Page 6 of Billion-Dollar Baby Shock

They were in a little cocoon of their own.Tara couldn’t quite wrap her head around what was happening but she wanted him to kiss her again.

So when he said, ‘Will you spend the night with me?’she felt no hesitation.

She said, ‘Yes.’

She hadn’t completely lost the run of herself.She knew why she was here and what was at stake—finding the father of her baby—but at this moment she was on the precipice of that.She hadn’t yet found him or confirmed for sure that shewasthe baby’s mother with a DNA test.

So, she did the most rebellious thing she’d ever done and she chose something just for her.For now.For tonight.Tomorrow she would worry about everything else.

Her baby’s father was here in Athens.She would find him.She had time.Didn’t she?Feeling a little desperate, she reached up and pressed her mouth to his again, revelling in the firm texture of his lips.The slight burn of stubble on his jaw.

His body was hard, pressing against her, and it sent a wild euphoria through her.She pulled back and said a little breathlessly, ‘Just so you know… I don’t normally behave like this.’

His mouth tipped up on one corner.‘I believe you.’

Tara immediately felt insecure.Was it that obvious she was inexperienced?But then he said, ‘Let’s leave now.’

Her insecurity melted away.‘Okay.’

Their masks were left on a wall behind them as he took her hand and led her through the thronged room and out through a reception hall and then out to the main entrance of the villa.

Within seconds a chauffeur-driven car was pulling up in front of them.The man opened the back door for her and she got in.He went around the other side.Tara knew she should be questioning her sanity but her instinct told her she could trust him.

Even so, as the car swept down the winding drive of the villa and towards the centre of Athens she asked a little shakily, ‘You’re not a serial killer, are you?’

He turned to her and his face was in shadow in the back of the car.Lights from streets illuminated the car for brief seconds.He looked fierce.Intense.Her heart pounded.

He said, ‘No, I’m not, you’re safe with me.We won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.I don’t expect anything from you just because you’ve agreed to come with me.I mean that.’

Something inside Tara eased a little.Then he took out his mobile phone and conducted a conversation with someone on the other end in rapid and incomprehensible Greek.Even that was sexy.

As he was on the phone he was undoing his bow tie and opening the top button of his shirt.Tara wanted to crawl onto his lap and continue undoing his buttons and press her mouth to his throat.

She turned her head and looked blindly out of the window at the streets of Athens, people sitting outside barsdrinking and talking.Normal.What on earth was happening to her?The urge to touch him was so visceral.Primal.As if she’d recognised a mate on a very base level.

She’d never been so aware of herself before and her interest in sex.Because she’d never allowed herself to be free like this.She’d had too much responsibility.

But not any more.

Until you find the father of your child.

That stark reminder dropped into her head just as the man turned to her and said, ‘Maybe we should exchange names.’

She shook her head, desperately trying to stave off reality for a little longer.‘No, let’s not.One night…that’s all this will be, right?’

He reached for her and tugged her towards him.He said, ‘One night is all I can offer.’

She looked at his mouth and wound her arms around his neck and breathed, ‘That’s fine with me.’And pressed her mouth to his.His hands roved over her back and waist and any illusion that she was in control soon dissolved as he masterfully took over the kiss and explored her with a thoroughness that had her squeezing her legs together in a bid to contain the damp heat at her core.

After long, drugging moments he pulled back and said, ‘As much as I could take you here right now, I think I know somewhere a little more private and comfortable.’

Tara would have been fine with here and now but she tried to sit up and feign a level of sophistication she really didn’t feel.‘Okay.’

She only then clocked that they were at what looked like an airfield.The car swept through gates and all the way up to where a helicopter was standing with pilot waiting.

The man got out of the car and came around to her door, helping her out.The warm Aegean breeze lifted her dress a little and ruffled her hair.

She looked at the helicopter.‘We’re going in that?’