Mistress By Arrangement. HELEN BIANCHIN

beat as one hand slid to hold fast her nape while the other cupped her bottom and brought her into startling contact with hard male arousal.

      Each and every one of her senses intensified as he sought her response.

      Passion...electric, magnetic, shameless, it tore through all the conventional barriers to a primitive base that was wholly sexual.

      It was as if an instinctive knowledge existed between them, she registered dimly. Something that sanctioned the way his mouth wreaked havoc with her own.

      She was supremely aware of him, everything about him. The faint layers of texture and smell heightened her senses...the subtle tang of his cologne, the texture of his skin, the fine fabric of his clothing.

      There was a part of her that wanted to travel with him wherever this sensual path might lead, while the sensible sane part registered alarm.

      With a groan of disgust she dragged her mouth away. Her breathing was ragged, and for the space of a few seconds she had no knowledge of where she was. There was only the man, and a mesmeric helpless hunger.

      ‘What in hell do you think you’re doing?’

      Jeremy’s voice seemed to come from a distance, and she struggled to focus on the immediate present.

      ‘Right now, taking Michelle home,’ Nikos declared with deceptive mildness. Without missing a beat he lifted one eyebrow in silent query. ‘Michelle?’

      Dammit, his breathing was even, steady, while hers seemed as wild and ragged as her heartbeat.

      ‘Walk away from me,’ Jeremy warned. ‘And I won’t have you back.’

      She registered Jeremy’s rage and felt vaguely sickened. ‘You never had me in the first place.’

      The sound of voices and the appearance in the foyer of two other guests had a diffusing effect, and Jeremy’s expression underwent an abrupt change from anger to affability.

      ‘Let’s get the hell out of here,’ Nikos instructed quietly, taking hold of her arm.

      He led her down the few steps to the driveway, and she made a futile effort to wrench her arm free from his grasp as they drew abreast of a large BMW.

      ‘Don’t,’ he warned silkily. ‘You’ll only hurt yourself.’

      It was difficult to determine his expression in the dim half-light as he withdrew a set of keys, unlocked the door, then handed them to her. ‘Drive, if it will make you feel safer to be with me.’

      The soft crunch of gravel as footsteps approached intruded, and she stood stiffly as they drew close.

      ‘Goodnight, Michelle. Nikos.’

      Nikos returned the acknowledgement as the couple slid into the car immediately behind them, and in an unbidden gesture Michelle thrust the keys at him, then she unlatched the door and slid into the passenger seat.

      Nikos took his position behind the wheel, fired the engine, then eased the car onto the road. Minutes later the powerful car entered the main northbound highway, traversed it for less than a kilometre, and took the next turnoff that led into suburban Main Beach.

      She was supremely conscious of him, the slight flash of gold on his wrist as he handled the wheel.

      ‘We’ll stop at a café for coffee,’ Nikos informed as they paused at a set of traffic lights. ‘There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.’

      ‘The subtle “your apartment or mine?” spiel?’ Michelle mocked with light sarcasm. ‘Forget it. One-night stands aren’t my thing.’

      ‘I’m relieved to hear it.’

      The lights changed, and within minutes the powerful engine purred down a notch as he decelerated and touched the brakes, then he eased the vehicle to a halt.

      Michelle reached for the door-clasp, a word of thanks ready to emerge from her lips.

      Then she froze.

      The underground car park was similar to a multitude of beneath street-level concrete caverns. Except it wasn’t her apartment car park.

      CHAPTER TWO

      ‘WHERE the hell are we?’

      ‘My apartment building,’ Nikos drawled. ‘It happens to be in a block a short distance from your own.’ He opened his door and slid out from behind the wheel.

      Michelle copied his actions, and stood glaring at him across the roof of the BMW, then she turned and walked to the sweeping upgrade leading to the main entrance.

      ‘The security gate is activated by a personally coded remote.’ He paused a beat, then added with killing softness, ‘Likewise, the lift is security coded.’

      She swung back to face him, anger etched on every line of her body. ‘Kidnapping is a criminal offense. If you don’t want me to lay charges, I suggest you allow me free passage out of here. Now,’ she added with deadly intent. If she’d been standing close enough, she’d have lashed out and hit him.

      Nikos regarded her steadily, assessing her slim frame, the darkness of her eyes. There was no fear apparent, and the thought momentarily intrigued him. Self-defence skills? His own had been acquired and honed to a lethal degree.

      ‘All I want is fifteen, maybe twenty minutes of your time.’

      Her heartbeat thudded painfully against her ribs. The car park was well-lit, there were a number of cars lining marked bays, but it was eerily quiet. There was no one to whom she could appeal for help.

      Michelle extracted her mobile phone and prepared to punch in the requisite digit that would connect her with Emergency Services and alert the police.

      ‘You have nothing to fear from me.’

      His voice was even, and controlled. Too controlled. He emanated an indefinable leashed quality, a watchfulness that only a fool would disregard. And she didn’t consider herself a fool.

      ‘I don’t find this—’ she swept an arm in silent indication of her surroundings ‘—in the least amusing.’

      ‘You were averse to joining me in more comfortable surroundings,’ he posed silkily.

      Anger meshed with indignation, colouring her features and lending her eyes a fiery sparkle. ‘Forgive me.’ Her voice dripped icy sarcasm. ‘For declining your invitation.’

      Her passion intrigued him. Dammit, she intrigued him. Most women of his acquaintance, aware of his social and financial status, would have willingly followed wherever he chose to lead.

      Yet for all that Michelle Gerard felt like an angel in his arms and responded with uninhibited fervour, instinct relayed that it wasn’t part of an act.

      ‘By your own admission,’ Michelle vented with restrained anger. ‘You brought me here to talk.’

      She needed to shift the balance of control. Fear wasn’t an option. Although the word in itself was a misnomer. Nikos Alessandros didn’t mean her any harm. at least not in the physical sense. Yet when it came to her emotions... Now that was an entirely different ball game, something which irked her unbearably, for how could she be emotionally spellbound by a man who, in a short few hours, had broken every conventional social nicety?

      ‘I suggest you do so, now,’ she continued forcefully. ‘And condense whatever you have to say into two minutes.’ She indicated the mobile phone. ‘One wrong move and I’ll summon the police.’

      He leaned one hip against the smooth bonnet of his car, and regarded her thoughtfully.

      ‘I want you to be my social companion for a few weeks,’ he stated without preamble.

      Michelle drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. Whatever she’d expected, it hadn’t been this. He had only to beckon and women would beat a path to his side. ‘Surely you jest?’