Home to Hellas (The Challenge Series)

by Beck, Stephanie

  He liked her willingness to face problems, but didn’t want her to press too hard and cause a setback. From what he’d read online between meetings, timing could be everything when dealing with stress disorders.

  She frowned, a little unhappy, but nestled against him, silent for several minutes. His body reacted to her lovely bottom so close, but he controlled himself. Mostly.

  “Thank you for getting an erection,” she said. “It always does a girl good to know she affects her guy.”

  “You affect me with your presence. How are you feeling?”

  “Like I want to sit over there,” she said, her tone honest and annoyed. “Can you rub my arms, please?”

  “Ah, love, I don’t want to make things worse.”

  She frowned. “It’s not you, it’s all me. You’re sexy and amazing and…special to me. I’m trying to break this stinking mindset that makes me feel like I need to be alone. I don’t have to be.”

  He didn’t like rejection any more than the next person, probably less. Still, he wanted to help, so he stroked her bare arms. He watched, ready to stop at the first sign of distress. She tightened, but didn’t shove him away.

  “And now?” he asked.

  “I would say mildly irritated. But I’m so happy to be here, so it’s not…as annoying as it would have been in the past. I’m getting better, but I’m spending too much time in my head.” She looked off through the window for a moment, before turning to him with a smile. “How can I help you? I’ve been selfish. Is there anything I can do to make things easier for you?”

  He adjusted, moving her bottom away from direct contact with his crotch. “Now that you mention it, there has been a new development I could use assistance with.”

  “I’m your girl.” She pointed to her chest and gave him a thumbs up motion—the playfulness exactly on par for the Jenn he knew so well.

  He wondered if she noticed the difference in her demeanor from when she’d arrived, but didn’t mention it because he didn’t want her to tense again.

  “I received a call from Natalie. They moved their schedule up, so they will be here at the end of the week.”

  “Nuts.” She dug in her pocket and plucked out her phone. “I didn’t check my emails because of Dr. A. There it is. Oh, no. Turkey always has plumbing problems. I guess my break is over. What do you need me to do?”

  He listed a few small tasks he could have Athena do, but thought Jenn would enjoy. Getting her involved in the things she liked with people she cared for seemed like a good idea.

  “I can do that.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll have to buckle down on the paperwork, too. Do you think you can call the basketball group in early? Does that screw up their schedules?”

  “They’ll make it work,” he said. “They look forward to this all year. I’m sure a few weeks won’t make much difference.”

  She stood up and though he missed her, he respected her need for space. She’d sat with him a good ten minutes, the closest they’d been since making love in the pool. He hoped to revisit their watery intimacy soon, but he could wait.

  As suddenly as before, she settled in his lap, but this time she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him tight, kissing him. Her tongue thrust inside his mouth, dueling with his. He met her touch for touch until she jumped up.

  She licked her lips, looking like a cat that got into the cream.

  “You’re the best kisser,” she said. “The very best. I’m going to get some work done, but I wanted you to have something to think about while you’re going about your day.”

  Dorian leaned against his desk, enjoying her happiness. “Rest assured, darling, you’re on my mind. Get to work. I foresee us using the pool a few more times before we are inundated by coeds.”

  She giggled and waved before hurrying out the door. He relaxed in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. Patience would get him where he wanted to be, but the journey, as much as he adored exploring with Jenn, might be the longest of his life.

  Chapter Nine

  Jenn surveyed the bunks with satisfaction. She’d liked Dorian’s idea for care packages for the women so far from home and had spent the afternoon putting them together with Athena. Local businesses had donated goodies for their stay, including a little something she’d put in her pocket to avoid another pool-related lapse in judgment.

  Fifteen girls would spend a week in a place lovely enough to put any other dorm to shame. Before Dorian’s remodel, the rooms lacked charm and amenities. Switching to his suite had given her a taste of decadence, even if she’d had to cut back to the dorms by morning. She sighed as she tucked a quilt in place. She needed to get back into his bed, even if to cuddle and share space.

  She had so many wonderful memories of teasing him about his chest fuzz and coming, shaking in his arms, begging for more. Her body tightened at the thought of being touched, but instead of with agitation, with bone deep arousal. She shocked herself, standing in broad daylight…she was frisky.

  Jenn grabbed the clipboard, her constant companion the last two days, and searched out the man on her mind. She didn’t know how long it would last but wanted to strike while the fire in her lower belly burned hot.

  She passed Athena cleaning in the hall and kept on, confident Dorian would be in his office. His assistant’s desk sat empty. She tiptoed to the open door, not wanting to disturb them if they were working. Her itches didn’t warrant immediate attention, but if he were doing a crossword puzzle, he’d have to put it aside.

  Dorian lounged at the desk, a file in hand, the space devoid of his assistant. She stepped in and closed the door behind her.

  He peered up from his papers. “You’ve come to save me from the monotony.”

  She could tell him what she wanted, but she stripped away her T-shirt instead. His eyebrows flew toward his hairline as he leaned back in his chair. The sparkle of pleasure and appreciation in his gaze made shimmying out of her bra, shorts, and panties a task she couldn’t finish quickly enough.

  He looked her up and down, the intensity of his stare blazing a trail over her skin. She needed high heels to execute a saunter, but she made do with bare feet, adding a sway to her hips with each step. He pushed back from his desk, and she straddled his lap.

  “This is quite the salvation you’ve offered to me. The boredom between meetings can be brutal.”

  She ran her fingers through his hair, loving the silky texture. He kept it black with a hint of gray, the style distinguished and sexy.

  “You’re going to have to lose your pants.” She undid the middle button of his shirt, most of the top ones already freed for his comfort. It took only a moment to have his chest available to her touch.

  She rubbed his pecs, strong from swimming. She moved to his shoulders, helping him out of his shirt along the way. His erection made itself more noticeable with every passing moment. She shifted to have him closer to where she ached. The thrill of wanting sex, of craving orgasm threw the encounter into something more. She was healing with the man she loved.

  She crashed her lips against his, doing with her mouth what she craved for her body. She thrust her tongue deep, tussling with his. His hands tangled and tugged in her hair enough to pull her away. He stood, moving her to his table where her bare butt met the cold wood.

  She shivered and held him closer, welcoming him deeper into the V of her legs. Her injured knee didn’t like to bend as much as it once had, but her right one worked fine. She used it to lock him in. He unlocked the clip of her hair band, freeing her hair. While he combed it with his fingers, Jenn worked on the zipper of his slacks, pushing them down his hips along with his boxers.

  She nipped his bottom lip and licked it, swirling a light circle, thinking of other places she wanted to taste. Freeing his cock, she stroked it, the hot length in turns soft as silk and hard as stone.

  “You’re asking for more than my patience can give at the moment,” he muttered and kissed her neck while thrusting into her grasp.

&
nbsp; She paid special attention to the head of his penis, rubbing pre-cum over it.

  “Condom?” The white droplets gave her a moment of clear practicality.

  His brows furrowed. “I’m sorry. I don’t have any. Do we need them?”

  “Don’t worry, I have one in my shorts. Don’t move.”

  She fished the roll of condoms from her pocket and tore one off, setting the rest on his chair. In the past she’d been on birth control, but this time the Greek-labeled raincoats would do the trick. He kicked his slacks away from his ankles and straightened, as hard as ever. The muscles in his legs and torso begged to be touched, but she focused on his most prominent feature. She wanted to kneel, to give him the full benefit of a long kiss.

  He tucked his finger under her chin and brought up her face until they made eye contact. “I won’t last. Give me the coat and let me finish this for you before I embarrass myself.”

  “You’re bossy.”

  His eyes sparkled as he lifted her onto his desk. She tore open the condom, intent on doing that part even if the oral fun she had in mind was on hold for a later date. She rolled on the cover, giving his cock an additional pat before he pulled her away with a tsk.

  “I’m going to have my way next time,” she told him while she welcomed him close.

  “Yes, darling.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed up to nip her earlobe. “I will be your puppy.”

  She took him in hand and guided him to her opening, done being teased. Though she’d wanted to play, she shared his urgency. She rocked her hips and drew him deeper, groaning when the immediate fullness satisfied her initial desire, while igniting a deeper ache.

  He nipped her ear again and brought her back to the moment. She wound her arms around his neck and lifted up, rocking against him to meet every thrust as they climbed higher. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he didn’t slow down. She wanted more, needed it to break the glass of the orgasm just beyond reach.

  Like he could hear her thoughts, Dorian shifted until his fingertips circled her clit. She shivered and pressed for more. He flicked his finger again and tapped her most sensitive spot. She held on tighter and squeezed her eyes closed tight as her body flew into orgasm. Under her eyelids, fireworks burst to match the ones running through her nerves.

  He abandoned her nub and slammed his hand beside her, marking his finish with another tap of his fingers against the hard wood. She ran her palm up his back, treasuring the float back to reality, even though real life still held problems.

  She ignored the instinct to run away after she caught her breath. Running no longer appealed, never really had. Dorian deserved better, and so did she.

  “That was a most pleasant surprise.” Amusement and lust laced his deep voice. “The most fun this desk has seen in far too long.”

  “It was too fussy. Now it’s been defiled.” She snuggled into his chest. “You looked so bored when I came in.”

  “Not feeling that way now.” He kissed her hair. “I fear I let my mother have her head this year, and it led to more work than I want. Between the government issues and the struggles for new businesses, there is no extra money to be made at the moment. I am content to bide my time and maintain my properties. In my father’s time, opportunity abounded, foreign at least when the domestics floundered. She doesn’t understand the entire world is slowing.”

  She’d heard other investors complain about the same things, but never with Dorian’s practicality. He didn’t expect constant growth. “I will have to distract her,” he mused. “I’m betting you could help me.”

  “Oh?” Her heart raced with possibilities.

  “Yes. You have the temperament to go toe to toe, but still charm her. Yes, you are a fine ally.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate your faith in me.”

  “I’d like to find my closest ally in my bed. Tonight, if possible.”

  She rubbed her face into his chest. Her tension ebbed as they chatted, and eased her closer to normal. “I suppose that could be arranged. It would free up the room Natalie likes so much and make less work for Athena.”

  “That is a positive approach.”

  She kissed his cheek. “I’ll move today.”

  “Maybe you can begin to think about forever,” he added. “You could stay through the summer and see if living here suits you.”

  They were past the point of not knowing. She felt past it, but couldn’t fault him for his hesitancy. He’d worn his heart on his sleeve for years, and she’d refused to notice. If anyone needed to put herself out of her comfort zone, it was Jenn and acceptance came easier than she might have thought.

  “Just the summer? I had something a little more…permanent in mind. You know, eventually.”

  He shifted so she could see his face. She loved the range of expressions that showed. Crow’s feet creased his skin and his eyes sparkled. He wore his joy like gold.

  “I have to confess that makes me happy. I think a little more permanent can be arranged. We shall get through the basketball visitors, and then we will go from there, when we are alone.”

  She’d gotten into the habit of putting things off and found the practice dangerous. “We’ll talk tonight. You know, when I’m in your bed.”

  She shifted from his lap but paused to tap his nose. “You can think about that. I’m going to shower, and you know what? I feel a nap coming on.”

  He threw his head back and laughed, the full-bodied sound everything she remembered and everything she’d hoped to hear. “Brilliant. I envy you and wish I could join, but Adrian is due back with work to keep me busy all afternoon. I will have Athena help you move this evening.”

  She slipped her shorts and shirt back on and tucked her underthings into a pocket. “I have a single bag. I can handle it.”

  He shrugged. “You have more than you realize. This way, you’ll make the transition without delay. I get the feeling we are, as you Americans say, taking out all the stops.”

  She liked the sound of that. They were on a one-way trip to together where they both could be happy. She saw it, wanted to go for it. Her heart raced and palms sweated, but she refused to ignore the goodness right in front of her.

  “All right, stops are out. Send on the help—after I wake up.”

  He tapped his forehead in a small salute. “Of course, my darling.”

  She spun on her heels and headed out of the room. Her body shook like a leaf, but in a positive way. She’d had the sex she craved with the man she wanted to eat up. She did need the nap and time to decompress, but she’d made a hell of a stride forward.

  Chapter Ten

  Jenn sat in his lap again. Dorian knew what she attempted to prove, understood the habit she needed to break. Since she felt relaxed and loose in his arms, he enjoyed the moment. She sipped her coffee, resting against him as he ate. He preferred sweets for breakfast, but when Athena had called him chubby, he’d switched from pastry to fruit. With Jenn, he didn’t miss the pastry—she satisfied his sweet tooth.

  “I feel less slappy today,” she announced, setting her cup down. “For sure, at least twenty-seven percent less slappy.”

  He tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Twenty-seven percent is a quality percentile. I am glad you are regaining what you’ve lost.”

  “I didn’t lose it. I let it go. I don’t have control over most things in life, but I do have control over how I feel, how I allow others to interact with me, and how I choose to interact with others.”

  “I hear the good doctor in your words.”

  Jenn had seen him late the previous evening, two appointments in one day. She’d been a shivering mess after the therapist left, taking away any thoughts of further intimacy. Still, he’d held her through the night and woke with her in his arms. Another dream come true.

  Jenn wrinkled her nose. “The good doctor is an ass, but he knows his stuff. I’m grateful for him. He says I’m making admirable progress and that he has high hopes for me to get back on the healthy-mindset bandwagon. I�
�m always surprised when Greeks use American idioms, but it sounds like he’s a huge fan of American TV, which has opened up his vocabulary.”

  The more Dorian learned about the therapist, the more he agreed with both her assessments. He looked forward to a day when the gentleman no longer made calls.

  “Natalie and the others should arrive today,” he said. “I don’t want you to overdo.”

  She leaned away from him and raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “You’re coming out of emotional and physical fragility. I see you becoming the woman you’ve been growing into the last decade. I don’t want your progress pushed aside for the sake of this week.”

  He didn’t have any right to criticize how she lived. Even if they married, he didn’t allow himself to think he would. Jenn’s bold spirit called to him, but she also knew how to work as a team. He wanted to be her teammate and he wanted her healthy.

  “Well, I guess you’ll have to take the week off to supervise.” She placed a smacking kiss on his cheek. “I’m going to help Athena get lunch ready. We’re going to take them on a picnic. They’ve been cooped up too long. I thought the beach would be a nice break.”

  “Very thoughtful.” Having her invite him to join the party reassured him more than other promises could. “I will join you later.”

  She waved but didn’t return to him. He relaxed and sighed. The woman seemed intent on wreaking havoc on his life. It was about time someone did.

  ***

  The drooping but noisy group emerged from the bus, and Jenn wondered if she’d ever been so young. Athens was always their final stop—saving the best for last. She’d had Dorian to look forward to but hadn’t skipped any workouts to be with him. How she’d worked all day and played all night, she didn’t remember. Maybe she was getting old.

  Natalie waved and guided the players up the long path from the driveway. Jenn pushed the large doors to the villa open in welcome to the team, even Chelsea who studied the tails of her backpack instead of taking in the beautiful seaside villa.

  “Greece agrees with you.” Natalie gave her a quick hug. “I’m glad I sent you ahead. Are the bunks onsite? These girls are beat.”