I saw Nicole shrink back, and I immediately went on the defensive. “Actually, we’ve changed our minds. I think the shop across the street had what we were looking for.”
“It’s fine,” Nicole whispered.
I shook my head. “Nope. Richard Gere. Sorry to have wasted your time.” I grabbed Nicole’s hand and pulled her out of the shop.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I’ve never liked that store,” I grumbled.
She squeezed my hand. “Thank you. It’s really no big deal. I’m used to it.”
“Don’t be used to it,” I growled. “You’re beautiful. Fuck them and their skinny asses.”
She laughed. “They’re pretty too. Pretty isn’t one size. It’s just hard for some people to realize that.”
“I think pretty is your size.”
We walked inside the other shop. A woman behind the counter stepped around and offered a warm smile. Before the woman could say a word, I got right to the point. “She’d like something in blue, classy and pretty, and I’d like it to be sexy.”
The woman chuckled, shaking her head. “Men have no idea how uncomfortable sexy is,” she said to Nicole.
Nicole lit up, and her smile tugged at something inside me. “No, they don’t. Do you think you have anything that would fit me?” she asked in a quiet voice.
The woman smiled, nodding. “I do. I have two dresses in mind.” She turned to look at me. “The sitting room is just over there. Help yourself to whatever you’d like in the mini-fridge while she and I do a little dress-up.”
“Thank you,” I said, dropping a kiss on Nicole’s cheek before moving to the sitting area.
I found a cold soda in the fridge and settled in on the couch. I could hear Nicole and the saleswoman laughing and talking behind the narrow door in front of me. I was happy we had found the right woman to help us. I would have driven all over the island to find her the right dress. I had made it my personal mission the second that woman looked at Nicole as if she were less than.
I waited for a long time, growing more frustrated by the minute. I had expected a fashion show. I was getting nothing. Not a single peek. The door opened, and Nicole stepped through, carrying a garment bag over her arm and wearing a huge smile on her face.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It’s the dress,” she replied easily.
“Did you try it on?”
“Of course!”
I frowned. “I didn’t get to see it.”
“Nope, it’s a surprise,” she answered.
I chuckled, knowing I had already lost the battle. “All right.”
I quickly paid for the dress, not surprised it wasn’t all that much. I knew she would have been frugal. I liked that about her. She was down to earth and not influenced by money.
“Want to grab some dinner and go back to my place?” I asked.
“Sure.”
That surprised me. “Great.”
We picked up some Chinese, something Nicole had asked for. When we got back to my house, we dished up from each of the cartons and headed out to the back deck.
“I admire you,” I told her.
“Why?”
“Because you’re kind to everyone. You have this warmth about you that draws people to you. You’re naturally nurturing. Did you get that from your mother?”
“No, I never knew my mother,” she answered.
“Oh. I’m sorry. Your dad then?”
She almost choked. “Definitely not.”
“Did you live with him?” I pressed.
“Yes.”
I got the feeling she wasn’t going to tell me much more about her personal life, which hurt a little. I wanted her to be able to open up to me. I felt like she knew so much about me, and I knew almost nothing about her.
“Were you close?” I asked.
“No. Rand, I need to tell you something, and please don’t take it the wrong way.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“The staff didn’t get paid on Friday,” she said, her voice quiet. “I hate to ask, but they need those wages.”
I frowned. “They didn’t get paid?”
“No,” she said. “We normally get paid every Friday. A lot of them are worried we won’t get paid this Friday, either. They’re all working and doing their job, but they aren’t getting paid. A few of them are actively seeking employment.”
“I’ll take care of it. Everyone will get paid.”
“Thanks,” she said, looking a little embarrassed.
“You going to show me that dress, or you going to make me wait?” I asked.
She grinned. “I was going to make you wait, but I really like the dress, and I am anxious to show you.”
“And I’m anxious to see it,” I said in a low voice.
“Good, because I want to make sure you like it before tomorrow.”
“I know I’ll like it,” I promised.
She wiped her mouth with her napkin and got up from the patio table. “Give me ten minutes. There’s a lot to tuck in.”
“You could certainly leave it out. I wouldn’t mind.” I winked.
Her laughter wafted around me as she moved inside. I sipped the cold beer Nicole also insisted we get to go with our Chinese. I would have typically picked up wine, but she was confident beer was the right choice. It had actually tasted quite good.
As I waited for her to get dressed, I thought about her reluctance to tell me anything about her family. She didn’t seem to be overly fond of them. In fact, I couldn’t remember her ever talking about them at all. She was a closed book, leaving few clues about who she was or where she came from.
“Okay,” I heard her say.
I got up from the patio and turned to look inside the living room where she was standing. I felt the punch of desire hit me square in the stomach. It knocked the wind out of me. “Wow,” I managed to get out on a gasp of breath.
She held out her arms, slowly turning in the elegant navy-blue dress that fell just below her knees. There was a wide belt accentuating her waist, giving her the perfect hourglass figure. The bodice wasn’t too low cut but did give a perfect glimpse of cleavage. She’d twisted her hair up, exposing the wide expanse of creamy white skin on her chest. All I could think about was getting the damn dress off her after I had begged her to put it on.
“Do you think it’s okay for dinner?” she asked hesitantly.
I nodded. “It’s perfect. You’re beautiful. That dress—” I paused, shaking my head as I struggled to find the right words. “That dress is just perfect. It’s like it was designed with you in mind.”
“Thank you. The saleswoman was super nice. She showed me this one as well as another one that was a bit too formal. She and I agreed this one was the better choice. And it was cheaper.” She grinned.
I shook my head. “The price didn’t matter.”
“Not to you, but it did to me.”
“I’m glad you got it. I’m glad you’re going with me tomorrow, and I can’t wait for you to get to know my friends.”
“I’ll do my best not to embarrass you. I can get a little, uh, redneck.” She giggled.
“Perfect. Bella is a redneck.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Oh no, you did not just say that. Please tell me you haven’t said that to her.”
I shrugged. “A few times. Only because she told me to. I’d never heard the term before she told me. I thought it was a term of endearment.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not usually.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.”
“Nicole?” I asked, stepping closer to her.
“Yes?”
“I don’t want to pressure you or freak you out, but I really want to take that dress off you and bury myself inside you,” I whispered.
She visibly shuddered. “Okay,” she breathed the word. “Rand?”
“Hmm?” I murmured, my fingertips tracing a line down the muscle in her neck, tracing it over her collarbone
and down her bare arm.
“I’m going to need some help getting this off.”
I grinned, kissing her forehead. “I would love to help you get this thing off.”
She turned, giving me her back with the long zipper. I slowly pulled it down, imagining myself unwrapping a gift. I was anxious to see what was inside, or underneath rather. I smiled when the little black thong she was wearing under the dress peeped out at me.
Chapter 18
Nicole
I bent over, picking up the dress that had fallen to the floor. I had to wear it tomorrow and didn’t want to have to dry clean it before then. I walked to the couch, wearing only my thong and draping the dress over the back before turning to face him.
I watched him look at my body. Seeing his desire made me feel sexy, wanton even. I was practically purring as I sauntered toward him, swaying my hips while he watched.
He groaned. “My god, woman. I’m going to blow up in my pants just watching you.”
“Don’t do that,” I pouted.
“I want you.”
I gave him a sultry smile. “Baby, I’m standing here practically naked, and you’re fully dressed. If you want me, I need to see some effort,” I said in my best authoritative tone.
He grinned, yanking his shirt out of his pants and ripping it open. I gasped when a button flew past my face. My eyes widened as I watched him push his pants down his body, kicking off his shoes while he moved. It took him about three seconds to go from fully dressed to nothing but the sexiest pair of briefs I had seen on a man.
“Better?” he asked.
“Damn, baby, you have no idea.”
“Now, can I have you?” he asked, stepping toward me.
I was feeling empowered and decided to capitalize on it. “I don’t know. I think I might need you to ask nicely. Maybe a little begging is in order.”
He looked at me, his eyes blazing with desire. I knew I was pushing him. I was pushing myself outside my comfort zone and loving every second of it.
“Don’t move,” he ordered, dropping to his knees in front of me.
My eyes widened when he looked up at me, his mouth hovering over my crotch. My heart began to pound in my chest. It wasn’t what I had expected. “Rand,” I breathed his name.
He slowly shook his head before dropping his eyes to my center. He slid his hand up my thigh, splaying his fingers wide as he rubbed his thumb over my panties. I moaned, my head dropping back as his fingers pulled my panties down my legs slowly. I felt the rush of heat as his breath washed over my core.
“I’m begging,” he whispered. “Watch me beg.”
I whimpered, opening my eyes and looking down at him. His eyes looked back up at me before his mouth closed over me. I gasped, my hands running through his hair as he loved me with his mouth and tongue. He was gentle and forceful, and I was barely able to stay standing on my trembling legs. I moaned low in my throat as my body built up to the first orgasm. I could feel it spiraling through me, taking me higher and higher. When my body erupted into flames, his hands were on my hips, holding me steady as he lapped at me, dragging out my orgasm. White lights flashed before my eyes in the most fantastic display of fireworks.
When I was able to see straight again, I looked down at him. He was looking at me and smiling. “Now, can I have you?”
I groaned, yanking him up and planting my mouth against his. His erection ground against me, hard and full of promise. I was anxious to feel him inside me. I hooked one leg around him, grinding myself against him.
“You can have all of me,” I told him.
“Let’s go,” he growled, walking away and dragging me behind him as he headed for his bedroom.
I loved how demanding he could be. When we made it to his room, he gently pushed me on the bed that I had found to be so comfortable the first time. I watched him strip off his underwear before crawling over me. He was pushing inside me before I thought I was ready. I gasped with shock as he plunged deep.
“Oh god,” I groaned out the words.
“You said all of you,” he growled. “I want all. Every bit. I want to be so deep inside you my balls are pressed against you.”
I whimpered, feeling him pushing harder and wanting more. I wrapped my legs around his waist, yanking him impossibly deeper. Something triggered an electric response, and I found myself coming again, crying out his name and arching my back.
“Fuck, you’re going to kill me,” he grunted.
“More,” I said, barely managing to get out the word.
He pulled out of me in one swift move before flipping me over onto my stomach. He used a knee to nudge my legs wide before yanking me to my knees, my chest still pressed against the mattress. He guided himself to my entrance and took his time sliding inside me a second time. I whimpered, feeling like every nerve was exposed.
He began to ride me, hard and fast, sliding my body across the bed as he rocked in and out of me, over and over and over. It felt incredible. I wanted him to stay inside me forever. I pushed back against him, encouraging him to push harder.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said through gritted teeth, sounding like he was in pain.
“You won’t. I can take it.”
He growled, his fingertips gripping my flesh as he held my hips in his hands and pummeled himself against me. My body began to slide, inch by inch. I pushed up on my arms, steadying myself against his invasion. He liked it. I could hear his cries of pleasure as he picked up the pace. It excited me to know I could get him that excited. All those steely defenses he had erected around himself faded away when we were in his bed together. It gave me a glimpse of who the man behind the veneer really was.
“I can’t hold back,” he groaned again.
“Don’t hold back,” I encouraged.
His body rocked into me before he slowed things down, rolling his hips and dragging out the pleasure. “That’s it, yes,” he hissed.
I couldn’t talk. His moves stole my breath away as a new climax ratcheted up with every rotation of his hips. The climax broke over me a split second before I felt him give into the passion. He roared, cursing and shouting in Greek. I had no idea what he was saying, but it was the sexiest damn thing I had ever heard. I wanted more.
“Say it,” I cried out. “Say it again.”
He continued talking in Greek, the words washing over me as I rode out the climax, with him doing the same. I collapsed onto the bed face first. Rand dropped beside me, his arm stretched out across my back. We were both panting as we struggled to catch our breaths. I managed to roll to my side, facing him. He was on his stomach, his face toward me. I reached up and brushed hair away from his brow.
“Hi,” I whispered.
“Hi,” he replied with a sexy grin.
“You okay?”
He gave a short nod. “I am. You?”
“Very okay.”
We lay together, staring at each other, occasionally touching each other. I was content. He seemed content as well. I could see myself lying in his bed many more times—that was assuming he wanted me to.
“Stay?” he asked quietly.
“Are you sure?”
“I am very sure,” he said, his hand resting against my cheek.
“I can do that.”
“Good. Let’s get under the covers. It’s a little chilly.”
I crawled off the bed, sliding between the satin sheets. They were just as luxurious as the bed. Rich people must get really good sleep, I decided.
“Do you think they’ll like me?” I asked him. “I know there are some locals who hate the idea of Americans invading their territory.”
“Nicole, they’ll love you,” he assured me. “I’m telling you, Bella and you have a lot in common. Adrian fell in love with one American. He’ll certainly be more open to the idea of you as well.”
“I sometimes don’t come off very likable,” I said. “I tend to be standoffish. Alena told me I was guarded, and some people thought I was stuck up. I’m not stu
ck up. I just—I don’t know—I don’t easily trust, and sometimes, I prefer to be alone than let myself get hurt by someone.”
Just saying the words was like pushing an elephant off my chest. It was freeing. It was like peeling off a heavy coat when you were already warm.
“I get that. I tend to be the same way.”
I smirked. “Gee, you think?”
“I do.”
“I am looking forward to meeting them,” I said. “I want to see you in your element.”
He laughed. “In my element?”
“Yeah, you being you. Not you being the Rand I’ve gotten to know the past week.”
“Do you think there’s a difference?” he asked.
“I do.”
He chuckled. “I’m probably a little different with Adrian, but that’s because we’ve known each other forever. We’re guys, and we tend to be a little more crude. I don’t talk like that when Bella’s around, and Adrian sure as hell doesn’t. I guess I have many faces. I have the face I wear when I’m at work. I have the face I wear when I’m with Adrian, but honestly, I think you’re getting the most real version of me.”
I thought about what he said and felt flattered. I liked that he trusted me enough to be real with me. “I think I’m the real me most of the time. I don’t feel like I have a lot to hide, but I also don’t do a lot of sharing. Alena is the person who probably knows me best. I say things around her I would probably never say around you.”
“Like?” he questioned.
I burst into giggles. “I can’t tell you!”
“Why not? I’ve seen you naked. Isn’t that what you told me?”
“I can’t tell you what I tell her,” I said. “That is best friend stuff.”
“I suppose I get that. How long have you two known each other?”
I had to tread carefully with his questions. It was hard to keep all the lies straight. They were necessary, I kept telling myself. “Um, probably a couple years.”
“Probably? You don’t know?”
“Like three years,” I said, hoping it all fit within the timeline I had been trying to stick with to keep my lie straight.
“You met here?”
“No, she was in the States. We met and hit it off. She convinced me to come home with her and see what Crete had to offer. I didn’t exactly have a lot going for me back home, so I sold the few things I did have and bought a plane ticket here. I’ve been living with Alena with the intention of getting my own apartment one day, but it’s just never happened. She’s been very kind and generous and hasn’t booted me out just yet.”
My Favorite Mistake Page 11
