He took her mouth in a kiss that wasn’t meant to be sweet or romantic. It was meant to stake a claim. But holding Ava in his arms always led him to one reaction.
God, he wanted her. He softened the kiss, sliding his hands down her back to her hips and wrapping one arm around her waist to anchor her to him.
The thin fabric of her robe wasn’t much of a barrier.
“I’ll be going now.”
Christos took his time lifting his head, keeping one arm wrapped around Ava’s waist. “What were you two discussing?”
“Your father,” Gui said. “Women like to tell me their troubles.”
“You always were a sucker for a damsel in distress.”
“I’m not in distress. Thanks for listening,” Ava said.
She pulled out of Christos’s arms. “Are you home for lunch?”
“Yes. Theo invited me. Tristan put him up to it.”
“I’ll see you all downstairs in a few minutes,” she said, walking out of the room.
They both watched her leave.
“I’ve never seen you so possessive before,” Gui said.
Christos rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn’t explain it to anyone, wasn’t even going to try. He only knew that Ava was his and it was important that Gui and the rest of the world know it.
“What upset her?” he asked his friend.
“She’s worried that you’ll be embarrassed in front of society if the wedding isn’t perfect.”
Christos cursed under his breath. “I don’t give a crap about that.”
“I told her. But she’s still concerned. Your father has her convinced that the Theakis set the style, not follow it.”
“Ari couldn’t care less about fashion,” Christos said more to himself than Gui.
“He’s making things difficult for Ava.”
“Why?”
Gui shrugged. “Perhaps to make sure she’ll stay. She did run away before.”
“The paparazzi were all over her.”
“I saw the coverage. That can be a lot to handle for a young woman.”
“Yes,” Christos said, not enlightening his friend that Ava had been driven away by more than the tabloids—Theakis Nanny Snags Both Brothers, one headline had screamed. His anger hadn’t helped.
Gui walked toward the stairs. “Aren’t you coming?”
“In a minute. I want to talk to Ava alone.”
There had been nothing untoward between Gui and Ava when he’d walked in. Ava was reserved around his friends, and he was coming to realize that that was her way around most men.
This time he wasn’t as caught up in the white-hot passion that blazed between them. It was still there, but he had more breathing room to make sensible decisions. Like branding her with his kiss? Yeah, well, he was still possessive where she was concerned.
Gui left and Christos looked around the sitting room while he waited for her. It wasn’t sophisticated and cool the way his rooms were. She’d left her mark on the place. Pictures of Theo were mounted on the wall, along with little sayings that she was fond of. Nestled in one corner were the big story-time pillows and against the wall a rolling laptop caddy, which he knew she’d had brought in for Theo.
