by Kait Gamble
But it wasn’t her reputation she had to worry about, was it? “Would it be greedy to want you both there?”
His smile was small, but appreciative. “Not at all.”
Kendra shrugged. “Then we’ll go together.”
Was that admiration in his eyes? Whatever it was, was quickly hidden with a pair of dark sunglasses. “Shall we?”
“We’ll take my car.” Nikos winked at her.
Kendra didn’t go as far as to link arms with them both as they made their way down to the lobby. It was bad enough that all eyes would be on them once they got down there, so the last thing she needed was to pile onto the speculation.
They strolled leisurely through the strangely quiet lobby. Kendra did notice that there were men in black suits and dark sunglasses hovering near the entrances.
“Those men… Are they your security?” She didn’t ask anyone in particular. Kendra had dealt with customers’ private security before, but not like this.
“The scariest ones are mine.” Dmitri chuckled when Nikos scowled. “The ones that look a little friendly are his.”
Nikos leaned in close. “Mine are more discreet and blend in better than his but could destroy his so-called tough guys with their thumbs.”
Kendra giggled over their rivalry as Nikos led them outside to where a sleek silver car waited at the curb. If she remembered correctly it was one James Bond liked to drive. An Aston Martin? Whatever it was, it was gorgeous. Glossy and powerful-looking, just like its owner.
“Did you forget there would be three of us?” Dmitri pulled out his phone and called someone, presumably his driver. He spoke curtly into it before hanging up. “A suitable car will arrive momentarily.”
Nikos rolled his eyes. “Yes, that’s a gorgeous car. Mine drives like a dream but this is the one that’s going to take us to the shoot.” He pointed to the black limo that pulled up to the curb. The driver stepped out to stand next to it. Nikos smugly looked at Dmitri. “When Kendra agreed to let you tag along, I sent word ahead.”
Kendra bit her lip. The two were entertaining when they were playing around as they were now. She just hoped it didn’t escalate. Two such powerful and smart men could turn the bickering into a frightening feud in the blink of an eye.
The hope was that it wouldn’t be over her, nor would she be put in the middle of it.
Then again when she was ‘in the middle’ it was mind-blowing. They could work with one another very well. Kendra hoped it would carry on at least for the duration of their time together.
Nikos waved the driver away and held the door open for Kendra himself. “After you.”
Dmitri rounded to the other side and climbed in, meeting her inside while Nikos followed closely behind.
The ride went quickly, quietly. There didn’t seemed to be anything that needed said. As usual, sitting between them was comfortable and arousing at the same time. Rock-hard thighs on either side of her. The mingled scents of them and their colognes and the heat coming off them was going straight to her head.
She’d be a puddle in her seat long before they arrived.
“Nervous?”
Kendra turned to Dmitri. “A little. More like anticipation. Excitement.” It occurred to her that though Nikos had sent her the information about what was going on, she’d had no time to review it.
“Nikos? Can you tell me what’s waiting?” She could feel the blush creep into her cheeks. “I’m sure you’re aware I didn’t have a chance to look over the info you sent me.”
He seemed charmed that she blushed over the memory of the night before. “We’re going to the Mall of the Emirates tonight. The shoot will be in front of the aquarium. Tonight, it seems you will be a mermaid.”
Chapter Eight
As far as dreams coming true, this was one she’d wished for since she was a child. If they could somehow produce a unicorn and give her magic, then her childhood wish hat trick would be made.
Giggling to herself over the absurdity of the thought, she adjusted her pose. If anyone could do it, it was Nikos and Dmitri.
“You’re a siren luring me in with your eyes, Kiki.” The photographer directed as he took burst after burst of photos.
That wasn’t hard to pretend. The dramatic makeup, hair, the flowing blues and greens of her clothing and glittering sapphires she wore enabled her to feel every inch the siren he wanted. A fan blew gently creating an underwater effect in the rippling of the fabric and her hair. Earlier, when she’d stared at her makeup, she could barely believe she was seeing herself and not a denizen of the deep.
Against the backdrop of the massive aquarium that dominated the center space of the mall, Kendra very well could be. Sharks and rays swished past the glass as they swam through their territory. It made the one at the hotel look like a baby-sized version.
Adjusting her stance, she did her best to appear the way the photographer asked her to. As Julia had said, it was just taking direction and playing the part.
It was actually quite fun, though Kendra never would have thought being what was essentially a puppet would be such taxing work.
Though modeling definitely wasn’t something she wanted to do for a living. They’d been at it for hours now and were planning on shooting the next bit at dawn. She would be a phoenix burning in the morning light. The vision sounded splendid and was nothing that a dozen coffees wouldn’t help her cope with.
For the next few days, she was going to do whatever it took to make things work. If that meant living on caffeine and carrot sticks for the duration, so be it.
“Imagine you’re seeing the love of your life.”
Kendra shifted her pose again, which allowed her to see across the way where Nikos and Dmitri watched on closely. They were so focused on her that neither man noticed the women milling around them, trying to catch their attention.
The way they seemed to care about nothing but her sent a huge surge of pride through Kendra. Together they eclipsed everyone else. She knew that even if they weren’t side by side, the power of the presence of even one of them would blot out any other man.
With them, Kendra had the best of both worlds. The dark and the light, though while Dmitri was darkly handsome, he was hardly dangerous. Or at least as far as she knew. There could very well be many secrets hidden behind those fathomless eyes. Nikos was more generous with his money than he was with his body. He seemed to enjoy exerting control over himself and others. Not that she didn’t enjoy what he did when he let loose.
They were two men she could so easily fall for.
“Yes, keep that look, Kiki. Whatever you’re thinking, keep it up.”
She did her best to hold on to the feeling through the surprise that her thoughts were so clear on her face that the photographer saw them.
Was she that transparent?
Maybe she wasn’t as good at hiding her emotions as she’d thought.
“Fantastic. Now look at me.” The photographer paced back and forth, taking another battery of photos. Grinning, he straightened and checked his watch. “We’ve got a few hours before sunrise. Have a break, then be dressed and ready for the next location.”
Kendra stretched her kinked muscles. “And where’s that?”
“The desert. Where better for the fiery rebirth of a phoenix?” He winked as he handed his camera over to his assistant. “How’s an hour sound? I’ll meet you out at the set where you can get prepped.”
He must have had another crew out there setting up in the pitch black. It never occurred to her just how much work went into the ads that she barely spared a moment’s glance.
“Sounds good.”
“Great.” He clapped her on the shoulder before turning to the rest of the group. “That’s a wrap. See you in an hour at location B!” Sauntering away, he issued orders for the next shoot.
And just like that, there was a flurry of activity as the crew descended upon the lighting and set to begin dismantling it around them.
“You did wonderfully.” Nikos
handed her a bottle of water while Dmitri presented her with a sandwich.
She groaned with delight as she took a bite and washed it down with the water. “Thank you so much.” Before she could take another bite, a small group of women, the ones who had dressed her and applied the makeup, appeared at her side.
She handed them the food and let the group usher her into the dressing area as she talked to Nikos and Dmitri over her shoulder. “I guess I’ll have to finish this later. I’ve got an hour to get changed and travel to the desert for more clothes and makeup.”
“We could feed you while…” Dmitri grinned in response to her glare. “We’ll be nearby.”
It took considerably less time to get her out of everything than it had taken to get her in it. Something that she was grateful for. She would miss the mermaid, however. It was an amazing transformation. The photographer and the rest of the group looked satisfied, so hopefully the photos would be good. Bubbly champagne-like excitement fizzed through her as she thought of the very real future of her being in magazines and billboards as the face of De Winter Diamonds’ new range.
It was so surreal.
And she had two amazing men. Not only did they bring this chaotic, incredible energy into her life but they were responsible for getting her out of her rut. There was so much more to life than work. They were the ones to remind her of that.
That and the fact that she deserved to have something good come into her life. That she deserved them.
Both of them.
And every good thing that came her way. For so long she’d just existed as a form of cash flow for her family. Sorting out problems and doing what she could to keep their fractured family together since their mother’s passing nearly a decade before.
It was a long time to spend floating through life being nothing but a shell of a person. Existing only to please others.
It had been exhausting and had left her unfulfilled.
Dmitri and Nikos showed her what she’d been missing.
By the time she made it out of wardrobe, she was scrubbed free of all the makeup and her hair was back in a ponytail ready for the next transformation. Kendra made a mental note to find out what they had used that left her hair clean and her skin dewy fresh without the need for a shower.
She watched as the jewelry was boxed up, locked and taken away by heavily armed men. Just how much were the gems she was just wearing worth? Quite a bit if the security team was any clue.
Dazzled, she walked out to find Dmitri and Nikos hovering close by as they had promised. And carrying more food and water, presumably for the ride to the next location.
They filed into the limo once again like it was something they did every day. The moment they were on the move again, Nikos unwrapped another sandwich and thrust it into her hands.
“Eat. You must be starving.”
And she was. Kendra took a bite and sighed happily. This wasn’t one of the little sandwiches from craft services. It was a toasted work of art. “What is in this? It’s so good.”
“A little of this and that.” Nikos took a huge bite out of one and smiled.
Not that it mattered. It tasted heavenly. Dmitri finished his in a few bites.
“Have you two been waiting on me to eat?”
“It seemed only fair.” Dmitri pulled out a flask and poured what smelled like very strong espresso and handed it to her. “You might need this to help keep you going.”
Kendra was still buzzing, however, the excitement of the shoot still pinging through her. Even then, she took the little cup with a smile. “Thanks. I’ll probably be more in need of it after the next round.”
Dmitri chuckled before sobering. His voice was husky and low when he said, “You looked stunning. Absolutely beautiful.”
Heat flooded her face. “Thanks. I’m sure the teams I had working on me performed miracles.”
“Nonsense,” Nikos scoffed. “You could have nothing but a trash bag on and still be the most stunning woman in the room.”
As wonderful as it was to hear, she highly doubted it.
“You still don’t believe us?” Dmitri lifted his eyebrows in incredulity.
Nikos chimed in now. “You were—you are—the new face of De Winter Diamonds. You honestly think that they would let just anyone take that role?”
“You… Your friend the investor pulled some strings, I’m sure.” She mumbled it half hoping he didn’t hear her.
Nikos tugged her hand so she would look at him. When she refused, he tipped her head up with a finger at her chin. “I might have put you forward, but it was up to them to choose who they liked. And they wanted you.”
Kiki. Not her.
They had wanted the famous and beautiful Kiki Brandt. Not receptionist slash pro doormat Kendra Wright.
Stuffing the sandwich into her mouth, she made a show of eating and hoped that they would just let it drop.
Dmitri took a long sip of his espresso. “What is the color theme tomorrow? Today has been blue, soon to be red.”
“You mean ‘La Mer’ and ‘Le Feu’. Tomorrow is ‘La Forêt’ then ‘La Neige’.” He winked at Kendra when he caught her mouthing the English translation for the words, but said nothing about it. “So I’m guessing you’ll be wearing emeralds then diamonds.”
Kendra’s cheeks were on fire. She hadn’t meant to let on how well she spoke French. Since she didn’t know if Kiki could or not, she kept quiet and accepted his explanation with a smile. She liked the mythological bent that the campaign was taking. It was whimsical yet had definite direction. The names alone conjured up the colors of the gems. Whoever came up with the idea was a PR genius.
All thoughts of the jewelry vanished from her mind when Dmitri leaned close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath on her neck, scent the coffee on his lips. “Seeing you dripping in sapphires reminded me of you in the shower this morning, zolotse. Wet and slippery just waiting for my hands, my lips, my cock.”
Heat flared and Kendra had to bite her lip to keep from gasping as an image of him in the shower with her flashed vividly in her mind.
“Or mine.” It didn’t look like Nikos was going to let Dmitri get away with hogging all the attention. “Would you like me deep inside you again, kardia mou? I know I haven’t stopped thinking, wishing, to be inside you once more.”
Kendra couldn’t help but shift in her seat. The ache growing between her thighs was insistent. And ludicrous. They were in the back of a limo headed to another shoot. It was hardly the time to…
Nikos dragged her into his lap and his mouth crashed into hers. Breathless, she clung to him as he invaded her mouth. Big hands—Dmitri’s—closed over her thighs, pushing them apart so he could run his fingers over her.
Once again, she was stretched out between them and she relished it.
Nikos caught the mewling cry that escaped in his mouth as Dmitri brushed his thumb over her swollen clit. Through the thin fabric of her trousers, she could almost feel the rasp of his nail. The sensation created an upsurge of her own arousal so quickly, so violently, that her head reeled.
What was it about them that could bring out the wanton side in her so easily?
Nikos slid his hands up under the silk of her blouse to push aside her bra and pinch her nipples, toying with them as he continued to kiss the breath from her lungs.
Dmitri applied himself, knowing exactly what to do to bring her to a bone-melting orgasm that left her trembling and dizzy in their arms and dimly aware that they had turned her.
When Kendra opened her eyes, she look up into Dmitri’s face a split second before he kissed her. He nibbled on her bottom lip until she opened her mouth and let his tongue in.
Apparently not happy with a barrier between them, Nikos slipped his hand into her trousers to expertly pick up where Dmitri had left off. This time, though, the slippery slide of his fingers created an entirely new type of sensation. She reared up under them offering her breasts to them.
Her men gladly accepted. The
differences in the rhythms of their tongues, the suction they used, even the heat of their mouths all came together to send her into a world where nothing mattered but them and the spiraling sensations that threatened to engulf her.
Kendra clung to them, gripping their shirts, anything within reach to keep her from flying away as her orgasm exploded. Dmitri muffled her cries with his hand, gently covering her mouth until her cries subsided.
“We’ve arrived.”
Kendra jerked upright, tangling herself up with Dmitri and Nikos.
Chuckling, Nikos extricated his hand and smiled. “Relax. The driver knows better than to just open the door.”
Kendra couldn’t help herself and did her best to tidy her hair and clothing. Though one look at them and it would be clear what had been going on back there.
“He won’t say a thing. And neither will anyone else. Besides you’re about to be transformed into yet another creature of fantasy. Doesn’t that excite you, kotenok?”
It did, or at least it would have if she hadn’t just had an orgasm that had all but knocked her senseless. And he was right, people would barely have a chance to judge her appearance before it was changed again.
She took a deep breath. Besides, neither Nikos nor Dmitri looked worried. They were, however, very obviously aroused. Kendra shivered when she thought of how they would work off their frustrations later that night.
The shoot couldn’t go fast enough.
* * * *
This time around, hair and makeup seemed to go quicker. Or perhaps it was because she was getting used to the routine. By the time the team stepped back, she had been metamorphosed into a phoenix, as promised.
Kendra stared at herself in the mirror and couldn’t help but grin at what was reflected back. The gown she had been all but sewn into was so heavy she could barely move. What had to be miles of silk were twisted into whorls of gold that bled into blood red that created the illusion she was swathed in flames. Her hair was given waves and a wind-blown look and the effect was completed with the glittering rubies and citrines that dripped off her.
