by Donna Fasano
Never had meat tasted as good as the grilled lamb flavored with a wine sauce and garnished with zucchini and potatoes. She savored the zesty taste of her dinner and relished the gorgeous sight of the man sitting across from her. Silence danced between them.
“It’s almost sunset.” Stefano’s voice snapped her out of her daydreaming. Deep in her thoughts, she’d forgotten the time.
She glanced at the pink horizon and the fiery ball slowly falling toward the sea. “It’s so beautiful.” Everything was beautiful tonight.
“Come to the starboard side. You’ll have an unobstructed view of the sunset.”
She walked beside him to the right side and rested her elbows on the rail. A few sailboats glided on the soft waves, their white sails fluttering with the breeze. Stefano stood behind her, his breath fanning her neck and ear. Mingling with the smell of the sea, his spicy lemon scent cloaked her with an unusual languor. Ashley flinched and braced herself not to lean against him. Too late. Already, his arms encircled her waist.
Please, let this moment last. When the sun dipped below the horizon, she closed her eyes. Let me discover that special feeling Grandpa talked about.
“Make a wish, Ashley dear.”
“I did.” The corded muscles in his arms provided a warm support and an instantaneous granting of her wishes. Afraid to lose the delightful feeling, she relaxed against him. The music of the waves lulled her with a new comfort and she fixed a delighted gaze at the palette of pink, red and purple clouds forming ethereal designs in the darkening sky.
His hold tightened. “Will you tell me?”
“Nope.” Good thing he was behind her. It would be highly embarrassing if he saw the blush invading her cheeks. She, the ambitious attorney in a respected law firm, blushing like a teenager in love.
“I will tell you mine. I wished this moment to last forever, and that tomorrow never comes.”
Arching her eyebrows, she spun toward him, her heart drumming an erratic gong against her ribs. “You did too?”
Aah! What had she blurted? What had she admitted?
Their eyes locked. His, ardent and blazing, sparking desire and longing in her heart. His hands splayed on her back, bringing her hard against him. Her gaze dropped to his sensual mouth, to the full lips that slowly lowered and parted and closed over hers.
Let this moment last. She sighed and surrendered to the exquisite sensations. Lips molded to lips, tongues swirled, teeth grazed against soft flesh. She forgot to breathe and didn’t care. Their bodies pressed. Her breasts peaking against his chest, she concentrated on feeling every inch of his hardness with her sensitized softness.
When he released her mouth and trailed kisses along her cheek and throat, she smiled and tilted her head, offering her naked shoulder to his lips. Grandpa’s word echoed in her ears. Find a Greek man who will love you unconditionally.
“Stefano, are you hundred percent Greek?”
“Huh? Yes, why? You don’t like Greeks?” Raising his head, he pinned her with a befuddled look.
“I love Greek history, Greek food, Greek music, but I don’t know about Greek men. I’ve heard some are passionate and generous, while others are cold, calculating and even cruel.”
His eyebrow arched, lending him the fierce look she’d seen on the paintings of Greek gods. “And you wonder how to categorize me?” His arms slid from her back and dropped to his sides.
A frustrated groan escaped her and she bit her tongue. “Well, not exactly—”
“Why don’t you wait until tomorrow before forming an opinion?”
“Tomorrow?” She’d rather forget about tomorrow.
“I’m sorry. I said the wrong thing.”
“No, I am the one who asked silly questions.” Had she ruined the moment?
But Stefano cupped her face between his hands, gazing into her eyes. “Kookla, my pretty doll. Happy times are so rare.” His disheartened tone shocked her.
She lifted a brow. Had he suffered in his life?
“Let’s enjoy our moment,” he murmured against her hair.
Our moment? They had met only today, but an undeniable attraction already bonded them. A giggle bubbled in her throat and she laced her shaky fingers around his neck. Determined to create more enjoyable memories, she lifted her head and kissed him. His arms immediately surrounded her and squeezed her against him. Their kiss deepened and she savored his luscious lips while his tongue conducted a mad dance with hers.
His hands left her cheeks and slid down to cradle her breasts. Yes, she sang in her mind, yearning for the touch of his fingers and lips over her bare flesh.
Without interrupting their kiss, he unbuttoned her shirt and peeled it off her shoulders. Had he heard her secret wish?
Swelling in his hands, her breasts ached for more sweet pleasure. She stroked his corded neck, grazed her nails over his throat and ears, and suddenly sighed when he released her mouth and lowered his head.
His lips closed over a nipple and gently suckled. Erotic heat burned her sensitive skin and seeped into her body. She squirmed against him. Hardness pressed against her belly. Her Greek god wanted her and she wanted him.
To share with him the passion he bestowed on her, she trailed kisses against his throat and licked the tip of his ear. His groan mingled with her sighs.
Raising his head, he peered into her eyes. “Ashley, my kookla.” The intensity of his gaze mirrored her own emotion, seeking permission.
“Yes, please,” she answered the unspoken questions.
Darkness had settled around them. A crescent moon floated in the sky. The night was their accomplice, the sea their protector, as the yacht slowly glided through the water. A world that belonged to them only. A paradise she never wanted to leave.
“Would you come downstairs? To my room? I mean the room you used.”
“Yes.” With her fingertip she smoothed the deep scowl creasing his forehead.
“With me.” He specified, giving her a chance to refuse.
She chuckled. “With you, of course. I hope you’d never think of dumping me on your big bed and leaving me alone.”
“Never.” A bone-melting smile brightened his face. He crushed her mouth with a passionate kiss and scooped her up in his arms. Those comfortable arms where she could spend a lifetime without complaint.
“Let’s go to your room, my handsome Greek.”
Cradling her against his chest like a precious doll, he climbed down the stairwell to the sleeping deck, crossed the living room and opened his bedroom door. “In our traditions, a groom carries his bride over the threshold to his bedroom. It brings good luck for longtime happiness in the bedroom.”
“Ah.” She pinched her lips with regret. “I’m just a guest here. A guest for a very short time.”
“Maybe, but I believe in luck and traditions.” He lowered her to the floor and turned around to touch a switch. A soft round ribbon of light encircled the ceiling, allowing her to scan the room. Not that she was going anywhere with limp legs almost wobbling beneath her. She didn’t have to move. Stefano joined her right away, his smile indicating his determination to continue the pleasurable task he started on the deck.
“Hmm, you’d be more comfortable without this.” Reaching for the shirt she hadn’t bothered to button, he slid it away and tossed it on the chair in the corner.
His gaze caressed her naked breasts with excruciating slowness. Her breath jammed in her throat, her chest heaved up, and her nipples hardened.
“Well,” she blurted, unable to withstand his examination and the heat inflaming her flesh under his intense gaze.
“Beautiful.” His smile disappeared. He, too, seemed to have trouble breathing. His hands settled at her waist and his deft fingers unzipped and lowered her shorts. They fluttered to the floor in a yellow heap. She swallowed hard at the sight of her brand-new thong exposing her hips too generously.
How on earth had she had the guts to buy that tiny triangle held together by two skinny laces? She’d never thoug
ht she’d really wear it, never guessed that a man would stare at the obscene little piece, his jaw sagging. The man she’d hope to impress tonight.
“Gorgeous.” The conviction in his voice tickled her ego. He was impressed all right.
“I bought it to show my girlfriends what a European bikini looks like. I never thought I’d wear it but—”
“Please don’t feel embarrassed. I love that thing on you. I love it so much I am not going to remove it.” He captured her gaze and her pulse started a wild race. “Not yet.”
“Oh.” Her knees buckled, but Stefano’s arms brought her hard against him. He covered her face with kisses and groaned.
“It’s not fair. You’re…overdressed.” She slid her hands under his shirt and splayed them over his back.
“You’re absolutely right. And I’m too hot. Help, please.” He chuckled and opened his arms wide, sending a frisson of pleasure down her spine. “Aren’t you going to remove the damn shirt?”
She nodded with a rueful smile and yanked the shirt over his head to throw it aside. Her fingers skated over the expanse of bronze flesh and rippling muscles.
“I want to—” She focused on his hard nipples, inched close enough to circle the tantalizing pebbles with the tip of her tongue. With a grunt, he pressed her head against his chest. She tasted the salt of the sea on his skin. Exhilarated by his groan and the stiff jerks of his abs against her belly, she lavished his other nipple with bold caresses.
“Temptress,” Stefano muttered. “Enough.” He pulled her head away from him and crushed her mouth with a blazing kiss.
A ball of fire erupted in her belly. The flames slithered between her legs and her moans mingled with his. She pulled back to catch her breath.
“I’m still too hot.” He tilted his head toward his waist.
“Ah, your shorts.”
“Yes, they have to go. Quickly.”
“You bet.” With a crisp movement, she grabbed the elastic waist and pulled down his shorts. They dropped to his ankles and he stepped aside. His cock sprang free, gloriously naked.
She stared at her Greek god, Apollo in rippling muscles. And swallowed hard. “Oh dear, you don’t wear—” The air whooshed out of her lungs in a gasp.
“Do I pass inspection?” His devilish grin brought her back to earth.
Unable to utter a single word, she nodded several times, hoping he wouldn’t hear her heart thump against her ribs.
“That’s exactly how you affect me.” He extended a hand. “Come to me, Cardia mou, my little heart. Let me love you.”
Without hesitation, she put her hand in his and he pulled her to the bed.
Chapter 4
Propped on his elbow, Stefano contemplated the exquisite face he had just lavished with kisses and caresses. The delicate fragrance of her perfume lingered. Her coppery golden mane spread on his satin pillow provided the perfect frame for her loveliness. Long eyelashes arched over high cheekbones. Was she dozing? The slender legs he’d covered with his thigh squirmed, stroking his muscles in a deliciously enticing way.
“Stefano,” she murmured, answering his silence question.
“Yes, Aghapie mou.”
Her eyes popped opened. “You called me your love?”
“Haven’t I proven you’re very dear to me?”
A pink hue brightened her face. “That you did. I can swear I saw fireworks.”
He couldn’t stifle the smugness in his smile and he leaned to brush her lips with his. Instantly hard again, he slid an avid finger down her throat to her breast and tickled her nipple. “We were too enthusiastic, too quick. How about a slow-motion repeat performance?”
Her gasp chimed against his ear. “If you want.”
“With you, I’ll always want. But what about you?” His fingers played with her nipple and gently rubbed it.
The side of her mouth curved in a sheepish smile. “I’m afraid I’ll always want, too.”
He burst out laughing. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard today. The night is young and we should enjoy it. Tomorrow—”
A frown started on her forehead. “Please, no depressing thoughts.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
Tomorrow meant arguments in court and maybe a disappointment about her grandfather’s house. His gut tightened in an unpleasant spasm and he sobered.
Tomorrow, he might break her heart. He would break her heart for sure.
Tomorrow, she would lose her illusions about Greek men. She would hate him, curse him, and wish she’d never set eyes on such vermin.
His gut tightened in an unpleasant spasm and he sobered. How could she have become so dear to him in just a few hours? How had she changed from the granddaughter of an execrable enemy to the woman of his dreams, his most precious treasure?
For weeks before meeting her, he’d rehearsed the arguments he’d present to the American attorney he’d imagined as middle aged, cold and calculating. Never in his wildest thoughts had he envisioned he’d deal with the passionate young woman who rested, all naked in his arms, after a thorough lovemaking.
He hugged her fiercely, suddenly afraid of losing her before he even got the chance to show her how much she meant to him. “These few hours are ours. And you are mine, tonight,” he whispered in her hair, determined to taste every inch of her lovely body.
Was he a rotten sleazy ass? Most definitely, but he’d give her more fireworks to take away.
If he told her the truth and identified himself, she might jump overboard and never look at him again. Now was not the time to break her heart. Now was the time to make love, to show his passion.
Tomorrow, before she left to go to court, he would confess the horrible truth.
“And are you mine, Stefano?” she asked with her heart in her eyes.
“Yes, my darling. All yours. Truly yours.”
“How often have you said these words to pretty women?”
“I never said these words to any woman.”
“Never?” She arched well-defined brows and curled her lips in a doubtful pout. “I must be crazy, but I believe you. Even when you’re speaking nonsense.”
Their eyes met. Hers seeking the truth. His begging her to trust him, even though he didn’t deserve any trust. “I am not the type who distributes sweet words liberally.”
She cradled his face and gave him a luminous smile. “In that case I’m yours, Stefano, for tonight. But don’t think I make it a practice to sleep with my dates on the first night. Or the second or the third,” she added with a sudden frown.
He chuckled. “Thank you for reassuring me that I’m special to you.” Suddenly disturbed by a sharp nudge from his conscience, he stifled a scowl. She was special to him too. The secret war he waged against her grandfather had no reason to interfere with their present bliss. Any unwelcome reminder of what might separate them should remain in the closet. Tonight was for pleasure, his and hers.
With a single-minded resolve, he captured her mouth, fondled her breast and invaded her intimate folds. Her moan of pleasure reassured him she shared his desire. Her nails raked his hair and trailed to his nape, as she fused herself against his frame. A frenzied need jolted him above her. After protecting himself, he parted her legs, and covered her with his body, his manhood seeking the way in her moist entrance. “I wanted to go slow,” he managed to mutter, “but—”
“Don’t,” she ordered in a hiccup. “Now. Again.”
Her monosyllables convinced him she was ready. He slid into her welcoming haven, withdrew, plunged again, stroking her pleasure button while she raised herself against him. Her arms wound around his neck, her legs wrapped around his waist and she rocked against him.
“Stefano, my Greek God,” she said against his lips as she stiffened under him.
Mouths joined, tongues entangled, they shuddered together and climaxed.
He dragged his mouth away to breathe. “Aghapie mou.” His heart drummed and hers echoed. Slowly, he eased to her side.
“I want
ed to take my time and slowly savor every inch of your beautiful body. Sorry, I went too fast again.” He stared at her and caressed her temples and cheeks.
“No, it was fantastic. Just the way I wanted it.”
“Fireworks?”
“Oh yes, with sparkling stars and rainbows.” Her lovely smile dazzled him.
“I saw them too,” he murmured. “With a moss-green background, the color of your eyes.”
She chuckled softly, nestled in the curve of his shoulder and drifted off. His arms around her, he wanted to keep her warm and secure, to love her and protect her forever.
How could he protect her from her enemy?
From himself?
In a few hours she’d wake up and hate him if he told her the truth. Or she’d hate him more if he didn’t tell her.
Yaya, help me, he prayed to his grandmother. I felt like you’ve sent her to me. But for the wrong reason. What a mess.
To think he’d brought her to his boat to delay her, to prevent her from appearing in court, to have her miss the hearing and lose their argument by default. Disgust squeezed his stomach. Yaya would have never sanctioned his despicable plot to deceive a young woman—even if that woman morphed into a formidable opponent in court.
With gentle ease, he slid his arm from under her head and disengaged himself. Careful not to disturb her sleep, he got out of bed and pulled on his shorts. Before leaving the room, he turned around and covered her with a warm gaze. Her long legs jerked and hiked the sheets up her thighs to drape her hips. She sighed, tossed around and tucked her arms under her head. Her breasts jutted upward. He sucked his breath at their tantalizing perfection.
Against his own will he took a few steps and approached the bed. “You’re so beautiful, kookla mou.” He bent and brushed her mouth with a kiss. When she moaned and a hint of a smile danced on her lips, he couldn’t resist the sweet temptation, and deposited a few kisses on her rosy nipples.
“Love you,” she whispered in a sleepy moan, her eyes still closed, her chin hitched toward him.
The sweet words wrenched his heart and jolted him into awareness. He pulled back and shook his head. “No, please,” he mouthed.
