by Brenda Grate
They both heard her footsteps recede and Connie tried again to push him off.
“Give a guy a break, Con.”
“I think I just did.”
Rick laughed and pushed himself upright. He grabbed the tissue box off her desk, handed it to her and took a few to clean up. He kissed her and grabbed his clothes.
Connie finished dressing and Rick paused at the door to make sure she was decent.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, then closed the door behind him.
Rick had wanted to take things with her to the next level. That’s when she’d broken it off with him. They had a great sexual relationship, but she could never get past best pal with him and fall in love. It wasn’t fair to him. But neither was what they’d just done. She’d given him hope again and for that she mentally kicked herself. What a selfish bitch she was being today.
Connie sat in her chair, composed herself as best she could and picked up the phone. At least she might be able to redeem herself by being there for her best friend.
Even through her anger, she’d heard the need in Emma’s voice.
Chapter 13
After her aunt stepped away, Jen looked across the table and was met with Dimitri’s delighted smile. She frowned back at him.
“Why are you so happy?” she asked.
“It’s fun to see you nervous. If you didn’t want your aunt to meet me, why did you bring me to her restaurant?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want her to meet you.” Jen twirled her fork in the steaming pasta on her plate.
Dimitri chuckled, but didn’t push it.
The man could be irritating.
He thinks he knows what’s going on in my head, but he doesn’t.
“Besides, why wouldn’t I want her to meet you? We’re just out on a first date. It’s not like you’re my boyfriend or anything or like this is going anywhere.” Jen took a sip of her wine and kept her eyes on her plate.
“Ah.”
Jen met Dimitri’s dark eyes. His smile was gone.
“So, that’s how you want to play this?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Who hurt you, Jen? Your father?”
Jen clenched her teeth before she could show her surprise. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“I think it is. You and me, we’re going to be together a long time.”
A nervous flutter started up in her stomach. Jen looked away from him while trying to school her features into a semblance of not caring. She didn’t understand how he’d gotten under her skin so quickly, but his confidence irritated her.
“You don’t know that,” she said.
Dimitri took a bite of his lasagna. He picked up his glass and waited for Jen to pick up hers.
“To the future and all her possibilities,” he said.
Jen didn’t move, so Dimitri reached a long arm across the table and tapped his glass with hers, the crystal ringing like a wedding bell. Jen lifted her glass and sipped, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach.
She found him attractive. A woman would have to be either ninety or half dead not to, and the ninety-year old just might be attracted to him too. But that didn’t mean Jen would let him assume things about their future. Jen needed to get him firmly in control.
Her decision made, Jen tucked into her pasta and drank more than her share of wine while she tried to relax and talk about superficial things. Dimitri went along with it, but she had a hard time escaping his probing eyes. She’d never met a man that could look to her core as though she stood naked before him. She didn’t like it.
A distraction was all she could come up with. She refused to think too deeply about what it would be like to be naked in bed with him.
Jen gave her aunt a wave as they left the restaurant. Dimitri had his truck parked in front of the well-lit entrance. He opened the door and helped her step up into the cab. He waited while she got settled, then closed the door.
Jen wasn’t sure how she felt about all this chivalry. She’d never had a boyfriend open doors for her or treat her like she was a … what? A female. There was something to be said for that.
Being in law school was much like being in an ocean full of sharks. Jen had learned to be tough in order to survive. She’d grown up tough trying to be the son her father didn’t have in Brad. Law school had only cemented the fact that if she didn’t have female parts, she could easily have passed herself off as male.
As a result, Jen often dated men who were softer than she. The relationships never worked. She had no respect for a man who didn’t act like one. But as her last boyfriend told her, a real man wouldn’t be attracted to a woman who didn’t just want his cock, but his balls, too.
Dimitri was exactly the kind of man who wouldn’t give up his balls for any woman. Jen wondered how she’d fare with a man like him. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as he drove. His large hands held the steering wheel with confidence.
I wonder how he touches a woman? Would he be gentle or strong? Take what he wants and leave her wanting, or satisfy her to within an inch of her life?
Jen shifted uncomfortably on her seat. She squeezed her legs together trying to block the image of him kneeling between them and watching her with those knowing eyes.
“Do I pass?” he asked.
“Hmm?”
“You’ve been examining me. Are you pleased with what you see?”
“Oh, somewhat.” Jen gave him what she hoped was a seductive smile. Dimitri gave her a funny look and turned back to watching the road.
“Would you like to come over to my place for a while?” Dimitri asked.
Or maybe not.
“Yeah, sure,” she answered.
Dimitri reached across the seat and enclosed Jen’s hand with his own, his fingers curling through hers. Then he smiled and winked.
Tingling sensations ran from her hand up her arm. She tried to keep her breathing calm. She didn’t want him to know how much he affected her.
They pulled into the driveway of a small house with a tiny front lawn. It was in an area of Toronto Jen hadn’t been before. It wasn’t upscale like her neighborhood, but neither was it low income. It looked solidly middle class.
Dimitri put the truck in park and turned to examine her in the low light coming from the street lamp.
“You okay?” he asked. “You’re very quiet.”
“I’m fine,” she said. “Just thinking.”
Dimitri ran a long finger across her forehead and into her hair. He smiled. “You think a lot, don’t you, Jennifer? Maybe you need to relax and enjoy yourself.”
“Is that what you say to all the ladies?”
He lost his smile. “No. And that’s a perfect example of what I mean.”
Jen felt a sense of loss she didn’t understand. She resisted his charm continually, but felt sad when he looked at her that way, as though she’d disappointed him.
“Do you want to go inside?” she asked.
He nodded and got out of the truck. Jen reached for her handle, but he raced around the truck and opened her door, as though he knew she wouldn’t wait for him. He held out a hand and helped her down. She stood in front of him and smoothed down her slacks.
She’d worn a well-cut black pants suit for the date, her only concession to femininity, red pumps. She also wore her best black bra and panties just in case. She knew she looked good in them. She’d inherited her father’s long, lanky figure. She never gained weight, which she was grateful for considering her terrible law school diet. Though she didn’t have the feminine curves of her mother. Her mother complained about how easy she gained weight, but Jen thought it might be nice to be curvy.
Dimitri took her hand again and led the way to his door.
“How’s the studying coming?” he asked.
“Pretty good. Exams are just around the corner, so we’re all getting tense.”
“I have a feeling you’ll do well.”
&nbs
p; Jen waited while he unlocked the door. “How do you know?”
He swung the door open and turned to her. “You’re a smart woman. Maybe too smart for your own good, but time will tell.”
Jen stepped inside and he followed. She studied his broad back as he locked the door behind them. “How do you know, or think you know so much about me?” She’d tried to keep the question light, but it sounded accusing.
His gaze lowered to her feet and then crawled up her body, his smile widening as he did so.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “There’s just something about you. I’ve never met a woman like you and I can’t get you out of my mind. I feel like I know you already. Maybe that’s a bit creepy, but it’s honestly how I feel.”
Jen wasn’t sure how it made her feel. She didn’t like him getting so close to the heart of her, especially that quickly. But, she felt the same way about him and it was hard to deny. She wanted to push him away, and fast, but for the first time in her life, she wasn’t in control of her own actions. Her body kept betraying her where he was concerned. Even now her mind said, “Run,” but she reached out and took his hand instead.
Dimitri pulled her into his arms. He didn’t try to kiss her, but held her instead. She could smell his cologne. It suited him. It wasn’t one she’d smelled before. It was spicy with a hint of sweet. She breathed in, knowing she’d never forget his scent.
He pulled away and led her to the couch. He took a deep breath. “So, coffee? Or more wine?”
“Wine, please,” Jen said. She planned on seducing him, so she needed some liquid courage, something she’d never needed before. She wasn’t really sure who would be seducing who, but she would just go with the flow.
Dimitri headed to the kitchen. “Make yourself comfortable,” he said, as he rattled around in the cupboards.
There were black and white prints on the walls, some arranged in groups, others showcased singly. They were of inanimate objects. A lonely boat floating in the water. A tree with low-hanging fruit. It looked like pomegranates, although Jen had never seen a pomegranate tree. There was one of a small house with a dark door. She couldn’t tell what color, but her imagination told her it was a white house with a blue door. Like the ones in mother’s photographs from her grandfather. The photos must have been taken in Greece. She wondered if he had taken them himself.
The rest of the room was a riot of color. The sofa she sat on was rust-colored with green and yellow throw pillows. A small stone fireplace gave the room focus. It had a dark brown rug in front of it. Jen imagined herself lying there with Dimitri, his skin glistening in the firelight. She pushed the image away.
The walls were adobe-colored and the door frames painted dark rust. If Dimitri had decorated the place, he definitely had an artistic eye. She knew he was a contractor, but she didn’t know what he specifically did.
Her curiosity piqued, she called out, “What type of work do you do on houses, Dimitri?”
He entered the room with two glasses of red wine and set them on the low square table in the middle of the room.
“I finish houses.”
“Finish?”
“Once the main work is done, walls up, sub floors in and all that, I come in and put in the finishing touches. I choose the type of lighting, the moulding and the type of flooring.”
“Like an interior decorator?”
“A little bit, but not with furniture. I design the little things that give a house its mood, its look.”
Jen smiled. “It suits you. You’re different from what I expected when you gave me your business card.”
“How?” He sat beside her, picked up one of the glasses and handed it to her.
“I don’t know. I expected you to be more of a cretin.”
Dimitri choked on his wine. He set it back on the table and coughed until he cleared his throat.
“A what?” he asked. “You expected me to be stupid?”
Jen blushed. “Well, you didn’t look stupid, but you fit the role of burly male with a big truck.”
Dimitri threw back his head and laughed hard.
Jen fidgeted with her glass, now feeling like she was the stupid one.
“You have no idea how close you were.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I am actually a Cretan.”
Jen frowned.
“A Cretan,” he said. “As in someone from Crete.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.”
Jen averted her eyes. He was being far too nice. She couldn’t treat him the same as she had other men. He threw her completely off kilter, and she didn’t know which way was up.
Dimitri took Jen’s glass and placed it beside his empty one on the table. He scooted closer, staring into her eyes until she became uncomfortable. Then he smiled suddenly and got up off the sofa.
“What kind of music do you enjoy?” he asked.
Jen stared at him unable to compute his question. Her brain still felt scrambled from his proximity.
“Um …”
“Eighties okay?”
She laughed, coming out of her trance. “Eighties? You like eighties?”
He didn’t even look embarrassed. “Yep. Don’t you?”
“I haven’t really listened to that era much. But go ahead if you want.”
Dimitri switched on the stereo and soon Funky Town came blasting through the speakers. Jen giggled as Dimitri began dancing. He had rhythm but he looked so funny dancing to such an old song that she was soon helpless with laughter.
“What are you laughing at?” He grinned at her and gyrated his hips.
Jen laughed harder. “Please, stop,” she gasped.
Dimitri turned down the volume and joined her on the sofa. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.
Jen stopped laughing and kissed him back. Dimitri deepened the kiss, his tongue gliding across hers and shooting liquid heat straight to her belly. Jen leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts against his chest. He felt so damn good and she wanted more—a lot more.
Dimitri groaned and pulled back leaving Jen feeling abandoned. She leaned forward, wanting more of him, but he took her shoulders and held her back, a bemused smile on his face.
Jen fought to focus her eyes. She’d never been swept away like this before.
“Dimitri,” she whispered.
“Yes?” His voice rumbled low and sexy. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She could hear it in his voice, see the need in his eyes. So why did he hold back?
“Kiss me again,” Jen pleaded softly.
He leaned his forehead against hers. “Baby, I want you, but I have to stop now or I won’t be able to.”
“Why?” She almost whimpered the question. Pride felt far away at the moment. She didn’t care about anything but being in his arms.
“It’s too soon,” he said. “I want this to be something real, something lasting, not just a quick tumble.”
Jen leaned back, his distance finally penetrating the fog of desire. She crossed her arms. “Don’t you think it’s too soon to tell if we have something special?”
He paused for a moment.
“No, definitely not. I want to get to know you better, Jennifer. A lot better.”
Her name had never sounded so good from anyone else’s mouth. Fear swept over her.
What is he doing to me?
She got to her feet. “Well, time will tell, won’t it? I better get back home.”
Dimitri looked sad, but he got to his feet and grabbed his keys off the table by the door.
Jen took a last look around his tiny home. He wasn’t even close to her type. What had she been thinking? Daddy would hate him.
Jen pushed away the thought that it somehow made Dimitri even more desirable.
Chapter 14
“Hey, Em. What’s up?” Connie hoped Emma wouldn’t hear anything unusual in her voice. She didn’t want to have to explain why she was sleeping with Ri
ck again.
“You free for a few minutes?” Emma asked.
“For you? Of course.” Connie smiled into the phone.
“I need your advice about what’s going on with Alan.”
A rock filled Connie’s stomach. She’d always hated how Alan treated Emma, even when they were dating. As far as she was concerned, he was an arrogant bastard.
“What’s he done now?”
Emma’s sigh traveled down the wires and Connie’s anxiety rose. Emma almost never complained, so when she did, Connie listened.
“He put my grandfather’s house in the divorce settlement.”
“He what?” Connie huffed out a breath and slumped back in her chair. She resisted the urge to pretend her desk was Alan’s face so she could repeatedly slam the phone receiver into it.
“I never thought he’d be that devious, Con.” Emma’s voice sounded watery.
“I did.”
“You never liked him, so of course you’d think that.”
“Yes, you’re right, I never liked him, but that also enables me to see him more realistically than you.”
“I guess you’re right. I feel like such a fool.”
“Well, you’re not, so stop thinking that. You need to stop taking responsibility for that prick’s doings. What are you going to do? Have you signed the agreement?”
“No, I haven’t. I found out this morning that he slipped it in after I’d read and agreed to the preliminary agreement. I haven’t signed anything yet.”
Connie blew out a breath in relief. “So what’s the problem, then? Don’t sign anything until he takes it out.”
“He won’t take it out.”
“Okay … he’ll have to eventually if he wants a divorce.”
“Yes, if he wants to marry his pregnant girlfriend.”
Connie rocked back in shock. “Come again?”
“His pregnant girlfriend. I just found out from Jennifer.”
“Oh my God, that asshole …”
“That won’t help, but thanks for the support.” Emma’s voice sounded like she was trying to put a brave face on things, but Connie could hear the hurt.
“I’m so sorry, honey. He didn’t tell you? So, as far as he’s concerned, you don’t know?”
