PROLOGUE

      Spring in London

      LYSANDROS DRAKAKIS WATCHED Rio Armstrong, the woman he wanted above all others, as she took her seat at the piano. An expectant hush fell over the room as everyone waited for the recital he’d arranged for his business clients at one of London’s top hotels to begin.

      Rio was beautiful. Her tall, slender body was full of poise and elegance and as she sat at the piano all eyes were on her. Everyone else in the room was waiting for her to play but all Lysandros could do was imagine her in his arms, kissing him with an unrestrained passion she’d so far resisted. Every time they’d kissed the hints of desire had lingered on her lips, tormenting him.

      His younger sister, Xena, had introduced them, claiming them to be perfect for one another, and for the last two months he’d been the personification of a gentleman with this alluring beauty. He’d also been patient, allowing their relationship to unfold at Rio’s pace. Not at all his usual style, but this was the first time since his disastrous engagement to Kyra ten years ago that he wanted to consider more than just physical gratification.

      That uncharacteristic restraint since he and Rio had started dating was having serious side effects. Not having done anything more than kiss her, his mind was constantly filled with the image of their naked bodies entwined with desire, and as Rio’s fingers began to caress the first notes of her performance from the piano, he closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm his ardour, try to halt the thoughts of her touching him, caressing him.

      Rio had warned him, from the first moment he’d made his interest in her known, of her concert commitments, the need to put in hours of daily practice, and more recently had used those commitments as the reason she wasn’t ready to take their romance further. But with summer approaching and the concert season ending, Lysandros was determined to whisk her away to his home in Greece. Once there he wanted to allow the attraction between them to bloom like the flowers on his island retreat.

      A ripple of applause swayed around the room, dragging his thoughts back to the present. How long had he been wrapped in heated thoughts of making Rio his? Rio stood and took a bow, smiling at the audience’s appreciation of her playing. She was a rising star in the world of classical music and small performances like this were her way of bringing the joy of the genre to new listeners.

      As the audience slowly dwindled away, heading to the hotel restaurant or bar, he walked towards the large black grand piano where Rio was gathering up her music. She glanced up, smiling at him, and he could almost believe that she could be, as Xena had more than hinted at, the woman to overthrow all the disbelief in love with which his ex-fiancée Kyra had filled him.

      ‘Excellent entertainment, Lysandros.’ The gruff voice of Samuel Andrews, a man with whom he’d just signed a lucrative deal to supply his company with ten luxury yachts, invaded the moment.

      ‘Indeed.’ He glanced at the older man before looking over at Rio, who was almost ready to leave. He couldn’t let her go without telling her how wonderfully she’d played—and arranging dinner tonight. ‘If you will excuse me.’

      He didn’t wait for a response. The only thing that mattered now was being with Rio. In just a few days he would return to Greece, where he had a full schedule of meetings for the next few weeks, and it shocked him to realise how much he would miss Rio during that time. This was all such new territory for a man who’d done nothing but play the field for the last ten years.

      Rio looked up at him, that sensual but shy smile on her lips convincing him further, if he needed it, that time together in Greece with this woman was exactly what he wanted.

      ‘You were wonderful,’ he said as he stood in the curve of the piano, its lid lifted. ‘You play so beautifully.’ He watched her, admiring her grace and elegance in the long black dress she wore, one shoulder bare, as the silky fabric swept across her breasts, a frill of black silk over her other shoulder. Her hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck in a tousled chignon he found so very sexy as he imagined setting it free during the passion of sex.

      She gathered the last of her music up and clutched it to her, the softness of her brown eyes filled with happiness. ‘Thank you.’ Her voice was light and teasing, the sparkle in her eyes flirtatious. Finally, he was breaking through her reserve. Soon this innocent beauty would be his in the most intimate way. That thought intensified the heated lust already raging inside him after his imaginings while she’d played. ‘Does that mean you will take me to dinner tonight?’

      He stepped closer to her, not able to resist touching her, and brushed back a stray piece of hair, lifting her chin gently with his thumb and finger. His eyes held hers briefly, and then he brushed his lips over hers before answering. ‘It most certainly does, especially as I have to return to Greece at the end of the week.’

      ‘Next week?’ Her voice was husky, proving she wanted him as much as he wanted her. ‘So soon?’

      ‘Yes, agape mou, so soon.’ He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her until that infernal barrier she hid behind came crashing down.

      ‘I have to meet with Hans now, the conductor. He wants to go over some of the pieces with me, but afterwards I’ll be free.’ She paused. ‘Free to make the most of the last few nights together.’

      ‘Last few nights?’ He couldn’t miss the blush that had crept over her face or the sudden shyness that made her look at him from lowered lashes. He swallowed hard against the need to crush his mouth to hers, to kiss her until passion consumed them both, until desire doused them in flames.

      ‘Yes, Lysandros.’ Her whisper was husky and so very sexy. She moved closer to him, her gaze locked with his, the fire of their attraction almost crackling in the air around them. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? How she was tormenting him? ‘I want to be with you tonight. All night.’

      He looked into her eyes, desire filling them, darkening the soft brown until they were almost black. ‘Are you sure?’ he asked softly, wanting her to know that he was willing to wait, that he understood this wasn’t something she did lightly. He wanted her to know he was prepared to take things as slowly as she wanted to.

      ‘Absolutely.’ The certainty in her voice was all the reassurance he needed. Tonight, this beautiful woman, with an aura of innocence, would be his.

      He kissed her gently, allowing her to taste his passion, his desire for her, and when she responded with as much need for him, he had to force himself to step back from her as the crazy need for her threatened to overcome him. ‘I will make tonight very special for you, agape mou.’

      ‘Just being with you will do that.’ She blushed and hugged her music sheets tighter. ‘But first I must sort this out.’ She allowed the sheets of music to fall forward, as if providing the evidence for what she had to do. ‘You know how hard Hans works us. And, besides, you need to mingle with your guests.’

      He watched as she walked away, turning to look back at him, smiling, her step light with happiness. The same happiness that had made him feel a different man since he’d been dating Rio, sparking off conversations about engagement with his sister. Xena had been convinced that, ever since that first date with her friend, an engagement would be a question of when, not if.

      * * *

      Rio felt crazy and reckless with the anticipation of all that tonight would hold. Tonight she would give