by Kait Gamble
What had she gotten herself into?
Chapter Three
The trip up to the restaurant was quiet. Kendra sensed the tension coming off the men. Surely if they were going to be miserable in each other’s company, they could have found another solution. One that didn’t involve her being stuck in the middle like a bone between two dogs.
Not that having two incredibly handsome and well-to-do men fighting over her was bad for her ego. What was bad for her state of mind was remembering who they thought she was.
When the four of them stepped onto an otherwise empty elevator, Kendra could feel the heat coming off both men, smell their colognes. It was dizzying being in such a tight space with two dominating males. The waiter was dwarfed in comparison and he wasn’t exactly a slight man himself.
Reeling a bit from—what—a contact high from two potently masculine males? Whatever it was, Kendra had to fight to stay steady.
“Is something wrong?” Nikos asked softly. The moment the words left his lips, Dmitri’s gaze raked over her as if to ascertain her state himself. “You seem pensive.”
And Kiki Brandt was anything but pensive.
Kendra adopted a bright smile. “Nope. I’m good. The elevator just caught me off guard, that’s all.”
From the way they both looked at her, Kendra was sure neither believed that for a second.
The smooth ride upward slowed to a stop an instant before the doors parted with a muted ping. Kendra had been in Soar more than a few times, but never as a diner.
Seemingly soaring above the rest of the world, the restaurant lived up to its name very well. It was suspended between the two towers of the hotel, giving diners an unprecedented view of the city and the ocean. It really was like soaring high above the world.
The mouthwatering scents that wafted to them were incredible. All around, patrons of the restaurant looked as if they were over the moon about the beautifully presented food set before them.
The room was decorated with an abundance of deep reds and gold, giving the dining room a wonderfully decadent feel. The seats were gold covered with plush red velvet while the booths were upholstered with gilded ruby-hued brocade. She sincerely hoped they were seated in one of the booths. Sitting in the seats had been a minor goal of hers since moving to the hotel. Actually eating the food? A pipe dream.
Until now.
They were greeted by the maître d’ who swiftly led them to a table outside on the balcony overlooking the ocean. She gave the booths a lingering last glance as they made their way past.
Dmitri halted the man. “We want a booth.” He looked at Kendra, obviously having noticed how much she wanted to be seated at one.
She put a placating hand on his arm. “I’m sure those are all booked up. The balcony will be fine.”
“Yes, Dmitri, come along. Kiki doesn’t want to be a bother.” Nikos sounded as if he were chastising a younger brother.
The darker of the pair glowered, but his voice was soft when he leaned in to Kendra and whispered, “Next time.”
The warmth of his breath on her neck pricked goosebumps over her skin. Chest tight, she smiled brightly. Kendra realized she had to be very careful around these two. They noticed everything.
Dmitri held out the chair for her while Nikos took her hand as he helped her into her seat.
She barely heard what the maître d’ was saying. Something about the specials. All she could focus on were the men flanking her. They were mouthwateringly gorgeous and made all thoughts of food evaporate, even though she had been dying for a taste.
All she wanted was a bite of them.
Kendra bit her lip before she could stop herself, and of course they noticed. Their gazes were drawn to her lips. Nikos even mimicked her while Dmitri growled something in his own language.
Kendra couldn’t breathe.
She managed to order…something, but she wasn’t sure what. The men did the same while Kendra let them deal with the sommelier. Even if she knew what was coming, she’d still have had no idea what wine would best be paired with it. Once all the ordering was out of the way, they settled back to wait.
Kendra was anything but relaxed. Her skin burned from their gazes. Her stomach churned. There was so much riding on her performance. Not only that, but the close scrutiny of the men left her with nowhere to hide, adding to her worries.
“So, tell me about yourselves.” Getting them to talk about themselves would take a little heat off her, hopefully.
“I’m sure our lives aren’t half as interesting as yours. A model and a television star? That must keep you busy.” Dmitri pinned her with his gaze almost as if he dared her to answer.
Nikos nodded. “I always found it fascinating that you film almost every aspect of your life and yet tonight you have no cameras following you.”
How was she going to explain that away? “The filming for the latest season is over and I felt that a charity event wasn’t the place for intrusive cameramen. Besides, I doubt Malika would have appreciated it.”
Both men smiled, though Dmitri was the one to respond with, “I’m sure there would be many here that would have loved the publicity.”
His wry humor made her smile. Nikos, too, smirked at the comment. “Charity isn’t charity without shouting it to the world.”
Kendra laughed. They certainly didn’t come across as haughty, entitled jerks. So far, they were charming, and wreaking havoc with her hormones. Not that it was hard to do, considering her dismal dating history and her long dry spell. How long had it been since her last boyfriend? A year? If not, it was close. Was it any wonder attention from these two had her so off kilter?
Then again, any woman whose head didn’t turn at the mere sight of one of them was out of her mind—or blind. Together, it was like staring at the heart of a star. Just sitting next to them, Kendra couldn’t help but notice how incredible they were to look at. She wasn’t usually given to whimsy, especially over a man, but these two were breathtaking. Though in completely different ways.
Nikos was golden and shining like the sun, and he came across as kinder, gentler. He had a contagious, easy smile and looked right at home in his designer suit and silk tie… One that she wanted to wrap around her wrist and drag him in for a long, hot kiss with.
Then there was the man on her other side.
It was as if Dmitri had been etched from a similar, larger mold. Still gorgeous, he was dark, brooding—intense. With his tie already torn loose, he looked as though he would rip the suit off at the slightest provocation…
Or she would…
Kendra mentally slapped herself. She had to stop thinking along those lines. There would be no sex. With either of them. Ever. She couldn’t even truly be herself during this meal. The curves they couldn’t seem to keep their eyes off were fake, for heaven’s sake! It saddened her to think that being her true self was forbidden when she truly would love to get to know them.
And didn’t her last attempt at a relationship teach her anything? Focusing on her career was what mattered. And because it mattered so much, she couldn’t afford to screw this up. Pulling it off could potentially open doors to everything she’d ever wanted.
All she had to do was get a hold of her hormones and make it through the evening without letting the façade slip.
Easy.
She looked at them and received a double punch in the ovaries for her trouble. Right. Easy.
“Is this your first time in Dubai, Kiki?” Nikos grazed her hand with his finger to catch her attention.
For Kendra, it was like being zapped by lightning.
Lightheaded, she blinked at him and gave him a coy smile. “You seem to follow my show, why don’t you tell me?”
The smirk he gave her was cajoling. “I thought, perhaps, since you appear to sneak about without cameras once in a while, that you might have traveled here before without them in tow.”
“I take it you don’t trust everything you see on TV.” Could she blame him? What she’d learne
d about that world so far had just reinforced her bias against it.
“There’s very little I take at face value.”
That made her smile even more. Kendra looked over to Dmitri to find him indolently watching their exchange from half-lidded eyes. Would he wear the same expression after sex?
Kendra shifted in her seat at the thought.
“Is the cool air getting to you?” Dmitri asked. His slow smile told her he had an inkling of what was going through her mind.
Denying him an answer, she looked to the horizon to stare at the darkening ocean spread beneath them. The cloudless sky above blazed all shades of red and orange, glittering at the horizon as it clashed with the water. It was a breathtaking sight from the perfect vantage point.
The food came on gilded plates and the wine in ruby goblets further added to the ambience. A wide array of small food, mezze, was arranged artfully, the colors and textures inviting her eyes and her fingers. Her mouth started watering long before the delicious scent reached her nose.
“I thought we would enjoy the tastes of the region.” Dmitri smiled. “I hope I wasn’t wrong.”
“Not at all.” Since arriving, she’d pushed herself to try nearly everything new she’d encountered and loved almost everything.
“Where should we start?” Nikos eyed the tray as he contemplated his own question.
Dmitri waved at the tray. “Ladies first.”
Kendra pinched a bit off the closest edge of the plate and ate it with a blissful sigh. When had she eaten last? Not wanting to look like a complete glutton, she sat back and thoroughly chewed the morsel as she waited for the two men to have a taste.
They followed suit. Nikos sampled one of the stuffed grape leaves while Dmitri went straight for a small piece of flatbread and dipped it into the tabbouleh.
From their appreciative expressions as they chewed, the chef had hit the nail on the head with the flavors.
She went in for another bite before washing it down with some iced water. Steering clear of the wine seemed like the best course of action, if she was going to keep her head. The last thing she needed was her inhibitions lowered. There was a lot to remember, to keep straight, with too much riding on it to screw it up over a drink, no matter how fine it was sure to be.
“No wine tonight, Kiki?”
The use of the name grated on her nerves, but she kept her expression serene. Kendra shook her head. She looked over to Dmitri as he picked up his wine and took a long sip.
He smiled. “It’s a great year.”
“I’m happy with water at the moment, I’m a bit warm.” That was an understatement. Every look she caught from either of them blasted heat through her. She caught Nikos’ gaze and took another sip.
“Not used to a warm climate?”
“It’s warmer than I like.” Swirling the ice in her glass, she smiled at them before reaching for another morsel of food. After tearing off a bit of flatbread, she used it to swipe up a good dollop of hummus. She nibbled it delicately, wanting to make it last, though her first instinct was to shove it in her mouth and go back for more.
“I feel like you guys know everything about me, so… What do you do?”
They seemed vaguely surprised that she was interested in hearing about them. Would Kiki have asked? It was the polite thing to do. Wasn’t it? Then again, Kiki Brandt wasn’t exactly known for her manners. Too late now.
“Dmitri? Don’t tell me. You’re a Russian oil magnate.”
He chuckled. “And if I am? Is that too much of a cliché?”
She grinned. “Not at all.” Kendra turned her gaze to Nikos. “And you’re just another run-of-the-mill Greek tycoon?”
“You could say that.” He smiled as he slipped an olive between his lips. He licked his fingers, slowly, keeping his gaze on her all the while.
Jesus.
Kendra swallowed. “So that’s all I’m going to get out of you two, huh?”
“Perhaps if you ask the right questions.” Dmitri leaned forward, challenging her.
Not one to back down, she tilted her head to regard them. “How do you two know each other? You two seem really competitive, but that wouldn’t come from just a casual acquaintance. Not with the kind of rivalry you seem to have.”
Was that approval in Dmitri’s eyes?
“I never would have thought you were so perceptive.”
Kendra laughed, hoping it didn’t sound too nervous. “I guess it doesn’t come through on screen.”
Nikos touched her hand again as he studied her. “A lot doesn’t come through. How beautiful you are, for instance. You are much more breathtaking in real life.”
She sat back in her seat, putting as much space as she could between herself and the men. “You two are such sweet talkers.”
“It’s only the truth.”
She didn’t have to look to know that came from Dmitri.
The waiters appeared then, placing their plates in front of them with smiles and a flourish.
Kendra stared down at hers at the same time inhaling the complex and delicate scents wafting up with the steam. Apparently she had ordered the shrimp majbous. The huge, perfectly cooked shrimp sat atop the fragrant, seasoned rice ready to be plucked up and eaten.
She looked at her companions’ plates. Nikos had the lamb ouzi and Dmitri had ordered the fish chermoula. Together their dishes combined to make a mouthwatering bouquet.
“Bon appétit.”
She looked to Nikos, who had spoken, then to Dmitri. Apparently, it was up to her to start.
Kendra murmured the phrase back to them before spearing the shrimp and taking a bite. She rolled her eyes as she groaned. “So good.”
She opened her eyes to find them watching her, rapt.
“We can see that,” growled Dmitri. He watched her a moment longer before trying his own dish. He nodded. “Mine’s also very good.”
Nikos offered her a forkful of his fish. “Mine too. Would you like a bite?”
Kendra couldn’t imagine taking food off a man’s fork after knowing him for such a short time. But Kiki would…
Smiling coquettishly, she watched him through her lashes as she leaned closer and took the fish into her mouth. He was right. It was delicious. “It’s wonderful.”
She sat back in her seat to find Dmitri holding out a forkful of his own dish. She couldn’t very well ignore him…
Kendra opened her mouth and allowed him to slip his fork between her lips. As she chewed, he tutted.
“You’ve got a little something…” He ran his thumb over her lips, slipping it into her mouth so she could lick off the sauce.
So glad they were on the balcony and away from the view of the other patrons, Kendra dragged herself back into her seat. She knew it would be hard pretending to be another woman, but she’d never anticipated that she would enjoy it so much.
There was no other occasion in her entire life that she’d gotten so much attention from a man. But to get it from both barrels from these two… It was too much. As dizzying and heady as it was, she knew danger when she saw it. And she was very close to getting burned.
A relationship wasn’t part of her plan right now. Not one, and most definitely not two. What made it worse was that she was very much drawn to them both. Handsome, charming, smart and sexy, they were both blessed with everything she wanted in ridiculously copious amounts.
But they thought she was someone else.
Kendra started chanting it in her mind like a mantra. Whatever spell they were casting over her—no matter how appealing the display—it wasn’t for her. It was for Kiki Brandt.
She couldn’t imagine hating the woman more than she did at that moment.
“Is something wrong?” Dmitri studied her closely.
Nikos glared at Dmitri. “I apologize for him. He needs to learn to keep his hands to himself.”
Challenged, the Russian seemed to grow larger in his seat, but his expression softened when he looked at Kendra. “He does nothing of the sort. I
did nothing worthy of regret.”
“You touched her without her permission.”
“Says the man who shoved food into her face.”
Kendra needed to stop this before it turned into an all-out brawl. “Please. Stop. It seems like we need to set some ground rules. No more feeding me. If I want something, I’ll ask. That goes for touching as well.” She caught their gazes, making sure they understood.
Both men nodded, though neither looked particularly happy about it.
“Good. Now let’s enjoy this meal.”
As if things could be sorted out between these two obviously complicated men with a few brisk words.
“How long are you going to be here, Kiki?” Nikos regarded her closely over the rim of his glass as he sipped his wine.
“Not long. I have to get back to film my show. They can’t do it without me.” She laughed feebly. Kendra had meant to keep it vague and light, but she came across as vapid. Perfect, really, but she hated sounding like that even as a façade.
“No, I guess they can’t.” He laughed. “I’m disappointed to hear that. I was hoping we could take some time to get to know each other a little better.”
Kendra’s small, tight smile was caught by the men immediately.
“Now who’s making her uncomfortable, Nikos?” Dmitri leaned closer, resting his elbows on the table as he eyed Kendra. “Like my friend”—he slid his scornful gaze lazily to Nikos briefly before flicking it back to Kendra—“I’m interested in learning more about you. Clearly there is more to you than the girl on the TV show who likes to party.”
Damn. She had to try harder at playing stupid.
“I don’t think there’s that much more to me. When I’m not filming my show, I’m on the catwalk. Not much time for anything else.”
Nikos smirked. “If I was one to believe what the tabloids say, I’d think that there are a few other things that you like to do.”
Kendra wished she had spent more time reading those rags. What was she missing? Kiki wasn’t shy about her dating life. More than likely, Nikos was referring to the men she was often parading around with. And that solved the mystery of their interest in her. They were just looking to get laid and figured she was an easy bet.