by Leslie North
The chilled dessert touched her skin and she gasped. “That’s…cold.”
“Let me warm you.” He licked the line he had painted, tasting the tang of lemon a touch of Alexandra’s skin lotion and her own salty texture. Dipping his fingers in again, he painted a line on the other side, this time higher up on her leg. She gasped and he put his mouth over the spot he had chilled. He sucked on her skin. Reaching up, he closed a hand over her breast and squeezed, and then rubbed the nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “More?”
“Nai…please… per favore.”
If she was mixing her languages—Greek, English and Italian—she must be close to coming apart. Pushing up her dress, he took a moment to admire her.
She was beautiful—shapely hips, a flat stomach, dark hair shaved close around her mound. His mouth watered at the sight. She spread her legs for him and he caught the scent of her arousal—as ancient and as wet as the sea.
Dipping his fingers into the gelato again, he spread three spots onto her skin—one on each hip and one just above her dark curls, on the edge of her mound. He pressed his lips to her hip and sucked hard. She bucked, but he held her down and shifted to the other hip. This one he licked and nibbled. And then he moved to the third spot. She made a small sound and he lifted his lips. “Is that a protest? A no?”
“I’m going to kill you if you stop—please. Don’t stop!”
He grinned. “What happened to only yes or no?”
“Yes…yes…how many times must I say it?”
Letting go her hips, he picked up the bowl of melting gelato—this one a chocolate. He held the bowl over her lower lips and parted them with his fingers, and poured. She gasped and gripped the edge of the table with her hands. Putting down the bowl, he admired the mess he’d made. He’d darkened her lips—he’d made a sweet dessert for himself. He pushed his erection harder against the table to keep himself from coming. He could right now. One touch and he would explode. But he wanted to see Alexandra come apart—he wanted her to know just what he did with other women. And not just her.
Leaning over, he put his mouth on her.
She tasted of dark chocolate and darker sin. She tasted wet and salty and elemental. She tasted of heaven. He pushed his tongue into her and put his hands on her hips when she squirmed. Lifting up, he told her, “Be a good girl—I know you can be good.”
She managed a muffled moan. He dove back down to that sweet spot between her legs. Licking and tugging on her clit, he gave himself to the pleasure of feasting on her. Nothing existed except the chocolate—and Alexandra.
She moaned again and he slipped a finger into her to push deep and play with her, searching for that spot that would give her the most pleasure. She gasped and he knew he’d found it. He kept his mouth and tongue working and added two fingers—then three, stretching her wide, searching again for that deeper spot that gave her such joy. Sweat ran down his face, and down her thighs. He almost pulled out so he could unzip and push into her—but that would spoil this moment.
This would be her fling—she would be happy. And tomorrow he would see about putting her on a plane to go home.
And then he forgot his plans.
Alexandra began to make small gasping sounds, tiny mewing as if she wanted to scream but was holding it back. The sounds drove him wild. He pushed harder into her, sucked on her clit and felt her fall into trembling bliss.
She put a hand on his shoulder and he stilled.
Lifting up, he grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth. Before he could, Alexandra grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her. She kissed him—had to be tasting herself and the gelato. Letting go, she smiled. “Now that is a good dessert.”
Pressing down on his erection to quiet it, he turned away and found her panties. He looped one finger into the elastic and handed them back to her. “Would you like coffee?”
She put a shaky hand into her hair. “Yes. Something.”
He had to smile. “You don’t have to keep saying yes.” Moving to the carafe, he poured them each a measure of the dark liquid. She took hers glykys—almost honey sweet—while he took his sketos—without sugar. He took her hand and led her back onto the deck.
She gave a sigh and leaned against him. A cool breeze blew over them, and the splash of the water and the soft hum of the engines filled the night. He was glad she found no need for words. He wanted just to enjoy this moment—because he knew he’d better not do this again.
His plan had been to push her to the edge—and over it. To take her apart and leave her a little nervous and ready to back off from him. Instead, he’d been caught in his own trap.
He’d left himself wanting more—not her wanting less. And he wasn’t sure what he was going to do now with this woman who had him wishing he was a man who could be happy with just one woman.
Chapter Eighteen
Dareios made excuses the next day. Alexandra could only call it that.
He was with the captain, or the cook, or the engineer. He was touring the engine rooms, or the pumps, or checking the radio and satellite connections. Or even doing inventory on the life boats of all things.
He appeared at meals—which left Alexandra blushing. She might never be able to look at a bowl of gelato again without getting wet. But Eva was there, too, and chattering away about the camp and how she was looking forward to teaching the kids about water color, and how she was hoping they’d be able to work with clay, too.
They anchored in Methoni, and Eva insisted on touring the castle. Afterwards, she dragged Alexandra and Dareios into a small open-air restaurant, saying she was starving. Every bit of food reminded Alexandra of how Dareios had made her feel—how he had touched her, and what he had done with her. She’d never felt like that—and she wasn’t sure if it was him or the gelato. Who knew a desert could be so erotic?
She couldn’t get it out of her head. It didn’t help that every touch—every time he held out his hand to help her climb a stone step, or when he handed her the hummus for her to dip her dolmas into, or when they accidentally bumped hips on the narrow streets, she thought of his touch.
She thought of his tongue pressing into her. She thought of his hands on her breasts, squeezing so hard. She thought of him nipping the skin on her hips—she hadn’t dared put on her bikini because of the marks he’d left, faint bruises that reminded her of what he’d done. And she’d loved it. All of it.
As the heat of the day rose, they went back to the Kairos. The launch that would take Eva back to the dock waited, and she had her luggage packed. She hugged Alexandra and then Dareios. Eva whispered something in his ear that actually had him blushing.
And then she was gone, the launch roaring away in a splash and a spray of salt water.
Dareios glanced at Alexandra. For a moment, she wondered if he was going to put her into the second launch and send her away—to the airport and back to Athens. Her heartbeat quickened. She held her breath. And then he asked, “Do you wish to dine outside this evening?”
She let out the breath she had been holding. Looking up into his eyes, she asked, “Do you want to eat outside?” Reaching up, she traced the buttons of his shirt.
He put his hand over hers, flattening it against his chest. “Do you have any idea of what you do to me?”
Alexandra nodded. She had some idea, but would love to have those thoughts turned into action. She took a step closer, pressing her breasts against his hard chest. “The same things you do to me.”
He kissed her, and then trailed his lips along her cheeks and across to her ear. He took her earlobe between his teeth, and when he nibbled, she grasped his shoulders to keep from falling. He wrapped an arm around her waist. “We’re not talking marriage, remember?”
“Not even an engagement. Not even dating,” she muttered, dizzy and smiling.
“Just a fling.”
She nodded and ran her tongue over her lower lip. “A wild…very wild fling.”
She moved her hands down to his hips and pushed one betwee
n them so her palm rested on the bulge pressing against the fly of his shorts. He pushed into her touch and she smiled. She toyed with the tab of his zipper. “You didn’t find pleasure last night.”
He groaned. “I found it in my cabin.”
She rubbed her hand over his hard length. “With one of the crew?”
He shook his head. “Fling…remember. No commitments.”
Her face heated, but she nodded.
He moved his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Do it. Release me before I explode.”
Alexandra dropped her head to his shoulder. The crew was on leave until this evening. Eva was gone off to her summer camp. Even so, Alexandra’s heart pounded. They were in the open—exposed. But they were far enough from shore that it would be difficult to take pictures, and they stood on the seaward side of the yacht.
Slowly, she pulled down the zipper, the sound faint against the harsh cry of seagulls. She brushing her hand against heat and hardness—he hadn’t worn underwear. She traced the back of her fingers against his solid length and then wrapped her fingers around him.
“Alexandra,” he said on a groan. He skimmed his hands down her back and over her ass. She pulled harder at him and he pushed into her fist, pushed up against her belly. She wanted him inside her—wanted him closer.
Dareios dipped his head and kissed her. This time the kiss went out of control. He ravaged her mouth. He moved his lips lower, sucking at her collarbone. He pressed his hardness against her again. She gave a moan this time. She was wet—and aching. He came in a hot spurt into her hand, his body shaking, his back arched. She watched his eyes close and his face relax. Her mouth dried.
When he opened his eyes, he stared at her, and then pulled back. He zipped up and turned away from her. And Alexandra was left standing there, need filling her, wondering what she had done wrong. Or what hadn’t she done?
Chapter Nineteen
“Dareios, is everything okay?” Alexandra asked.
They’d had dinner and the table had been cleared. Dareios had been more like her brother again—polite, distant, and cold. What happened to the fling? Was that it? She cursed her own lack of experience. She didn’t know.
After she’d touched him on the deck, he’d turned away. The crew would be back soon, and she’d gone to her cabin. She didn’t know what else to do. She didn’t want to swim, couldn’t really sunbathe not with the marks he had left on her. She showered and changed into a loose, white sundress, and she left off her bra and panties. She brushed out her hair and tried to be interested in a book. But she kept thinking about Dareios.
Was this what a fling was? Brief sexual encounters and then you went off, back to your own life. She was starting to think this was not what she wanted from Dareios. All this had done was to leave her hungry for more.
And now dinner had been cleared. They’d had kakkavi, a lovely fish chowder and fresh fish in a wine sauce with rice and a plate of tiropita and honey walnut cake for dessert. The crew seemed in a good mood, but Alexandra still felt restless and unsettled.
Dareios told the crew they would not be needed for the rest of the night. He turned to face her, toying with his wine glass with one hand. “What is it you want, Alexandra? Tell me so there’s no misunderstanding here.”
“I want you.” She met his stare and swallowed. “For as long as you’ll have me.” Was that true? She wasn’t sure any more.
He lifted one eyebrow. “You sound as if you can’t foresee a point in time where you would not want me. That would make this a very long fling.”
She shook her head. “I’m not going to pretend to understand how things are going to work out for us. But I do know that if you don’t finish what you started with me, I’m going to become very hard to deal with.”
He smiled. “You sound like you used to when you were little. I remember when Antonio didn’t give in to your demands, you became a pest. Didn’t you once hold it over him that you would tell your father that Antonio had dug up the rose bushes in your garden, hoping to find treasures and antiquities? He replanted them, but they looked terrible. I seem to remember your gardener having a fit.”
She put her hands flat on the table. “I’m sexually frustrated and really not in the mood to play nice.”
Dareios stood. He held out his hand. She took it and followed him down to his cabin. But she couldn’t wait. In the narrow corridor, she pulled him back to her. She kissed him the way he had kissed her—taking possession of his mouth. He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back. His eyes seemed huge and dark. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her with him to his cabin.
Moonlight came in through the windows of the main stateroom. She could just make out that the room was decorated in warm, earth colors. Bronze and tans and golds. A huge bed dominated the room. Dareios pulled her down on the bed with him.
She swung a leg over him and sat with her knees on either side of him. She knew she was wet—she could feel herself rubbing against his hardness. He grasped her hips. “You’re naked under this.”
Reaching up, she pulled off the sundress. “Now I’m just naked.” She ripped open his shirt. Buttons popped and flew. He already had his belt undone and his pants unzipped. She pulled the loose trousers off his hips and he kicked out of them.
Grabbing her hips, he lifting her up and positioned himself at her entrance. Slowly, he lowered her until he was completely inside her. “God, you’re so tight, Alexandra,” he told her, holding her hips still with his hands.
Alexandra closed her eyes as the feelings swamped her. Finally! I knew it would be like this between us. When he relaxed his hold on her hips, she began to move, rocking back and forth. Dareios gave a low growl. Taking her hips, he urged her to move faster. He pushed up into her, his hips bucking.
She threw her head back. Sensations rushed through her body—waves of pleasure and heat. She felt herself tightening around him, and heard his groan. She trembled, on the brink of coming apart. She felt joined with him—utterly. She gave a wiggle of her hips and the world exploded.
Dareios kept thrusting up into her and the world went white again. He gave a harsh cry and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She could feel his heart beating and his ragged breath brushed over her check. She tightened around him and he gave another groan.
Turning her, he nestled her close to him. He brushed his lips over her temple. “You are amazing.”
Alexandra watching the moonlight sift over the cabin. It was a very masculine room—Spartan almost, with no pictures on the wall, no decoration. Just a bed. She traced a finger over his chest. He had very little hair on his chest or arms. She hoped he wasn’t regretting being with her. “Dareios, what are you thinking about?”
He squeezed her and then kissed the top of her head. “I was trying to remember why we haven’t done this before now. But you have to promise me one thing.”
“I thought this was no ties—no promises?”
“Oh, this is the only one. You have to promise me that when we arrive in Athens…if your brother ever learns what we’ve done, you’ll protect me from Antonio.”
Chapter Twenty
The next ten days passed in a blur for Alexandra. Dareios took his time sailing back to the mainland of Greece, and back to Athens. They stopped at every small island he could think of, they’d anchor and swim, and dine and make love.
At one of the smaller islands—empty except for goats and olive trees—Dareios took her in the launch to the shore. They swam naked in the water, and he pulled her to him, wrapping her legs around him. He slipped into her and he allowed the swell of the surf to push them together and move them apart. The sun warmed her shoulders and the warm water lapped at them.
She came in soft waves that matched the water, and then watched Dareios’ face go limp with his bliss. Afterward they ate a lunch of gyros—lamb and tzatziki wrapped in pita bread—on the beach. Alexandra started to dread the day they would have to go back, but eventually the shore came into sight, and she knew h
er time with Dareios was ending.
He would end this.
She had asked for a fling—for time with him. She hadn’t realized how tangled her heart would become in this. She had thought their passion would burn out—it hadn’t.
Every morning, she woke hungry for his body and reaching for him. Every night she fell asleep in his arms, utterly satisfied. He did everything possible, she thought, to try and frighten her off.
He made love to her roughly, he had her kneel on the bed as he took her from behind, every thrust hard and violent, he even spanked her ass one night after they’d toured one of the islands and she’d flirted with a local.
She’d loved it all—even the spanking, which had left her ass red and burning. She’d admired the hand prints he’d left on her the next morning and had wondered if she could provoke him to do more.
She’d never known that she could be a bad girl—but she was. At least with him. She loved it when he held her down. She almost came just from him sucking hard on her nipples and biting them. She had to give up wearing her bikini he left so many love bites on her, but she usually swam naked with him, so that didn’t matter. But she was out of time now.
After the Kairos anchored, Dareios came to her on the deck. She turned to him. The wind pulled at her hair. “Are you coming with me?” she asked.
“Back to the Rosso estate?” He shook his head. “My father is waiting for me in the city. Business.”
“Oh,” she pushed her hair from her face. She wanted to touch him—to kiss him. He stood with his hands in his pockets. During the trip, he’d worn shorts and loose shirts. Now he looked buttoned up—literally. He just needed a suit jacket to head into the city.
She brushed a strand of hair from his face and then turned to stare at the water. “I don’t know why I still live on the estate. I should get an apartment in town again.”