"Means nothing," he snarled into her face and handed her her top. "Now cover up. Before I throw you out like this."
Her face fell. "So you are really going to do nothing?" Her words poured out in apparent disbelief. "Are you sure you are not gay? You must be gay."
"Funny how you think I'm gay because I won't succumb to your advances." His lips curled into a line of displeasure. "You're such a spoiled little brat. "You must really be used to getting whatever you want. You must find it hard to accept you have been rejected."
"Fuck you," she sneered and wore her clothes in defiance and, like a woman scorned, came close to him and snarled, "You are nothing. You should be happy a woman like me offered you her body. It will never happen again. And I hope you rot in hell for all I care for. " I'm glad my sister dumped your sorry ass."
After assembling her clothes, Dakota stepped closer to him and pointed one imperious finger at him, poking it at his massive chest. "You think you are hurting? Well, that serves you right. Know pain like the rest of us had had to after being rejected."
With that, she stormed out of his cottage. Leaving a furious Stavros in her wake.
Stavros stood there seething in anger. Had she been wishing he would be in serious pain? That woman was evil, he decided. And he wants nothing to do with her in the future.
Moving to the table where the Italian wine lay forgotten, Stavros poured himself a healthy dose. Threw his head back and swallowed the whole thing. Wincing at the burning sensation in his throat.
As if that wasn't enough, and by a desperate need to knock his senses off. He grabbed the bottle and poured himself another hearty dose, which he swallowed in a gulp and then another, and another, until the whole bottle lay empty at his feet and he lost his inhibitions.
\*\*\*\*\*\*
Two days later.
Under the relentless sun, Stavros worked in the garden. Pruning, cutting, and watering the flowers with gentle care.
It's been two days since he last heard from Belinda. Her phone had been turned off all day long and with no way to contact her.
Stavros had tried every possible way to reach Belinda, including wandering around the house at odd hours and even venturing deeper to the parts of the mansion where he was not allowed to.
But all his efforts seemed to be abortive because the only person he'd managed to run into on that little adventure was Dakota, and by the looks of things the pretty brunette hadn't seemed happy to see him. Obviously, Dakota was still smarting from her rejection.
Not that he cared. The only person he cared about was Belinda and in less than four hours, he would be going up to Bee's house to seek her out. Stavros frowned. He had been thinking about it and a lot of things did not make sense.
Like how he couldn't reconcile the sweet woman who had prophesied her love for him countless times with the one who was determined to show him she wanted him for his body. He was convinced there was more to this.
And so, although the words Belinda had hurled at him the day she broke up with him had hurt like hell, Stavros had decided not to make anything of the situation until he had spoken with Bee.
That was the reason be had been looking for relentlessly. He had decided that if he didn't see Bee by the end of the day, he would muster up the courage, go up to the house and ask for her.
If Mohammed would not come to the mountains, then the mountains would go to Mohammed.
No sooner had he finished that thought did the boy who was in charge of cleaning the pool walk past him and greeted him. He was carrying his tools, Stavros noticed. It has not been long since the boy had gone to clean the pool, a mere five minutes ago. Yet, he was already back. Curiously, Stavros asked. "You're back? Finished already?"
The lanky boy with sandy blond hair rubbed the back of his neck, "Eh... No. one of the Gibson's sisters wanted to use the pool. I guess I have to come back later."
The Gibson's sisters. Stavros tensed. And then his heart roared so ferociously he feared it was going to leap out of his chest. He whipped around so fast the boy looked at him strangely. "Which one?" he breathed out.
Still eyeing him strangely, the boy muttered. "uh... I can't remember her name, but she has fiery red hair." The boy emphasized with the curve of his hands. Effortlessly displaying the downpour of hair.
"Belinda." Stavros swallowed and his heart beat nervously. Unaware he had said the name aloud until the pool boy snapped his fingers and pointed at him, "Yes, that one."
She was here, in the pool. Suddenly, it seemed as though his goal was within reach. He has to see her.
With a soft pat at the boy's back, Stavros thanked him was gone. Practically racing out of the garden.
Stavros was taking a big risk, and he knew it. He shouldn't be in that part of the mansion he had ventured. It was simply not allowed for the staff unless one's work was within that region.
He'd get into much trouble if he was caught, yet he didn't care. If he didn't see Bee now, he might not get the chance to talk to her again. And he was determined to see her. To sort this mess out.
A few minutes later, Stavros arrived at the pool. It was quiet and deserted. Except for the lone figure of Belinda standing near the chaise.
For a few seconds, Stavros stood there watching her. She was in the process of dispensing her clothes, her pale slender back to him, when suddenly,
by an unreadable instinct, she turned and caught his gaze.
Stavros felt his breath knocked out of him as her brown gaze landed on him. Her lips parted at the sight of him and the button-down shirt she was holding fell to the ground. Bee stared at him like he was an apparition. Her cheeks flushed and her expression soft, warm, and inviting.
Stavros was struck at how with only one look, one glance from her, she could capture his whole attention.
For a minute Stavros forgot the harsh words she had said to him, forgot why he was there in the first place, and stared at her, taking her in and she seemed to be doing the same.
There was no recollection of the woman who had so viciously sought to hurt him.
Perhaps whatever had pushed her into acting the way she did there was gone. Mayhap, the danger was no more.
Stavros' heart gloried at that, and he stepped forward to seek her out. To wrap her in his arms, for he had missed her. And tell how the things she had said to him had broken his heart.
However, as soon as he took a step forward. It seemed that that very step broke her out of whatever trance she was in. As panic stole across her features and she pushed out her hands in front of her, as though to ward him off.
"Don't come any closer to me."
Stavros froze.
The words surprised Stavros, more so than the actions did, and suddenly reality washed over him in a quivering force. Did she hate him that much?
"We need to talk?" Stavros rasped out, trudging close to her.
"I think I have told you all I wanted to say. I have nothing else to say to you again."
"I have thought about everything you said and I refuse to believe you hate me and want me only for sex." He reached for her and grabbed her by the arm. "You don't hate me, do you?"
Wetting her suddenly dry lips, she muttered, "I thought i made myself very clear."
Stavros caught the look on her face. She looked like she was barely holding herself together. Like some powerful emotion was waging war against her and wanted to erupt.
The expression she held on her face seemed to suggest she was going to cry anytime soon, but at the same time, he could sense anger in the depth of her eyes.
He didn't understand it, especially not when severally he had caught her eyes lingering at his lips. And it was not lust he saw there, though he could hardly be sure of anything since she was still insisting she hated him.