Blazing Bedtime Stories, Volume IX: The EqualizerGod's Gift to Women

by Rhonda Nelson;Karen Foley

  “I doubt that would ever happen,” she said. She paused, her glass halfway to her mouth. “Wait. Are you suggesting that we’ll have the opportunity to get to know each other?”

  He smiled, revealing a deep dimple in one cheek. Something shifted in Lexi’s chest at the sight.

  “I’m going to be spending a lot of time working here—it only makes sense that we’ll get to know each other,” he said. “If you’d like to, that is.”

  Lexi felt as if she stood on the edge of a precipice, and one unwary step would send her plummeting over the edge. Her heart began to thump hard at the implicit suggestion in his voice. Did she want to get to know Nikos Christakos on a personal level? On an intimate level, unless she was misreading the expression in his eyes? She wasn’t sure. He was too gorgeous, too intimidating. He made her pulse race and her mouth go dry just looking at him. Beyond that, there was a certain comfort in not knowing too much about him. She could imagine him however she wanted, without the fear of his human imperfections—if he had any—ruining her perception of him. Right now, at this moment, he was the ideal man.

  But to pass up such an opportunity…she would never again meet anyone like him in her life, she was sure. She could limit their relationship to a platonic lunch on this patio, but she would always wonder what else she might have missed. She’d never had a relationship based solely on physical attraction, but now she wondered if it might not have its benefits. She didn’t know if she was the kind of woman who could separate her emotions from sex, but she knew she would regret it if she just walked away.

  Besides, Nelda had been right about one thing—getting to know Nikos would mean she would have easy access to him for her sculpture, even if he refused to sit for her.

  Drawing a deep breath, she stepped out over the edge. “Yes,” she said, letting her eyes search his. “I would like to get to know you better. A lot better, actually.”

  * * *

  AN HOUR LATER, NIKOS CARRIED the picnic basket back into the house. While he had eaten two of the Caprese sandwiches and nearly all the fruit, Lexi had found her stomach in a sudden tangle of nerves. She had picked at the fruit and hadn’t done justice to either the sandwich or the dessert. If Nikos had noticed, he didn’t comment. He’d kept up a comfortable stream of conversation, talking first about the weather and then about the work he was doing on the house. Lexi had latched on to the subject gratefully, and now she followed him inside and looked around at the empty rooms. The interior was similar in layout and style to her own house, except that the previous owners had painted everything in pastel colors and had installed wall-to-wall carpeting throughout.

  “So what are you going to do in here?” she asked, indicating the main living room with its wide double doors and abundance of painted woodwork.

  Nikos came to stand beside her, so close that she could smell the sunscreen he had applied earlier, warm and fragrant now from the heat of his skin. She breathed deeply, hoping he didn’t notice.

  “First, I’m going to strip away this paint to reveal the natural wood,” he said, gesturing expansively with his hands. “There are beautiful hardwood floors beneath this carpeting, so I’ll expose them, as well.”

  “I thought it was strange that everything has been painted,” she mused. “My own house still has the original finish on the woodwork.”

  “You’re fortunate,” Nikos said. “How long have you lived there?”

  Lexi grimaced. “Almost thirty years. I grew up in that house. My parents passed away several years ago and left the property to me.” She sensed his surprise. “Trust me,” she said drily, “I could never afford to live there otherwise. I’m sure that if I had brothers and sisters, the house would have been sold after my parents died. But, it’s just me, and I love the house and the neighborhood. I’ve had offers from real estate agents, but I’ve never wanted to sell.”

  Even with the floundering economy, Santa Barbara had retained its home values, and the houses on the street where Lexi lived were some of the most desirable, situated on what was referred to as the American Riviera. The house that Nikos was restoring had been listed for over a million dollars, which meant that whoever had hired him to do the restoration work could afford to pay him well. No wonder he hadn’t been interested in modeling for her; he probably had no need for the extra money.

  “I’d like to see the inside of your house,” he remarked.

  Lexi knew he didn’t mean right then, but suddenly she was reluctant to have the afternoon end. “Well, if you have time, I could show it to you now. I mean, if you don’t have to get back to work right away.”

  He grinned, his teeth white against his tanned skin. “I set my own hours. Besides, I can always call it job-related research.”

  Lexi was acutely conscious of him as he followed her outside and along the sidewalk to her own home. But when she glanced back at him, she saw his eyes were on her house, and not on her.

  “Was this built by the Green brothers?” he asked, standing back to survey her home with appreciative eyes.

  “I don’t know,” Lexi confessed. “It’s been in my family for ages.”

  The two-story bungalow was small by any standards, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in charm and character. They climbed the front steps until they stood on the wide, covered veranda, and Nikos took a moment to admire the substantial columns that supported the overhanging roof.

  “The craftsmanship is amazing,” he commented, indicating the ceiling of the veranda. He leaned over the low wall to peer up at the side of the house. “Look at the decorative knee braces and elaborated rafter ends. Very nice.”

  Lexi raised an eyebrow, amused in spite of herself. Had she really thought he might be interested in her? With a soft huff of laughter, she pushed open the front door and stepped inside. He followed her, and although he didn’t immediately say anything, she could sense his delight with the house. The floor plan was spacious, and the living room flowed into the dining room and kitchen, with lots of windows and doors to the exterior veranda and back deck.

  Lexi’s own decorating style ran to the simplistic, partly because she couldn’t be bothered to maintain a fussy home, and mostly because she didn’t want anything to detract from the natural beauty of the interior. A large stone fireplace dominated the living room with built-in cabinetry and bookcases on either side. Beamed ceilings gave the rooms a cozy, rustic look. Through the wide doors that led to the dining room, there were more built-ins, including a china cabinet and buffet, and a simple wainscot with a plate rail.

  Taking the basket from him, she set it down on the dining table and watched as Nikos walked through the rooms. He looked at everything, sometimes running his fingertips along a cabinet or molding. His touch was almost reverent, and Lexi knew a moment of intense envy that her woodwork should elicit such awe. What would it be like to have him touch her with such deference?

  “Would you like to see the upstairs?” she asked carefully. “There are just two bedrooms and a bathroom, but they’ve been maintained in near-original condition. Except for the bathroom. The original claw-foot tub is still there, but I had a shower installed several years ago for practical reasons.”

  He turned to her then, and his green eyes drifted over her in a way that told Lexi he was imagining her in that tub. “You don’t like taking baths?”

  “Oh, no,” she protested. “I love soaking in a tub, but not when it’s eight o’clock in the morning and I’m already late for work. I save that luxury for the evening, when I need to relax.”

  “Hmm.” The sound was like a hum of approval deep in his throat. “I’d like to see that. Your upstairs, I mean.”

  Lexi knew exactly what he meant.

  “This way.” She led him up the twisting staircase, her heart starting to thud unevenly in her chest. When she risked a glance over her shoulder at him, she saw his eyes were on her and not on the carved banister or handcrafted newel posts. He reminded her of a large, predatory cat. Even when she caught him stari
ng, he didn’t look away.

  Lexi shivered. Logic told her that she didn’t know the first thing about this guy. She should have her head examined for inviting a virtual stranger into her home. But instinct told her that she didn’t need to be afraid of Nikos. He wouldn’t do anything she wasn’t completely ready for. But the expression in his eyes as he watched her caused her heart to thump unsteadily and a slow heat to slide beneath her skin.

  “Here we are,” she said as they reached the top of the staircase. Her voice sounded breathless. Nikos came to stand beside her, dwarfing the upper landing with his height and sheer presence. “The bathroom is at the end of the hall.”

  But instead of walking to the door that Lexi indicated, he entered the nearest room. “Is this where you sleep?”

  “Yes.” Lexi stepped into the room behind Nikos, seeing it through his eyes. She’d purchased the massive iron sleigh bed after she’d sold her first sculpture. It dominated the room, flanked by deep windows and heaped with pillows and a lofty down comforter. An upholstered chair occupied one corner of the room, and Lexi had grouped a half dozen pillar candles and votives on a small table under a far window, with the breathtaking views of Santa Barbara and the sea in the distance. Sunlight dappled the hardwood floors and cast bright blocks of light across the bed.

  “You’re a romantic,” Nikos said, glancing around the room.

  “Oh, no,” Lexi protested with a small laugh. “I am definitely a realist.”

  “You say that with such certainty.”

  He turned to look at her with a new intensity in his expression, as if she somehow puzzled him. Lexi tucked a strand of hair behind one ear, feeling inexplicably shy. Here she was, in her bedroom, with possibly the world’s most gorgeous man staring at her with a mixture of amusement and lazy interest.

  “Yes, well, I guess I’ve heard it enough times that I actually believe it,” she said, laughing self-consciously.

  She was unprepared when he put a finger beneath her chin and tipped her face up. His expression was so intense that Lexi stopped breathing. He searched her face for a moment, his eyes drifting over her features and lingering on her mouth.

  “Well, I don’t believe it,” he murmured softly.

  “You don’t?” Lexi heard herself ask. Her voice sounded breathy and low, almost hypnotized. “Why not?”

  “Because a realist wouldn’t wear such a sexy red dress, or put together such a delicious picnic lunch, or look at me the way you’re looking at me right now.”

  Lexi felt her insides begin to liquefy. “How am I looking at you?” she whispered, but if her body’s helpless response to him was any indication, she already knew.

  Nikos took a step closer, until she could feel his heat and see the individual gold-and-brown stubble just visible on his jaw. With his finger still beneath her chin, he slid his free hand through her hair to cup the nape of her neck.

  “Like you want me to kiss you,” he murmured softly, and bending his head, he covered her mouth with his own.

  The touch of his lips completed her internal meltdown, and with a soft sigh, Lexi leaned into him. She didn’t know what she had been expecting, but nothing could have prepared her for the potency of his kiss. With one hand still cradling her head, his other hand slid to her back and drew her closer. Completely surrounded by his heat, hardness and scent, Lexi could only cling mindlessly to him. His mouth was warm and firm, moving with seductive gentleness over hers, urging her lips apart to allow for the intrusion of his tongue.

  Lexi heard herself make a low, moaning sound of pleasure, and her hands curled around his arms, her fingers digging into his hard triceps. He deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding hotly against hers while his fingers buried themselves in her hair and angled her head for better access. Lexi wanted to consume him, to wind her body around his and give herself over to the incredible sensations he aroused in her. Her blood pulsed thickly in her veins and heat bloomed low in her abdomen as he explored her mouth.

  When Nikos finally lifted his head, she felt dazed and a little unsteady. He didn’t release her, but stroked his thumb along her jaw. His eyes looked sleepy with desire and when he spoke, his voice was a husky rasp.

  “Just how well would you like us to get to know each other?” One corner of his delectable mouth lifted in a half smile, but Lexi sensed the tightly coiled tension in his body as he waited for her answer.

  The heat in his expression, combined with the touch of his fingers along her cheek, made it difficult for her to recall why getting involved with Nikos was a bad idea. He was too gorgeous to resist. Did she have the ability to keep her emotions under tight wraps and not fall for this guy? She didn’t know; she only knew that she wanted him more than she could recall ever wanting another man. Even Ethan hadn’t made her feel this sweet, insistent urgency. She had no doubt that once she got to know the real Nikos, she would be disappointed by what she found, but right now she didn’t care.

  “Let’s just say that since I saw you that first day, I’ve been dying to get my hands on you,” she finally said, daring to meet his eyes and emboldened by what she saw there. “I want to know every inch of you.”

  “That sounds perfect,” he said simply, and bent his head to hers.

  4

  HER LIPS WERE INCREDIBLY SOFT and she tasted like a combination of sweet strawberries and lemon. Nikos really did feel like the Big Bad Wolf, his desire to devour her was so strong. Even the knowledge that he was behaving like a complete hypocrite couldn’t diminish the lust that swamped him.

  He wasn’t unaware of his own looks, or the fact that others found him attractive, but he’d made a promise to himself eight years ago not to use his looks to take advantage of others, or to let others exploit him. But right now, with Lexi Adams making soft moans of pleasure as he kissed her, he didn’t care what her reasons were for wanting him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such an urgent need to see a woman spread out beneath him, and he desperately wanted to see if Lexi came close to the fantasy images he had of her in his head.

  He buried his fingers in her silky hair, angling his mouth across hers for deeper penetration. She made a noise of approval and stroked her tongue against his, sliding one hand to the nape of his neck. Her fingers were cool against his heated skin. Nikos dragged his mouth from hers and sucked in a steadying breath. He needed to slow down, because as much as he wanted Lexi, he also wanted to savor every moment of what was to come.

  “I want to see you,” she whispered on a ragged exhale. “I want to see all of you.”

  Her dark eyes were a little hazy with pleasure, and her mouth was moist from his kisses. Nikos immediately reached a hand behind his head and grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt, dragging it off. Lexi helped him, pushing it up over his chest and then letting her hands linger on his skin.

  “You are so beautiful,” she breathed, her gaze raking over his body. She traced a fingertip down the deep groove that bisected his torso, admiring his pecs and stomach. “I could just look at you forever.”

  In all the years that Nikos had deliberately used his body to make a living, he’d rarely felt an emotional connection with any of the women who had admired him or tried to get closer to him. In fact, he’d felt a certain amount of disdain for them, especially toward the end, when he’d finally matured enough to realize they didn’t really care about him. But with Lexi, it didn’t seem to matter if she was only interested in his body; he wanted to give her whatever she desired. He didn’t know the first thing about her, but everything about her appealed to him. He wanted her more than he’d wanted any woman in a very long time.

  “You can do more than just look.” He smiled, using the back of his knuckles to sweep her hair from her face. Her expression was one of feminine desire, and Nikos felt his body harden in response. “Tell me what you want.”

  “I want you to kiss me again,” she entreated softly, and reached up to wind her arms around his neck.

  Nikos gave a groan of surrender and, bending his
head, fused his lips to hers. At the same time, he lifted her into his arms. She made a startled sound of surprise and clutched at his shoulders as he made his way across the room to her bed. She laughed as he lowered a knee onto the mattress and laid her across the comforter, and then collapsed beside her, pretending to have strained himself with the effort.

  “I’m just kidding,” he reassured her with a grin, rolling toward her. “You don’t weigh that much.”

  “Come here,” she said, laughing.

  She welcomed him into her arms as naturally as if they’d been lovers for years, although he would have staked his life on the fact that making love with a virtual stranger wasn’t something Lexi Adams made a habit of. Even now, as he studied her face, she swept her lashes down, hiding her eyes from him. He pressed his mouth against each fragile eyelid, hearing her uneven breathing and knowing that if he slid his hand over her breast, he would feel the frantic beat of her heart against his palm. Instead, he dragged his mouth along the curve of her cheek and then teased her lips with his tongue, licking and kissing their plumpness. With a soft gasp, she turned her head to follow the trail he made, seeking more of the sensual contact. Nikos complied, slanting his mouth across hers and kissing her deeply. She arched against him and her hands slid over his shoulders, her fingers smoothing down his back.

  Rolling to his side, Nikos pulled Lexi with him, one hand sliding along her hip until his fingers encountered the smooth, cool skin of her thigh. Capturing her leg, he draped it across his hips as he continued to kiss her. She moaned and pushed closer, clutching at his back. Lust, hot and urgent, jackknifed through his gut. His cock throbbed where he pressed against her center and all he could think about was driving himself into her heat. She’d be tight and slick, and he wanted to see her lose control.

  Nikos raised his head and stared down at her. Afternoon sunlight slanted through the nearby window and bathed her skin in a warm glow. Her irises were almost black, with tiny copper splotches near the pupil, like gold coins tossed into a deep well. Right now, her eyes were cloudy with pleasure, and her pale skin had taken on a faint flush of color. Her breathing came in soft pants against his neck, and her fingertips smoothed distracted circles over his shoulder blades.