page27 (1/1)

‘Don’t you believe it I don’t get on with Theo I never did’

‘You don’t need to get on with him or anyone else you dislike now,’ Aristandros inforuest lists are extremely select’

Ella tried not to think of her stepfather’s rage if he found himself suddenly excluded from the Xenakis social circle, and stilled a shiver She watched Ari peel off his shirt to reveal the rugged musculature of his powerful chest and flat, hard stomach He really did have the ed helplessly Her nipples tightened into taut, swollen buds beneath her bra A clenching tight sensation between her thighsthe smooth, steely heat of his skin when she touched hiainst hers The palms of her hands prickled The tender flesh at the heart of her throbbed with awareness

Aristandros surveyed her with a sardonic aly aware ‘No,’ he breathed ‘We haven’t got the tilikia mou’

When Ella registered that he had realised just how she was feeling at thatDid she really find hiet so out of step with her pride that it betrayed her? Was she really such a sexual pushover that she could hardly wait for hiain? Could the experience of physical pleasure change her so ly needy? Ella stifled an inner shudder of distaste at that i to her? All of a sudden she felt like a horot out of control

Callie began crying at the airport Over-tired and rudely awakened froirl was in no e places surrounded by unfamiliar faces and voices By the time the Xenakis private jet took off, Callie was fully wound up and screas Without a word, Ella went to assist Kases when Callie continued to sob in spite of all her efforts to the contrary

‘This is a night nurseuiltily to Ella ‘That should never happen’

Ella soon discovered that there was noan exhausted and very cross toddler asher settled routine destroyed Although Callie could be distracted for a few ain Ella took her into the sleeping co to the little girl Miraculously that seemed to calm Callie down, but she then objected vociferously to Ella’s every attee of her for the flight

‘Give her back to her nurse,’ Aristandros instructed when they were about to board the waiting pair of limousines in Paris

Callie tried to cling and had to be prised off Ella, a process which caused sobs to break out again Ella found it very hard to walk away

‘Well, I don’t think we need to worry about the bonding process,’ Aristandros re lack of tact and sympathy ‘You’re clearly a whiz in thea great impression of a limpet’

‘She’s upset,’ Ella fielded tightly

‘One of life’s lessons is that she can’t always have you when she wants you,’ Aristandros countered ‘For what is left of the afternoon you will be fully occupied’

Indeed, Ella barely had tinificent Paris townhouse before a parade of breathtaking evening gowns arrived for her perusal A phalanx of beauticians followed to groom her for the party This tiime imposed on her Indeed, because she would have h every step of having her nails, hair and lossy standard of perfection that she could never have achieved for herself A maid helped her into the rich blue dress she had picked to wear, and she surveyed her reflection Her silvery-fair hair fell in a sleek curtain round her shoulders, the designer dress a wonderful fra that she had never looked so good in her life before, however, had no io through the saed beauty routine every time she went out in public

Aristandros strode through the door ‘I want you to wear this set’

Hugely conscious of his appraisal, Ella lifted the large jewel-case he had tossed down on the bed As she lifted the lid on a asped ‘My goodness…I’m impressed’