The Italian Billionaire's Lover

CHAPTER 30

'These are for you,' Tomas presented Alina with his fancy bouquet of flowers. She ignored his hungry look at her bikini clad figure.

She wondered why he bothered with the flowers. Since his return from Germany, he was cold and distant and had erected this concrete wall between them that she found insurmountable. Even at night, in bed, where she previously thought they were equals, Tomas seemed unapproachable. Obviously he was getting his pleasure elsewhere. Was that French woman based somewhere here in London?

'Thank you,' Alina took the bouquet, making sure that their fingers did not touch. She placed it on the table, unconcerned that it would wilt right under the blazing sun. Tomas' eyes shot up. Surely she should treat his benevolent gesture with a little gratitude!

'I'll put it in a vase,' Tomas offered.

'Okay,' Alina responded non-committally and promptly dived into the pool to join Emily. After playfully completing two laps, Alina observed Tomas was still where he had been, his eyes trained on her, the bouquet of flowers completely forgotten.

'When is Gustav coming back?' She questioned him, wondering why he had not brought his uncle back.

Tomas chewed on the inside of his cheek. His face looked irritable. Alina tried desperately to hide the smirk on her face. She suspected he was annoyed that she was not paying him any attention. He probably expected her to throw her arms around him and beg him to make love to her. Well she was not going to! Not ever again. That is if Tomas did not touch her first. If he did, she was a goner. His touch anywhere on her body was like heat melting a block of ice, slowly but surely, she would be reduced to nothing.

'I was going to talk to you about that,' Tomas spoke in measured tones. 'I have invited Katy Tsidiki to London. She is here. I thought you and I could take her and Gustav to dinner.'

'Why did you invite her?' Alina questioned curiously.

'There is a post here, I wish her to fill.'

Is he match-making? What if Gustav returns to Greece?

'Gustav has hinted he would like to live here in London permanently,' Tomas answered her silent question.
  So I have made Katy an offer she won't refuse and Gustav will keep his dirty eyes off you!

'I see,' Alina answered, waving her arms about in the water. 'Will he continue to live with us?'

'No!___no. I shall buy him a cottage'___ as far away from our home as possible.

'Emelia, would you like to go and shower?' Tomas engineered.

We've hardly been here that long! Why are you sending her away?

'Okay Toe-muz.'
She held out her tiny arms, for him to lift her out of the pool. Tomas did not use a towel to protect himself like Alina thought he would. Instead he cradled Emily into his arms and gently set her down, only then wrapping a fresh dry towel around Emily's body.

'There you go piccola,' he smiled.

'Thank you Toe-muz,' she hugged him, around his knees and rushed into the house.

'Cara, get out of the water, I want to speak with you,' Tomas demanded.

'I can hear you from here,' she countered stubbornly.  

'Alina! I will come in there and get you out,' his voice rose an octave.

She hated his dominating manner. 'Fine!' she glared at him. Ignoring his hand of help, she lifted herself out of the water and draped a towel around her shivering body.
Where the hell had the sun disappeared to?