The Holiday Escapes Collection. Sandra Marton

worth every moment of agony Damon put her through to see her sister put her addiction behind her and develop her full potential, perhaps even return to her studies. Stacey had shown such promise as a young university student. She had topped all of her grades in the science degree she had enrolled in, but it had all come to a grinding halt once she had tasted the compulsive poison of heroin.

      ‘No,’ she said into the little silence. ‘But it intrigued me when I deposited the cheque as to why you would have an Australian bank account. I don’t see why you’d go to that bother if you’re only here for a month.’

      ‘I have some business interests here,’ he informed her. ‘This trip, though short, will not be my last.’

      Charlotte nearly choked on her sip of soda water. ‘Business interests? Here?’

      He twirled his brandy for a moment. ‘Yes. Apart from my own investment firm in Athens and helping my mother with the Eleni Foundation and the gallery in Oia, I have some investments in an Australian company.’

      ‘What sort of company?’ She curled her lip and added, ‘Shipping?’

      He smiled at her sarcastic expression. ‘Now that would be too clichéd, ne?’

      ‘I thought all Greek billionaires had an interest in shipping one way or the other,’ she said, staring back at the bubbles in her glass.

      ‘I have a yacht, as you may recall from your stay on Santorini,’ he said. ‘But no, I prefer to keep my investments on solid ground. I have bought a small Queensland island from a private owner. I plan to develop an exclusive Greek-style resort.’

      ‘This is Australia, not Greece,’ she reminded him with an arch look. ‘Anything you do here will be a cheap imitation of the real thing.’

      ‘It will certainly not be cheap,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘Not for me in terms of development or indeed for those who wish to stay there once it is completed. It will be a haven for the very rich, no one else need apply.’

      Charlotte looked away from his handsome features. When he smiled like that it stirred memories she didn’t want stirred. The first thing she had loved about him four years ago had been his smile. It had brightened his eyes with a warmth that had melted her completely—the very same warmth her tiny daughter had exhibited less than an hour and a half ago when her little arms had wrapped around her neck, her soft little mouth pressing loving moist kisses to her cheek.

      ‘Perhaps I will take you there when it is done,’ he said, lifting his drink to his lips, his dark eyes still on her.

      She blinked at him in alarm. ‘You’re not serious, surely? I mean…this month…this thing we’re…er…doing…it’s only for a month, right?’

      He tilted his head at her as if eyeing her worth. ‘I have been doing some thinking. What if we were to see each other every time I came to Australia?’

      Her eyes flashed back at him. ‘What if I told you to go to hell?’

      He laughed and drained the rest of his drink. ‘Then I would have to think of a way of convincing you to change your mind.’

      Charlotte put her glass down with a clunk on the bar. ‘We agreed on a month and that’s all you’re getting.’

      He placed his empty glass right next to hers, the frosted sides touching. ‘Then let’s get on with it,’ he said and, reaching for her hand, pulled her to her feet.

      She had no choice but to follow him. His fingers were like steel around hers, the underlying strength reminding her against going head to head in battle with him, especially in such a public place.

      Panic began to claw at her insides. She couldn’t do this. Not now. Not ever.

      She couldn’t sell herself to him.

      Not like this.

      How on earth did her sister do this with perfect strangers? she wondered sickly. Charlotte at least had loved Damon once…but it still didn’t make it right, especially when he had no idea he had fathered a child.

      In her escalating dread she considered telling him—perhaps then he would think twice about sleeping with her. But then, she reminded herself, he would think nothing of removing Emily from her custody. He had already demonstrated his ruthlessness; how much more ruthless would he become once he found out he had a child?

      The lift arrived with a chiming ping and he ushered her in with a firm hand in the small of her back.

      ‘I—I’m not ready for this,’ she said, trying to ease out of his hold. ‘It’s too soon.’

      ‘It’s not soon enough,’ he contradicted. ‘I should have let you service me in the limousine last night. I was thinking of your dancing little hot breath and flicking tongue all last night. I hardly slept at all.’

      His words set off an erotic response in her body she couldn’t control. She felt the seeping nectar of need between her thighs and her breasts started to prickle against the lace of her bra.

      The lift opened on his floor and he escorted her into his penthouse, closing the door once they were inside with a finality that terrified her.

      ‘Please, Damon…’ She struggled to contain her emotions. ‘Please give me some time…I’m not…I’m out of practice. I haven’t had a lover since…I mean, for a long time…I don’t even know if I can…you know…do it any more…’

      Damon had to fight his urge to laugh at her paltry attempt to hoodwink him. Hadn’t she done this little routine before? The virginal shyness had all been a ruse and he wasn’t so foolish as to fall for it a second time.

      ‘I am sure you will quickly recall the necessary steps,’ he said. ‘You were a fast learner in the past—that is, in fact, if you were indeed learning as you claimed.’

      ‘Please…’ Her eyes were bright with moisture. ‘Please give me tonight to just talk with you…to get to know you again…before we…do anything else…’

      Damon compressed his lips, torn between wanting her and feeling something he didn’t want to feel. She was so very beautiful, her skin like smooth cream, her shoulder-length curly chestnut hair like silk, her striking blue eyes luminous and her body a temptation he found hard to resist. She had lost the youthful coltish look she’d had when she’d been in Greece. Her body now at the age of twenty-five, almost twenty-six, was riper, more mature, but, if anything, even more feminine. Her breasts were fuller and her soft curves so alluring he could feel himself hardening just thinking about sinking into her hot slippery warmth.

      ‘You are very convincing,’ he conceded. ‘But I am not fooled. You are buying time. What do you hope to achieve, Charlotte—another attempt at stealing from me?’

      ‘No, of course not…’It was only as she said the words that she realised how incriminating they sounded. ‘I—I mean I didn’t steal from you in the first place.’

      She could see that he didn’t believe her. The suspicion glittered in his eyes as they held hers.

      ‘All right, we will do things your way,’ he said with a hard set to his mouth. ‘But I am only doing so to see what deceitful little ploy you come up with next.’

      ‘Thank you…’ She choked back a sob and rummaged in her bag for a tissue.

      He frowned at the relief in her tone. It didn’t sit comfortably with him to have her so stricken at the thought of his touch, especially when last night she had responded to him with such heated fervour. He had temporarily unleashed the passionate woman she was, but now she was hiding it from him, shrinking away from him as if she had something to hide…or something else to gain, he reminded himself cynically.

      Charlotte blew her nose and, pocketing her tissue, sniffed once or twice to get herself back in control. ‘I’m sorry, Damon…this is not what you paid for in terms of company.’

      ‘No, but you and I both