An Offer She Can't Refuse Read Free Page B

good idea. Will you take Theo, Mama? I want to get a few photographs from different windows up here. I’ll meet you at the elevator.’
    ‘Of course I’ll take him. Come, Theo.’
    She stood up and took his hand and they went off happily together. Mission accomplished, Tina thought on a huge wave of relief. Now, if she could get past Ari without him taking any notice of her she was home free. If the worst happened and he chose to intercept her departure, she could deal with the situation on her own.
    Having slung her travel bag over her shoulder, she picked up her camera, stood at the window, clicked off a few shots of the view, then, with her heart hammering, she turned, meaning to walk as quickly as she could past the danger table.
    Ari Zavros was looking straight at her. She saw the jolt of recognition in his face, felt a jolt of shock run right through her, rooting her feet to the floor, leaving her standing like a mesmerised rabbit caught in headlights.
    ‘Christina …’ He spoke her name in a tone of pleasurable surprise, rising from his chair, obviously intent on renewing his fond memory of her.
    No chance of escape from it. Her feet weren’t receiving any messages from her brain which was totally jammed with all the misery this man had given her.
    He excused himself from his companion who turned in her chair to give Tina a miffed look—long, silky, blonde hair, big blue eyes, peaches and cream complexion, definitely one of the beautiful people. Another fond memory for him, or something more serious this time?
    It didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was getting this totally unwelcome encounter over and done with. Ari was approaching her, hands outstretched in charming appeal, his mouth tilting in a wry little smile.
    ‘You’ve cut your beautiful hair,’ he said as though that was a wicked shame.
    Never mind the shame he’d left her in.
    Her tongue leapt into life. ‘I like it better short,’ she said tersely, hating the reminder of how he’d enjoyed playing with the long curly tresses, winding it around his fingers, stroking it, kissing it, smelling it.
    ‘What are you doing in Dubai?’ he asked, his amber eyes twinkling with interest.
    ‘Having a look at it. Why are you here?’ she returned.
    He shrugged. ‘Business.’
    ‘Mixed with pleasure,’ she said dryly, with a nod at the blonde. ‘Please … don’t let me keep you from her, Ari. After all this time, what is there to say?’
    ‘Only that it feels good to see you again. Even with your cropped hair,’ he replied with one of his megawatt smiles which had once melted her knees.
    They stiffened in sheer rebellion. How dared he flirt with her when he was obviously connected to another woman? How dared he flirt with her at all when he’d used her up and left her behind him?
    And she hated him saying it felt good to see her again when it made her feel so bad. He had no idea of what he’d done to her and she hated him for that, too. She wanted to smack that smile off his face, wanted to smack him down for having the arrogance to even approach her again with his smarmy charm, but the more dignified course, the safer course was simply to dismiss him.
    ‘I’m a different person now to the one you knew,’ she said oddly. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I’m with my mother who’ll be waiting for me to catch up with her.’
    Her feet obeyed the command to side-step, get moving To her intense frustration, Ari shot out a hand, clutching her arm, halting a swift escape from him. She glared at him, resentment burning deep from the touch of his fingers on her skin, from the power he still had to affect her physically. He was so close she could smell the cologne he used. It made her head swim with memories she didn’t want to have.
    The amber eyes quizzed hers, as though he didn’t understand her cutting him off so abruptly. He wanted to know more. Never mind what she wanted.
    ‘Your mother. And the boy …’ he said slowly, obviously