Grounded

by Jennifer Smith

  "It’s quite a sight," he agreed, though she didn’t notice he wasn’t looking at the scenery. "Tomorrow we’ll have a meeting with the curator of ancient artifacts, then afterwards, we’ll take a tour of the Vatican, and St. Peter’s, if you’d like."

  "That would be wonderful. I really can’t believe all of this, Dion. Thank you," she said, and standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him on the cheek. He just stood there - mute. Floored by her goodness, by her innocence, and by her utter decency.

  "You’re welcome," he said softly. He was uncomfortable as hell, but she didn’t seem to notice because she was back at the railing, leaning over it, squealing with innocent delight. For a moment, he longed to do nothing more than take her in his arms and share in her delight.Shit, what the hell is wrong with me?Taking a few calming breaths he reined in his emotions, clamped down on them with unshakeable control, and cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should go to out to dinner? You must be hungry by now."

  She turned back to him, her face flushed with excitement, and he felt his implacable control begin to slip.

  "I would love to," she said. "Give me thirty minutes to get ready."

  "I’ll be back then," he said. He turned on his heel and went back to his room.

  Kicking off his shoes, Dion shook his head. He peeled off his clothing as he headed to the shower. Standing under the hot spray, he contemplated his reactions to Patty’s joy. One human female should not be able to make him feel the way he was feeling right now. Not only was there a physical reaction, like the obvious one he had right now in spite of himself, but Patty pulled at something deep inside of him. Pulled at something no one else ever had. At something he hadn’t even been fully aware had existed within him.

  A Greek-fucking-god, that’s what he was! He was Dionysus, the son of Aurora, Goddess of Light. He was the brother of Ira, the God of Wrath. He was the freaking son of Zeus himself! Dionysus, the God of Wine and Revelry, the god of fucking women’s brains out! That’s who the hell he was, and hadn’t he proven he was worthy of the name? Hadn’t he spent his lifetime enjoying wine, women and song across both worlds? Hadn’t he left hundreds, nay, thousands, of women wanting more of him, even though they could barely move when he was through with them? Hadn’t he taken revelry to new freaking heights?

  Rinsing off, he took a calming breath, stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, which he rubbed quickly over his body and head. He leaned on the sink and stared into the mirror. The face before him was ever familiar, not having changed in a few thousand years, but he didn’t usually look at himself. Now he examined his face, his eyes, his hair, and his body.

  Never had he wondered what his life meant. Never had he questioned who he was. Never had he doubted his goals. Never had he thought of changing for anyone. So why was he having such a problem with all of that now? Why was one woman invading his thoughts through the days and his dreams at night?

  Perhaps he just needed to fuck her until she begged him to stop. Perhaps it was only lust. Perhaps all he needed was to get her naked and under himto get all of this, this…emotionalcrap out of his system.

  Having come to that decision, Dion stepped back and looked at himself again. There, that was all he needed. A good, long talk with himself to figure out the problem and to figure out a workable solution. After all, wasn’t that what he did? Find solutions for problems?

  He exhaled; satisfied he would have it worked out of his system by the time this night was over. He went back into the bedroom and dressed. Black slacks, black turtleneck with a black blazer thrown over it, and black shoes on his feet. Against all that black clothing, his blonde hair looked paler, his eyes that much darker. She’d be a fool to turn this down, he thought, and smiled. Greek god or no, he was hella hot!

  ~ 5 ~

  Seduction

  Holding her chair, Dion seated Patty at a table covered in white lace, set with silver candlesticks holding tall, white tapered candles that flickered carelessly in the breeze. The waiter poured champagne into delicate crystal flutes for them both, and served the meal on elegant china, then discreetly disappeared. From a distance, violin music floated on the air, mingling with the soft scent of the roses Dion had given her. He’d planned their dinner on the balcony of his room to the last detail while she getting ready, and from the look on her face, he knew he’d made the perfect choice.

  "I can’t believe you did all of this," Patty exclaimed. "It’s so perfect, so wonderful. So much better than a restaurant."

  "I’m glad you like it," he replied and poured them more champagne.

  Conversation was light as they ate anti-pasta, followed by channel lobster, and for dessert, there was zuppa ingles, a wonderful rum-soaked cake layered with pastry cream.

  Dion found himself hanging on her every word, noting her every reaction. He couldn’t get enough of her, and he wanted to know everything about her.

  "I was so average growing up," Patty told him as she licked cream from her fingers. "My dad was a pharmacist, my mother was his assistant. They were best friends and I don’t ever remember them fighting. We lived in the same house where my father was born and I went to the same schools he went to, and when I was a teenager, I worked in the pharmacy after school. Then I began keeping the books for them, doing the taxes, so when I was ready for college, I didn’t even have to think about what I wanted to do with my life. I majored in business."

  She paused to drink deeply from her champagne, and Dion could sense a change in her mood. He brushed his hand over hers, squeezing it reassuringly.

  "When I was a junior at Columbia, my father had a massive coronary and died. I missed a full semester so I could stay with my mom, although she kept telling me to go back to school. Finally, I felt like if I didn’t go back, I never would, so… " Her voice trailed off.

  She took another drink from her glass. "I went back, finished the semester I’d missed then took summer classes to make up for lost time. I graduated with my class and my mom was there to watch me get my diploma."

  "I bet she was proud of you," he said.

  Patty nodded, but a tear slipped down her cheek. "She was. She died two months later."

  "I’m sorry. I didn’t know," he said and held her hand in his.

  Wiping her cheek with the linen napkin, she smiled softly. "It’s all right. It was a long time ago."

  "Even so, it can’t be easy to lose your parents. You don’t have brothers or sister?"

  "No, I’m an only child. How about you? What’s your story, Dion?"

  He almost choked, but managed to force a smile. "Nothing special," he replied. "I have one older brother and my parents are still around, though I don’t see my father very much."

  "They’re divorced?"

  "No," he said and chuckled. "Actually, they were never married."

  "Oh, that’s pretty common, you know. It’s no big deal."

  Dion laughed out loud. "If you only knew my parents," he began then stopped and shook his head. "Dance with me."

  It wasn’t a question. He stood, still holding her hand, and pulled her to her feet.

  The music soared and the lights from inside dimmed. Beneath the clear skies and a full moon that seemed to appear from nowhere, Patty felt as if she was floating. Her breasts were pressed against his muscular as he held her gently, yet securely, to him. She felt warm and safe and breathless and calm and excited and tingly and hot and… so hot.

  Everything about her felt hot, inside and outside, from the hair on her head to the soles

  of her feet. And he felt so strong and sure of himself, and her heart beat hard against his chest.

  His scent was unlike any she’d ever known before—spicy and wild—and she felt as if it was curling inside her, sliding into her senses, flowing along her bloodstream.

  Please don’t let this end-please don’t let this end!If just once a wish would come true, it was this one Patty wanted more than any other. Just let the music keep playing, she thought, and let the dance go on forever.

&
nbsp; Her heart hammered against his chest, and Dion could not only feel it, he could hear it. At least he hoped it was hers, because his was hammering just as hard. Her hair felt like silk against his cheek as he danced her slowly across the balcony. Her scent was delicate, sweet, alluring, soft, and every fiber of his being came alive. The wanting of her was so intense, and only surpassed by his need for her. His senses had come alive. They were so keen, he felt stronger, bigger,morethan he ever had before in his life. And that was saying something. His awareness of her was as sharp as the edge of a razor. He knew her on a level he couldn’t explain and it left him breathless.

  They were no longer moving, just swaying gently back and forth, their gazes locked. Her tongue flicked out and she licked her lips in a nervous gesture. Dion dipped his head and their lips touched, gently, slowly, and sparks flew. Electricity crackled on the air, lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder rolled loud and long. Dion suppressed a sigh. His family was so overly dramatic! Ignoring the show they were putting on, he scooped Patty into his arms and carried her inside.

  There were no words between them. Patty found she couldn’t speak even when she tried. Blood hummed through her veins, her skin burned, and she knew the only one who could soothe her body and soul was the man who was now stripping her out of her clothing. When she was bare before him, she felt no embarrassment, no shyness, only a freedom she’d never known in her life with any other man. Then she found herself pulling at his clothing, helping him out of them, and when he was naked, she gasped.

  His body was a work of art. Sculpted, was the word that came to her mind. Sculpted by a talented artist. Not even the David was so finely crafted, she thought, and then frowned when she imagined she heard a smug, self-satisfied chuckle echoing in the distance. Something was very different about Dion. It was something she wasn’t sure she wanted to know, yet it was something she badly wanted to ask. And she would.

  Later. Much, much later.

  His large hands were impossibly gentle when they touched her. Caressing her cheek, he cupped her face and bent to press his lips to hers. They sizzled again, and again, thunder boomed. Dion didn’t seem to notice the sounds as he urged her mouth open and swept his tongue inside. Oh, this was the kiss she’d dreamed of, this was the kiss she’d read about. This was the kiss that had her knees shaking and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to continue standing. As if he’d read her mind, Dion wrapped his arms around her, lifting her to him, holding her against his hard, yet velvety soft body.

  She shivered as the kiss continued. If she died now, she’d diesohappy! Her kiss was heady and warm and sweet, like fine wine. And like fine wine, it went straight to his head. Both of them. Never had he been turned on like this, never had the want been so wrapped up in such need, and not just physically, either.

  There was something moving through him that went deeper and deeper, until it had wrapped itself around his soul. Desire rose up in him, but this time it wasn’t a beast seeking to be fed; it wasn’t driving him, it was leading him. It was moving him to give more of himself than just his body, and while somewhere his mind questioned such an outrageous thought, trying to analyze it, his heart had taken over. Never had his heart been involved in any of the activities his body had indulged in; never had his soul sat up and taken notice. Yet, here, now, with her, not only was his mind and body engaged in a single pursuit, his heart and soul were also fully involved.

  Laying her back on the bed, he switched on the reading light. Not enough to invade the intimacy they were sharing, but enough so that he could see her, so that he could look into her eyes. So she could see him. He wanted her to know him, wanted her to look into his eyes. Could she see his soul there? Would his heart be visible to her now?

  She looked like an angel as she lay looking up at him. His heart banged hard against his chest as he came down beside her. He gazed at her, softly stroking her cheek with his fingers, and one thought loomed in his mind. This was the woman for him. His. She was his. The decision came simply in that moment, without preamble, without fear, without question.

  Kissing her again, he moved his hands over her body, over her smooth, silky skin. Her tits were lush, luscious, and he feasted on her nipples, while his hands continued to roam on their own. Moving over her belly, over her hips, down her thigh, and back up her inner thigh to the V of downy hair. Her legs parted and his fingers dipped into her pussy.

  The musky scent wafted into his nostrils and sent desire curling through his body until it gripped his balls. His cock was so hard it hurt and he’d thought it couldn’t get any harder, but he was wrong. The scent of her stiffened him further and he groaned into her mouth.

  The feel of his skin on hers sent ripples of ecstasy through Patty’s body. Her nipples had beaded beneath his touch and ached for more of him. Her entire body ached for his touch, ached to have him on her, in her, filling her, stretching her, pounding her over and over. Why was he taking so long? Her pussy was wet and when his fingers slid into her, she exhaled into his mouth as her hips began rocking against his hand. She wanted more, needed more, and had to have more of him. She moved her hands over his arms, raking her nails across his skin, unable to stay still. She sucked on his tongue, her body writhing against his.

  More. More. More.Just give me more, the voice in her head screamed. Or did she say it out loud?

  Patty’s soft moans and silent demands for more inflamed Dion almost to the point of losing all control. Coming up on his knees, he pulled her up with him and lifting her off the bed. Facing her toward the wall, her hands flat against it, Dion spread her legs like she was about to be searched. In fact, she was, but no policeman would be involved here.

  "Don’t move," he growled in a low voice.

  Gathering her hair in his hand, he pulled her head back and sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck. He wrapped his other hand around her waist and pulled her hard against his stomach and chest.

  His tongue made a path over her shoulder and down her back as he held her firmly to him. Her silken skin tasted like honey, and he continued his journey over her body.

  Dropping to his knees behind her, he kissed her lush ass then ran his tongue between the twin cheeks. Moaning at her delicate, musky odor, he moved down her leg, nibbled at the bend of her knee, and licked down her calf. Moving to the other leg, he licked her calf, pausing to nibble the bend of that knee and then snaked his tongue up her other thigh, back to her ass. He turned to sit flat on the floor with his head between her legs, and found her the perfect height as his mouth came level with her pussy. Using his fingers to part the sensitive folds, he lapped at her with his tongue until her hands were no longer on the wall, but wrapped in his hair.

  "No!" she moaned when he stopped his ministrations.

  Grinning wickedly, he looked up at her and said, "Put your hands back on the wall. Every time you move your hands from the wall, I stop."

  Her hands smacked the wall and he chuckled as his tongue flicked her clit. Teasing it back and forth made her roll her head and rock her hips, but when he latched onto it and sucked, she screamed and went wild with the pleasure he was giving her.

  She fell to the floor, unable to stand on her own, but he continued to lap at her, to suck her clit as she came and came, screaming with the force of her release. She sucked deep, ragged breaths into her lungs, her entire body shaking.

  Without giving her time to recover, he worked his tongue over her body again. When he reached her mouth, she wrapped her fingers in his hair, and whispered, "In me."

  Dion moved over her and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he slid deep inside her hot, wet pussy. He moved. She moved.Ah, just like that.Bracing a hand on either side of her, he arched his back, plundering her body with his own. And she met him thrust for thrust, riding it out with him, coaxing him onward with her deep moans of delight. Sweat poured from his body, mixing with hers. Higher and higher they took one another, until she cried out his name and he poured into her, his orgasm shaking him to his
core.

  Falling to one side so he didn’t crush her, Dion panted hard as he tried to catch his breath. Good god, had he ever come so hard? Had he ever experienced an orgasm so intensely? He could feel it all the way to his toes, to the roots of his hair; even his fingernails seemed to tingle.

  When his breathing had returned to a more normal cadence, he pulled her on top of him and gazed into her eyes. God, she was beautiful. Had he ever thought otherwise? How could he have ever thought she wasn’t his type? That she wasn’t exactly what he needed? Hell, he needed her with every fiber of his being, and not only did he need her, he was in love with her. And she had better feel the same way, or by Zeus, there would be hell to pay.

  So, okay, maybe not hell to pay, he amended to himself, but if she didn’t love him now, he would spend the rest of forever convincing her she should.

  ~ 6 ~

  The Goddess Has Spoken

  Patty awoke and looked around. Confused for only a moment, she rolled over and found the bed empty, but still warm on the other side. Pushing the covers back, she slid out of the bed and padded to the bathroom where she heard the shower running. She opened the door, and Dion looked up and smiled, then pulled her into the shower with him. Last night had not been a dream, and she quickly discovered he was just as passionate in the light of day as he was in the deep, dark night.