by Pamela Ann
Before I could mumble anything coherent as I brushed my teeth, he came over. I watched him stand behind me and plant a soft kiss to my shoulder. His captivating eyes never left me, waiting for me to say something—anything.
“Kaliméra,” he murmured, his lips lingering against my hot skin then trailing all the way to the base of my neck, brushing, teasing me to no end. “Thank you. Thank you for staying.”
Busying myself, I finished washing my mouth off before lightly patting a soft towel against my lips. Then I spun around to face his golden nakedness, seeking those glowy eyes, wanting them to really look at me—the woman who had come a long way from the lost and broken girl who had no direction, was careless, and truly vindictive. I was a person that was rather decent and not too shabby, if I allowed myself to be honest.
“Kaliméra,” I said with a faded smile playing on my lips. “I’m humbled that you chose me, scars and all. When I said I love you, I meant each word, knowing what kind of commitment that came with it. Loving you doesn’t come with stipulation that would lead me to walk away once it gets shaky. Whatever drove you to do what you did, I need you to know that I’m here. I’m here to catch you when you’re feeling unsteady and insecure.
“This might not come so easily, I know. But you must understand that if you want this—us—to work, you have to speak up and talk. You shouldn’t seek other people’s ears to hear you out. I’m here, if you only allow me. Because, if you do this again, Dimi,” I paused, feeling choked up, “I can’t guarantee that I’ll still be here, standing and trying to smile amidst the hurt that you’ve caused.
“And if you’re wondering why I haven’t asked for your confession, it’s because I don’t want to hear it. I don’t need to know because looking at your face is enough to tell me how guilty you are. You must know this love I have for you is so much greater than what I felt for Brody. I know what you and I have. That’s why I can’t so easily dismiss it and walk out of your life. But, please—I beg you—don’t put me through this kind of hell again. It’s just too fucking much.”
“I can say all the right things to sooth the ache that’s welling in your heart, but I know words can only stretch so far, given the kind of agony I caused you. From this point on, my actions will speak for themselves.” Cradling my cheek, he softly kissed my forehead before whispering, “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m willing to try for it. And, when the time comes, I hope I earn your trust once more. I don’t care if it takes me a lifetime. I won’t rest until I do.” When he gave my lips a pained, hungered kisses, I slowly surrendered to him. “I love you. And I swear on everything that I am that I will commit to this love by showing you just how much I do, every day if I can.”
I loved him more than life, that was unquestionable, but I wasn’t one to use this emotion to filter stupidity out and use it as a blindfold to pardon his next indiscretion. He might not have fully disclosed what had happened; however, the images that still burned so vividly in my mind was enough reminder that one should always expect the unexpected, particularly when there was another woman involved that was bent on making my life hell.
This was all the reassurance I needed. Even great men fell; I knew that by heart. He was right, though. I didn’t need empty promises, as long as I had him to show me he wasn’t going to opt for this hell storm of a path because he and I had a disagreement that unsettled him. It should be me and no other woman with whom he should confide. It was how it was supposed to be. He and I were still a work in progress, but I was confident enough to think we had learned immensely from this.
I loved him more than life, that was unquestionable, but I wasn’t one to use this emotion as a blindfold to pardon his next indiscretion. He might not have fully disclosed what had happened; however, the images that still burned so vividly in my mind were enough reminder that one should always expect the unexpected, particularly when there was another woman involved that was bent on making my life hell.
Nikki Pavlova had paved the way in opening my eyes for scorned lovers. When she had thrown her poison around, Emma could barely withstand it. I wasn’t my best friend, though. Whatever Claudine had in mind next, she had better think again because I wasn’t one to tolerate underhanded bitchiness. I was more of a face-to-face kind of gal with a little action on the side.
As for now, Claudine and the rest of the haters could kiss my nice, smooth ass. I wasn’t going anywhere. Not by a long shot. I was there to stay and fight for my man. If she chose to play dirty, she could think again.
Chapter 18
Lindsey
“I have five minutes before my meeting starts and just wanted to hear your voice,” Dimitris murmured into the phone, making me light up like Christmas morning at the loving sound of his tone.
He had left three hours ago, though reluctantly, to go to the office. That time had been spent with him on his knees and my legs splayed wide open on the bathroom marble counter while he paid homage to my pussy with the use of his torque-like speed of a tongue.
I wasn’t sure how many times I had come, but I knew he had enjoyed tasting and savoring each orgasmic high that made me tremble deep within. He had eaten me up, lavished on me like no man ever had. His sex, his tongue, his fingers were all equipped with unparalleled skills to drive me into a screaming, panting, quaking, hapless woman at his mercy.
By the time he had left for work, I could have very well melted off the counter. The word satisfaction wasn’t even enough to describe the airy, floating feeling I had after his whiplash of a tongue. Even after coming for the sixth or eight—I mean, who was counting?—time, I still had reeled. Yet the intense feeling of hunger for his cock to drive in between my legs got me wanton and horny again.
After he had left, I was left to my own devices. Upon seeing his name flashing on my screen, I had been given an overpowering feeling of wanting to ask him if I could make a quick visit to his office for a rush hush session. I was feeling shy, though, which was absolutely unlike me. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want to appear so excessive that one could label me a sex addict. Okay, maybe I was one; however, I was only addicted to one particular cock, named The Mount Olympus Phallus aka Dimitris Kosta’s rock-hard tool of perfection.
The call might have seemed like a small thing, but for me, it reaffirmed my belief that he and I would be okay.
“I’m glad you’re thinking about me, even though you should be focusing on work,” I lightly teased and heard a soft chuckle from his end.
“I want to focus on you, and I will very soon. Let me see what I can do, if I can get off work for a few days. How does that sound? I want to take you somewhere.”
It would be lovely to spend some uninterrupted quality time with him.
“Anywhere with you sounds perfect, Dimi.” Gah, I sounded so sprung, yet I couldn’t help it. I was crazy for him.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said. Then I heard someone inform him in the background that the meeting would be starting soon. He thanked him before getting back to me. “So, do you have any plans for today? I could make a call to Pappou or Mamá to let them know that you’ve arrived. They can take you out for lunch. I don’t want you alone in the house. You might get too lonely.”
How thoughtfully touching.
“Thanks, babe, but I was actually considering going to the salon. Hope that’s okay? Maybe we can meet your family for dinner later?” I wasn’t considering any drastic change, but I wanted a new hairstyle and maybe a new hair color. The only thing virgin in me was my hair, and I was about to strip it from that novelty.
“Dinner sounds good, but I want to share it alone with you,” he responded. “I suppose I should get back to work so I can attend this tedious meeting. Expect me home no later than six tonight. Be ready then so we can head out to dine somewhere nice before heading to Pappou’s place for coffee and a nightcap perhaps. And, please, make use of the driver at your disposal. Go to the vanity mirror and check the drawer below it. I had my secretary call the cred
it card company to have your name added on to my accounts. Please don’t use your money and please don’t argue with me about this. I want to take care of you. I work too bloody hard for you not to enjoy the rewards of my hard earned money. Get whatever you like, yeah? There’s no limit, so shop until it bores you to tears.”
I sighed, rolling my eyes. “I do love to shop, but I won’t use it for every purchase I make. This is the only compromise I’ll make with you, or I won’t use it at all. Don’t get me wrong, I love to be spoiled, and I love even more that you would oblige me in whatever I desired, but I’m not the kind to take advantage of that. Whether you love me or not, I don’t need a sugar daddy, even though you’re sweet as sin.”
He groaned. “Sweet as sin. Woman, you’ll very much taste how sweet I can be once you get on your knees and work for that sweetness. Just thinking about you blowing me already made my cock hard.”
Perfect. Now it wasn’t only me who would be looking forward to that evening. I needed him hungry so he could match the fire that needed to be unleashed from within me.
“Hold on to that image of me, babe because I’ll do you good and then some. But, in the meantime, let me go shower and grab a light snack before heading to the salon.”
“I always think of you. I always do,” he confessed, making me blush.
“Ditto, Greek McHottie,” I uttered, beaming from ear to ear as he finally gave me a final goodbye.
This new phase we were in felt like we were falling in love again, but at a much deeper level, as if our relationship had gone past the physical and emotional stages. It was like it had dug itself into our psyche and given us a feeling of security, hopefulness, and pure bliss, nourishing the soul. It felt movingly elemental, like this was what we had been trying to achieve all along.
Could it be possible that love became stronger, infallible, because of betrayal? Could that moment where one was hanging by the thread and everything was on the line—, every single damning thing that mattered—become magnified into one sole focus with one solitary purpose? In the moment of hanging on by a hairsbreadth, could one realize what they truly had longed for? What they truly had wanted in life?
I had read in one fashion magazine article about wives who forgave their husband’s infidelity and how that one decision had changed their marriage for the better. It had become stronger, as if they were a building on a solid foundation. They stated that, as long as there was love, there was always hope for survival, if there wouldn’t be a repetition of that infidelity.
Whatever the answer was for us, I knew we were heading forward. It was best that I address as much to the woman who had no qualms about causing problems for the two of us.
Chapter 19
Lindsey
The salon appointment lasted the entire afternoon. I had always loved my glossy dark brown hair, but going with the tide of the current events of my life, I had an inkling to change it. When the stylist had showed me photos of the current hair trends, I had opted to lighten my hair with the color that was almost blonde yet nearing towards chestnut brown with golden caramel highlights and lowlights.
I had to admit, at first I was petrified going through the process alone. It even came to a point where I couldn’t look at the mirror in fear that I might truly despise the change. However, upon the nice stylist’s persistence, I found myself truly loving the new hair on me. The darker hair gave me a slick, sophisticated mysteriousness, but with the new color made me look pretty and fun, almost approachable. I did seem to have that evil-eye I usually gave men when I didn’t want to be bothered.
It was true what they said: when your appearance changed, so did your mood and how one carried themselves. After paying the salon, I left the place feeling as if I was light-footed and headed to a nearby boutique to browse for a new dress that would complement my do. I had tons of dresses, but I had a fanciful idea that maybe I could opt for something sexier instead of the classy, slim-cut dresses I usually went for. I wanted Dimitris’s jaws to drop when he saw me that evening, and I wouldn’t settle for anything less.
Right in the middle of my frustration, after searching for almost half an hour for the perfect thing to wear, my gaze landed on a short champagne number with intricate silver beading. The front dipped low enough to show off cleavage, but since I lacked in that department, it passed for demure. The back itself was a large V that showed a great amount of skin. The beautiful beading was appealing; so much so that I could easily get away with not wearing a damn thing underneath it, and no one would know.
Taking the dress with me, I paid at the till, massively grinning as I exited the store.
Dimitris’s driver had parked a few blocks away, and upon heading towards where it was located, I heard someone call me.
“Lindsey Mason? Lindsey Mason!” a male voice tried to get my attention from behind me.
Merely stopping to twist around to face the person asking for me, I was surprised to find a bearded man with a large camera hanging around his neck before he started snapping photos of me.
“Are you here to try to steal away Dimitris Kosta again after he reunited with his French girlfriend?” he barked out, snapping away.
My body turned cold, instantly on guard. “Excuse me? No. What the fuck? Get your information right, you worthless piece of shit.”
He smirked, uncaring about what I thought of him. “How many boyfriends do you have at the moment?”
I was about to yell at him when, out of nowhere, two more paparazzi joined him, throwing questions at me while I stood rooted to the spot. Maybe it was the shock that they had found me or the thought that they found me and I had no one to help me block them out … or the actual fact that they truly believed it was me who meant to break Claudine and Dimitris apart when, in actuality, it was the other way around.
“You look like you’re going somewhere tonight. Will it be because you’re planning to see Dimitris? Do you think he’ll be interested in you again?
“Is it true that you cheated on him several times, and that’s why his family loathes you?”
“How do you feel that most of Dimitris Kosta’s loyal fans despise you and don’t approve of you, because you’ve proven to be too slutty to be with him?”
I almost ran from there while I forced myself not to cry, through the tears were threatening to come out, burning my eyes as I scanned for the driver and the car. The second I spotted him, I rushed into the car, merely nodding when he asked me if I wanted to be driven back to the villa.
Feeling bereft didn’t cut it. No. It was more than that. I was so shaken I was beside myself, fidgeting and about to have a panic attack. I had never encountered them that way. Of course, being friends with Emma and Bass had made me familiar with the paparazzi; however, it was always aimed at them and never me. Being granted the same horrific spotlight sure as hell didn’t feel good, most especially when they threw names at me.
How dare that stupid guy imply I’m a slut? He could fuck himself. At one point, I wanted to fight back yet knew it would only put me in a position to make matters worse. I would simply appear like the ultimate villain, fighting off the people who were so invested in Dimitris’s love life with Claudine.
I got the fact that the woman was gorgeous, though I had to begrudgingly admit that. She was also the perfect candidate for Dimitris because she could tolerate all of his nuttiness and inferiorities. When they had started dating, everything had been captured under the spotlight since Dimitris always took her to large events that lured the media. While I, on the other hand, had a relationship with him without the glamor of that hype. We never got the chance to, and in the instances that he did ask, I was always reluctant to go with him. I wasn’t sure why, but I was comfortable the way we were.
There was no need to flaunt our relationship to anyone and no point in trying to prove that we loved each other. To me, all that mattered was that we both knew we cared for one another, that we were both willing to move Heaven and Hell to be together. Knowing he and I had that
, I didn’t feel the need to throw it out to the media so Claudine could sulk in it.
However, after that traumatizing incident, it made me wonder if I had made the wrong decision in making our relationship private.
Once I got back to the villa, I immediately sought the bedroom, barely greeting Thea. I sunk into bed and let my tears go. Their questions had been hurtful. Not one—not even one—had anything nice to say to me. Rotten bastards!
Sniffing, I made a decision that I wouldn’t let this minor annoyance ruin my night with Dimitris. With another hour to go before he got there, I pulled myself together and started to get ready.
Neither Claudine nor the paparazzi could stop me.
*
Approximately one hour later, I was putting on the finishing touches of my outfit, pairing the dress with nude pumps and my hand-me-down four-karat diamond studs from my grandmother. The ensemble was better than I had hoped for. I looked smashing, if I did say so myself.
Feeling a little over confident, I immediately went out to greet Dimitris the second I heard him call out my name upon entering the bedroom.
“Hey, Greek man. You’re back.” I hurried up to him, carefully kissing him on the lips so I wouldn’t smudge my lipstick. “How do you like the hair?”
He paused, pulling me back a little so he could fully check me out from head to foot, looking intensely silent as he scrutinized me. His expressionless face was putting me on edge.
“Well?” I prompted impatiently, wondering if he hated it already.
Pressing his lips together, he gave me an unsure look. “I don’t know,” he finally said, instantly making me feel like I had made the biggest mistake. “This new look you have, Lindsey, how did you think I’d find it? I mean, I have a hard enough time fighting off men to have you all for myself, and this new change could most likely push that possibility off. And what do I do then, hmm? I could very well end up in jail.”