CHAPTER FIVE

      STEFAN lay with his hands hooked behind his head, watching as dawn sent beams of light across the bedroom. He could see a tiny bird dipping itself in the pool, playing innocently, blissfully unaware of the possibility of danger.

      It reminded him of Selene.

      Next to him, she stirred. With a moan, she flung her arm over her eyes. ‘Turn the light off. Ugh—how can you be so thoughtless? It’s giving me a headache.’

      He turned his head to look at her, remembering how frank and open she’d been. He was starting to understand why her father was so overprotective. She was a sitting duck for any unscrupulous individual that happened to come along.

      And now she was lying in his bed.

      His bed. In his house, where no woman had stayed the night before. The house he’d built from nothing after Stavros Antaxos had ripped everything from his family.

      Now he lay in silk sheets, but he never forgot how it had felt to lie on the cold, hard ground with the smell of rotting food in his nostrils. He never forgot the pain of seeing someone he loved laughing with someone he hated.

      Stefan reached out and pushed her tangled blonde hair away from her face, remembering how open she’d been with him. It was the champagne, of course. ‘It’s called the sun. It’s morning and your headache has nothing to do with the light.’

      She peeled her eyelids open gingerly. For a moment she stared at him, as if trying to work something out. Those eyes slid from his bare shoulders to his abdomen and lower to—

      ‘You’re naked?’ She shot up in bed and then groaned and immediately flopped back down again. ‘Oh, my God, that hurts.’

      There was something hopelessly endearing about her lack of sophistication. ‘Yes, I’m naked. And so are you. That generally happens when two people spend the night together.’ He waited for his words to sink in. Watched as her eyes widened and a faint colour touched her pale cheeks.

      There would be regret, he knew. She would shoot out of his bed, accuse him of taking advantage of her and that would be the end of that. Except he would have taught her a lesson life hadn’t yet taught her. To be cautious of people.

      Next time she’d be more careful.

      Next time she wouldn’t drink so much with a man she didn’t know—especially a man with his reputation.

      Next time she’d know better than to trust someone like him.

      ‘You undressed me and I don’t even remember it.’ Her voice was muffled by the pillow. ‘I bet that was fun for you. I don’t feel too good. Could I have a drink, please?’

      ‘More champagne? That was your favourite drink last night.’

      The sound from her throat was a whimper. ‘No, not champagne. I’m never drinking again. It hurts so much. Why didn’t anyone tell me it hurts afterwards? Water. Is there any water? A glass from the pool will do. I don’t care. Anything as long as it isn’t champagne.’

      Stefan reached out a hand for the phone and spoke to someone in the kitchen, all the time aware of Selene burrowed into the pillow next to him like a very vulnerable, very sleepy kitten. She was adorable.

      He frowned slightly, realising it wasn’t an adjective he’d had cause to use before.

      The sheet had slipped. He stared at the smooth skin of her shoulder, knowing that no other man had enjoyed the view he was enjoying now. Unable to help himself, he reached out and ran his hand down the length of her arm, feeling her tremble. But still she stayed in his bed. Even though the alcohol had to have worked its way out of her system, she wasn’t showing any more caution than she had the night before.

      Tenser than he could ever remember being, Stefan sprang from the bed and grabbed boxer shorts and jeans. ‘My advice would be to go and take a long, cold shower.’

      ‘That sounds like a truly horrible idea.’ Selene winced as he pulled up his zip. ‘Could you try and be a bit quieter? The noise is killing my head.’

      And still she lay there. In his bed. In his home. Trusting him.

      His fury with her father growing with every passing minute, Stefan dragged open the door of his bedroom suite, removed the tray from his staff with a nod of thanks and kicked the door shut.

      Unaccustomed to playing the role of nurse, he poured iced water into a glass and handed it to her.

      Run, part of him screamed. Get out of here while you can.

      Still half under the covers, Selene eyed it doubtfully. ‘I’m not sure if I’m thirsty after all. My stomach isn’t happy.’

      ‘You’re dehydrated. You need fluid. And then you need food.’

      ‘How can you mention food at a time like this?’

      After a moment’s hesitation, he sat down on the bed next to her and scooped her up, keeping his arm around her bare shoulders. Trying to ignore the softness of her flesh beneath his fingers, he lifted the glass to her lips. ‘Drink. You’ll feel better.’ At least one of them would. He should never have brought her back here. It had been an appalling error of judgement on his part.

      ‘I feel hideous. And I hate you for being so full of energy first thing in the morning.’ Instead of taking the glass from him, she curled her fingers over his and took a few sips. ‘Thank you. You’re so kind.’