His mouth stopped a breath away from hers but he didn’t come any closer.
As if aware she yearned for his thorough kiss his eyes sparkled with humor as he asked softly, “How many children do you think they could have in this house?”
Unable to trust herself to speak, she concentrated on taking in a small breath and releasing it. “Four, with bunk beds in two of the rooms. Or they could have one girl and one boy and spend more time traveling together.” She was glad she didn’t sound as strained as she felt inside. She started turning away from him. But he wouldn’t have it.
Holding her chin tenderly between thumb and index finger Alexander stared down at her lips and she felt their magnetic pull towards each other’s mouths.
But he still didn’t kiss her.
She wanted to scream with need but felt compelled to scan his face as he asked, “And would this be their full-time home or a summer residence?” He sounded slightly gruff, which gladdened her that she wasn’t the only one suffering, wanting, needing.
Forgetting the question she replayed it in her mind and whispered, “Permanent home, with another place in Greece.”
“I agree, I love it here.” Then he slowly closed the space between their lips and they were finally kissing again. She melted into him as if it was where she belonged, and intertwined her arms around his neck.
It was many minutes, she couldn’t be sure how long, but only when someone knocked softly on the open door did Alexander pull his mouth away from hers. It hadn’t been nearly enough for her, darn it. The regret and disappointment in his green eyes confirmed he agreed with her, promising of what was yet to come.
“I’ll see you later this evening, Olivia.” He said in a low voice before letting her go completely and leaving Olivia to answer the worker’s urgent question.
***
Now, with only a couple of days left before his return to Greece, Olivia was not going to miss her opportunity to be with Alexander; to feel that special bond in all possible ways. The sense of inevitability grew as he walked her to her hotel room door after yet another delicious and fun dinner date together. Only this time she wanted him to stay. She needed Alexander to kiss her, to hold her, to finish what they had started earlier.
She had looked forward to his kisses so much she ached inside, and opening her door, she smiled up at him and felt that damned blush burn her face and neck. “You want to come in?”
He grinned as if she had asked a silly question. Before they had even closed the door behind them they were hugging and their mouths and tongues exploring while laughing softly. They shuffled their way in the soft lamplight towards the waiting bed.
Almost all their clothes were strewn on the floor and behind Olivia, and as their eyes met again Alexander’s expression burned her from the inside out. He stroked her skin reverently, as if he couldn’t get enough of seeing and touching her. Her breasts felt heavy against her black bra.
“I can’t believe how soft and delicious you are. You’re so beautiful, Olivia.” He said roughly, as she marveled at his large, bare torso. Her trembling fingers stroked the dark chest hairs she didn’t remember him having years ago.
Suddenly as his deft fingers touched the bra clasp between her breasts she stopped him. “No lights,” she said unevenly and retreated towards the lamp on the nightstand.
“But I want to see you, to watch those eyes as we . . .” He followed her as if he couldn’t bear apart from her anymore. Her fear must have shown, because he whispered, “But it’s okay, maybe later.” As darkness enveloped them he drew open the curtains to let some natural night lights filter through the sheers. Taking his glasses off and putting them neatly on the nightstand he added, “As long as you don’t kick me out till tomorrow, Olivia.” His mouth was poised over hers, and she answered with her lips grinding against his. Opening herself up to him completely.
Then their hunger took over and she let herself feel and not question anything, and definitely refusing to think about time and distance between them after his imminent departure in a few days.
The here and now was all that anyone ever had.
***
“You feel so good against me, so perfect. I’ve wanted to do this for so long, agápi mou.” Alex pulled her naked curves into him knowing fully well that this was the first time he had ever said the Greek endearment which meant ‘my darling’ or ‘my love,’ and he meant it.
Then they both lost themselves in each other. In the darkness his other senses sharpened. Attuned to her soft moans he explored with his fingers and tongue the many wonders of Olivia’s body and soul. He could see in his mind’s eye just how lush and heavy her breasts were, as he tasted them reverently. As he lay beside her he heard her heart pounding as loudly as he felt his own drum within his chest. As he crushed her buttocks in his hands to bring her even closer into himself he couldn’t get enough of her sensuous scent.
His groan echoed within his chest, feeling as if it was their very first time.
All these years all he had craved was to be this in sync with Olivia. He had thought he had lost her forever. Now no one else would ever do. Wanting her so desperately he sheathed himself right now. Through his heated thoughts, he affirmed that without a doubt this was much more than merely a physical joining.
Despite his escalating desire for her he would make it wonderful for Olivia. He lifted her gently on top of himself and found her moist and hot center. She was so hot and ready for him that he prayed for patience, reminding himself that he had more experience and self control.
But it was touch and go as she seemed to implode and as her breathing became erratic she grabbed his upper arms and called out his name. Then the orgasm overtook her completely and her breasts and warm abdomen crushed against him. He kissed her moans.
Bringing Olivia to orgasm he wished he could see her, loving every single moment of how completely she let herself go, how much she trusted him. Gently rolling her on the bed and bracing himself above her, he entered her slowly. As she breathed in and opened herself even more to him he plunged deeper into her. She tightened her legs around his waist and the satisfied and growing moans surrounded them. Then the urge within her rose and tightened around him, and all he wanted was to stay in this nirvana forever.
***
Sweat pouring from them both as he lay breathless next to the incredibly sensuous Olivia, all Alex could think was, this is magic!
He had known a few women, but all these years what had been missing was the all-important piece of the jigsaw puzzle. His heart had not been as involved as it was here, right now. This was not merely great sex, it was everything making love ought to be. This was the component which had defeated even his youngest brother, the once die-hard bachelor, Grey, as well as his other brothers.
Love was too powerful to resist or even fight.
Holding her against himself, Alex could make out her voluptuous curves in the dimness, and throughout the night had explored and familiarised himself with her many erogenous zones, reveling in her unique sexual scent, and even her ticklish spots.
He had never enjoyed being with a woman so completely on all levels.
“Let’s have a shower, my delicious Olivia.” He heard himself purr and smiled in the dark.
“Maybe much later. I’m too comfortable and soooo relaxed.” He could hear her satisfied smile as she sighed into his shoulder. Pulling her even closer into himself, he kissed her temple and knew he would never forget her special aroma of fresh crushed gardenias and woman.
When he awoke Olivia’s side of the bed was empty and his heart constricted tight and he was thrown off by how much her absence disturbed him. The tension balling in his chest grew.
Hearing the shower running invited him to see if she needed an extra hand. The thought of seeing those curves made him hard again. The thought of tantalizing her inner core with his tongue inflamed a more welcome tension in his body and mind. Smiling he rose to join Olivia.
She squealed when she saw him
and covered her breasts with her arms under the steaming hot water, and then laughed.
“Need a little help, my vixen?” As he studied her face her arms slowly loosened and then reached out to him as he joined her in the large shower stall and took her in his arms. He admired her alabaster skin and marveled that the naked goddess appeared even more delectable than he had imagined. Even a decade ago, when their melding had happened in that large hotel linen closet, they had not seen each other naked. But he remembered these gorgeous, perfect breasts. Excitement of the forbidden had escalated their need for each other. The memory of fresh lavender scented linens wafted into his mind even now. The scent of being happy, home, in Olivia’s arms.
He kissed her wet mouth, welcoming the hot spray of the rain shower gushing over them both and his hands gravitated from her perfect hips up to her ample, divine breasts.
He couldn’t have enough of those honey kisses as his hands explored and incited her pleasured moans.
He would never have enough of Olivia. He needed her again and watched the sinful delight and hunger deepen within her blue eyes as he imprisoned her against the warm, wet tiled wall. Raising her by her perfect derrière to better meld with her, as he entered her again her eyes closed. This was what he had waited for. Kneading his shoulder muscles and then wrapping her arms around his neck, Olivia kissed him and tightened her legs around his waist.
The growl from deep within him sounded strange, protective and feral as they both climbed to their nirvana. Her breathless moans turned him on even more and he grabbed her mouth as he continued plunging into her.
Picking her up fully still connected to one another, he sat on the bench behind them. The cool stone did nothing to lower the temperature of their intense desire. As Olivia leaned back against his upper thighs he held her as his tongue laved, teased and sucked at one breast and then . . . he stopped.
A diagonal red welt the size of a tooth pick adorned the outer side of her right breast.
She opened her eyes and froze.
“Oh. No,” Alex heard himself say against the loudness of the steaming water.
He couldn’t move.
Olivia’s stricken face paled as she moved out of his arms and disconnected them from each other. Covering her breasts again with obviously trembling hands she seemed to shrivel inwards.
Standing up he stepped back from her. She backed into the corner of the stall and then reached for the door.
He didn’t stop her. He had no clue what to do.
His brain filled with all sorts of thoughts, of a devastating loss in the distant past and fear of the future, and then his emotions shut down.
Chapter 9
“I’m fed up with all the complaints about you treating the staff like rubbish.” Costa, Alex’s father said with a deep frown of his salt and pepper, bushy eyebrows above the green eyes his son had inherited. Papa obviously did not appreciate being dragged back into the Athens office when Alex was supposed to have taken back the company reins upon his return. “You’ve been back a month Alexo, and I won’t stand for this anymore. Now tell me what’s really going on. And don’t bother saying it’s not important, because I know my son and this is not the real you. You’re like a miserable ghost. Like a bear with a sore tooth. Now talk.” He plonked down a glass with a shot of their favorite whiskey in front of his son and waited.
After a few minutes of silence Alex sighed, took the drink, emptied it and stared at his father. “It’s a woman. She had breast cancer.” At his father’s sharp intake of breath, Alex was mortified at feeling tears prickling the backs of his burning eyes and took off his glasses. He absently rubbed the bridge of his nose. He hadn’t slept for what felt like years. Like a damned thief he had left Wrightsville Beach, just about making enough time to say goodbye to family members who were there.
“She died? Theé mou!” My God, his father said, putting his large hand on his son’s shoulder.
But Alex stared into space. “No. She had it a couple of years ago, but I blew it—again!”
Now, facing the rest of his life in his self-inflicted hell he couldn’t blame his father and those around him for their impatience. He squeezed his tear-filled eyes shut expecting his father to tell him what he already knew about himself. He was a fool, Touvlo!
Instead he opened his eyes and saw his father sit next to him. He donned his glasses tried to compose himself and waited.
Sighing again his father shook his head. “Ah, my son, don’t be so hard on yourself. This makes much sense, now. What will you do?”
Watching his father’s ruddy complexion, Alex shrugged. “There’s nothing—”
“There’s always something you can do, Alexo. It’s there in your name, it’s in your DNA.”
“I’m not like you, Papa. I’m not like my other brothers, either. I may know business, but love. . .” He shook his head, no longer embarrassed of his show of emotions.
“Well, at least there’s a first. I’ve never heard you say anything about love before.” His father’s smile brightened.
“I’m not as strong as you, Papa. I couldn’t bear to lose Olivia. Not after losing Mama to the same disease. I know too well what it did to you.” This time his eyes blurred and overflowed with more tears. He wiped them from behind his glasses. What a wimp he was in addition to being an idiot.
His father shook his head, adamantly, “So you threw it all away now? You know deep inside that love even for a few short years is better than not having it at all. And this woman is obviously one of the lucky ones to have survived it. These days it’s different, Alexo, much can be done to help the patients earlier.” After a pause, he asked, “Have you spoken to your mother? Sandra must have had something to say about all this.”
This time Alex shook his head, avoiding his father’s astute eyes. “After I found out from Maria the full story about what had happened I just couldn’t stay. I—I left, again!”
“Right. Enough of feeling sorry for yourself, Alexo, and no more excuses. You know what you need to do.” Squeezing his son’s upper arm he emphasised, “Immediately.”
***
“Mom, please don’t give me a hard time, you can’t possibly say anything that I don’t already know about myself. I’ve come for your help.” Alexander said firmly after explaining everything his mother needed to know.
“Calm down, Alex, my poor boy.” She gently cupped his face within her palms, studying him. “All this weight that you’ve lost and those bags under your beautiful eyes tell me that you’ve beaten yourself up plenty already.” She put in front of him a plate of his favorite bolognaise dish with extra grated parmesan cheese. “First you eat, then you get some sleep and then we’ll sort all this out.”
The hope he had harbored all the way back to Wrightsville Beach now almost disintegrated at the sight of Olivia’s favorite dish. This time he was going to get a grip and stop letting tears come whenever they felt like it. What was next? Him having periods and crying into a large tub of ice-cream like a besotted teenage girl!
He was a man, damn it, and he had to man up!
“Maria promised not to divulge Olivia’s whereabouts, and I need to see her as soon as possible.”
“I know. Sit. We’ll get there, together. You’re a very smart guy and I have every faith that just like the rest of your brothers, you’ll get your happy-ever-after too, and soon.” Mom reassured him like she had when he was little, when he had tried and failed to stop his brothers babying him as they were growing up.
She kissed his forehead, “After your nap you’re going for a boat ride with Dad. It’ll be nice for both of you to catch up.”
“I’m just glad you’ve come to your senses. I knew it the moment I saw you both together that time on the beach that you were meant to be together. And Olivia’s worth the fight. Now eat.” She smiled and he picked up his cutlery.
***
“I don’t know where you can meet Olivia. And frankly, I don’t want you anywhere near her.” Maria told Alex, her u
nwavering stare telling him much more than her softly spoken words. Then she eyed her toddler as Tyler concentrated on his favorite treasure board game. “You hurt my best friend in the whole world. You treated her worse than her ex did when she needed him the most. But that didn’t knock her out like you did. You know why that is? Because she fell in love with you. I think she always loved you, you fool.”
“I’m the biggest ass. I know that better than anyone. But please trust me, Maria. I have to see Olivia. I need her. I’ve never thought—never mind said—sappy crap like, ‘she’s my destiny,’ but now I know Olivia is my life.” He didn’t care that he sounded desperate. “I’ve come to my senses, and although I may be too late, I want to see her one last time. To apologize at least.”
Maria shook her head. The pause stretched unbearably, but then some of the gentleness in Maria’s eyes returned as she tilted her head in thought, relinquished her heavy bundle of joy into Alex’s arms and said, “You can toss a ball with your oldest nephew and earn your uncledom.” Then as he waited for the smallest morsel of mercy, she rolled her blue eyes at him and sighed. “Don’t give me that look, Alex. I don’t know how you can see her because I can’t tell you that your mother bought me and Olivia a special gift of a relaxing day at the spa this Friday. Neither can I tell you that I’ll be at the Grand Queen Anne spa from 11am in…” She recited the address as if it was of no importance. It was an hour’s drive away but Alex would have driven across the country right now just to see Olivia. He knew from the many hours of getting to know Olivia, that the best friends had a standing arrangement at this famous spa, spending some pampering time together once a month no matter how busy their lives were. “The massage therapist Elke, may be open to my best friend’s romance story once I tell her all about it, and she may leave Olivia alone in a certain room at a certain time.” She arched her brows and stared into his eyes. “If you ever pull another stunt like that I’ll feed you to the wolves—don’t worry, I’ll find some.”
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Sloan sure chooses good wives.” He felt the first smile in weeks somewhat relax his face muscles as he held his nephew up in the air. Tyler laughed at being an airborne plane and Alexander breathed a little easier knowing that he would see his love soon.
Billionaires On the Beach: The Anderson Brothers Page 37
