Read Online The Greek's Acquisition by Chantelle Shaw - Free Book Online

but they had shared more than just sex. There had beensomething between them—a degree of emotional involvement he had not wanted to define.
    Those memories had always lingered in the back of his mind, and sometimes when he heard a song that had been popular at the time he felt a curious pang inside as he remembered Eirenne in springtime and a golden-haired girl whose gentle smile had briefly touched his soul.
    Startled by thoughts that he had never cared to dwell on too deeply before now, he threw Louise a sideways glance as they followed the waiter to their table—and discovered that she was looking at him with an unguarded expression that made him want to forget dinner, forget everything but his burning desire to sweep her into his arms and carry her out of the restaurant and into the nearest hotel, where he would hire a room for as many nights as it took to sate himself on her gorgeous body.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T HERE was champagne chilling in an ice-bucket. The white damask cloth was pristine, and the silver cutlery gleamed in the flickering light of candles set amid a centrepiece of white roses and fragrant mauve freesias. Louise tried to focus on the beautiful table setting, but in her mind all she could see was the look of scorching desire in Dimitri’s eyes as he had drawn out a chair for her to sit down.
    She was shaken by the sexual hunger he had made no effort to disguise. It was all the more shocking because they hadn’t seen each other for seven years and were little more than strangers. She tried to block out her memories of the one night they had spent together. It had been so long ago, and he must have slept with so many other women since then that it did not seem likely he would remember. But somehow she knew that he
did
remember, and heat surged through her veins, making her breasts ache and evoking a dragging sensation low in her pelvis.
    ‘
Champagne
,
mademoiselle
?’
    ‘Oh …
oui. Merci
.’ She nodded distractedly to the waiter, who was hovering at her elbow, and watched him fill a tall flute with champagne. The waiter walked around the table to fill Dimitri’s glass and then presented them both with a menu before he finally left them alone.
    ‘I think a toast to old friends is appropriate,’ Dimitri murmured, raising his glass.
    Friends
. Louise felt a sharp pang as she remembered laughter and lazy days on a paradise island. She had thought they were friends—until her mother had shattered her illusions about Dimitri’s motives. None of it had been real. Not the companionship or the friendship—or the passion. Dimitri had deliberately set out to seduce her, knowing that his actions would anger her mother, and his aim had been to cause trouble between Tina and his father. How could he have the nerve to suggest a toast to their friendship when it had been a lie? Louise wondered bleakly.
    But there was no point in dragging up the past when she would probably never see him again after tonight. Somehow she managed a cool smile and touched her glass to his. ‘To friends.’
    Her throat felt parched and the words emerged as a husky whisper. She sounded like a
femme fatale
from an old movie, she thought disgustedly, and took a long sip of champagne to ease the dryness. The bubbles fizzed on her tongue and it belatedly occurred to her that it was hours since she’d had lunch, and alcohol on an empty stomach was not a good idea.
    Focus on the reason why you’re here
, she told herself as she forced herself to meet his brooding gaze across the table.
    ‘You said you might be interested in buying Eirenne. Is there any information I can give you that might help with your decision?’
    Dimitri took a sip of champagne before answering. ‘I haven’t been back to the island for seven years, but I have many memories of it. Has it changed much?’ His jaw hardened. ‘Surely even your mother can’t have done too much damage to the place?’
    ‘Of course she hasn’t.’ Louise instantly leapt to her