The Only Woman to Defy Him by Carol Marinelli Read Free Book Online Page B

best one and already taken. Alina glanced over and saw an extremely put-out couple walking past. ‘I had to move them—Zukov is coming here.’
    Alina felt the colour drain from her face.
    ‘Demyan Zukov?’ She had this brief surge of hope that it might be Nadia, she had been here a couple of times for lunch after all, but even before Pierre answered, the smile on his face told Alina the bad news.
    ‘None other.’ Pierre grinned. ‘Oh, my God, he’s here!’
    ‘Pierre...’ Alina started, but what could she say? That she didn’t want to wait at his table? Pierre would simply tell her that she was fired there and then. Pierre was probably going to fire her soon anyway when he found out that she had lied and told Demyan that there was a wedding on.
    The restaurant fell silent for a second as guests realised just who had entered and then there followed a buzz of excitement.
    ‘This is Alina,’ Pierre introduced them, ‘and she will be looking after you this evening, as will Glynn, our wine waiter.’ Alina saw Pierre frown at her less-than-effusive response so she quickly plastered on a smile, though she felt as if she were about to wet her pants.
    ‘Alina.’ Demyan frowned and repeated their very first conversation. ‘That is a Slav name, no?’
    She simply couldn’t answer.
    Instead, Demyan did. ‘Or is it Celtic?’ he mused, as he took his seat.
    ‘Both,’ Alina croaked. She was nearly in tears but still frantically smiling.
    ‘Thank you for accommodating us.’ Demyan turned to Pierre. ‘I know that you are exceptionally busy tonight.’
    ‘We’re never too busy for you, Demyan.’ Pierre blushed, as he gushed, as he flirted shamelessly. ‘Any time.’
    Any time at all.
    ‘Thank you.’ Demyan turned his attention back to Alina, who then had to go through her spiel about the menu.
    ‘What would you recommend?’
    He’s enjoying this, Alina realised.
    Demyan was.
    At first, he hadn’t recognised her. He’d been far too busy admiring a bottom and tanned, freckled, rather heavy legs, and then Alina had turned around and he’d realised they belonged to her.
    His missing-in-action PA.
    Poor baby!
    That had been his first thought, yet, rather than put her at ease, teasing Alina was the most fun he had had in...
    Ages.
    ‘The lobster in lemon butter sauce—’ she started.
    ‘No,’ Demyan interrupted. ‘I think I’ll go for tenderloin.’
    She heard that word so many times a night; not once did it make her burn, never had it made her loins feel tender.
    Till tonight.
    Still, Demyan was a very good host and turned his attention to his guest, though he did tease her a couple of times during service. ‘What happened to the wedding?’ he asked when she brought the main course, and Demyan glanced at his empty water glass for her to fill it.
    ‘They cancelled.’
    ‘Liar,’ Demyan responded softly, watching her shaking hand overfill his glass. He said it so that only Alina could hear and she turned her burning face to him.
    ‘I’m so sorry.’
    ‘I will deal with you later,’ Demyan said, except he was smiling and so too, for a very brief second, was she.
    Her first genuine smile of the night and Alina didn’t know why, didn’t understand the message in his eyes, for, had Hassan not been there, he might have told her that he would put her over his knee.
    Alina thought herself as clueless at flirting as she was at temping.
    She was doing it, though.
    She knew exactly the moment his eyes were on her, even with her back to him. She could feel it, that was all.
    And when she stretched her back, when she put her hands behind her waist and her bust jutted out a touch, even if it was without deliberate intention, it was for him. Her body, rather than her mind, seemed to know how to play this game.
    It was a dangerous game, though. She knew that. But on what should have been the worst night of an already wretched day, for reasons she couldn’t quite fathom, Alina felt like laughing.
    Until he