The Greek Tycoon's Unexpected Wife. Annie West

shuttered, totally unreadable. Somehow that was more worrying than the blaze of wrath he’d directed at her last night. Fury and bullying she could stand up to. But what was going on in his mind now?

      She wasn’t foolish enough to believe he’d seen the error of his ways and accepted the truth about her intentions. No, there was a waiting stillness about him, as if he were a hunter sizing up his prey, that sent its own wordless message across the humming silence between them.

      Yet to her horror, his patent distrust wasn’t enough to prevent the spark of excitement that flared into life deep inside her. He did that to her without even trying.

      She’d only ever experienced the sensation with this man: a thrill, a yearning that made her seem a stranger to her own body. It scared the hell out of her.

      Stavros watched her eyes widen, the pupils dilating in those green depths, and felt a stab of savage satisfaction. Even from here he sensed her fear, though she stood ramrod-straight, her jaw angled up defiantly.

      Good. She deserved to worry about his next move. He’d been tempted to have his staff call the police. They’d keep her locked up while they dealt with the charges. Trespass at least. No doubt they could arrange a few others, perhaps threats of violence or attempted blackmail?

      But much as he’d prefer to be rid of her disturbing physical presence, Tessa Marlowe wasn’t going anywhere. If he released her into police custody there was a chance her story would leak to the Press. Some tantalising snippet aimed at persuading him to be generous in his settlement.

      No. Ms Marlowe would stay right here where he could keep an eye on her.

      He rolled his shoulders, still stiff with the strain of repressed anger that had escalated through the night.

      Every congratulatory comment at last evening’s party, every good wish for a fruitful union, had notched the tension in his gut tighter. For the first time in his life he’d felt a fraud, lying to his family, his friends and to the woman he’d decided to take as his wife.

      He didn’t like the feeling one iota. Or the sensation of matters being beyond his control. That he, who prided himself on his well-regulated world, should be caught in this preposterous situation, barely one step removed from bigamy—it was untenable!

      ‘What do you want?’ Her voice was a fraction rough, proof that she wasn’t as calm as she tried to appear.

      He paced into the room, ignoring the spike of heat in his bloodstream as he approached her. That was the ultimate insult to his pride and his intelligence. The fact that, even recognising her as a greedy opportunist, he wanted her, with a potent longing that astounded him.

      Lust had never been so urgently consuming. He had to fight the raw compulsion to reach out and feel her soft flesh beneath his, lose himself in her.

      He, a man of honour. Who had just vowed to marry another woman!

      No matter that he’d chosen his fiancée because of her impeccable credentials in meeting his requirements for a wife, hostess and mother of his children. No matter that their emotions weren’t engaged, or that they’d yet to consummate their relationship. He owed her his loyalty.

      He’d spent the night coming to terms with the unpalatable fact that it was Tessa Marlowe who stirred his blood, not his fiancée, Angela. He wouldn’t grant this woman the satisfaction of realising it.

      ‘I’ve come to see if you need anything.’

      Her fine brows arched up and the look she sent him could have befitted a supercilious monarch. She really did have attitude.

      But they both knew it was a bluff. He had the power to break her if he chose, despite the fact of the marriage contract they’d signed. Money spoke loud and clear. Always. And his sort of wealth could achieve almost anything. She’d do well to remember that.

      ‘What more could I need when my host is so…generous with his hospitality?’

      Despite himself, Stavros felt his mouth kick up at one corner in appreciation of her reckless courage. Obviously, despite the doctor’s concerns, she was fit enough to fight.

      He’d come in here expecting to see her languishing at death’s door. Severe physical and mental exhaustion, the doctor had said, plus borderline malnutrition and the after-effects of giardia from drinking tainted water.

      For a while there, Stavros had seriously questioned whether he’d misjudged her. But, seeing her now, it seemed clear the doctor had taken her word about the symptoms and been duped by an excellent actress. As for the malnutrition—starving herself in order to get her hands on several million dollars wasn’t out of the question. Unfortunately Stavros had first-hand experience of women unscrupulous enough to do even that. He was long past the age when a sob story and a show of feminine weakness might impress him.

      ‘Don’t get too comfortable,’ he said abruptly, his deep voice vibrating with disapproval. His straight brows arrowed together and Tessa knew instinctively that he held on to his temper by a thread. ‘You’ll remain just as long as it takes to devise a solution to this problem.’

      ‘The solution is simple.’ She’d worked out that much already. ‘All we need to do is annul the marriage. There must be grounds for that.’

      He stalked closer and immediately the spacious room shrank around them.

      ‘Non-consummation, perhaps?’

      Tessa’s whole body thrummed in reaction as she looked up into those watchful grey eyes. They weren’t cold any more, she suddenly realised. There was more fire than ice in his expression, and a flash of something that made her insides twist.

      Tentatively she slid one foot back a fraction, but there was nowhere to go with the window right behind her. He was still a pace away from her but the intensity of his gaze made her feel cornered and way too vulnerable.

      ‘That’s an option.’ Tessa had to tilt her face higher to look him in the eye.

      ‘Ah, but that might be difficult to prove. What evidence can we provide?’ One sleek, dark eyebrow winged upwards, emphasising his sardonic expression.

      ‘I’m sure the authorities would be willing to accept our word for it. After all, we were only together for a couple of hours—’

      ‘That’s not convincing.’ Slowly he shook his head but his gaze remained fixed on her, riveting her to the spot. ‘A couple of hours are more than enough time to consummate a marriage.’ His voice dropped a notch so the words rolled across her flesh like an echo of distant thunder. Tessa shivered as she watched his eyes narrow and his expression change. There was something dangerous about that glint in his eyes. Something feral.

      ‘Or are you, perhaps, doubting my virility?’ he added in an undertone.

      He didn’t move, didn’t approach, yet she felt him encroach further into her space. Tessa found her hands splaying wide for support on the window ledge behind her.

      ‘Don’t be absurd! I…’

      He did crowd her then. With a single long stride he obliterated the distance between them and his heat blazed, raw and unnerving, against her trembling body.

      Tessa’s nostrils flared in response to the spicy, masculine scent of his skin. Her chest heaved as she sucked in a calming breath and she forced her gaze to flick away from the intimidating wall of his chest, mere centimetres from her breasts. A wave of sensation washed through her, a purely feminine awareness. Her nipples puckered and tightened as if with cold. But she wasn’t chilled. Instead her flesh was heating. A wave of fiery warmth spread from her chest up her throat, and Tessa knew that any second now she’d be blushing.

      ‘Or perhaps it’s a personal demonstration you’re after?’ The words contained a sharp, sarcastic sting.

      Automatically Tessa shook her head, horrified at how fast the conversation had got out of hand.

      ‘No!’ The denial burst from her mouth,