Page 21 of Vows of Revenge

And his pursuit of her was for a very specific reason...

He’d said, back there on the upper water terrace, that he was taking today out to relax, but he’d spoken disingenuously. If he had to file this day—this entire trip to the UK—under anything, it would not be ‘leisure’. Making up to Kassia Andrakis was serving a business purpose—a clear and unambiguous one.

His glance went to her as they strolled along the winding path leading them towards the lake, his gaze veiled. Yes, he’d forged this acquaintance with Kassia Andrakis for one purpose only.

But is it only one?

The question was in his head, and he could not dismiss it.

Or deny it.

Was his intention to have an affair with her simply a means to thwart her father’s plans for her in respect of Cosmo Palandrou? Was it really the only reason he was spending time with her? Or was another reason making itself felt?

Because he was enjoying the day, he realised. Enjoying this leisurely ambling around this magnificent place, seeing the spectacular fruits of one man’s towering ambitions. He was enjoying the ease of the day, enjoying feeling as relaxed as he was, and enjoying thinking about something quite other than what usually dominated his thoughts: his endless business concerns.

I’m enjoying being with Kassia.

She was so very different from the women he was used to consorting with. True, if it hadn’t been that she was Yorgos Andrakis’s daughter he knew he would not have bothered to know her at all. But now that he did...

I like her. I like her company, her conversation. I like her courtesy and her consideration and her knowledge of things I know nothing about, which she makes interesting and easy to enjoy.

And he knew there was something else he liked about her. The fact that she was not indifferent to him.

Oh, he wanted her to be responsive to him—that was essential if he was to have the affair he planned with her. But now he found he wanted it for reasons quite different from that purpose. Reasons he had not expected at all when he’d first engineered an encounter with her. Reasons he knew he had to acknowledge.

Even if she were not Yorgos Andrakis’s daughter I would want her to be responsive to me...

His veiled gaze rested on her as they strolled along, chatting about things that seemed easy to chat about, such as the way the gardens had been laid out and what else there was to see. But as it rested on her, he frowned. There was something about Kassia Andrakis that he didnotwant.

I don’t want her thinking about herself as she does—with that dismissive criticism of herself, as if she agrees with her parents’ verdict on her—as if she sees nothing amiss in the way she remarked, on my yacht, that men only make up to her because of whose daughter she is. I don’t like the way she thinks so little of her looks and her appearance.

He did not like that at all.

A sense of irony struck him. Kassia’s background might be privileged, but her self-image was anything but. Determination speared through him, and he realised he had just taken on board a new sense of purpose. To reveal to Kassia the beauty that could be hers...

For his own sake, yes—he was honest enough to concede that point—but for something he hadn’t thought would matter to him. Now it did.

For her sake too.

CHAPTER FOUR

KASSIACLIMBEDINTOthe passenger seat of Damos’s hire car and buckled up as he settled himself behind the wheel. Her eyes flickered sideways as he pulled his own seat belt across him and gunned the engine. So, they were heading back into Oxford, where he would drop her off, and then tomorrow she would set off to the Midlands—she’d arranged to stay for a couple of days with an old schoolfriend.

Then she’d probably fly back to Greece.

Taking memories of today back with her. Good memories.

Because todayhadbeen good—very good.

Spending it with Damos.

Once she’d disciplined herself not to keep stealing glances at him, not to be too aware of just how incredibly attractive he was to her sex, she had settled down to enjoy his company. He’d been easy-going, interested in what they’d talked about, and good-humoured, with a ready smile and a ready laugh. After the lake they’d gone further afield, across the splendid south lawn, exploring more of the vast grounds and gardens, finishing off with coffee at yet another café on the huge estate.

‘Tired out?’ Damos smiled across at her as they eased their way down the imposing drive towards the main road.

‘Good exercise.’ She smiled back.

It was only a few miles back into Oxford, so this, she knew, was the end of her day with him. She’d be saying goodbye to him and this time it would be permanent. No more coincidentally running into him again. Oh, he might, perhaps, show up at next season’s dig, just to see what his funding might have turned up, but that was about all. Possibly, too, when she was next summoned to Athens by her father, for whatever reason, she just might see Damos around. But he’d doubtless have some glamorous female draped over him...

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