Storm at heart

Chapter 2

«You must be kidding me!» she whispered to herself in Greek while she moved to the chair in front of his desk. She dared not to lift her head  to look him in the eyes. For some unexplainable reason it was impossible. She could not, but she had to.

Suddenly she forgot every single English word she ever learnt all those years and just stared at him dumbfounded. 

«I’m ready when you are!» he said to her, apparently being used to the affect he had on other people.

She never even liked blond men. She always thought that dark-haired, earthly men had a special appeal. This one though, was absolutely and sinfully an exquisite sample of male beauty.  His fair eye and hair colour was  combined with extreme masculine features and his biggest asset where his sky blue eyes that looked at her almost bored to death. Yep, this man was absolutely aware of the effect he had.

Suddenly she realized that while she was at first very much impressed, she was actually disliking him. She had seen many gorgeous man, mostly models who came to Mister Dimitris’s little establishment and all of them had that awareness, that made them unlikable, distant and finally indifferent after it was revealed that they where nothing more than a pretty face and a well toned body.

The only way for her to survive this ordeal was to cast him in the same category. She had no reason to doubt that he was vain and even his financial status - as everything around her proved it to be so- was reason enough for her to dislike him.  

Yes, she told herself, she rejected this kind of shallow people and he was no exception.

 «Miss... Stamou...» he started while he confirmed her name by looking at his digital organizer in front of him «you insisted to see me...» Unbelievable! He actually waited for her to continue his sentence!

Marianna was her old self again. He was stunning alright, but also an asshole she thought. She lifted her chin proudly and got ready to regain the lost ground.  

«I am co-owner of a small hotel...» she started.

«You have studied hotel management?» he cut her off. Alexander was now standing. He removed his dark grey jacket, like it was the most natural thing to do during a business meeting. 

«What’ s this got to do with our subject?» she asked but could not ignore his lean body in front of her. Blond men, this kind of blond men should be prohibited to wear black shirts. It highlighted their features, something that might proof the be dangerous to the female population, she thought before giving eventually her answer, «no, I am an art school graduate!»

Alexander Stone paused and threw his jacket on the nearby couches. For the first time he actually looked at her with some interest.

« The national Art School of Athens? As in Greece?» he asked.

«Yes, but as I was saying.... There is this small hotel, which has established itself as a place that offers....»

«I really do not care for your hotel and I really don’t understand your jabber! If I wish to infest somewhere I just do so. I do not take suggestions and the last place that I would consider to expend my enterprises, is Greece!» With just one wave of his hand he had dismissed her, without hearing her out.

Marianna looked at him more astonished by her calm than his rudeness. The hole situation was so ridiculous that she finally gave in and laughed, with all her heart. It was a warm, rich laughter, that drew Alexanders attention once more.

«You are right!» she said with a gesture of resignation. «Sorry to have wasted your precious time!» she lifted her purse and headed for the exit to freedom.