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CHAPTER ONE

‘FOUR FORTY-FIVE’ Saskia grimaced as she hurried across the foyer of the office block where she worked, heading for the exit She was already running late and didn’t have ti off early Lucky you!’

Andreas frowned as he heard the receptionist’s co for the executive lift and the wo hadn’t seen hiy brunette with just that gleaold in her dark locks that hinted at fieriness He ihts The co he needed right now, and besides

His frown deepened Since he had randfather to semi-retire froun a relentless ca a second cousin Such a randfather’s eyes, would unite not just the two branches of the fa line—inherited by his cousin—with that of the hotel chain

Fortunately Andreas knew that at heart his grandfather was far more swayed by emotion than he liked to adhter, Andreas’s lishman

The somewhat clumsy attempts to promote a match between Andreas and his cousin Athena would merely afford Andreas some moments of wry amusement if it were not for one all-important fact—which was that Athena herself was even keener on the randfather She had made her intentions, her desires, quite plain Athena was aseven years his senior, with two children froe to another wealthy Greek, and Andreas suspected that it ht have been Athena herself who had put the ridiculous idea of a randfather’s head in the first place

The lift had reached the penthouse floor and Andreas got out This wasn’t the ti about his personal affairs They could wait He was due to fly out to the Aegean island his grandfather owned, and where the faht’s tirandfather wanted a detailed report fro British hotel chain they had recently bought into as successful an enterprise as the rest of the hotels they owned

Even though Andreas had becorandfather still felt the need to challenge his business decisions Still, the acquisition would ultiood one—the chain-owned hotels were very run-down and old-fashioned, but had excellent locations

Although officially he was not due to arrive at the chain’s head office until tomorrow, Andreas had opted to do so this afternoon instead, and it looked as though he had just discovered one way at least in which profitability could be iri off early’, like the young woman he had just seen

SNEAKING OFF EARLY! Saskia gri taxi If only! She had been at her desk for seven-thirty thisfor the last month, and neither had she had a lunch hour, but they had all been warned that Demetrios Hotels, who had taken over their own s costs To they were all due to meet their new boss for the first ti forward to the occasion There had been a lot of talk about cutbacks and there had also been grapevine rumours about how very formidable Andreas Latimer was

‘The old ht ship, and if anything the grandson is even worse’

‘They both favour a “the guest is always right even rong” policy, and woe betide any eets it Which is, of course, why their hotels are so popularand so profitable’

That had been the general gist of the gossip Saskia had heard

Her taxi was drawing up outside the restaurant she had asked to be taken to Hastily she delved into her handbag for her purse, paying the driver and then hurrying quickly inside

‘Oh, Saskia—there you are We thought you weren’t going to make it’

‘I’ised to her best friend as she slipped into the spare seat at the table for three in the Italian restaurant where they had arranged to meet