by T. C. Clark
Nikos ran his hand through his thick black hair. A feeling akin to desperation eating at his insides. They had to find some type of compromise because for all of his talk he couldn’t imagine his life without his Ada.
He’d learned a lot about her in their time together. She was beautiful and stubborn. Her one and only weakness seemed to be her attraction to him. He didn’t know how to explain that marriage wasn’t a step he could take. Someone else had already played that card for him.
* * *
“So how is it going with Nikos?” Eden asked handing her friend a small vanilla latte and her signature apple fritter. She always opened the shop early on Monday so they could chat in private. She looked around her small business with a satisfied smile.
Eden’s Treasure represented her life’s work. She’d personally decorated it, creating a shop that resembled a bakery straight out of a fairy tale. Ever since she was a child she’d wanted to be a baker. She poured all of her energy and time into creating the perfect atmosphere for her customers.
She took a seat across from her friend and sighed with envy. Ada looked beautiful with her long black curly hair framing her heart-shaped face. She’d watched her walk in from the street, and at least two men had stopped in their tracks to openly examine her as she made her way through the door. She wore a sunflower printed sundress that emphasized her curves and black ballet flats. Like Eden Ada absolutely refused to wear heels.
Eden caught herself in the reflective mirrors and grimaced at how frumpy she looked in comparison. She shook the negative thoughts away and focused on the woman in front of her. They had been best friends since college. Ada had a genuinely good heart and sweet personality. She was the kind of person who was easy to love, and she didn’t understand why Nikos couldn’t see that.
“Tell me everything,” she asked again.
“I don’t understand him, Eden he won’t talk about the future… like at all. I don’t know how much longer we have before it’s over,” Ada said.
“Did you give him your ultimatum?” Eden asked referring to their conversation last week. She shifted in her chair and took a sip of her green tea to settle her nerves; she hated seeing her best friend so upset.
“It’s like dealing with a big Greek wall and it shouldn’t be this hard we’ve been together for over two years. He should know if he wants to get married and have kids,” Ada said. For just a moment she allowed herself to feel the weight of her pain. Because she knew how this ended. If she stayed with him longer, it would become even harder to leave. In the end, he would walk away with a few years of her life in his pocket.
“Maybe you should take him to a counselor or something,” Eden said feeling helpless in this situation. It had been Ada who picked her up after her life had fallen apart. She’d helped her settle into her new apartment and survive the brutal divorce from her high school sweetheart. That had been her one horrible taste of love and to be honest she didn’t have any good advice to give.
Ada caught herself as tears filled her eyes. Recently she had imagined her life without Nikos and she knew the damage from this breakup would be horrible. She loved him too much and whatever happened next would hurt like hell.
She looked at Eden, her eyes reflected such empathy and love. She was a beautiful woman with a curvy figure she hid under shapeless dresses. Her ex-husband had been the worst kind of ass, destroying Eden’s confidence and self-worth in an effort to keep her chained to their home.
Her almond colored skin glowed even in the muted light of the bakery a testimony to how well she was doing now. Eden had come a long way since her breakup with Matt. She didn’t need to deal with this type of emotional shit.
“We have that banquet he’s speaking at tonight and afterward I’m just going to give him a choice. I can’t keep pretending everything is okay. But I have to admit it’s going to be really hard to walk away.”
“I get that don’t forget I met the man a few times. I never thought I’d meet the live action version of Leonidas from 300 but girl… there he was.”
“I know right, anyway I’ll let future Ada deal with that, let’s focus on you right now. What’s been happening here at Eden’s Treasure?” She asked wiping her damp eyes and pasting a fake smile on her face. This blowup with Nikos was inevitable, and they didn’t need to spend any more time dissecting it.
“The business has been doing great ever since that superstore opened across the street we’ve been almost too busy. On a personal note, there’s this Russian guy that’s been coming around. We’ve been talking a lot. I’m pretty sure he’s been doing his version of flirting with me,” she said flushing.
“What! A Russian guy, how long has this been going on?” Ada asked smiling for real this time.
“Just for a few weeks. He is so not my type, but I’ve gotten used to him. You should see him, girl he would blow your mind. I can’t believe he is interested in me,” she admitted.
“Why wouldn’t he be, Eden you are beautiful. You have a banging body you hide beneath those, forgive me… luxurious muumuus. But best of all you are one of the kindest people I know, he would be lucky to land you.”
Eden smiled shyly. Ada was always saying things like that; it was as if she saw her in a different light. She was so glad they were best friends and thanked God daily that she had such good people around supporting her. She had to figure out a way to help her. She deserved better than this.
The breakfast progressed quickly after that, Ada knew the store had to open soon. As she was leaving Eden caught her arm and pulled her in for a hug.
“No matter what happens next, know you have me. All you have to do is call and I will be there, for real Ada none of that, I can make it on my own, bullshit. You were there for me, please let me be there for you,” she said sincerely.
“Trust me you will be the first person I call no matter what happens.”
* * *
Ada took her time with her errands not wanting to get back to the penthouse too quickly. She knew Nikos was trying to come up with a way to make this work. Honestly, she didn’t have the energy to argue with him right now. She turned and headed to Xena’s Bookstore hoping that a new romance novel would help calm her down.
She walked quietly through the crowded store. A small thrill traveled through her when she realized one of her books was on the bestseller list. She stopped when she saw a striking man with dark hair. He had a face and a body that could grace any fitness magazine cover.
He was very tall, and he stood out in the sea of people swarming around them. He held himself with an air of power. She looked at the book in his hands and realized it was one of the children’s books she’d created for autistic kids.
When he felt her eyes on him he looked up and smiled. Then he tilted his head and looked at the back cover with her picture on it. He turned to put back another book he was holding and walked her way.
“Do all famous writers lurk in bookstores checking out people looking at their books?” He asked with a friendly tone, his accent pronounced.
“Only the super creepy ones,” she said wiggling her eyebrows.
That brought a laugh to his lips, and he stepped closer. His fitted gray sweater molded to his muscles unsurprisingly she could feel envious eyes on her back. She didn’t need to turn around to know what she would find in those gazes. It was the same look she got whenever she went anywhere with Nikos.
“I cannot believe there is anything creepy about you,” he said simply.
“You’d be surprised,” she said laughingly stepping back unwilling to give this handsome man the wrong idea.
“Do you know someone who is autistic?” she asked pointing to the book.
“My niece. My sister called and asked me to pick up more of your books apparently they’re a big hit with Mary,” he answered with an easy smile as his eyes surveyed her.
She was a beautiful woman with her coffee and cream skin and her large empathy filled almond-shaped eyes. She wore a beautiful sundress that
skimmed her luscious curves. When he saw her he’d went instantly hard. He wasn’t a man who reacted instantly to anything. So he knew he wanted her on a level that couldn’t be ignored.
He looked back down at the book. He’d already read a few. Everyone in his family had researched the author his niece was so obsessed with. All the information he gathered said Ada was an intelligent and kind woman who was a bit of a recluse.
He’d also seen where she’d written case studies for some big-name corporations and wondered if he could woo her into working for him. He didn’t believe in coincidences so he took running into her as a sign of fate.
He’d seen appreciation in her eyes as she looked at him but no lust. This meant she was either involved or not interested. Arrogantly he assumed she was involved. She turned and grabbed two other books from different authors and handed them to him.
“I have to go but if your niece liked my books she should try these, they are better than mine and one of them is a series,” she said shyly.
He found himself wanting more time with her. Before she could turn and run out the door, he grabbed her am. She felt fragile beneath his hard hands. Her eyes widened with a hint of alarm and he let her go.
“Your books are great, they are instructional yet entertaining have you ever thought about doing company based case studies?” He asked pretending as if he didn’t already know the answer to his question.
“I’ve actually done some for a friend’s marketing company and I structured my children’s books in the same way,” she answered smiling at the memory. Those case studies had helped her so much as a writer. They had given her the confidence to do her own work.
She had to force herself to ignore the three women behind him staring at her with venom. If she had met him before Nikos she would have seriously been interested. The man was a walking GUCCI ad and with that Italian accent she would have been easy prey. But she wanted only one man in her life. She just needed to make sure he wanted her too.
Once again she put a little space between them. He smiled at her action women rarely stepped away from him. He reached into his pocket and handed her his card.
“I own Rossi Technology and I’ve been looking to revamp our company website with some project specific case studies. If you are looking for work between your amazing books, I would be willing to pay you very well for this project,” he asked nonchalantly. He had a feeling if he came on too strong she would run for the hills. Everything about her right now screamed hands off.
“Are you sure you’re not just hitting on me?” She asked suspiciously noting the seductive gleam in his eyes.
“If you are asking me if I want you the answer is yes,” he said honestly and put a hand up when she started to interrupt, “but the job isn’t contingent upon our having a relationship. I really like your work but I will admit that I would like to sleep with you as well,” he said sincerely with a devilish smile on his face.
“Thank you… I think,” she said laughing at his audacity. “If the job is a serious offer, I will think about it. I’m looking to do something else right now. But I’m involved in a serious long-term relationship so there will be nothing happening between us.”
“I understand and I will respect your wishes. The offer is serious and as long as you don’t give me an opening I will not pester you with my attention. I have never, nor will I ever use my position to make a woman uncomfortable. If you say no, I will hear it.”
She relaxed under the sincerity in his answer. God, he was just like Nikos. Some instinct told her she could believe him when it came to this. She hoped she could trust it because she could use a big project to take her mind off of the state of her relationship. But before she could respond he added.
“However, I’m a patient man….us Italians, we know how the wait is always worth the reward. I promise you if you remain involved, I will not push you but if you become single well, then that will change everything,” he said seriously.
She’d left the bookstore with a smile on her face and a spring in her step. Getting hit on by a handsome man could do that for a girl. Her frown returned when she got back to the house and found it empty; she was disappointed that Nikos had taken the coward’s way out. She ignored the fresh flowers, and the extravagantly wrapped gift on her dresser and looked at the golden dress hanging in the open concept closet.
She’d bought the dress after trying it on for Nikos at a private boutique in Paris. He’d loved it so much that he’d taken her on the silk covered chaise in the private chamber. He made her promise to only wear it privately for him. Apparently, it hugged her curves in a way that only he wanted to appreciate.
She was tired of waiting for him to figure out what he wanted. It was time to play a little offense. She smiled slyly and pulled the dress off the hanger it was time to show Nikos that this was one area of their relationship where she wasn’t afraid to play a little dirty.
.
Two
What hurts the most...
Nikos looked at his gold Cartier watch for the third time. Where the hell was she? He was sitting among the city’s elite in the small warmly lit ballroom. Impatience eating at his mood. He knew leaving before she got home would not work every time, hell they lived together. He needed a few moments to collect his thoughts.
Ada was serious about this and he had a feeling she would not let it go. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he couldn’t tell her the truth about why he wouldn’t marry her. She would take it as a sign of a lack of love on his part, not the actions of a man who owed someone a great debt.
His eyes trained on the decorated archways. They’d outdone themselves this year making the ballroom over until it looked almost identical to a scene from Beauty and the Beast. The handpicked crowd was really enjoying the fairy tale like experience. The only thing missing was his woman.
His breath caught as he finally saw her through a crowd of people walking into the room. Outrage replaced the rush of satisfaction when he saw the golden dress. He told her never to wear it in public. A dress created for sin it had thin dainty straps and hugged her body as if the golden material was painted on.
It didn’t matter to him that a lot of the other women here were dressed in skimpier attire; because she was the only one he gave a fuck about. His dick swelled even as he grew angry. She was his, how dare she let other people see her like this?
When she caught his face her smile slipped just a little at the masculine outrage that was stamped there. But she tilted her head a little higher and walked his way. She would not be cowed by him, especially when he’d disappeared from the house before she could confront him.
The room was beautifully decorated with gold lights and whoever had catered it did a fantastic job. Her stomach rumbled loudly when she smelled the garlic infused lobster tails. She would have to find a way to sneak some of those out of here; she knew Eden would absolutely love them.
She kept walking dutifully ignoring the masculine approval she received from the men she passed by. She was almost to Nikos when she was stopped by the ridiculously sexy Italian she’d met in the bookstore earlier. He looked provocative in his fitted black suit. His eyes showed his appreciation as he took her in.
“You were spectacular earlier but you are extraordinary now,” he said his eyes scanning her gold dress.
She smiled nervously as she watched Nikos make his way to them, he was not above causing a scene. She didn’t have time to be distracted by the handsome man in front of her. She turned away from Nikos and spoke directly to Luca.
“Why thank you, Luca, you clean up good yourself,” she answered feeling the heat of Nikos’s eyes on her back.
“Did you think about my earlier proposal?” He asked dropping his voice and putting out his arm for her to take. Before she could politely decline Nikos stepped between them. He also looked sexy as hell in his dark gray suit and cobalt blue silk shirt only emphasized the solid muscle underneath.
They squared off with each other. On
e man exuding lazy confidence while the other put out pure masculine possession.
The one element she never doubted in their relationship was Nikos desire to have and possess her. He couldn’t abide another man’s interest and typically when he showed up, all six and a half feet of him, the men bowed out.
Unfortunately, Luca was not that kind of man and still held his arm out for her to take uncaring of the angry Greek that stood between them. Ada sighed loudly and smiled at Luca shaking her head no. She turned and took Nikos hand instead. She loved his dumb-ass, and she knew even the slightest hesitation to choose him would hurt him deeply.
“I’ll think about the proposal, but right now we need to take our seats and prepare for the banquet,” she said apologetically giving Nikos hand a warning squeeze.
Before Nikos could confront him she pulled him away. His massive body vibrated with tension.
“Who was that? What proposal was he talking about?” He asked his accent more pronounced because of his anger.
“We can talk about it later,” she said as they took their seats. Luckily no one else was at the table near them.
“No moró we will talk about it now,” he said harshly. He didn’t know who the man was, but he felt in his heart he could be a threat.
“He offered me a job Niko, that’s all,” Ada replied with rebellious eyes.
“He wanted more than a job from you,” Nikos answered fury building in his veins.
“So what if he did, what did you say you don’t know where we will be in the next few years. Maybe I should keep my options open,” she said stiffly.
“If you are intentionally trying to make me jealous to force some sort of commitment from me, then you will fail,” he snapped. His body going rigid with every word she said.
