by Kait Gamble
It wasn’t until she was able to open her eyes again that she realized he had moved.
Sitting on his knees now, Dmitri watched her for a moment with dark, glittering eyes and a satisfied smirk.
Sliding his hands up her legs, he made his way up her body until he lay over her.
Kendra arched against him, wanting as much contact as she could get. The slight abrasion of his lightly haired chest against the sensitive skin of her breasts was a sensation she wouldn’t soon tire of.
Dmitri caught her gaze. There were emotions there she wasn’t sure she interpreted properly. Not that she had much chance to try. He captured her lips with his again, leisurely kissing her as if they had all the time in the world and she was the only thing he needed to survive.
Liquid heat flowed like lava through her veins, fogging her mind even more. The lingering remnants of the orgasm she’d just had burned away as Dmitri caressed and kissed, fondled and stroked. Everything he did with his hands and mouth was pure magic.
He gripped himself and rubbed the broad head of his cock against her wet slit. From the sensation, Kendra knew he had somehow managed to find and put on a condom. Dmitri slicked himself with her juices and used himself to tease her oversensitized clit. Kendra lurched with each graze as if he’d jolted her with lightning. Using his own thighs to spread hers wide, Dmitri slowly pushed into her.
Running his hands down her sides, he slipped them underneath her ass, tipping her hips at a delicious angle that amplified the sensations as he thrust. Spread wide and held fast, Kendra had no escape from his brutally sensual assault. He circled his hips as he plunged forward, dragging her toward him and at the same time, slamming him straight into a spot deep inside that caused her jaw to drop and her eyes to close.
“Yes, kotenok,” he groaned, “Give it to me. I want to feel you coming around me.”
Kendra was helpless to resist. How could she when he so expertly worked her body as if he was born to do it?
Kendra clung to his shoulders, clawing her nails into his skin, spurring him onward. Breathless and reeling, she could only hold on as the pressure built and she shattered. Somewhere in the distance, she heard herself crying out his name over and over as his voice joined hers and he thrust jerkily into her, trying to wring out every last bit of pleasure from them both.
Lying under him dazed and breathless, Kendra wished she could live in this moment forever. She gazed up at Dmitri. He was wonderful and he deserved more than just half of her heart.
Gently, he withdrew and rolled to his side, taking Kendra with him so that they ended up with her semi-sprawled over him.
They lay that way for a long while, neither one wanting to break the silence. Kendra took the time to savor it. Lying in his arms was comfortable and a safe feeling. She enjoyed listening to the rhythm of his heart, the rush of air in and out of his lungs.
Kendra rubbed her cheek on the wiry hairs sprinkled over his chest, liking the sensation.
He chuckled. “You really are my kotenok, aren’t you?”
She tipped her head up to catch him smiling at her. “Maybe that depends on what that is.”
Running a finger down her cheek he winked. “It means kitten.”
Well, she certainly was acting like one. She couldn’t help but rub herself up against him every chance she got. Smirking, she kept silent on the pet name. As cute as it was, she knew this was only temporary.
“We should probably get some sleep. It’s the final day of the shoot and I don’t want to annoy the photographer any more than I already have.”
“He’s not worth the concern.” Dmitri gave her a lingering kiss before he dragged the covers over her while at the same time sliding from the bed. “I’ll be right back.”
Kendra was only dimly aware of him slipping back in behind her as she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Eleven
When she opened her eyes again, she was alone and the room was beginning to lighten. What time was it? Why had he disappeared?
“Dmitri?”
No answer.
The silence left her with a sense of unease under very slight relief. What would have prompted him to leave without a word before she woke?
Kendra gathered the sheets around herself and climbed out of the bed. Was he elsewhere in the suite and unable to hear her? She knew it was pointless and probably a little pathetic, but she needed to know if he was truly gone. As if seeing it with her own eyes would cement the truth in her mind.
After a walk-through of the entire space, Kendra sighed. As she’d expected, she was alone in the suite. There wasn’t even a note or anything to explain his absence.
Obviously the fairy tale was over.
Gut hollow, she went in search for her phone, looking for a distraction in the form of her sister.
She ignored the slight tremor in her hand as she checked her messages. Her life was finally going to go back to normal. It was a good thing.
Really.
Kendra skimmed the messages from Charlie and skipped her voice mails altogether. Not that there would be anything particularly interesting waiting for her. The one text she did read was about the state of her father. Priscilla reassured her that everything was okay. Her father was improving, but the subtext was there. He needed to be somewhere better.
Just a few more hours.
A quick check of the time let her know that she had quite a bit of time before she needed to be on the set… And where was that today? It dawned on her that she had relied on Nikos and Dmitri to get her to and from the locations. In fact, since they’d come on the scene, she’d pretty much shut her brain off. And it wasn’t just because she had been pretending to be Kiki either. She had let her hormones take over. It was stupid and reckless, but it had felt so good while it had lasted.
Accessing the email Nikos had sent her, she went for another wander through the suite to burn off some of the anxiety that thrummed through her veins. There was just too much at stake with the shoot. Nothing could be allowed to ruin her plans.
Not even her own messed-up head.
Reading through the details of the final shoot, Kendra mentally mapped out her day. She could easily call a cab to get her where she needed to be. At least this way she wouldn’t have to deal with any more stress beforehand.
The relief was short-lived. Her phone buzzed in her hand as an unknown number flashed on the screen.
Was it something to do with her father? Heart in her throat, she swiped the screen. “Hello?”
“Morning, Kendra.” Nikos’ lightly accented voice came through deep and clear through the phone.
The tightness in her chest eased and was quickly replaced with warmth. “Hey. How was the meeting?”
“Everything went very well. I have a surprise for you.”
That he’d thought of her while he was gone, caused her heart to swell. “I can’t wait to see what it is.”
“You won’t have to wait long. Did you have Dmitri have a good night?”
Why did he have to bring up Dmitri? “It was fine.”
“I see.” He must have sensed her reticence to discuss the other man with him because he only added, “I would wish you luck with your shoot today, but you won’t need it.”
“I’m glad you think so, but after yesterday, I’m pretty sure that the photographer is out to get me.”
“I doubt it. If he so much as raises his voice to you, I’ll make sure he never takes another photograph again.”
He sounded so serious that a chill swept through Kendra. The forced laugh she gave him sounded awful to her own ears. “Stop it. I’m already nervous about today. The last thing I need is to worry about him as well.”
“You’re too nice. He doesn’t deserve your concern.”
It didn’t ease the knots in her stomach. Sighing at the sudden knock at her door, she started walking toward it. “Someone’s here. I’ve got to go.”
“See you soon, pedhaki mou.”
She swiped the screen, but nearl
y dropped her phone altogether when she saw who was on the other side.
“Nikos!” She couldn’t stop herself from rushing into his arms.
“Hello to you too.” He chuckled as he held her against him and strode in. Nikos gave her a long kiss before setting her back on the floor. “If I knew this was the kind of welcome waiting for me, I would have hurried the pilot more.”
She grinned. “I didn’t think you would be back until this afternoon.”
“I didn’t either, but I managed to do everything over video conference while in the air.” He kissed her again, lingering longer this time. “If the other parties could have gotten their shit together sooner, I wouldn’t have had to leave at all.”
Kendra got the feeling that there was a lot of arm twisting that happened in order for him to get back to her sooner. The thought caused heat to bloom in her chest and her heart to swell a little.
“Where’s Dmitri?”
“I don’t know. He was gone when I woke up.”
Nikos’ eyes darkened a little, but he shrugged it off. “His loss. Have you had breakfast yet?”
Kendra shook her head. As she did, a thought occurred to her. “How did you know where to find me?”
Nikos had already picked up the room phone and was dialing room service. “Promise you won’t get mad?”
“Why would I get mad?” Then it hit her. “You left your security guys.”
He smiled sheepishly. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“That’s actually sweet.” It was. He always seemed to go out of his way to make sure she was taken care of.
“I’m glad you think so. I didn’t want to overstep, but I noticed that you don’t guard your security as well as I think you should.” He winked as he turned his attention to the person on the other end of the line.
Of course, because he thought she was Kiki and worthy of the effort.
More than a little deflated, Kendra turned, fully intending to go and put some clothing on, but Nikos snared her hand and tugged her toward him. Not once did his concentration on his order falter as he wound an arm securely around her waist.
Pressed against his body with nowhere to run, Kendra gave up on trying to get out of his grasp. Not that she had tried that hard anyway.
Back to his chest, she reveled in the feel of him so solid against her. Though he wasn’t as broad as Dmitri, Nikos’ body was just as hard and unyielding. His arm banded around her like it was reinforced steel.
What could she do but lean against him?
A soft smile on her lips, Kendra let him hold her as he finished up the call. “Sure you ordered enough?”
“It’s been a long night.” He pulled her with him when he dropped onto the sofa. “I just want to relax a little, have something to eat and lose myself in you before we head off to your shoot.”
A shiver skittered through Kendra. “That’s quite a list you want to accomplish this morning.”
He nodded wearily. “Perhaps we should get a head start…”
Nikos slid a hand up her neck and into her hair to tug her head close so he could brush his mouth over hers.
Immediately, Kendra responded to his touch, his taste. A tiny voice in the back of her mind berated her for behaving so wantonly with this man, when only hours before, she had responded the same way with another.
But she couldn’t help herself. The chemical reaction she felt when she was with either of them was off the charts. It was like her body and theirs were meant to be together, only it took her brain a while to comprehend it.
Because she couldn’t let it happen. The lies wouldn’t let it happen.
And it was too bad because life with either of them would be exciting and wonderful and carefree. Unfortunately for Kendra, her destiny was set along a different path. One that was harder and less shiny in comparison.
Was it possible for a heart to crack a little?
“What’s wrong, agapi mou? You’ve gone somewhere else.”
Kendra’s gaze locked with his. The concern in his only compounded the guilt she felt. “I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind.”
He nodded, his eyes full of compassion. “I understand. If you want me to stop…”
That was the thing. She didn’t.
Kendra shook her head. “No. I don’t want you to. I think that might be part of the problem.”
“You feel guilt over last night?”
She nodded minutely. “I feel so strongly for you both. I don’t know how I can feel this way for two men at once. It’s wrong.”
“Is it? Or have you convinced yourself that it is?” He kissed her again. “Tell me. Do you think it’s possible to fall in love again after breaking up with someone?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“So you believe there can be more than one soul mate?”
It certainly looked that way. “I guess.”
Nikos smiled. “So what if you happen to come across two of them at once? Is it not possible to realize that deep inside?”
He made it sound so reasonable. So sane. “And what about you? How would you feel if your soul mate is also powerfully attracted to someone else?”
“It wouldn’t matter.” He stared into her eyes. “Only that she was happy.”
How could he be so generous? It would mess up her head that’s for sure. Wasn’t it already?
“But I sense you want me to fight for you.”
Did she? “I don’t know if I could handle that. I’m already so confused.” With everything going on in her life at the moment, it was a wonder her head didn’t just spin off her neck.
“So take some time off. Come with me. We could travel. Get to know each another.”
Two offers to drop her life and travel from two gorgeous men in just as many days. If anyone had told her it would happen a week ago, she would have laughed her ass off.
Now she was in a genuine quandary—and it sucked.
“I would, but there’s just too much going on in my life right now to be able to do that.”
“Has Dmitri asked you to do the same?”
Kendra wasn’t about to add to the lies. “Yes.”
“And you gave him the same reply?”
“Yes.”
Nikos heaved a breath. “So what is it that keeps you from coming with either of us? Is there truly something, or is it because you can’t choose?”
Wow. He really didn’t pull any punches, did he?
She gritted her teeth. “That on top of so many other things.”
“Finally.” He said it as if he’d been waiting a long time for her to answer him truthfully.
Kendra had to wonder what they talked about when she wasn’t around. Had they not only noticed her caginess but had discussed it as well?
Yet they still wanted to be with her? Maybe it was all a game to them. Why not mess with the woman who was messing with them?
“I want to help you. Whatever it is that’s adding to the complication that is me and Dmitri, I want to remove it from the equation.”
Wasn’t that what had led her to the position she was in in the first place? And all the lying? She didn’t want him to know that she was a liar. The shame of that would haunt her, even if everything else worked out.
“Nikos. It’s a sweet offer. It really is. But I need to deal with everything on my own.”
He looked into her eyes questioningly. Searching for answers. “But why? Even the strongest person needs help from time to time. Let me be the one to be there for you.”
And what would that mean? If she let him help her out—even if she could—what would that signify? It would be something he could lord over her. Not that he seemed like the type. But Kendra couldn’t take that chance. She was independent and proud of it. What she was doing now was for the sake of her father, her job, her bosses…
When would it be for her?
“I can’t.” Kendra tried to slide out of his grasp, but he held her tightly.
“What can I do? Perhaps this?”
He pressed his lips to the column of her neck. “Or maybe this?” Nikos slipped his hand into the sheet and swept it aside, allowing him to lave an exposed nipple with his tongue.
The thrill, the pleasure, lanced through Kendra with every lash. She pressed up into his mouth instinctively. When he curled a tongue around the hard peak and when he closed his mouth on her, Kendra couldn’t help the moan that escaped her.
Nikos bowed her back with a well-placed arm turning her into an offering for his pleasure.
He dragged the sheet off Kendra, leaving her completely bare and vulnerable. But he didn’t need to remove the sheet to see through to the heart of her. Nikos’ beautiful blue eyes saw everything. There was nowhere she could hide.
He let his hand glide down her throat, over her breast and along her rib cage. By the time he reached the apex of her thighs, Kendra’s entire body thrummed with anticipation. He cupped her with his hand, smiling when she mewled as he started rocking it.
“Just think. We could do this whenever we wanted if we were together.” Nikos teased her with his fingers. “Imagine waking up together and seeing Mount Fuji through the window. Or making love under the stars on a boat in the Mediterranean.”
He painted a vivid picture. Kendra would love to do all of that and more, but she couldn’t help but picture Dmitri there with them as well.
“Nikos…”
He shook his head. “Don’t say anything unless it’s a yes.”
Without much effort, he twisted her under him and pressed as much of his body against hers. Not easy, considering how much larger his was. Yet, somehow, he managed to get them both to fit on the sofa.
Smiling up at him, Kendra wriggled a little, enjoying the groan she managed to get out of him. “What about the room service?”
He quirked an eyebrow. “I told them to bring it up in an hour.”
She had to laugh. “Always thinking ahead, huh?”
“You’ve got to when you’re a busy billionaire.”
He shifted so she felt the hardened length of his cock against her hip. “For example, I’m going to do several things right now all at the same time. I have it all planned out.” He smirked at her. “If you’re willing to allow me, of course.”
