’ve brought something along for tonight?’

      Peta nodded, thinking uneasily about the dress that hung in a garment carrier on the back of her office door. She ought never to have let Sue persuade her to wear it. The black one would have been so much more suitable.

      In the close intimacy of his car Peta felt his presence as if she never had before. She could feel every one of her nerve-ends skittering simply because she was sitting close to him, the skin on her bones tightening, and the most damning heat invading her body.

      ‘What’s wrong?’

      My heart’s thumping so loud it hurts, that’s what’s wrong, she thought. And it was complete and utter madness. She lifted her chin and dared to look at him. In profile, he was the essence of autocratic arrogance. A high forehead, a Roman nose, full lips, a firm chin. And, what she hadn’t noticed before, long, thick eyelashes.

      He turned to look at her. ‘Well?’

      ‘Nothing.’

      ‘You’re uptight about nothing?’ he demanded crisply.

      ‘Maybe because I don’t think I’ll live up to your expectations, Mr Papadakis.’ Dammit, she hadn’t meant to say that. She wanted him to think that she was Miss Efficiency. But something had made her say it; probably a need to point him away from the real reason that she was on edge.

      ‘All you need to do is make notes. We talked about it earlier; I thought you understood. You haven’t let me down so far. I have every faith in you.’ Adding after a slight pause, ‘I’d prefer it if you called me Andreas when we’re alone.’

      Peta only just stopped her mouth from falling open. Progress indeed! Not many people on the company, she was sure, called him Andreas. It was always Mr Papadakis, even from his most senior staff. His attitude didn’t invite familiarity. ‘Very well,’ she agreed, but somehow she couldn’t see herself doing it.

      ‘That’s good, Peta.’

      She rather liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. He made it sound beautiful and exotic.

      ‘So no more nerves, hey?’ he asked as they pulled up on the hotel forecourt. And his smile did the most nerve-chilling things to her body. This wasn’t the Andreas Papadakis she knew, and she didn’t want him turning into anything else. She had grown used to his harshness. She could handle it. If he turned all soft on her she would end up a mushy mess.

      But once the conference got under way she need not have worried. This was her employer at his most efficient. He was chairing the meeting, and every now and then when some pertinent point was made his eyes darted in her direction to make sure she had made a note of it. He need not have worried either. She was writing everything down.

      Each delegate wore a name badge, so she knew exactly who was saying what, and she soon found herself either agreeing or disagreeing with the various statements. Once she almost jumped up to argue with a guy who said that the reason the shipping industry was going into decline was due to apathy on behalf of the ship owners.

      It was Andreas himself who slapped him down. Peta found him fascinating to watch. In a dark grey cashmere suit, white silk shirt and a discreet red and grey