If he didn’t hurry up, she would drown in her own arousal. He pressed his cheek to the inside of her thigh and made a delightful hmmmm sound, his lips vibrating against her soft flesh. The gentle pressure of his fingers climbed higher up her thighs, the wet slide of his tongue following. Every inch was torture until she felt the warm puff of his breath over her sensitive sex. She opened her mouth to urge him on when he sucked her clit between his lips.
“Oh!”
Her back bowed from the bed, her hands flying to his head to thread between the short, silky strands of his hair. His tongue was rough and smooth at the same time, gentle but…not. He sucked and licked and worshiped her, each movement sending pure sensation shooting through her body, making her shudder and pant as she hung on for dear life. The sensation overwhelmed her. Too much and yet perfect. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced before—nothing like her own hand, or even his for that matter.
“I’m going to come,” she gasped, her hips bucking against his face. “Oh!”
She chased her release, her body focused onto that pinpoint of pleasure until orgasm sucked her under. Her voice echoed off the walls of his bedroom and it felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. She shamelessly wrung every last moment from the experience, grinding herself against Nico’s face.
At last, when the intensity finally subsided, she fell back and flung an arm over her eyes. “Sweet mother of all things merciful.”
Nico chuckled and propped himself up on his forearms. “That good, huh?”
Who knew sex could be more than lust and passion? That it could be so…fun. Lighthearted.
Nico crawled back up, and Marianna reached down to feel his erection through his pants. He was rock hard. Big…bigger than she remembered. A guttural sound escaped his lips when her hand moved up and down, and he bowed his head to growl in her ear. That sound was pure sex, all anguished and primal, and it made her ache even more.
“Marianna,” he gasped, pressing his lips to her neck. “What you do to me…”
Her fingers tugged at the waistband of his pants, clumsy in her attempt to open his fly. But this time her lack of experience didn’t overshadow her. The material went slack as she finally got the zipper down. She slipped her shaking hand inside his pants and underwear. The feeling of him skin-to-skin was even better than she could have imagined.
His face contorted with pleasure as she stroked him, but he pressed a hand to her cheek. “Do we need…do you want me to use protection?”
“Well…I guess not. I mean, I’m already pregnant.” A horrible thought zipped through her brain. “Unless you’ve been with someone else since me?”
He looked a little crestfallen at the suggestion, and Marianna felt guilty for even asking. But she wanted to know. Needed to know. “No, of course there hasn’t been anyone else.”
That made her far happier than was safe. Where were they going with this? Would he shut her out again after they finished making love? A panicky tightness took hold of her vocal cords. Was this just sex to him? Would he at some point want to have someone else in his bed?
She shoved the worries aside. There was so much to think about, so many things ahead of them, and Marianna was sick of worrying. Right now, she only wanted to indulge her body. She could worry about her head and her heart later.
“I want to taste you,” she whispered. Even making the words as soft as she could, the naughtiness caused her sex to clench. She squeezed the tip of him, and a long moan rumbled into the air. “Can I do that?”
“Fuck, yes.”
His fingers bit into her shoulder, and she became acutely aware of how much stronger he was. How much bigger and more powerful. That he could crush her if he wanted to. But he hadn’t. He’d been gentle and slow. She never felt unsafe with him, despite the fact that she was lesser in so many ways. Less experienced, less confident.
But he never stoked those feelings. Instead, he replaced them with better ones. Built her up, made her feel comfortable. Made her feel in control.
Marianna scooted back on her knees as Nico stood, tearing off his clothes until he stood naked before her, his erection jutting forward. She wrapped her fist around him and angled it to her mouth. In the low light, moisture gleamed on his tip, and she swiped her tongue at it. The taste was surprisingly pleasant—musky and subtle. He gasped as she wrapped her lips around him, gentle at first, letting her tongue find the ridge of his head.
“God, Marianna,” he drew her name out, stretching it like the soft toffee she used to buy from the bakery back home.
Marianna was filled with feminine power, loving that she had this big, strong man at her mercy. It was an element missing for her entire life, and she didn’t realize how much she’d craved having some power of her own. She slid him along her tongue as far as she could go, and when the tip of him hit the back of her throat, he gasped.
Nico’s hand came to her hair and gripped tight. Whereas at first, she was driving everything, now he took charge by thrusting into her mouth. Controlling the pace. He slid himself in and out, pumping his hips in long, smooth strokes. She wrapped her fingers around the base of him, creating a tight ring of pressure. He was getting close. Frantic. Blood pulsed through him, causing him to swell on her tongue.
She hollowed her cheeks and sucked. The sound he made would forever be burned into her brain. There were no filters between them, no judgement, no manners. It was basic attraction and raw human need.
“Nico,” she whispered in the darkness after she’d pulled him out of her mouth. “I want you inside me now.”
Without hesitation, he dragged her beneath him, settling between her legs. His strong hands knew exactly what to do. Parting her, he dragged his fingers from her clit to her entrance, teasing her. She pulled his head to hers and kissed him. Could he taste himself on her lips? The thought of it sent a ripple of excitement through her.
“More,” she whispered into his ear.
There was no reason to be so quiet. The staff were gone, and his property was ringed only by beach and trees. She could shout at the top of her lungs because no one would hear them. But this moment was only for them. Not for the trees or the birds or the small animals hiding among the bushes outside. Not for the stars or the moon. And definitely not for obligation.
When Nico pushed a thick finger inside her, she almost shattered on the spot. Her muscles clenched around him, pulsing in time with the waves of orgasm building.
“Oh god,” she gasped. The pulses came quicker now as he stroked her. “No. Not like this.”
She reached for his cock and dragged him through her wetness.
“My wife,” he whispered, and the words were like sunshine on light-deprived skin.
He grunted as he pushed inside her, the feeling so full and so right. Her body clenched for a moment, still not used to the sensation, but slowly she swirled her hips back and forth, encouraging her body to accommodate him. But the gentle swishing motion pushed her to the brink. It would all be over with the first thrust, because staving off the sensation was not an option.
But Nico didn’t wait. He bucked up against her, holding her ass in his hands while he moved. Soon, Marianna trembled with release. Her muscles clenched around him as shockwaves rolled through her body. Last time she didn’t come like this, with him inside her. The feeling was different from his mouth and his hand. Less and yet…more. A string of foreign words fell from Nico’s lips. He didn’t wait for her quaking to subside; instead he picked up speed and the orgasm rolled on and on.
“That feels so good,” she groaned.
Nico’s face crumpled with pleasure as she raked her nails down his back. Then he pushed into her one last time, his face buried into her neck as he found release inside her. After a moment of pure stillness, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled so she was on top, her head resting against his chest. His hands were in her hair, stroking and cradling her head. His muscular arms blocked out the moonlight, and Marianna sighed. She was totally absorbe
d by him and it was the safest, most cherished she had ever felt in all her life.
“Esi eise theiki mou.” He whispered the words so quietly that Marianna could have easily missed them.
You are mine.
This was something she knew from her study. A blissful smile pulled at her lips, but the lure of sleep was too strong for her to respond.
You are mine, too.
Marianna had been looking forward to having lunch with Alethea, after being introduced to her at the Precision Investments party a few weeks ago. It would be nice to have a friend in Corfu, especially another woman. For some reason, Marianna never had girlfriends in the past. It had been difficult to find peers who enjoyed the same things she did, like languages and culture. It wasn’t like she’d been treated poorly, but she’d never managed to find her tribe, either.
Perhaps it was because she’d been surrounded by her brothers and Jules. She related better to men, but had always wondered what it might be like to have a close girlfriend. And when she’d gone to university several years ahead of most people, the gap had been prohibitive to making friends. She couldn’t legally drink or get into bars and clubs. And she was still swooning over boys in magazines. Her isolation had only grown, the opportunity for making friends whipping past her like a stormy wind. Jules had been the only person who’d enjoyed her company.
Getting the package from him last night had been like getting a warm, familiar hug. She’d even shown Nico how to do a Tim Tam Slam at breakfast that morning, and had regaled him with stories of all the weird and wonderful things she loved about Australia. He’d chuckled at all the strange slang words and cultural quirks that made her home country unique.
But a text from Jules had set off warning bells. Marianna frowned as she looked at her phone. He wasn’t the kind of guy to be cryptic. Hell, he was a computer technician who lived in the binary. It was the one thing she’d always liked about him, in fact. He said what was on his mind, answered questions in yes or no terms. But something about this message rankled.
JULIAN: I can’t bear the thought of you being stuck there all alone. So much opportunity wasted.
What on earth did he mean? What opportunity had been wasted?
She didn’t have time for that now. Alethea was walking toward her, waving a hand adorned with a huge gold ring. She wore a black sundress that hugged her slim figure and swirled around her ankles above a pair of flat gold sandals. Between her oversized sunglasses, a large sunhat dangling from one hand, and beautifully bronzed skin, she looked every bit the glamorous socialite.
“Hi Marianna.” Alethea leaned in and kissed both her cheeks, a soft cloud of perfume wafting in the air. She smelled like lemon cake. “So nice to see you.”
“You too. This looks like a cute place.” The café was in an old building but was bustling and bright, with white tables and gold accents. One wall had a mural of birds painted in a million shades of blue. “I’m glad you suggested it.”
“And that’s before you’ve had the coffee.” Alethea winked. “Let’s grab lunch and a table.”
A few minutes later they were seated with an assortment of mezé spread out in front of them. Alethea’s presence encouraged VIP service. There were grilled baby octopuses, melitzanosalata, a green salad laden with juicy tomato pieces and chunks of feta, halloumi, skewers with grilled lamb, and a bowl of spiced olives.
“How did you find out about this place?” Marianna asked. It was off the beaten path, down a little lane where the houses were close together and the walkway was barely more than shoulder-width.
“It was one of my father’s favorite places.” A sad smile flittered over her lips. “He used to bring me here when I was younger.”
“You must miss him a lot.”
“I do.” She speared a baby octopus with her fork. “Has Nico said much about him?”
Marianna frowned. It was kind of an odd question. “Not beyond what was said at Dion’s party.”
Alethea nodded. “That shouldn’t surprise me. I don’t know why it matters. I guess I wanted to know if he missed my father.”
“He was an investor in the company, right?”
The expression of Alethea’s face shifted from sad to confused. “Well, yes. But I mean because Nico lived with us for a few years.”
Marianna tried to hide her shock by taking a moment to rifle through her salad for a decently sized chunk of feta. “Oh yes, of course.” She pretended like this wasn’t the first time she was hearing it. “I didn’t put two and two together initially. So many names.”
“That must be quite a challenge.”
“How did Nico come to live with you, anyway? He never told me that part.”
“My father hired him,” she said. “He was eighteen and looking for work. So my father put him on as an assistant gardener. He didn’t have anywhere to live so we let him stay with us. There was an old building in the back, which our maid used to live in before she retired. Nico stayed there for five years.”
“Your father sounds like a generous man.”
“He cared about giving young people a chance.” She bit down on her lip. “I don’t know what he’s told you about how it all went down in the end…but I still have such guilt over it. He and my father were so close. The fact that Nico didn’t come to the funeral broke my heart. I’d hoped…” She sighed. “I’d hoped that his death might’ve given some perspective to it all. But perhaps not.”
Marianna’s intuition was like a series of fireworks going off. There was obviously a whole lot more to this story than she knew. Way more than Nico had let on. Alethea was not simply the daughter of a wealthy investor.
“I don’t know why I’m saying any of this to you.” She shook her head, her eyes shimmering. “I was young and stupid. Losing Nico was hard to deal with, and I know he probably thinks I’m a terrible person, but I want him to know I never meant any of it to end that way. Of course, I’ve tried to talk to him, but he won’t listen.”
It suddenly dawned on Marianna that maybe this lunch wasn’t the casual catch-up she’d thought it would be. “What are you asking of me?”
“Nothing…I don’t know.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “I’ve been grieving so much the past year and I feel like I can’t let it go. Every time someone tells me it’ll get easier I want to scream. I don’t want it to get easier, I just want my family back.”
Marianna’s heart wrenched in her chest. She knew that feeling all too well. There was something deeply tangled in their past—something that wasn’t business.
“You don’t have to let it go,” Marianna said gently. “You’ve suffered a huge loss, and it’s supposed to hurt.”
Alethea grabbed the napkin on the table and dabbed her eyes. “Thank you. Some people think they’re saying the right thing, and I know they mean well. But hearing it’ll get easier makes me even more aware of how bad I feel now.”
“I understand.”
“I know it’s not fair to try and put you in the middle,” she said. “But I think maybe I’ll do better if Nico would talk to me…so I can at least tell him how bad I feel. He was such a big part of my life for those five years, and I have tried so many times to apologize.”
“What happened, exactly?” Marianna asked. The moment the question was out of her mouth, she had a horrible feeling she’d opened Pandora’s box.
“I was smitten with him,” Alethea said. “Who wouldn’t be? He’s gorgeous.”
Jealousy burned in the pit of Marianna’s stomach, but she drowned the feeling with a long gulp of water.
“But I was young, and my family was traditional. I started sneaking out at night to see him, but he said he’d never touch me while he lived there. He couldn’t betray my father’s trust. But I kept hounding him. I wanted to be with him.” She waded her fork through her salad but didn’t eat anything. “Eventually we…you know. I was eighteen and he was twenty-two. I wanted to marry him.”
Marianna forced herself to chew her food slowly so she didn’t react
the way she wanted to. A strange, dark possessiveness reared up inside her—the thought of Nico and Alethea making love burning like a bright, painful orb in her stomach.
“But my father caught us one night. He was furious.” Alethea shook her head. “It’s tradition that women keep their virginity until after marriage here. I don’t believe in such old-fashioned values, but my father did. He fired Nico and kicked him out of the house.”
Marianna suddenly had a whole lot more insight into why Nico had flipped out upon learning she was a virgin. The scenario must had reminded him of the past. Of all he’d lost.
“He was devastated, of course. Nico had become like a son to him, but he didn’t want me to set a bad example for my younger sisters. But it was too late.” Her voice wavered. “I was pregnant and…I told Nico. But I didn’t keep the baby.”
Oh.
“He was so angry, but I couldn’t…” She sucked in a breath. “I couldn’t have a baby at eighteen. I was supposed to go to university, build a life.”
“And he wanted you to keep it?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
Marianna wasn’t sure what to say. Theirs was a complicated and messy history, but it was clear Alethea lived in remorse of her actions. How could Nico not have told her any of this?
“I was so frightened,” she said. “I thought my parents were going to kill me. I thought I’d ruined everything.”
“I’m so sorry.” Marianna reached across the table to squeeze her hand.
“So am I,” she said. “I’m sorry I asked you out to lunch and now I’m a babbling mess. I saw you and your little bump, and it all hit me.”
Marianna startled. No one was supposed to know she was pregnant yet. The dress she’d worn today was loose and flowy, designed to hide her growing stomach.
“I won’t tell anyone,” Alethea promised. “But I saw you tip some of your wine out at the party, and then you refused a glass today. You have that glow, too…and it all came tumbling out because I can’t talk to my mother or my sisters about it. They already think I’m the family screw-up.”
Beauty and the Greek Billionaire Page 14