by Marian Tee
Nik frowned. “What is amusing?”
“You,” she revealed laughingly.
He stiffened.
Aww. The poor man thought she was laughing at him. Shaking her head, she placed a gentle, soothing hand on his chest. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the way you went all Neanderthal on me.” In a deep, gravelly voice, she said, “You come. You follow.” She raised laughing eyes to him. “Got it?” He didn’t answer, but the flush in his high-boned cheeks told her he did.
“Will you come with me then?” he asked stiffly, unwilling to let her know that he didn’t know what to do with her laughter. Her amusement was contagious, tempting him to smile, but he didn’t allow himself to do so.
She said meekly, “Yes, Master.” She paused.
Nik noticed her hesitation. “What is it?”
She gnawed at her lip. “I’m sure you’re not a serial killer and all, but…is it okay if I take a photo of us together and send it to my friend? Just to be on the safe side.”
Nik hesitated a fraction before nodding. It should be safe, he thought. Even if she did have his photo, she wouldn’t have any way of discovering his identity. His security team had made sure that not even Google had any of his photos in its databases.
Daria beamed. “Thank you.” She took out her phone, swiped on the screen, and brought her hand up. “Come closer,” she told him when he only stood stiffly next to her. When he only moved an inch, she shook her head with a laugh. “Haven’t you ever taken a selfie before?”
“No.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?” She tugged him close, then tugged on him again, closer and closer until their sides were pressed against each other. “There.” Her voice was a little breathless as she spoke. Daria had only wanted them close enough to fit in one photo, and they were, but she had failed to count on the effect of his proximity on her body.
Her gaze flickered towards her phone, and with its front-camera on, the screen displayed her flushed cheeks and the way her beautiful stranger was smirking.
He knew she was affected!
She blushed harder.
Nik was mesmerized. He had never caused a woman to blush before, or at least he hadn’t noticed having done so until now. Before this woman, he hadn’t paid much attention to the other sex.
The way her entire body started trembling again made it hard for Daria to take a photo, her fingers constantly failing to hold the phone at a proper angle.
“Let me,” her Greek offered huskily.
She let him take the phone from her without a word, but instead of taking the photo right away, she was surprised to have his arm curve around her waist just as he moved back. He pulled her against him, her back pressed against his chest.
That was when she felt it, the unmistakably hard and throbbing shape of his arousal, and her eyes widened—
Click.
Her eyes widened even more in horror as she thought about the kind of face she had made in the photo. And when she heard him chuckle behind her, she knew he had done it deliberately. “Oh my God, you—” She whirled around and smacked him on the chest, and his chuckle turned into a rusty-sounding laugh.
She laughed with him until her gaze fell on his arousal.
Daria stopped laughing and started choking.
Sheesh, that was huge.
And God, was it growing even bigger?
Nik watched her gulp and choke at the sight of his erection. The longer she stared at him, the more aroused he was, and when she raised her eyes to his, Nik was amused to find alarm in her gaze. He told her mildly, “You only have yourself to blame for it.”
She could see he wasn’t even joking, and curse it, but the way he was so serious about everything just made him hotter in her eyes. It also made her want to keep doing outrageous things because, for some reason, having this man go wild for her gave Daria a huge high.
Her gaze moving back to his erection, she wetted her lips once more as she heard herself ask, “What are we standing here for?”
It was the last thing she was able to say. It was his turn to tug, and with one hard yank, she stumbled against him, her breasts once more flattening against his chest. Another hand drove deep into her dark tresses and pulling her head close, he covered her mouth with his.
Her toes curled at the kiss, and they curled even harder when she heard him mutter against her lips, “Behave or I’ll fuck you here.”
Nik meant every word. Exhibition had always been distasteful for him, but for this woman, he was beginning to realize that the lines between what he did and didn’t despise tended to blur.
When he released her mouth, she could only whisper, “Yes.” By now, she knew he wasn’t the type to joke, and while she wasn’t a shy person at all, she certainly wasn’t that shameless to have her first time in public.
Her heart hammered against her chest as they started to walk. He pressed something to her free hand at one point, and when she looked down, she realized she had forgotten all about her phone.
“It makes you feel better to have that photo emailed for your safety, ne?”
She nodded. It was embarrassing, the way she could talk a mile a minute but was now unable to because she was just so darn horny. It wasn’t easy to text with one hand – her Samsung Note was larger than most phones – but she managed. She could probably manage to do everything with one hand right now, just to keep herself in her Greek’s hold. It was a long fifteen-minute walk, but Daria found herself not minding even though she normally would have. She also found herself not paying attention at all to her surroundings, only noticing that they were walking away from the upscale part of the island and heading towards the more remote portions, where only cabanas and tiny huts were available for rent to tourists.
That was a cause for worry, of course – she had heard how basic the amenities in such places were, and while she could live without cable TV and hot showers, she absolutely needed air-conditioning. Right now, she should be asking him about it, but she didn’t. She couldn’t. Right now, she was just too busy marveling at the feel of his touch. It was so…possessive. Daria didn’t know why it felt so, but it was the only word that came to mind. He struck her as someone who didn’t make any claim lightly, but when he did, she had a feeling he took his sense of ownership very seriously.
He caught her looking at him. “What is it?”
Unwilling to tell him she was thrilled at the thought of him owning her, she said instead, “I was wondering what to call you.” A rueful smile curving on her lips, Daria asked, “And do you even remember my name?”
His own lips curved, and curse it, she almost gaped at how exquisitely sexy the smile was. And then he said in a low, accented voice, “Daria.”
Oh God.
She stumbled, her toes curling so hard at the sound of her name on his lips it had her losing her balance.
He caught Daria before she fell, his hold even more possessive now, but gentler, too, and curse it, but that made her toes curl anew and her hold on his arm tighten. When he had righted her, she looked up at him, and curse it, curse it, curse it, her toes would probably be permanently curled by now, the way this man kept doing things that was just too insanely beautiful.
The tiniest smirk had curved on his lips, and for some reason, seeing it felt like a reward to Daria.
“Remembering your name pleased you that much?”
His arrogance should have turned her off, but curse it, everything about him just made him crazy sexier in her eyes. “It did,” she heard herself admit. At the same time, her hold on his arm changed, turning sensual as she drew her fingers slowly across his skin. She heard him inhale sharply, and even as a heady sense of power filled her, Daria’s body also reacted to it, her nipples puckering behind the thin cotton material of her dress.
“Vixen.”
She laughed, the sound throaty. “Am I?”
He pulled her to him suddenly, and her laughter abruptly died as the bulge of his still burgeoning arousal pressed agai
nst her belly.
She felt rather than saw him smirk over her head as he asked, “Still in the mood to laugh?”
She shook her head, her throat too dry for her to talk.
When he pulled away, she was mute and dazed with desire. She had never felt this way, and in the back of her mind, she thought of it as another sign. This man was really hers. This man was the one she had been waiting for her whole life, and she didn’t give a…a…curse no matter how foolish her convictions sounded.
“You still haven’t told me your name,” she whispered.
He thought of using a different name, the way he had always done whenever he found himself a woman to service him. But as Nik looked into her eyes, he heard himself speaking the truth. “Nik.”
Her lips moved slowly, as if carefully testing the feel of his name. “Nik.”
His entire body shuddered at the sound of it.
She saw it too, and arousal burned even more fiercely inside him as she wetted her lips and repeated his name. “Nik.” A hint of provocative mischief danced in her eyes as she looked at him challengingly, saying, “My Nik.”
His first instinct was to reject the claim, and he could see that a part of her expected him to do so. It was an outrageous claim, but then, he was beginning to see that this woman wasn’t the kind to do things half measure.
In the end, he only lifted an equally challenging brow at her, asking, “You think you can keep me yours?”
She didn’t – couldn’t – answer right away, she had been so sure he would say something that would negate her words. But he hadn’t. He hadn’t.
And curse it, but that was a sign too, right?
To answer him, she stepped towards him. Just one tiny step closer, enough for the tips of her breasts to brush against his chest. “The question should be the other way around.” Her voice was huskily teasing. “The question is whether you’re able to keep me yours.” She was barely done talking when he moved, his hand taking her hand to brush against his cock. Her body shook with a mixture of shock and desire, her eyes widening as they flew to his.
He was smirking again, and she became so much wetter at the sight of it.
“I think we have our answer, ne?”
“Ne.”
His eyes burned. “I like it when you speak Greek to me.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I only know a few words.”
His lips curved at the forlorn note in her voice and the disappointed look crossing her face, but even so he found himself telling her soothingly, “It doesn’t matter.” He couldn’t remember the last time he had exerted effort to comfort another person, but for this woman, he found himself disliking any sign of sadness in her expression. “I will teach you.”
Surprised pleasure flickered in her gaze. “You will?”
He nodded. “I will teach you the most important things.” He bent his head, whispering to her ear, “I will teach you to say words that please me in bed.”
Oooooooooh.
Her toes would never uncurl again after this. When he lifted his head, she had no shame left, her tone pleading as she asked, “Can you teach me now?”
His answer was for them to start walking again, Nik only pausing when they reached the lobby of a plain-looking resort and he had to swing the door open for her.
She stepped past him, secretly thrilled by his old-fashioned sense of courtesy. When he followed her in, he took hold of her hand again, and she didn’t demur. She loved having him possessive over her.
They exited the lobby to the right, walking past a tired-looking courtyard that opened to several cabanas. Her eyes lit up when she spied air-conditioning. “Yay!”
He raised a brow, even though he did privately wonder if she was being sarcastic. While the cabanas served his need for absolute privacy, with no one in his circles possibly renting a place here, Nik also knew it was far from the luxurious setting Daria was likely used to.
“Is something wrong?” Nik asked.
She shook her head, admitting sheepishly, “I was just happy that you have A/C.”
Nik slanted a glance at his companion. “But other than that, you think my accommodation is disappointing, perhaps?”
She said honestly, “Right now, I just want to know where the bedroom is.”
He laughed, a rich, dark sound that wasn’t as rusty as before, and just hearing it made her body tremble.
“Be warned though,” he told her lightly. “The interior is just as plain as it is outside.”
He opened the door for her with a flourish, and Daria saw that it was exactly as he had promised. The living room could only fit two, and the kitchen was a tiny space with a bar. Next to it was a door, which likely led to the bedroom.
She looked at him, saw him watching her, and she asked curiously, “Are you waiting for me to sulk and demand you move to a five-star hotel?”
His lips curved. “A bit.” His gaze turned intense. “But now that you’ve seen where I’m staying, I think it is only fair I ask you again. Have you changed your mind?”
She almost smiled at his extremely formal tone. One day, she really had to teach this Greek of hers to relax and find pleasure in not-so-serious banter.
But for now, Daria could only shake her head. She didn’t see any point in waiting, not when she was so hot and wet for him. “I haven’t changed my mind.” Her voice shook only the smallest bit at the end. A part of her was still incredulous. For almost a quarter of a century, she had resisted, quite easily, every advance made by all twenty-eight boyfriends that had come and gone in her life. And yet here she was, about to jump into bed with a near stranger. Sure, she knew his name, but that was it.
“Good.” Nik turned his back on her then, walking to the door and closing it. Trepidation began to creep up on her, and Daria bit her lip as she debated whether to tell Nik she was a virgin. Should she? But what if virgins turned him off? What if making a big deal out of it scared him off?
Her tension seemed to have communicated itself to him, with Nik suddenly stilling. “What’s wrong?”
She blurted out, “What if I fail to make you come?”
Nik relaxed. He had thought she had changed her mind. But instead she was worrying over something impossible. Finding her words both touching and amusing, he said with quiet bluntness, “That is not possible.” Locking his gaze with hers, he took her hand and brushed it against his arousal. He breathed hard at the touch, but he didn’t look away, wanting his Daria to see her effect on him.
“You understand now?” he asked roughly.
She nodded, her eyes wide, her lips parted.
A growl escaped him. “You are looking at me that way again.”
“I can’t help it,” she whispered. “I really want you so much now.”
Desire surged at her words, destroying his control, and with a muttered expletive under his breath, he yanked her to him. In one swift, sweeping movement, he had her up in his arms, his lips covering hers and his tongue inside her mouth.
Again, her submission was immediate, her body molding itself to his as her arms curled around his neck and her lips parted widely under his mouth.
Without breaking their kiss, Nik kicked the door to his bedroom open and went straight for the bed. Only when he had to lay her down did he pull away, and the sound of whimpered protest escaping her lips made him smile.
Her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing Daria saw was Nik straightening off the bed, his eyes on her as he stepped out of his board shorts and briefs. A second later, he was fully naked, and she was hypnotized. It was her first time to see a cock in real life, and the sight was…daunting. Titillating, too, but dauntingly so, and she didn’t know if she wanted to keep looking at it or close her eyes at the sight. She knew it would fit, but she wondered how painful it would be the first time, to have something so large inside her.
The moment she started thinking how much it would hurt, Daria knew she wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it. “I have to tell you something.”
The panicky note in her voice made Nik still. “What?”
Still staring at him, she blurted out, “I’m a virgin.”
His eyes widened.
Was that a good sign or a bad sign?
She pleaded shakily, “Say something?”
Nik swallowed. A virgin. This woman – the first woman who had ever made him think using his cock instead of his brains – was a virgin. It should make him turn away and allow someone worthier to have the honor of taking her virginity, but it didn’t. Instead, it only made him more possessive and unwilling to let her go.
This woman was fated to be his.
Instead of answering her right away, he walked towards her. “A virgin, you say?”
Daria trembled as Nik came closer and closer to her. When he stopped at the side of the bed, she could only watch and tremble harder as he lifted a hand and reached for one strap of her dress.
“If you’re a virgin, no one has ever touched you then?” As he spoke, he pulled one string down her shoulder.
“Some have t-tried.” The last word came out choked, with Nik pulling the other string down her shoulder.
His eyes locked with hers. “Have they ever seen you naked…like this?” He pulled her dress down as he spoke, and she gasped as her bra-less breasts sprang free. When she instantly tried to cover herself, Nik said sharply, “No.” Her hands fell off. “Good.”
The approval in his voice made her breasts ache, and her nipples started to pucker back into life.
“You haven’t answered my question,” he reminded her.
The quiet note of reproof made her swallow. It made her think he was in the mood to punish her for it, and curse it, but she wanted to be punished by Nik. God, was this how love worked? Did it make you want the craziest things?
“Answer me.”
The command startled her, and she stammered, “N-no one. No one has ever seen me naked.” When he didn’t answer, she lifted worried eyes to him, and when she did, only then did he smile at her.
“That makes you mine unequivocally, doesn’t it?”
