by Tina Folsom
Dio had a suspicion what had come over the two guys: Hera. She had manipulated them just like she had manipulated Ari, his Ari wouldn’t hurt a fly and certainly not him. She was too sweet and kind. And she still felt something for him. And there was only one way to find out how deep those feelings ran.
Because now that he knew Ari hadn’t tried to hurt him, he could allow those feelings he’d suppressed to emerge. He could allow his heart to speak for him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Dio entered In Vino Veritas, his eyes quickly adjusting from the bright afternoon sun outside to the more soothing lighting inside. His eyes scanned the shop. Several customers were browsing the shelves while Ariadne stood with her back to him, writing on a clipboard as she looked at the wine racks in front of her.
Lisa was ringing up a customer at the counter and lifted her head, smiling when she recognized him. “Hi—”
Dio cut her off by pressing his index finger against his lips, then winking at her. Lisa understood instantly and winked back. Ariadne had still not turned.
He crossed the distance between them without making a sound on the tile floor and stopped behind her. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her into his chest. A startled gasp was her reply.
“I missed you, baby.”
“Dio!” She turned her head, but he was faster and kissed the long column of her neck.
When she tried to wiggle out of his hold and underscored it with a more energetically spoken “Dio!” he chuckled to himself.
Ari turned in his arms and gave him an almost convincing glare—almost. But her cheeks were flushed. For once he was more than grateful for his superior hearing that picked up her accelerated heartbeat. No, his sweet fake fiancée wasn’t mad at him; she was turned on.
“We’re in the shop. So, behave.”
He smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek. “I am behaving.” Then he winked mischievously. “Do you want to find out what it looks like when I’m not behaving?”
Ari took a step back. “I’d rather not.” But the slight tremble in her voice said otherwise.
“Okay,” he agreed. But she’d see him misbehaving pretty soon anyway. There was no way around it. However, there was no need making her fret about it.
Ari cleared her throat. “Don’t you have to work?”
“I have a few hours off until dinner service. I wanted to spend them with you.”
She frowned at him. “I’m sorry, I really can’t.” She looked at her wristwatch. “I have to go shopping while it’s quiet in the store and Lisa can handle it on her own.”
“Shopping?”
“For a matching top to my suit. I spilled wine on the one I have, and it won’t come out.”
An idea quickly formed in Dio’s mind. “Why don’t I come with you?”
She stared at him as if he’d just offered to clean the store from top to bottom with a toothbrush. “You want to go clothes shopping with me?”
He nodded eagerly. “Sure. I seem to remember that I love shopping.” He couldn’t think of a more tedious task than going shopping with a woman, but he wanted to spend time with her.
***
Dionysus was carrying a heap of blouses, tank tops and tees over his arm and felt his impatience rise. But Ariadne was still not done making her selection. He almost regretted having offered to come shopping when she finally said the words he’d been waiting for for over half an hour, “Okay, I’m ready to try them on.”
As he followed her toward the fitting rooms, anticipation made his heartbeat kick up a notch. He needed a few minutes alone with her. By going clothes shopping with Ari, he’d worked up an appetite—for a kiss, or maybe two.
The sales woman, who stood at the entrance to the fitting rooms, looked at the mountain of clothes he was carrying, then gave Ari a reprimanding look. “We only allow eight items per customer at any one time.”
Seeing Ari’s disappointed look, Dio gave the woman his most charming smile. “Do you think you could make an exception just this once?” He locked eyes with her and saw her melt.
“Well, uh, … certainly.” Then she smiled at Ari. “Go right in. First booth on the left.”
Dio took a step past her, but was stopped instantly. “Women only past this point.”
He handed Ariadne the stack of clothes and hid his annoyance. “Here you go, baby.”
As his fake fiancée disappeared in the fitting room, the sales woman batted her eyelashes at him. Great! He didn’t need her attention right now. Neither did he need her hovering at the entrance to the fitting rooms, standing sentry like a nun at a catholic girl’s school.
A little diversion was needed so he could accomplish his plan. He spotted three teenage girls in the vicinity and knew just what to do. He sent a blast of energy toward them and made one of the display cases that held stacks of jeans collapse right in front of them. The fitting room guard next to him snapped her head toward the sound and gasped. She instantly rushed toward the scene. The girls shrieked and shot guilty looks in all directions.
Dio grinned. Mission accomplished. For a few minutes, she wouldn’t bother him. And a few minutes was all he needed.
Casting a glance to both sides, he made sure nobody noticed as he stalked into the fitting room area and stopped in front of the first booth on the left. He tried the knob without making any noise. It didn’t turn. Ari had locked the door. Closing his eyes for a moment, he envisioned the inside of the door mechanism and turned the lock with his mind. When he tried the door knob again, the door opened. He squeezed inside quickly and shut it behind him, locking it in the same instant.
“Dio!” Ari gasped in shock and held a blouse against her chest. “How did you get in here?”
He grinned and let his gaze travel over her body. “The door was unlocked.”
“I locked it,” she protested.
He shrugged and leaned closer. “Shh, you don’t want us to attract attention and alert the Fitting Room Nazi, do you?”
“You shouldn’t be in here.”
While her words indicated protest, her face flushed prettily. She moistened her lips and Dio followed the movement, feeling himself harden from the simple action.
“I want to watch you dress.” Or undress.
Ari cast her eyes down, but he tipped her chin up with his fingers and made her look at him. “You’re beautiful. Why don’t you model for me?”
“I’m not a model. I have too much fat on my—” Her hand went to her stomach.
He shook his head, stopping her from saying anything further and put his hand over hers. “A man likes something to hold onto.” Then he turned her to face the mirror and stood behind her. He took the blouse from her hands and dropped it on the bench.
All she wore was a short, swinging summer skirt and a bra. The bra was nothing fancy, but a simple cotton bra. He’d never seen anything more innocent. “Look at you.” Both his hands trailed to her hips. “You have beautiful curves any skinny teenage girl would kill for.” Then his hands moved up her torso, and he felt her suck in a breath.
When his fingers reached the underside of her bra, he slowed his movements and noticed her chest rise and fall rapidly. Gently, he slid his palms over her, cupping her firm globes. In the mirror, he watched as her lips parted on a breath.
“You shouldn’t do that,” she whispered.
“You have beautiful breasts, firm and soft. The perfect size. I love feeling their weight in my palms.” He lowered his mouth to her ear. “I’m going to relieve you of your bra now, because breasts like these shouldn’t be hidden.”
If she wanted to protest, she made no visible attempt. Dio opened the clasp at her back, but didn’t drop her bra straps. Instead, he moved his hands to her front again, wanting to savor the moment when he revealed her beautiful boobs to his view.
He noticed how she had dropped her lids again. “Look in the mirror, baby. Let me show you how beautiful you are.”
Her head lifted, and their gazes collided in the mirror. W
atching her reaction, he slid his fingers underneath her bra. Inch by inch, he advanced until both her globes were captured in his hands, their hard nipples pressing into his palms.
“Now take your bra off,” he instructed, feeling himself get hot.
“Dio, we should stop.” Her pleading look was negated by the way she pressed her breasts against his palms, seeking a deeper connection. He squeezed the firm flesh in response, causing a quick breath to rush from her lungs.
“Please.” He pressed a kiss against her neck, noticing that her skin was as hot as his. “Let me see how beautiful you are.” Dio lifted his palms and took her stiff nipples between thumb and forefinger, rolling them with light pressure.
Her breath hitched, and her backside ground into him, the action sending a bolt of fire right into his balls.
“Off, now!” Dio gritted out, and finally her hands came up and pulled on the bra straps, dropping the useless garment to the ground. He moved his hands to the underside of her breasts and shelved them, presenting them to the mirror and to his own hungry view.
His eyes were as filled with desire as he’d ever seen them, and his erection pressed hard and heavy against her sweet bottom. He met her eyes in the mirror, desire and lust shining back at him. Her flushed face and parted lips were even better than he’d imagined. There was more passion in this woman than she wanted to show anybody, least of all him. But he was teasing it out of her, one gasp and one moan at a time.
“Look at you.” His eyes trailed appreciatively over her curves. “Perfect.” His thumbs stretched upwards and stroked over her taut peaks. “What beautiful nipples. When I tasted them the other night …” He planted open-mouthed kisses along the graceful column of her neck, which she so obligingly tilted to the side to give him better access. “… I couldn’t get enough. Just like now.”
Dio kneaded her breasts as she moaned softly.
“I was an idiot to stop the other night.”
Her half-lidded eyes flew open and collided with his gaze, her mouth forming into a perfect ‘O’.
“Yes, you heard right. I should have made you come with my hands and my mouth. You wanted that, didn’t you?” He pinched her nipples lightly.
“Yes.” Her hand reared up to cover her mouth, and he understood that she hadn’t wanted to admit this to him. But he’d heard it nevertheless.
Dio took her earlobe between his lips and nibbled. “I wanted it too. I wanted to feel you come apart in my arms.”
He raised his eyes and stared into the mirror, watching as he slid one hand down her torso, smoothing it over her skirt. Without haste, he settled his hand over her sex and felt warmth radiate into his palm. Gently, he pressed her back against his cock, which strained desperately against his zipper, the metal teeth of it digging into his sensitive flesh. But he welcomed the pain, because it was the only thing that kept him from ripping her remaining clothes from her body and burying himself in her.
He bunched the fabric of her skirt in his fingers and pulled it up to slide his hand underneath. Her plain cotton panties were no barrier. Damp with her arousal, they were an invitation to explore her further. He pushed them aside and slid underneath, finding her wet heat with the unerring precision of an experienced marksman.
The moment his fingertips connected with her warm flesh, he closed his eyes, unable to watch his own actions for fear he would explode inside his boxers. But he couldn’t stop himself from caressing her further. Her flesh was so soft and warm, so wet and inviting, not even a chariot drawn by a hundred horses could have pulled his hand away.
He felt Ariadne’s head drop back against his chest, her breathing ragged and uneven, and couldn’t deprive himself of the sight any longer. What he saw in the mirror took his breath away. Ari was more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. The light sheen of perspiration on her skin made her entire body radiate with lust and desire. Her lips were parted, her tongue darting out to moisten them. Hardened nipples sat on top of her firm breasts, breasts that clearly needed no bra to hold their form.
Dio dropped his gaze lower to where his hand reached underneath her skirt, but the fabric obstructed his view. It wouldn’t do. He needed to see her.
With his other hand, he swiftly opened the button of her skirt, then clumsily pulled down the zipper. A whimpered protest left her lips as he removed his hand from her sex to drop the skirt, but a moment later he was back, sliding her panties down enough to expose the dark blond thatch of hair.
“Gods, you’re beautiful.”
He watched as his hand slid between her legs once more and as she widened her stance to allow him better access. “Such a beautiful pussy,” he whispered into her ear and stroked along her folds. “I need to be inside you and feel you.” With his finger, he probed and very slowly drove into her.
She trembled against him. “Dio, we shouldn’t … we can’t …”
But her protest was accompanied by her body grinding against him and her interior muscles clenching around his finger.
“We need to. You need this … we both do.” And by the gods, how he needed to touch her. As his finger thrust into her then withdrew again, he recognized how much he needed to feel her in his arms, to explore her, to make her come. Yes, especially that: to make her come. He needed to see and feel her come apart in his arms. He wanted her to understand what he could give her, what heights he could take her to.
Withdrawing his moist finger, he drew it further up and brushed against the engorged bundle of flesh that hid at the base of her curls. His stroke was light, but Ari’s body jolted nevertheless, her lips releasing an uncontrolled moan.
“Yes, baby,” he encouraged her. “Tell me what feels good.” But he didn’t really need to hear her words, because her body was speaking to him more loudly. Every breath, every movement told him what she wanted, what she liked.
He rubbed his thumb against her clit and plunged his finger back into her tight channel. He still remembered how tight she’d been when he’d made love to her that night, how she’d gripped him and wrung every last drop of his seed from him. Gods, how he’d loved that, just like he loved it now that she did the same to his finger.
Dio looked at her face, noticing that her eyes were still closed. Even though he wanted her to look in the mirror at what he did to her, he didn’t ask her to open her eyes, afraid that she would be embarrassed and shut him out. And he wasn’t going to stop. Later, when they were at his place, he’d take her in front of his full length mirror and make her watch as he thrust his cock in and out of her. He’d make her watch as he touched her clit and made her come, just like he watched now.
Whether it was the location or the way Ari let herself go in his arms, he didn’t know, but he’d never been this turned on in his life. Touching her and feeling her respond to him with such abandon drove him to the edge. His fingers worked her frantically and his thumb rubbed over her clit in a rhythm she set for him until her breath stuttered and her interior muscles spasmed. As her orgasm broke, Dio slowed his strokes but didn’t sever the contact, riding out the waves with her.
He’d hoped that making her come would be enough for him, but it wasn’t. He needed to be inside her, to feel her clenching sheath around his cock, a cock that ached now to the point of pain.
With his free hand, he opened his pants.
“Are you all right in there? Can I get you anything else?”
Ari jumped, her eyes flying open instantly.
Shit! That annoying saleswoman was back, and her timing sucked!
“Uh …” Ari cleared her throat. “I’m fine. Thanks.”
“Okay then, I’ll be out in the front if you need anything.” He listened for the footsteps and heard her walk away.
Ari frantically grabbed her clothes. The expression on her face was one of utter embarrassment. Dio stopped her and pulled her back into his arms. “Baby, there’s nothing wrong with what we did.”
She met his look in the mirror then. “We decided to wait.”
Without thin
king, Dio let the next words emerge, unable to stop himself. “I’m done waiting. Let’s set a wedding date. I want to marry you, the sooner, the better.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Natalie dropped her coffee cup so loudly onto the table, half the customers in the coffee shop turned their heads to them. “He said what?”
Ari lowered her voice. “He wants to set a wedding date. For next week.” In her mind, the scene in the fitting room replayed. She’d never felt so horny in her life. Maybe it was the aftereffect of what Dio had done to her the other night: kissed her senseless and left her unsatisfied. Perhaps she could use that as an excuse why she had let herself go in the least likely of all places.
It had been a stroke of luck that the saleswoman had interrupted when she had. A second later, and she and Dio would have made love right there. Hell, he’d already made her come. She hadn’t been able to resist his touch and his kisses, nor the things he’d said to her.
But his demand after the saleswoman had interrupted them had come as an utter shock.
“Well, isn’t that what you wanted?” Natalie lifted both eyebrows.
“No!” Yes. “Not like this. He thinks he’s in love with me.”
“I’d consider that a good thing.”
“But it’s all a lie. He thinks he’s in love with me because I told him so. He doesn’t love me. He thinks he loves me because he thinks we’re engaged. And now he wants to get married. What am I gonna do?” How could this situation have deteriorated so fast? She’d only told a few little lies. And they’d turned into a mountain of disaster.
“Marry him?”
Ari glared at her friend. “You can’t be serious. I can’t marry a man who doesn’t love me. Besides, he’s lost his memory. I can’t take advantage of somebody like that.”
“Don’t you think your scruples are coming a little late? If I remember correctly, I warned you at the outset, but you didn’t want to listen.”
Ari dropped her head in her hands. “I have to tell him.”
“He’ll be furious. That is if he even believes you.”
