“Who are you really?” Christodoulou finished off his first course and took a sip of his wine. “When you’re not pretending to be some kind of heiress, I mean.”
Eva held his gaze for a long moment; Christodoulou was clearly enjoying the advantage he had over her.
“I work in a call center,” Eva admitted. “Well, I used to work in a call center. In that building, in fact. I got fired yesterday.”
“And went up to the open house to amuse yourself, maybe have a couple of free drinks?”
Eva nodded. “That’s about the size of it.”
“So what is it that you want me to do?”
Eva finished off the last bite of her food and set the plate aside.
“I figure if you buy the apartment, she can’t come after me,” Eva said with a shrug. “Or she could, but I don’t see why she would.”
“That’s a possibility,” Christodoulou said, nodding. Eva had to wait for the rest of his response; the waiter arrived with two bus boys and cleared the table of their first course before placing the second in front of them: slices of paper-thin raw beef, dressed with oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, and more micro greens. Eva ate a bite of her food and washed it down with another sip of wine.
“What’s another possibility?”
Christodoulou shrugged, enjoying his own plate of food for a moment.
“There are several possibilities—no sense in discussing them all,” he told her teasingly. “But it’s definitely within the realm of possibility that I could help make it go away.”
“I’m assuming that you’ll want something in return?”
Christodoulou grinned. “I may give generously to charity, but I don’t usually consider con artists in that domain,” he said. “I might be willing to help you—but it depends on a few things falling into place.”
“What kind of things?”
Christodoulou shook his head. “Not a discussion I feel like having right now,” he explained. “Right now I’d rather enjoy this meal. Wouldn’t you?”
Eva chuckled. “That is an excellent point,” she agreed.
As she ate, Eva had to admit to herself that Christodoulou was even more attractive than she had originally thought; there was something about his sun-bronzed skin, his dark eyes, his ready smile, that made her tingle all over in a way that had nothing to do with any desire to scam him.
Under the tailored, beautiful suit he wore, Eva was certain that he was lean and muscular—she wondered whether he was hairy, as so many Greeks seemed to be, or if he was as well-maintained as his hands, his hair, his clean-shaven face suggested. She felt a little burst of heat at the idea of what Ari might look like naked. Eva reminded herself that she was there to talk business—not to find a new boyfriend.
Course after course came to the table, and Eva slowly let her guard down, delighting in taste and texture. Ari was—as she would have expected—genuinely interested in the food, the wine, and everything that went along with the meal.
“How did you get to become a call center person? I’ve never known someone in that position.”
“Sort of by default,” Eva admitted. “After an operation went south…” she shrugged, letting the nature of the operation go without saying, “I almost found myself on the wrong side of the law and decided to go straight. The job wasn’t that bad until it was.”
“I can only imagine,” Ari said, grinning. “You must have some real stories.”
With very little prompting, Eva found herself telling the Greek about the worst of the worst callers: the man who had wanted to dispute charges on his bill until she’d gotten him to admit that the charges—for an escort service—were accurate, the woman who had refused to believe that charges on her son’s account for pornography were correct, even though the investigation had determined that they were, and of course the final call she had taken on her last shift at the center.
Ari paid for their meal without batting an eye, and Eva—her mind slightly fuzzy from the wine—wondered if he would tell her what he wanted from her in exchange for helping her out of her conundrum. Instead, he rose from the table and gestured for Eva to accompany him.
“The night is young,” he said, leading her away from the table. “Care for a drink? There’s a great bar about two blocks down from here.”
“I could use one,” Eva grinned.
They walked together to the bar, and the host at the front of the tiny, secluded enclave nearly jumped when he spotted Ari approaching. In a matter of only a few moments they were seated at a table in a private lounge, with a dedicated server to bring them drinks. Eva ordered a Tom Collins, and Ari opted for a martini.
“I should have pegged you for a con artist,” Ari said, shaking his head. “You’re too charming by half.”
“Charming?” Eva smirked. “You didn’t seem to think I was all that charming in the bedroom of that apartment.”
Ari shrugged. “You were too—what’s the word? Uppity? Overplayed your hand, at least as far as I’m concerned.”
“Well, I’ve seen plenty of ‘uppity’ rich people in my time,” Eva countered.
“I’m sure you have,” Ari agreed. “But there’s a certain kind of overconfidence that comes with wealth; not the kind you showed up there.”
“You shook me up a bit,” Eva admitted. As she finished her first drink and considered another, she felt the fuzziness in her head intensifying. He’s hot, and he’s rich, and he might—might—be willing to help you. If it weren’t for the fact that he wouldn’t want to have anything to do with you, he’d be worth luring in.
“You? Shaken up?” Ari chuckled. “I can’t fathom it.”
“You saw right through me! That never happens.” Eva leaned in closer, and smelled the cologne that Ari used: something with hints of greenery, a warmth underneath it.
“I think we probably saw through each other,” Ari said, raising an eyebrow.
They ordered another round and Eva found herself relaxing more and more. They discussed the “work” that Eva had done in the past, but she kept the details limited, sticking with the affair and blackmail scam she had run before meeting Jared, and a few other small-time grifts she had taken part in.
A song came on and Eva found herself tapping her toe to the beat as Ari told her about a bar he’d found in Paris, late one night—an after-hours place that only a handful of people knew about.
“Do you dance?” she asked.
“A little,” Ari replied. “Are you asking because you’d like a partner?”
Eva shrugged. “What else is there to do at a bar? Other than talk.”
Ari rose to his feet and Eva followed his example; when his hands caressed her waist, she felt a little electric tingle through her body. They began to move together, swaying to the beat, and Eva noticed that there didn’t seem to be any of the awkwardness that a new partner usually brought with him; she had his rhythm right away, and he seemed to have found hers just as easily.
“It’s not hard to believe that you could lure a man into an affair,” Ari said, once they sat down once more.
“Why is that? My great charm?”
“Charm, good looks…intelligence. Even if I was married I would want to take a chance with you.”
“You’re not married, then?”
Ari shook his head, and Eva reminded herself that she’d known that—at least, as far as the tabloids could be trusted.
“Not married,” he said, an unreadable expression flitting across his features. “And obviously you aren’t either.”
“Obviously?” Eva smiled slightly.
“Well—you were blackmailing adulterers,” Ari pointed out. “I’d assume you couldn’t be married to do that. Also no wedding ring or even an engagement ring.”
“So we’re both free,” Eva said. She had to admit that during the course of their conversation, the Greek had become more and more attractive; above and beyond the fact that he was potentially willing to help keep her out of trouble, and the natural good looks t
hat genetics had bestowed on him.
“That we are,” Ari agreed. He held her gaze for a long time. “You do know that you’re incredibly beautiful, don’t you?”
“I’ve been told I’m pretty,” Eva said, smiling wryly.
“Not pretty,” Ari told her, reaching out to take her hand in his. “Beautiful. Incredibly beautiful.”
“Oh come on,” Eva said, shaking her head. “You can’t kid a kidder.”
“Not trying to kid you,” Ari said. He gave her hand a squeeze. “But you have to admit it’s a pretty opportune moment, isn’t it?”
Eva considered; she wasn’t drunk, but she was tipsy enough to know she should be very careful about going along with any kind of suggestive plan. What could it hurt? He’s hot, and it’d be a great story to tell someone later.
“What did you have in mind?”
Ari glanced around their little enclave. “Let’s go somewhere more private,” he suggested. “This place is too loud.”
Eva thought again; did she really want to go home with him? Hell yes you do! Another part of her mind suggested that it would be wiser to go home, but she couldn’t make herself listen; Ari was gorgeous, and he’d danced with her so well, she knew there would be nothing but chemistry between them if they fell into bed together.
“Let’s go,” she said. “Lead the way.”
Chapter Six
“I should have guessed you’d live in a place like this,” Eva said, kicking her shoes off as she stepped into the entryway of Ari’s immense hotel suite. She turned to look at him and grinned. “And by that, I mean that it would be a hotel.”
“For most of my adult life, it has only made sense to live in hotels,” Ari said with a shrug. He closed the distance between them and his hands fell to her waist. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do; you know that, right?”
“Did I seem like I didn’t want to be here?” Eva looked around the hotel suite, briefly taking in the beautiful, luxurious details; she thought idly to herself that it was easily as nice—though not as big—as the penthouse apartment she’d outbid him on.
“I just want to make sure,” Ari murmured. Eva turned to meet his gaze and felt the heat rising up in her body. “I have never just…used a woman, and I don’t intend to start now.”
“How principled of you,” Eva said, licking her lips.
Ari snickered, leaning in closer to her, until only inches remained between their bodies. “It’s mostly ego,” he admitted.
He brushed his lips against her cheek and Eva turned her head on instinct. It was apparently exactly what he wanted her to do; Ari’s lips connected with hers, and Eva made a sound—not quite a moan, not quite a protest—at the jolt that coursed through her at the contact, caressing her nerves and heightening the tension that had been building up inside of her ever since she had met him the night before. She brought her hands up and draped them around Ari’s shoulders, holding back as she marveled at the sensations coursing through her; it had been years since she’d felt so turned on so quickly.
They were moving. Eva realized it only after several moments, as Ari deepened the kiss, his hot tongue sliding against her lips until she opened her mouth to let him in. His hands began to roam over her body, barely hesitating as he came to her breasts, and then dropped down to her hips, around to her back.
Eva’s hands came to life on his body, caressing and exploring the planes of his back through the fabric of his clothes, feeling the heat of him, the flex of muscles across his shoulders. Within moments, the only thing Eva could think about, more important even than securing Ari’s help, was the need to see him naked, to find out what he looked like underneath the suit.
Ari stopped walking at some point, and they stood in one place together, kissing and caressing one another. Eva felt herself becoming more and more turned on; the hot wetness spreading against the fabric of her panties, the tingle in her breasts, in her hips, the tension mounting somewhere below the pit of her stomach. She wanted the moment to last forever, and yet, at the same time, she didn’t think she could take much more. She felt her body heating up moment by moment, until she was trembling. Any thought about her predicament, about what Ari had suggested—though not said outright—was a million miles away.
Eva moaned out as Ari began to kiss and nibble along the column of her throat. He cupped her breasts through the fabric of her clothes, and Eva arched into his touch, twisting and writhing, her hands tightening on his back. She swayed and shook as Ari continued to tease her. The fact that they were both almost fully clothed was amazing to Eva; she could feel her whole body burning with need. It had been so long since she’d been with anyone—since before she’d gone straight—and she was suddenly intensely aware of that fact.
Eva peeled Ari’s blazer off, somehow managing to pull the fabric over his arms even as their bodies tangled up together. The blazer fell to the floor, and Eva pressed her body against Ari’s, feeling the heat of him through her dress, hungry for more. She was already soaking wet, and she wanted, needed to move things forward.
Ari found the zipper at the top of her back, and began to tug it down slowly, even as he continued to lavish attention on her neck, her collarbones, her lips.
All at once, Eva found herself in nothing but her bra and panties. Ari stepped back to admire his handiwork. “You really are exceptional,” he murmured, his gaze trailing down from her face to her breasts, down to her hips. He reached out and took her hand in his. “Come with me.”
Eva was more than happy to follow him as he led her towards a door at the opposite end of the living area. Ari pulled her into the bedroom, propelling her towards the bed as he turned the light on and began unbuttoning his dress shirt.
She staggered and barely caught herself as she fell onto the bed, watching as Ari slipped his shirt off and tossed it aside, revealing a broad, muscled chest with the same olive-toned skin she’d admired on his face and hands. A line of dark hair darted from his navel down to the waistband of his pants, but his chest was bare. She only had a moment to enjoy the view before the Greek climbed into bed, covering her body with his own.
Ari’s hand slipped up between her legs and Eva moaned as the heel of his palm rubbed against her through the thin lace of her panties. She gasped as his fingers slid underneath the fabric, brushing against her soaking wet labia.
“Already?” he asked, nipping at her neck just below her ear. “You’re already so wet… Impressive indeed.”
“Impressive of me…” Eva’s voice cracked and she gasped as Ari’s fingers slid along her folds, seeking her clitoris. “Or—or impressive of you?”
Ari chuckled lowly, bringing his lips up to hers and kissing her hungrily. Eva writhed and twisted as he worked her with his fingertips, kissing her lips and ducking down to nip and nibble along the column of her throat, down to her breasts. She let her hands wander over his back and chest, exploring the surprisingly soft skin she found there. Eva shuddered as Ari found her clitoris and began to stroke and rub with his fingertips, sending crackles of electric sensation throughout her body, making her even more turned on than before.
He teased her relentlessly, pressing against the sensitive nub, swirling his fingertip around the bead of nerves—until Eva was so close to orgasm that she could taste it—only to back off right at the last moment, leaving her bereft of the pleasure she craved. At some point—Eva wasn’t sure when—Ari managed to tug her panties down over her hips, and then he lifted her up just enough to unhook her bra in the back, and she found herself completely naked underneath him, on fire with need, her hips twisting and shifting to get better contact with Ari’s fingers.
“So impatient,” Ari murmured against her lips.
“I’m not impatient,” Eva said, panting as he slid one finger inside of her slowly. “You’re just a tease.”
Ari laughed, nipping sharply at the sensitive skin just above her right nipple as he added another finger to the one probing her. His thumb rubbed against her clito
ris, and Eva cried out, clutching at his shoulders, one hand finding its way up into his thick, dark hair and tangling there. Ari worked her with his fingers for what felt like an eternity, pushing deeper inside of her body, seeking her G-spot as Eva squirmed underneath him. He rubbed himself against her thigh as he teased her, and in the back of her mind, Eva noticed the heaviness of his erection, the thickness she could feel along with the heat through the fabric of his clothes.
Eva reached down, groping for the hard ridge of Ari’s erection straining at the confines of his pants. She rubbed up and down, shuddering as Ari’s fingers began to move faster inside of her, trying to keep focused on teasing him even as his fingertips found her G-spot.
She struggled with Ari’s fly, barely able to think as she became more and more turned on, as she heard the wet sounds of Ari’s attentions, as the tension mounted deep down between her hips. Whimpers left her lips as she finally managed to get Ari’s fly open, finally managed to slide her hand down under the waistband of his briefs. Her fingers wrapped around the hot, hard cock and Ari moaned against her lips, his hips bucking as Eva began stroking him. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt the slickness of his fluids beginning to flow.
They moved together, teasing each other to the point of orgasm over and over again. Eva lost all track of time, trapped in the depths of building and receding pleasure as Ari’s fingers slid in and out of her, as his thumb swirled around her clitoris. She whimpered and moaned, gripping his erection tighter, stroking him faster and faster to keep up with his attentions.
All at once, Ari’s fingers retreated, and Eva shuddered, clenching her teeth as her body reeled from the pleasure denied. “If—if you call me impatient this time…”
Ari laughed out loud, claiming her lips with his own for just a moment before pulling back.
“Maybe I’m impatient too,” he told her, slipping off of the bed and swaying slightly on his feet as he stood. He pushed his pants down over his hips, taking the briefs he wore underneath with them, revealing his long legs and the flushed, hard cock, proudly erect in its thatch of dark curls.
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