One Week in Greece

by Demi Alex

  He fit himself between her legs and placed a wet hand on her waist. “No matter what you think, Bethy, I won’t gamble on you. You’re too important to me. I want you around. And if having you as a best friend is how I ensure that, I’m going for it.”

  “Bethany, best friend to her ex-lover, who is now gay.”

  “You know I’m not gay. You know my heart and body are open. But to make us, the three of us, a sure thing, we can’t involve the physical.” He studied her face, saw the regret and relief in her eyes, and he knew he’d made the right decision. She’d be hurt if they had to end a relationship again. He’d be devastated as well. “No matter how our bodies react, we need to listen to our hearts. Nothing between us is casual.”

  “You’re right,” she said, smoothing a hand over his shoulder. “We need to keep it real and be friends…if possible.”

  “It’s possible,” Justin said, happy the sexual tension hadn’t killed their sensibilities. “Do you want to be friends? To reconnect and be there for each other?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “I miss you, too. So no matter how, I want you back in my life. I’ll trust you on this one.”

  She’d always trusted him, which was why he hadn’t been able to understand why she’d reacted as she had when he’d written to her about her father’s puppeteer attempt to control their lives. He’d been so angry with the bastard. But she wasn’t her father. She was his Bethany.

  “Okay. That’s the end of that conversation,” he said, unable to move away, regardless of his mind telling him that the lack of physical distance between them wasn’t typical of friends. “We’re not typical.”

  “What was that?” Bethy asked, bending down to bring her ear closer to his mouth.

  Her scent clouded his mind and he closed his eyes to savor it in private. It was going to be the hardest thing he’d ever do to be just friends with her, but he was up to the challenge. Then with Herculean effort, he inched back into the water.

  “There is something we need to discuss. Something that may cause us problems.”

  She placed her palms on his shoulders and pushed him farther. After sliding into the pool, she swam to the opposite side, and turned to smile back at him. “Spill.”

  “You want to buy the resort. Paul doesn’t want Kosta to sell it.”

  “And you’re stuck in the middle,” she offered, her posture indicating her defensiveness had once again been activated.

  “No. I’m not,” he insisted, gliding close to her and refusing to allow her full retreat. “I’m just the numbers man. I was asked to review and prepare the financial presentation. I will do that and nothing else. Nothing will make me choose between your wants and Paul’s. And I know, when this is over, you and Paul will find common ground. So I’m not going to get stuck anywhere. I’m with both of you, but I will not help either one prevail over the other.”

  “It’s business,” she said, then turned and crossed her forearms on the pool’s edge, looking out at the sea. “What are your personal feelings?”

  “I love this place,” he said. “I want Kosta happy, and I don’t want him making a decision he may regret. Even more, I do not want your father getting his paws on this wonderland. He’d taint it.”

  “I would be running it. Not Edward Michaels. I want this place.”

  Justin cupped her head and placed a kiss on her damp temple. “I’ll have the reports ready for your review in two days.”

  “No more business talk between us?”

  “None. Not my place,” Justin said. “But sweetheart,” he continued, his mouth still against her silky hair, “I’m not too proud to entice you with cookies and coffee every afternoon. And I’ll even wake up early, have that first cup of coffee with you, and watch the sun rise.”

  “Since when do you wake up at the crack of dawn?”

  “Since it means I get to spend more time with you,” Justin said. “Paul is an early bird. Would you like it if he joined us?”

  She smiled and nodded. “It would be nice to get to know him—outside of business hours of course.”

  “Good. One final warning,” he said, holding up a finger. “I will not deny who you are to me. Not to Kosta or anyone else who happens to cross our paths.”

  Chapter Eight

  Still annoyed. Still frustrated.

  Paul had left his uncle on his own and had attempted to tame his irritation with physical labor. It had been a stupid idea, because it had also been years since his summer construction stints. Working out at the gym or playing a few games of handball every week simply hadn’t prepared him for the Greek sun.

  And the only things he’d gained from taking out his frustration on whitewashing the rooftop terrace in the midday heat were aches and pains.

  He rolled his shoulders, wanting a shower and some muscle relief almost as much as he wanted to make his uncle understand he was making a mistake. The man belonged here. They belonged here. This spot of heaven on earth was theirs. No one should make life-altering decisions so soon after losing the love of his life. And Thea Vaso had been Kosta’s one and only.

  He opened the door to the suite and walked into the welcomed cool. “Justin?”

  No reply. The sound of running water in the bathroom told him exactly where he’d find his man, and he immediately thought of a different way to expend his energy. He pulled off the sweat-dampened T-shirt and continued toward the shower, growing hard with the decision on the new way to release some steam.

  Stepping into the large floor-to-ceiling tiled room, he was immediately rewarded. His body reacted with pleasure at the scene before him.

  On the other side of the glass divider, a naked Justin stood beneath a steady stream of water. Eyes closed, head back, suds down the center of his back to the curve of his ass, he looked like a damn Greek statue on display for his pleasure.

  “You’re just what I need,” Paul said. He kicked off his shoes, shucked his jeans, then rounded the glass partition. “Want company?”

  “Always,” Justin replied, attempting to turn and look at him. “I need to speak to you.”

  Paul placed his hands on Justin and kept him standing exactly as he wanted him. Fitting his erection along his tight, soap-sleek, and perfectly toned ass, he wrapped an arm around Justin’s torso and skimmed a work-roughened palm down sculpted abs.

  Either he wanted to talk about the office setup or his rendezvous with the beautiful Bethany. The talk could wait. He couldn’t.

  “I need you. Okay?”

  Fuck did he need.

  “Yeah,” Justin groaned, guiding Paul’s hand south. “More than okay.”

  “It’s been a rough day. You can make it better,” Paul admitted.

  “I’ll make it better,” Justin replied. “You want it strong and quick, love? Or slow and long?”

  Paul didn’t reply. Justin would read his desire.

  He wrapped his fingers around Justin’s shaft, and he went fully erect with only a few strokes. Rounding his thumb over the smooth head, he moved down the thick length and tightened his grasp and pumped.

  He brought his mouth to Justin’s shoulder and bit as he ground himself along his ass, thrusting his hips in tandem to jacking off his lover. He set a punishing rhythm, feeling his climax build and his knees grow week. But when he felt Justin’s balls draw up, he dropped his hand and pinned him up against the cold tile with his groin.

  “Don’t come,” he commanded, moving his hips faster, and watching his cock slide up and down the sleek valley Justin’s cheeks created. “Gyrna.”

  The Greek word for ‘turn’ had become part of their sexual vocabulary. Somehow more guttural and wanton in a groan than the word turn, it seemed fitting.

  “Give me room,” Justin said.

  Paul pressed him harder. “You make it happen.”

  Justin didn’t hesitate. He turned and ground himself against Paul. Cock slid against cock, and Justin crushed his mouth to Paul’s lips and took what Paul of
fered.

  Control shifted, and Justin applied insistent pressure on Paul’s shoulders until he succumbed and lowered to his knees as Justin required.

  Trailing kisses along Justin’s chest, past his sculpted abdomen, Paul sent up silent gratitude for Justin understanding his need. Knowing him so well. He was tired, overwhelmed, and needed to be in the passenger seat.

  Justin had taken the wheel.

  Fingers tangled in his hair, as Justin encouraged him to keep kissing and go lower. Paul did, and once at eye level with a glorious erection and the most perfect pair of balls he ever knew, he was in heaven. Like his cock, Justin’s balls were large and heavy, and he leaned to the side and licked first one, then the other, until Justin pulled on his hair and thrust against his face.

  He was so amazingly handsome.

  Closing his hand around Justin’s base, Paul leaned close, licking and sucking, while working his hand up and down. Justin’s hips bucked and he tugged harder on his hair, directed his mouth where he wanted it, and pushed past his lips.

  “Open wide and take me all,” Justin said, cupping the back of Paul’s head and holding him steady as he drove into him, swept over his tongue, and nudged at the back of his throat.

  It was Justin’s turn to set a brutal rhythm, and he did, allowing no mercy as he filled him.

  “I told you I like you best on your knees, and I do.”

  Paul placed his hands behind Justin’s thighs, relishing each thrust. He nodded, relaxing his throat to take him deeper, enjoying the way Justin used his mouth for his pleasure. Unrelenting, rough, hard, and quick, he didn’t allow opportunity to think or react. Justin claimed him. Marked him. And all Paul could do was accommodate the man.

  Justin pumped faster and groaned as his climax neared. He tugged on Paul’s hair, and ordered him to stop sucking and stay open as he released himself, shooting warm and steady streams of oblivion and ecstasy down his throat.

  When he was done, and Paul had swallowed every drop, Justin sat on the tile beside him and wrapped him in a comforting embrace. Holding him securely against his chest, he pressed his lips to the side of Paul’s head. “I love you.”

  “I love you more,” Paul replied. “Thank you.”

  “I’m also proud of you,” Justin said. “You’re handling everything so well and doing wonderfully. It’ll all work out for the best.”

  Feeling Justin’s arms around him and hearing his reassurance was the best anti-anxiety medicine Paul could ask for. He nodded, and turned his face up for a kiss.

  “Not here,” Justin said, his voice commanding and unyielding. “The lube is by the bed. Place some on your finger and apply it where you know you’ll need it. Then squirt some in your palm and warm it there. Position yourself on the bed, on your knees, shoulders flat on the mattress, ass high in the air. Stay like that and wait for me.”

  Yeah, Justin knew what he needed, and he gave it to him. Making love to him for almost an hour, getting beneath him, taking him in his hand, his mouth, and bringing him to the edge and then pulling back, he cleared Paul’s mind of everything except what he made him feel.

  But Justin kept him suspended in desire, and didn’t let him come down.

  Paul throbbed with need. He pleaded for release, but instead of allowing him to come, Justin teased him more by lubing up his finger and preparing him to take him.

  “Come on, Justin. I’m so fucking ready.”

  “Do something better with that mouth than talk,” Justin growled and returned to stand at the side of the bed.

  His knees ached, his back hurt, but he kept his rear up and available. With fingers stretching him and mouth occupied, the yearning within Paul grew and need kept him hovering in a heated haze of passion. Justin moved, disturbing the status quo, and Paul groaned in agony. He lifted to Justin’s fingers, but they were gone.

  “I’m here, Paul,” Justin said. “I’m going to give you what you need now.”

  Justin spread Paul’s knees farther apart. Paul felt more lube drip on to his skin, and then Justin entered him in one smooth thrust.

  “That’s it, Paul. Just feel. Let it all go and feel.”

  Justin curved over Paul’s back and finally wrapped his strong fingers around Paul’s need. Slow and steady, with patience and tenderness, Justin took them over the edge together, and with the volatile climax raking his body, Paul experienced the euphoric liberation he needed from the day’s stress. He fell to the mattress, entangled in Justin’s embrace, and let the welcomed relief lull him to a peaceful bliss.

  “Sleep, love,” Justin said.

  “No. Give me a minute to catch my breath, then we’ll talk.”

  “It can wait,” Justin said, spooning Paul and pulling him tight against his chest.

  From the pressure of his touch and the tone in his voice, Paul knew the talk had nothing to do with the office setup.

  “Tell me what happened with Bethany.”

  “We worked it out,” Justin said, smoothing his hand over Paul’s hair and breathing against his ear. “We agreed to be friends, and will be such forever.”

  “That’s great. I’m looking forward to getting to know her once this bullshit is all behind us.” Paul hugged Justin’s hand against his chest.

  “Paul, she’s in our life for good.”

  “I know, babe. I expected as much. I know how much she means to you, so I’m happy you made up. You’ll make special memories together this week.”

  “Yes. We will,” Justin said, landing a tender kiss on Paul’s neck. “Now go to sleep, love. We’re picking her up for dinner in two hours.”

  Chapter Nine

  Justin pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the screen for the time. “We have fifteen minutes. Mind getting a move on?”

  Paul spit mouthwash into the sink, then met Justin’s gaze in the mirror. The few hours Paul had spent in the Greek sun had already taken effect. By the end of the week, his brown hair would be highlighted with blond, and his sculpted abs and golden tan would rival any Hollywood leading man’s beach body.

  And in order to enjoy their time in Greece, Justin had to find a way to get him past the turmoil with the resort and settle his unease. The sale was beyond his control, and in all the years Justin had known Paul, rarely was anything not in his control.

  “I’m ready.” Justin buttoned his white linen shirt and smoothed it over his chest. “Whereas you’re still naked.”

  Paul wiped a towel over his face and turned toward him with a dismissive shrug. He leaned his butt on the marble countertop and folded his arms across his chest. “Babe, I’m tired. I have a really long day tomorrow. Go on ahead without me.”

  “Hell no. You’re not playing it like that.”

  Justin needed Paul and Bethany together, interacting and getting to know each other. Maybe he was being self-centered in pushing Paul when he was so preoccupied, but he truly felt it would do him good to get out. And, he wasn’t going to settle for two independent relationships. Paul and Bethany had to connect.

  “You said you could handle this new relationship. You’re supposed to be able to separate business and pleasure. Separate. Then dress. I’ll meet you next door in a few.”

  Justin strolled out of the bathroom, and five seconds later out the door. Walking away was all he could do to keep his own anxiety from messing with Paul. He glanced at the dark window next door and wondered how Bethy was handling it all. He so badly wanted them to get along. They were the two most important people in his life.

  Having a few minutes before they were supposed to meet, he made his way through the moonlit grounds to the hotel bar and was met by a gorgeous Bethany, in a sexy as all hell light blue sundress.

  No. He couldn’t think of her as sexy or gorgeous. Fuck no. She was only a friend.

  “You look very pretty tonight,” he said.

  “Hi,” she said, patting the seat next to hers. “Christo is pouring me some ouzo. Want one?”

 
; “Christo?” Justin raised a brow at the known womanizer, then situated himself between Bethany and the bar. No need for Christo to enjoy the view and get any funky ideas about her. “Liquid courage from Paul’s cousin, the island’s lothario?”

  “The Island Lothario?” She winked at Christo and raised her shoulders. “Impressive title. Well this lecherous and handsome man is treating me well and very professionally. No complaints to the management.” Lifting the ouzo, she smiled. “Cheers.”

  The ultra-powerful shot disappeared in a single gulp.

  “Yia mas,” Christo called.

  “Don’t you have work or something?” Justin motioned toward a new couple that had arrived, but Christo didn’t leave. He chuckled and pretended to wash glasses while remaining within earshot. Justin didn’t care what the other man overheard; neither did he worry about Paul’s cousin misunderstanding, so he turned his full attention to Bethany.

  Being complete and honest friends was hard. He didn’t really want to know she considered other men handsome, and he didn’t like anyone flirting so brazenly with her and her liking it.

  And she didn’t need to drink ouzo for courage. She was going to be with him, so he’d be her courage. That was their deal. Had always been their deal. But when he turned back to reassure her, he had to force himself to breathe. She was tracing her tongue over her full lips and smiling at the taste of the ouzo.

  He wanted to taste those lips.

  “Best taste ever,” he said, groaning as she turned those lips up in a sultry smile.

  “Want some?”

  He did. He really did. But, no.

  If he got one tiny little taste of her, he’d pull her back to his room, force Paul to kiss her, and assure that they were both equally addicted to her taste and both in agreement about tearing up their temporary agreement. Because that’s what she was…pure and simple addiction. So addictive he’d fallen for her all over when he’d seen her on the ferry.

  “Nah,” he said.

  “Yeah, it’s a little hard to stomach,” she admitted, placing her hand on his shoulder for what he was sure was balance as she sat back down on the stool. “The first shot really burned. This one went down easy.”