Page 40 of Billion-Dollar Baby Shock

Dion cocked his head to one side as if he was regarding her from behind his shades.She wanted to rip them off and see his eyes.He said, ‘It’s…a temporary arrangement while we adjust to you being a part of Niko’s life.’

‘An arrangement with benefits?’she asked a little tartly.

‘That’s one way of looking at it.’

Tara caught up her dress in one hand and tipped up her chin.‘Well, if you’re going to make me choose who I prioritise in thisarrangement, that’s easy.I choose Niko.I’ll go back to Athens with him and Maria.’

She set off towards the villa but Dion caught her hand and stopped her.She turned back, a little shocked at how upset she was.She avoided his eye.The helicopter was closer now.He tugged her towards him and tipped up her chin.She strove to look as impassive as possible.

He took off his shades but his expression was still enigmatic.He said, ‘I’m sorry.I was blunt last night but only because I need to be absolutely clear about the fact that I don’t expect anything from you.’

She hadn’t been expecting an apology, but the hurt from last night lingered.‘You do expect something of me—the worst possible outcome.’And yet, knowing about his past, she couldn’t exactly blame him.

He said, ‘I’m not used to being in this situation.Being answerable to anyone.’

‘Because you’ve avoided relationships.’

He didn’t even have to acknowledge the truth of that.‘I wasn’t ever expecting to meet Niko’s mother.And I certainly wasn’t expecting to have to accommodate her into our lives.I can’t say I’m comfortable with that, but I do agree that I think it can only benefit him to at least know who his mother is.’

‘He’llmorethan know who I am, Dion.He’ll have me in his life from now on.’

A muscle twitched in Dion’s jaw and Tara waited for him to refute what she’d said but instead he responded, ‘You’re also inmylife, in my bed, in a way I don’t think either of us expected.’

Tara prickled at that.‘I certainly didn’t.I came to Athens looking for the father of my child, nothing more than that.’

Then she said, ‘You’re not accusing me of seducing you any more?’

Dion shook his head.Tara wasn’t sure if she should take that as a compliment or not.Maybe she was so woefully inexperienced he’d had to concede that she couldn’t have possibly come here to seduce him.

The helicopter was close enough now to make conversation inaudible.Dion still had Tara’s hand in his.Their gazes were locked and it became something of a battle of wills.Tara refused to be the one to look away.

But as they waited for the helicopter’s engine to cut off, Dion tangled his fingers with hers, turning it into a much more intimate embrace.Tara’s insides got hot.Heknew exactly what he was doing.He was the master.She was the novice.

When they could be heard again, Dion said, ‘Come with me to the event tonight.You’ll be established as Niko’s mother.That’s what you want, isn’t it?’

Tara nodded.She couldn’t deny that.

‘And then,’ he said, ‘I’m going to fly directly to Paris after the event, for my meetings tomorrow.Come with me.The more time we spend together, the sooner this will burn out.And we still need to get to know each other.Especially if we’re going to be in each other’s lives.’

Tara felt torn and was a little ashamed of how much she wanted to cleave to Dion and let him whisk her off to Paris toburn this outandget to know each other.

‘What about Niko?’

‘He’s survived six months without you, I don’t think a couple of days will do any harm.’

‘But Maria—’

He cut her off.‘Will be very well compensated for her time and Thea will be there to help her.We are mere hours away if we need to come back.’

And then, ‘You’re not on your own with this, Tara.It’s not like when you took responsibility for your siblings.’

Tara cursed him silently.It was as if he knew right where she was most vulnerable.

Then he undid her completely.‘By the way, I should have told you how beautiful you look, and you really do.Stunning.Please, come with me.’

Tara melted inside.She couldn’t even pretend to feign reluctance.She was his and she feared it was becoming fatal and yet she knew she couldn’t do anything to save herself.The pull to be with him was too strong.

She pulled her hand free of his and saw how a flash of uncertainty came into his eyes.That small hint that he wasn’t totally sure of her mollified her slightly.She said, ‘Very well, but let me say goodbye to Niko.’