A Devious Desire. JACQUELINE BAIRD
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Saffron swung her shoulder-bag over her shoulder and gently put a hand under a frail elbow, helping Anna to her feet. She waited and watched as the other woman gave one last lingering look at the top floor of the building and was just about to help her into the car when to Saffron’s astonishment someone yelled, ‘Get the hell out of the way!’ and grabbed the strap of her bag, hard fingers scraping her bare flesh.
Her hand slipped from Anna and she cried a warning. ‘Look out! A thief!’
Years in an orphanage, and looking after herself for most of her life, along with classes in self-defence, had taught Saffron something, and with lightning reflexes her arm shot up, her finger and thumb nipping the front of her attacker’s throat while her knee crashed up and into a very male groin. Spinning on her heel, she gently pushed Anna back into her seat. ‘Don’t worry, Anna, I’ve got it under control.’
Saffron shot her a worried glance, and was amazed to see that Anna was not in the least fazed by the unpleasant incident. In fact she was smiling, then chuckling, then laughing!
‘It’s not funny—we were nearly robbed.’
‘Oh, Saffy, dear, if I ever had any doubt about your suitability for the job, I don’t now!’ Amid much laughter mingled with very masculine groans she went on, ‘I have never seen anything so funny in my whole life.’
Saffron, adrenalin still pumping, had no idea how magnificent she looked. At five feet five, with her red-gold hair a wild tangle about her lovely face, and dressed in neat white tailored shorts, braless under a navy strapless tube-top, her green eyes flashing fire, she looked like some avenging Valkyrie.
‘What is so funny?’ she demanded, and then spared a glance for the man she had felled. ‘This man was trying to attack us.’ She could not see his face, but she could hear his moans. He was folded double and clutching a very private part of himself.
They had gathered quite a crowd, including the proprietor of the café, who asked, ‘Shall I call the police?’
The police…Saffron hesitated. They had to be back on board soon; if they were delayed by the police they would miss the boat. She glanced at Anna, only to see the other woman wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes with one hand while waving the other frantically in the air as she got out over her amusement. ‘No police, no police.’
‘Then let’s get in the taxi and go.’ Saffron was suddenly conscious of the crowd and being the centre of attention and she did not like it. She hitched her bag more firmly on her shoulder and cast an uneasy glance at her assailant, who had dragged himself to the seat she had recently vacated, and she saw his face…
Night-black hair fell in tousled curls over a broad forehead; perfectly arched brows framed glittering black eyes. The nose was large and slightly hooked, the jaw square, and wide mouth completed the rugged features, but the lips were pulled back in a grimace of pain. Her gaze dropped to his broad shoulders; a plain white T-shirt clung lovingly to a broad chest, the faint trace of dark body hair showing through the fine fabric, and brief denim cut-offs exposed the considerable length of tanned muscular legs, also with a downy covering of black hair. He looked dangerously tough, and suddenly Saffron had serious doubts about what she had done. Her legs felt weak, and she was amazed at her own success in overpowering him. If she had got a good look at him before, she would never have tried…
Odd! He also looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t be…Dismissing the uncomfortable thought, she said quickly, ‘Come on, Anna; get in the taxi. We don’t need to bother with his sort; the police will catch him soon enough.’ She opened the car door and put her other hand under Anna’s elbow, urging her up and into the taxi. She was desperate to get away. The man looked as if he was getting his wind back and Saffron did not want to be around when he did.
‘No, no, Saffy, you don’t understand,’ Anna said, still chuckling. ‘This is my son Alexandros. Alex.’
‘What? Your son!’ Incredulity widened her green eyes to their fullest extent. ‘I don’t believe you. He can’t be…’
‘But he is. Honestly…’ Anna, finally controlling her amusement, answered seriously.
‘Thank you, Mother. I’m glad you found my distress so hilariously funny.’ A deep rich voice broke into the women’s exchange.
Saffron felt as if she had been pole-axed, then her lips began to twitch in the beginnings of a smile as she thought that actually it was the man who was pole-axed, and by her! She knew it was completely the wrong time to find the situation amusing but she could not help it— a snort of laughter escaped her before she could control herself.
‘And as for you, whoever you are,’ the deep voice continued harshly, ‘I would not laugh if I were you; if anyone is calling the police around here it will be me for your completely unwarranted attack upon my person.’
‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, Alex, listen to yourself! You sound like a pompous ass,’ his mother responded, and, grabbing Saffron’s arm, she added, ‘I think you’re right, dear; let’s get in the taxi and go; we don’t want to miss the boat.’
But their escape was not to be so easy. With a speed that belied his great size and his recent injury, Alex was on his feet and ushering his mother and Saffron into the back seat of the cab. Sliding in beside them, he then issued instructions to the taxi driver in Greek, and they were on their way.
‘Now, Mother, perhaps you will tell me what you are doing with this red-headed devil——’ he cast a venomous glance at Saffron who was squashed between them, and then looked past her to his mother ‘—on a cruise ship touring the islands.’
‘Having a holiday,’ Anna said bluntly. ‘Saffy is my new companion—and before you say another word Dr Jenkins thoroughly approves.’
Saffron felt the dark eyes fixed on her, but she kept her head bent, hiding her face. After the excitement of the past half-hour, she was slowly beginning to realise just what she had done. Assaulted her employer’s own son. So much for the job of a lifetime, she thought morosely. She had been counting on this six-month contract with all living expenses provided to boost her bank balance to the magical amount that would enable her to set up her own beauty clinic. She could see her dream disintegrating before her eyes. Burnt to ashes by the heat of anger that shimmered between the taxi’s occupants.
Suddenly Alex aimed a torrent of rapid-fire Greek at Anna, and as if to punctuate his words he stretched a long arm along the back of the seat to touch his mother’s shoulder. At the brush of his arm against the back of her neck Saffron almost jumped out of her skin, a tingling awareness making the small hairs on her neck stand on end. Immediately she was shockingly conscious of his powerful masculinity and bitterly resented the fact.
She had met his type before—hard and ruthless. Even his mother had hinted that they were not very close, and she was lonely. Now Saffron could understand why, given the autocratic way he had bundled them both into the taxi like so much unwanted baggage. ‘Arrogant pig!’ she thought, then to her horror realised that she had spoken out loud, and the full fury of glittering black eyes was turned on her red face.
‘Woman, if you want to live to see tomorrow I suggest you keep your mouth shut. You have done quite enough harm already. Kidnapping Mother, attacking me…One more word and you will be in a Greek gaol so fast your feet won’t touch the ground——’
‘That’s enough, Alex,’ Anna cut in sternly. ‘A taxi is not the place to argue, and in any case we have arrived.’
Alex, without another word, got out of the car and walked around the other side, opening the door for his mother. Saffron slid out on to the dock and glanced up at the cruise liner, then rather warily over the top of the taxi at the other two. As she watched she saw Alex smile and bend down to brush a light kiss on the top of Anna’s head before paying the taxi driver then gently taking her arm and leading her up the gangway.
Saffron hesitated. Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe Alex did not neglect his mother. As she thought back to the scene at the café it struck her. For a woman who said she hardly saw her