Page 42 of Defying Drakon
âPleased to meet you.â Sam continued to look into that harshly chiselled face for several seconds before giving a perceptible shake of his head as he turned to look back at Gemini, a dozen unasked questions in his widened bright blue eyes. âMaybe we can get together for a longer chat during the interval?â he urged, obviously eager to pump her for answers.
âIââ
âThat will not be possible, Iâm afraid.â Drakon was the one to answer dismissively. âGemini and I will be meeting other friends then.â
She gave him a surprised look; that was the first sheâd heard of it. Although, as Drakon had been the one to fly her here to Verona in his private jet, she could hardly complain if he had now decided he wanted to talk to some of his business acquaintances later on, after all.
âSorry about that.â She gave Sam a regretful smile.
âIâll be back in London next week, so maybe we can meet up again then?â Sam suggested.
âPerhaps. If Gemini is back in London by next week,â Drakon said frostily at the same time as his arm moved about the slenderness of her waist.
Gemini gave him another startled glance, surprised at the possessiveness of that gesture as much as by what he had said. âButââ
âIf you will excuse us?â Drakon murmured as the bell sounded to announce the start of the performance, not even waiting for Samâs reply before moving away to join the people now making their way to their seats.
Gemini had time to turn to shoot Sam an apologetic glance over her shoulder before glaring up at Drakon. âWhat on earth was all that about?â she demanded, bewildered by his behaviour.
He spared her only the briefest of glances as he concentrated on guiding her safely through the milling crowd. âWhat was what about?â he said evasively.
âWell, for one thing, of course Iâll be back in London next week. In fact Iâll be back in London later this eveningââ
; âNo, you wonât.â
Gemini came to an abrupt halt, and then was forced to mutter a distracted apology to the couple whose way she was blocking.
âWhat do you mean I wonât?â She frowned at him as he took a firm grasp of her arm and moved them to a less crowded and thankfully more private area.
He shrugged as he released her arm. âThe opera wonât finish until very late, so naturally I have arranged for us to stay at a hotel here in Verona tonight.â
âWhat? Without so much as asking me if that was okay?â Gemini gasped incredulously.
He raised arrogant brows. âI brought you to Verona without asking your permission, too.â
âWellâ¦yes. Butââ She flung up her hands in dismay. âNot only have I not brought any other clothes or toiletries with me, but you canât just make decisions like that without even consulting me!â
âI believe I already have.â
Geminiâs cheeks burned at what she considered his bloody-minded arrogance. âYouââ
âAnd the second thing?â he interrupted calmly.
âWhat?â she said, confused.
âYou said âfor one thingâ, so I assumed there must necessarily be a second thing?â he replied.
Gemini ground her teeth in frustration at his obvious lack of interest in discussing their overnight stay any further. âThe second thing is what was all that about with Sam just now? You deliberately gave him the impression that weâreâwell, that weâreââ
âInvolved?â he supplied dryly.
âYes!â she hissed, uncomfortable with Drakonâs continued calm when she was feeling anything but.
He looked down at her wordlessly for several long seconds. âWe had dinner together last week. And again yesterday evening. We have had dinner together again this evening. We are now in Verona, attending the opera together. And somewhere in amongst those evenings together we have twice been intimate with each other, for want of a better expression. Do all of those things not indicate that we might possibly be involved?â He arched those arrogant dark brows.
Gemini looked annoyed. They had done all those things together, yes, but as far as she was aware not one of those earlier evenings had been arranged and agreed between them. Dinner last week had been to discuss Lyonedes Enterprises buying Bartholomew House. She had organised their dinner together yesterday evening at the Italian restaurant because she had been angry with Drakon for setting his watchdogs onto her. Which only left this eveningâ¦