by Dreama Faire
She gazed directly into Nick's eyes, gathering her courage. "I want to go wherever you're going."
He tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know where I'm going."
The tension drained from the air, and she knew there was the chance for a serious discussion.
She leaned forward and touched his arm, choosing her words carefully. "Haven't you punished yourself enough? Couldn't you go home after all this time?"
The silence grew heavy with foreboding, and Nick's jaw twitched and hardened.
His dark eyes held hers as he spoke. "Only if I bring a wife."
28
Time froze, transforming the tiny room into an intimate tableau. Nick's unwavering gaze sent a charge of electricity across the short distance between them, arrowing directly into Amanda's chest. His words boomeranged inside her head. Had they been intended for her? Or were they merely an explanation of the conditions under which he could return to Greece? Fright clamped down on her throat, while her brain hammered with her earlier determination. Don't wimp out! Stay with this, or you're lost forever.
She withdrew her hand from his forearm, breaking the paralyzed moment. She gazed at her fingers, struggling to find a response that would be appropriate to the non-question.
Nick rescued her, his tone now matter-of-fact. "It's the only way my family and friends would see me as a man, know I could still hold the love of a woman. In Greece, honor is all important."
He rose, pulled a knife from the sheath on his belt, and began carving the melon.
Amanda thought she might be sick. He had mistaken her silence for disinterest—she was sure of it. On the other hand, what could she have said? "Oh, yes, I can help you with that." Yeah, right. The heat of self-consciousness flamed across her cheeks, and she rose quickly and headed toward the door.
Her husky tone surprised her. "I'm not hungry. I'll be back later."
She hurried down the hall, trying to concentrate on where she was headed and what she needed to purchase for her trip home. By the time she reached the lobby, burning tears sat on her lashes and pain had settled deep into her chest. She rushed out into the street, the hot South American sun having no effect on the frozen blanket that had claimed her heart.
* * *
"God Dammit!" Nick savagely stabbed the melon, and stepped back from the table. "How could I be so stupid?"
He'd had the perfect chance and he'd blown it—all because of his ego. He'd couched his intentions in double meaning, simply to protect himself in case she didn't want him. He moved to the window and watched Amanda wander slowly across the street toward a shop. He'd been kidding himself that they might have something real together, more than lust and role-playing. She was far too classy to consider hooking up with someone like him. He closed his eyes and turned away, thinking about the last two times he'd taken her. Surprisingly, his passion had been fueled more by her desire for him, than by his own excitement of domination over her.
For so long, taking without giving had kept the pain at bay, slowly and steadily reducing Cassandra to a blip in the past. His motivation had become an easy habit, and his heart had gone underground. Now that he'd found it again, why did the thoughts stay imprisoned in his head, the words stick in his throat when he tried to tell Amanda how he felt? Would his deep fear of rejection rule the rest of his life with an iron gauntlet?
He stared at his image in the cracked mirror over the desk. The man who stared back had become a stranger, a soul lost at sea. Nick desperately wanted to cast off his fear, and let Amanda pull him from the churning depths that threatened to suck him down forever. Her lifeline of trust and love was the only thing that could save him.
Channeling his inherent emotional strength toward positive thinking, he began to shape a plan in his head.
* * *
The thin, brown skinned woman shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. Amanda exhaled sharply and tried again, gesturing down at her legs.
"Pants...I want pants."
A young boy stepped from behind a curtain at the back of the shop, and Amanda had an idea. The boy approached, and Amanda pointed at his loose cotton trousers.
"Ahhh! Pantalones!" The shopkeeper nodded that she understood, then immediately frowned and wagged her finger. "Señorita, no." She turned to a rack of dresses, pulled one from the hanger, and held it out. "Si?"
At that point, Amanda realized that Venezuelan women did not wear trousers, and that none would be found in the shops. With no useful Spanish, she'd have no way of asking for men's pants, so she grabbed the dress and disappeared into the back room to try it on. Again, the mirror reflected the transformation of ugly duckling to charming swan. She had to admit—she felt totally different wearing these clothes than she ever had in her entire life.
The thought of her imminent departure for home shattered the brief pleasure of the moment, and her eyes burned. Then, as she stared at her reflection, anger bubbled up inside. No! I'm not giving up that easily. This discussion is not finished. Regardless of what his reference to a wife might mean, she was ready to hear it. Nick the Greek was going to come right out and tell her how he really felt about her, regardless of what she had to do to find out, or the consequences.
29
When Amanda returned to the hotel room, Nick was packing the last of the food into a shopping bag.
He glanced up, his smile relaxed. "Get your stuff together. Our taxi will be here in half an hour."
She tossed her shoulder bag onto the bed, and jammed her fists onto her hips. "You know, I'm really getting tired of being ordered around. I told you I don't want to go!"
He lifted his eyebrows with exaggerated surprise. "Well! What got into you? I thought you liked me being in charge."
"Enough's enough." She changed her tone, trying to sound less bitchy. "I want to finish our conversation."
He lifted the sack and carried it to the bed. "We can talk on the way."
Her heart thumped. She'd been overruled.
He moved close and put a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to Puerto Piritu. You'll like it." His eyes twinkled mischievously. "By the way, you look nice in that color."
* * *
The dusty old taxicab rumbled out of the village and into the countryside. Amanda gazed at the green, scrub-covered landscape and wondered where this adventure would take her. Nick's attitude had clearly changed, his aggressiveness receding behind an almost playful bearing. She glanced down at his hand covering hers, and contentment seeped into her soul. Maybe things were not as hopeless as she thought. She still had some time.
The pot-holed road eventually connected with a main highway, and the hum of the tires on the level pavement lulled her into a deep, dreamless sleep against Nick's warm shoulder.
Loud honking woke her with a start, and she leaned across his chest to look out the window.
His voice rumbled with amusement. "Goats. They have the right of way here."
The taxi driver waved his fist, shouted what were unmistakable curses, and leaned on the horn, adding to the confusion. Several other cars had also become trapped by the large herd of bleating animals being prodded lazily across the road by a young boy who seemed unconcerned by the chaos he caused.
Amanda instantly became aware of Nick's warmth oozing into her own flesh. Erotic heat crept up her thighs, and she glanced up through her lashes. His dark eyes twinkled with understanding. He slipped his hand beneath her dress and she let out a tiny gasp.
He leaned his mouth against her ear. "Shhh. Be very quiet. We don't want to give this old man a heart attack."
Nick's hand moved up her thigh, his fingers inching toward her hot, eager pussy. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. My God, how can I keep quiet if he's going to—? His fingers slid under the leg-band of her new panties, and she let out another tiny gasp.
She bit her lip, fighting to remain silent, then turned her head and whispered, "You're not playing fair."
He chuckled and whispered back, "Whose game
is this, anyway?"
His finger moved toward her crease and heat crawled across her neck, snatching away her breath. She glanced into the rearview mirror and met the licentious gaze of the driver. He knows! Oh, God, we have to stop! She squirmed, trying to move her swollen pussy from beneath Nick's insistent touch. His grip tightened around her shoulder, and his finger slid into the crease and found her clit. She sank back and opened her legs to his torture.
The taxi jolted to a stop, interrupting her bliss. The old man's voice drifted into the back seat. "Puerto Piritu. Bolivar viente, por favor."
Nick's hands reluctantly retreated, and she adjusted her skirt as he handed the driver some money with a murmur of something in Spanish that elicited a lecherous laugh from the driver.
Amanda climbed out of the back seat and peered around. The coastal landscape looked totally different than Caucagua. Lush tropical plants and palms grew everywhere in wild abandon, and long vines loaded with brilliant purple flowers hung from the portico of an old Spanish villa directly in front of them.
"It's beautiful," she said on a sigh.
Nick started up the steps to the building. "We'll check in, then go somewhere for dinner. You eat fish?"
She nodded. I'll eat peanut-butter sandwiches if I can be with you.
Ten minutes later, Amanda gazed around an elegant old-country room overlooking the sunset-washed Caribbean. French doors opened onto a private terrace with wrought iron railings, and the soft whoosh of the surf drifted into the still room. Pale stucco walls reflected the fading light, and the high ceiling echoed with the voices and passions of the past, calling to her, beckoning her love of history and romance. An antique wardrobe of almost-black wood dominated one wall. The deeply carved doors were unmistakably Moorish, and an ornate mirror seemed almost a window to the past. The other main piece in the room was a four-poster bed, the mattress secured inside a heavy, black wood frame, and overshadowed by an intricately carved headboard that rose four feet above the bed. Her pulse quickened as her gaze lingered on the massive pillars that formed the corners.
Nick's hands caressed her shoulders and she turned to him, overwhelmed by the emotions in her chest. She wanted him, not only in her bed, but also in her life. She wanted to be the wife that could restore his honor in the eyes of his family and homeland. She met his gaze, prepared to open herself up to possible rejection or ridicule. It didn't matter. She'd never know if she didn't try.
He stepped in close and ran his fingers softly across her cheek. "Amanda, I'm sorry I have been so unpleasant. And I owe you an apology for my slurs against your homeland. I have no right to inflict my own cultural taboos on you. Please believe me when I say that it had nothing to do with you."
"I know. And I understand. I also recognize that I've been a pain in the butt. I apologize, but believe me, it had everything to do with you."
His face crinkled into a grin and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "I think I knew that...Shall we go eat?"
Her moment of courage disappeared. She narrowed her eyes and smiled. "I'm still not hungry...," she ran her tongue along the edge of her upper lip, "...for food."
Nick responded instantly, exhaling sharply and cupping her face in his hands, drawing it up to within inches of his own. His breath warmed her skin, and she could see gold flecks in his beautiful eyes. She parted her lips and leaned into him, ready to play with fire. His tongue touched her lips and explored, then entered, plundering her mouth. Desire exploded in her hot center. In one swift movement, Nick grabbed the neck of her dress and started to pull it down over her shoulders.
She broke the kiss and stepped back, staring at him with saucy defiance.
"No. I want to undress for you."
A spark of excitement flashed across his features and he nodded. She dropped her gaze to the bulge growing in his jeans, and pride swelled in her chest at the heady power she wielded. Slowly, she began to unbutton the front of the dress, watching his reaction. After loosening the last button, she grasped the edge of the garment and slowly pulled it aside to reveal one bare breast.
Nick grunted and reached for his crotch.
"Don't! I'll do that when I'm ready."
Her own surprise was only eclipsed by Nick's, but his hand obediently stopped in mid-air and he grinned.
She touched her nipple, feeling it grow hard and rise, all the while watching Nick's eyes hungrily devour her wanton display. She eased the rest of the bodice aside and shrugged out of it, then reached up and released her hair to fall around her shoulders. Her tits were at attention, begging for more stimulation. She grasped a nipple in each hand and squeezed, sending erotic pulsations ricocheting through her crotch.
She inched closer and Nick grabbed at her, but she stepped of his reach with a coy reprimand. "Did you forget?"
"C'mon, Baby, don't be cruel."
She smiled wickedly. "You haven't seen anything yet."
Being in control was the most exhilarating experience she'd ever known. She hooked her fingers over his belt buckle and slowly, deliberately, unhooked it, then found the zipper. Her breasts swayed teasingly just inches from Nick's chest as she struggled to slide the zipper tab over his straining erection. As she worked against the resistance, his breath came in ragged gulps.
She stepped back. "Take them off. All the way, including your shorts."
Quickly, eagerly, he skinned the jeans and underpants over his hips, and stepped out of the heap. His cock was so rigid it formed a right angle with his belly.
She looked at it and licked her lips. "Now your shirt."
While he shrugged out of his remaining clothes, Amanda loosened the waist of her dress and let it drop into a puddle around her ankles. She stood before him, clothed only in a tiny, red lace bikini. He groaned and reached for her, but she giggled and pirouetted out of his way. Slowly, she slipped one side of the flimsy panty down over her hip, then the other. Her cunt throbbed. Could she continue this strip tease much longer? She was driving herself crazy with her own anticipation, desperate to climb onto his thick cock. She slid a finger through her soft muff and entered the crease.
Nick's voice rasped with need. "Goddammit, come here! I'm gonna fuck you!"
She yanked her hand from her crotch and frowned. "When I give you permission! Now go lie down on the bed."
His eyes widened in astonishment, but he obeyed. Immediately, she stepped out of the panties and crawled up onto the bed. Straddling his shoulders, she rested her knees on the pillow, bringing her cunt to within inches of his mouth. He grabbed her butt, and she shook her head.
"Keep your hands at your sides. We're playing a different game and I'm in charge of the rules."
Slowly, she leaned forward and brushed his moustache with her swollen lips.
Her tone was sharp. "Suck me. Hard."
Eagerly, his mouth latched onto her, sending a jolt up her spine and into her skull. She grabbed hold of the ornate headboard and braced herself as he sucked and licked her clit, taking it between his teeth, nipping, releasing, then thrusting his tongue into her cunt. She rocked against his mouth, feeling the ebb and flow of erotic pulsations hammering through her. Closer and closer, the elusive orgasm danced and feinted and parried. When she thought she could stand no more, she pulled back and gasped.
Nick's hands grabbed her ass firmly, and the look on his face told her she'd lost control of the game. She quickly attempted to recapture her command post.
"Not yet. I have more to show you."
His hands fell away, and he licked his lips. "I knew there was a sorceress in there somewhere."
She tilted her head and smiled wickedly. "Pirate meets magic. Hmmm. If you don't do my bidding, I'll turn you into an English lesson and you'll spend the rest of your days listening to me lecture."
"Worse things could happen," he murmured.
Without another word, she slid off his shoulders and settled onto the bed bedside him. Watching his face, she caressed him gently at first, then her grip tightened and her stroke became
aggressive. Her thumb moved around the sensitive skin at the head of his penis, and his breathing disintegrated into sharp gasps. He strained against her strokes, lustful agony painted on his face. Quickly, she pulled her hand away, and his eyes flew open at the disconnect. She dipped her head, and her hair swept forward across his belly.
"Oh, God, baby! Yes! Do it!"
Her tongue lightly flicked the tip of his penis, then curled tauntingly around the soft curved edges of the flare. She felt him tighten his butt, forcing his hips up toward her mouth. She lifted her head and gave him a smoky look, her fingers gently fondling his rock hard shaft. He reached out, trying to pull her head onto his need, but she grinned and slid farther down on the bed, out of his reach.
She took him into her hot, moist mouth and he cried out. Slowly, she sucked his cock deep into her mouth, then pulled back, letting her teeth graze the fiery, throbbing tissue. He groaned and tried to reach her head, force himself deeper into her mouth, but she stayed just out of reach, intent on pursuing her wicked mission. Pressure grew in her pussy as he moved in time with her steady sucking. She felt his pounding pulse through the engorged veins of his cock, pulsing against the soft flesh inside her cheeks. A second later, she quickly rose and straddled him, hovering over his waiting shaft, then slowly lowered her open crotch until she felt the tip of his penis nestle between her lips. In one quick movement, she impaled herself hard onto his cock, arching her back with the shock of the deep penetration. She crossed her arms behind her head, lifting her hair off her shoulders.
Her voice rasped with power and passion. "Pinch my nipples. Make me come."
