Читать книгу Mediterranean Tycoons - JACQUELINE BAIRD, Jacqueline Baird - Страница 25

ALMOST midnight—the witching hour, Selina thought fancifully as she stood on the deck, her hands gripping the ship’s rail as the luxury yacht slid smoothly out of the harbour of Letos. Thankfully it was a newer model than the one on which she had spent her ill-fated wedding night.

She was still stunned at how easily Rion had charmed Anna. He’d told her she had inherited a hundred thousand euros in the will, Selina had added that she wanted to continue to employ Anna to take care of the villa for as long as she wanted to work, and Anna had been so happy it was not surprising she’d believed everything Selina had said. She had accepted her story that it made sense to return to Athens with Rion so she would be there by the morning and have time to see Mr Kadiekis before flying out in the evening. So much so Anna had actually helped Selina to pack …

As soon as they’d come on board Rion had introduced her to the only other guest—Dimitri, a shaven-headed, fit-looking man in his fifties—telling her he would look after her for a while as Rion had to join the captain on the bridge and see the yacht safely out of harbour.

Dimitri had taken her bags and shown Selina to her cabin. He had explained how the computerised system worked and told her if she wanted anything to call. Then he’d told her Rion had the master cabin next door.

At least she had her own cabin, Selina thought with a sigh of relief. But even so, after unpacking her clothes and taking a quick shower, she had slipped on an old sweatsuit—enough to turn off any man, she thought. But five minutes later, unable to stand the confines of the cabin with its bed—a reminder of why she was there—she’d slipped on a pair of flip-flops and escaped to the deck.

But there was no escape for her, Selina realised. She must have been mad to agree to Rion’s demand. She was never going to be able to do it … He was expecting an experienced lover—he had said as much—and she was the opposite. She had been celibate since their divorce. True, she had dated a few men, shared a kiss, but had never been tempted into a sexual relationship. She had seen more than enough of what it did to people and wasn’t interested.

Rion descended the stairs to the main deck and stopped, drawing his black brows together in a frown. Selina was leaning over the rail, and even from this distance he could sense the tension in her. She did not want to be here, he knew, and felt a slight twitch of conscience. But she looked so gorgeous, with her long hair tied up in a ponytail dancing around in the sea breeze.

He noted she had changed the elegant dress for a baggy blue sweatshirt and pants, probably meant to put him off. But they were doing just the opposite. He felt his whole body respond and put his conscience aside. He had no need to feel guilty. Selina was getting what she wanted, like most women—money—and he was confident enough in his masculinity to know he could keep her satisfied and happy in his bed.

Selina smothered a cry of surprise as two strong arms folded around her waist. Lost in thought, she had not heard Rion approach. Letting go of the rail, she clasped his forearms, but the feel of his firm, warm skin against her palm made her catch her breath. The memory of another night and a different yacht, but with the same man doing exactly what he was doing now, flashed through her mind. And the memory of her avid response.

Not surprising, really, as after the first time they had made love Rion had never made love to her again, saying he wanted to wait and make the wedding night special. More likely he’d had some other woman—probably Chloe—warming his bed, she had realised later.

Stiffening, Selina turned her head to cast him a sidelong glance. ‘You surprised me. I thought you were with the captain.’

‘I was, but you looked so alone.’ His dark head bent and he nuzzled the back of her neck, her earlobe. ‘I decided to keep you company.’

‘There is no need,’ Selina said, trying to hang on to her self-control, which was becoming harder to do by the second with the warmth of his breath against her ear and the slight spicy scent of his cologne. It was hard to suppress the old familiar feelings and the memories she had thought long forgotten.

‘Trust me—there is,’ he said huskily, nibbling her neck and then sucking the tiny pulse that beat there as his hand snaked up beneath her sweater to cup her breast. Kneading gently, his long fingers slid teasingly over the swelling peaks in a caress that made her shudder from head to toe.

Selina gasped, her heart pounding. Why had she thought a scruffy old sweatsuit was enough to deter Rion? And she wasn’t wearing anything underneath, she thought helplessly. She tried to wriggle free from his hold—a bad mistake!

He pressed her back against his great body and she let her hands fall to her sides—and was immediately made aware of the strength of his masculine arousal against her buttocks.

‘Feel what you do to me?’ Rion rasped against the hollow of her throat, kissing and licking her tender skin.

‘Let me go,’ she got out shakily, her overheated body combining with the feeling of being completely surrounded by Rion making her head whirl. She grasped his arm at her waist, trying to prise herself free, but as she did so he rolled her aching nipples between his index finger and thumb, sending shafts of aching pleasure from her breasts to her loins, while his sensuous mouth lingered on the pulse that beat wildly in her throat, making her tremble, making her weak …

She raised her hands again, but with a will of their own her fingers seemed to glide up over his forearms, his muscular biceps.

‘Don’t …’ she murmured desperately. ‘Someone will see.’ A low moan escaped her as the hand at her waist slipped beneath her sweatpants to splay across her bare stomach and finally to cup the delta of her thighs, while his other hand continued the delicious torment of her breasts.

‘No one can see except perhaps the fishes,’ Rion rasped. ‘Relax and enjoy.’

‘No …’ she moaned. But against her will she was caught up in the wild, sensual hunger that rose from deep inside her as the past and the present collided in her mind. Her head fell back against his chest, her neck arching as he eased her legs slightly apart. His long, skilful fingers traced the delicate folds guarding her feminine core, searching the hot, damp centre with his fingertips, the pad of his thumb finding and stroking the tiny point of sensitive nerves to swollen pulsing pleasure … She was on fire, every nerve end taut with need …

‘You like that, Selina. You want more,’ he breathed against her ear, and nibbled on the tender lobe. ‘You only have to ask,’ he rasped.

She was trembling with need and yet a note of discord at his words pierced the sensual haze that was her brain. A flash from the harbour lighthouse spun across the water, dazzling her eyes and reminding her where she was.

‘No, Rion.’ She breathed his name and grasped his wrist, digging her fingers into his skin as much to quell her own desire as his intention.

Rion wasn’t sure how it had happened so fast, but Selina had responded to everything he’d done to arouse her, and aroused him so much he was desperate to be inside her. And yet she had the strength of will to stop him. The girl he had married would never have done so—but the Selina of today was a much stronger character.

He knew with his superior strength and skill he could easily persuade her differently, but he was reluctant to do so. Maybe he had been crass to demand she ask him. But he had never known a woman so responsive, and he was not going to let her slip back into denial.

Sliding his arm around her, he turned her to face him. ‘You’re right, Selina, the cabin would be better.’ And he stroked a hand up her back, holding her close, aware of the erratic beat of her heart. ‘But no more games. We both know what we want.’

He dipped his head and kissed her long and deep, until he felt her relax against him, her slender arms sliding around his neck. Raising his head he smiled into her eyes.

‘Bedtime, Selina,’ he said, and swept her off her feet.

Aching with frustration, and dazed by his kiss, Selina clung to Rion’s broad shoulders as he carried her through to his cabin and laid her down on a huge bed. She was intensely conscious of him—his dark chiselled features, the unfathomable depths of his eyes—and she wasn’t capable of resisting or uttering so much as a word as he reached for her and deftly removed the baggy suit.

What was the point of resisting anyway? Even if she could—which she very much doubted. It was too late for that. They were at sea, and so were her emotions … The result was inevitable, because she had made a deal and she must honour it. An impish devil whispered in her mind: So why not enjoy the experience? No other man had ever made her feel the way Rion did and probably never would!

He’d said he wanted her naked in his bed and here she was. He had seen her naked dozens of times—well, maybe not. She had been a bit of a prude about walking around naked, unlike Rion who had often teased her about it. But now she was naked, exposed, and Selina had a moment of panic, glancing warily up at Rion looking down at her.

She saw the hunger and the dark desire in his eyes, and her heart missed a beat and another, as he stripped off his shirt, revealing his broad muscular chest with its sprinkling of black hair arrowing down his stomach. Then he took off his pants, and she swallowed hard as his magnificent bronzed body in all its masculine beauty was revealed to her no longer wary but wondering eyes. He was incredible. The strength and the power of his erection made her gasp and desire kicked in her belly, her body throbbing in hungry recognition.

Suddenly she felt totally inadequate. He was expecting an experienced lover. Weakly she asked, ‘What do you want me to do?’

Rion stilled, hearing the catch in Selina’s voice. His dark eyes sought hers and he saw the shadows in their amber depths. He didn’t want her thinking she had to do whatever he said, he realised, even though he had given her little choice but to come with him.

His avid gaze roamed over her incredible naked body.

Selina was perfect—quite perfect: her glorious hair trailed across the pillow, her superb breasts and straining nipples, the flat stomach, the soft strawberry-blonde curls at the apex of her thighs, the long legs …

Rion wanted her badly—but he wanted her warm and willing. Lying down beside her, he raised himself up on one elbow and looked into her wide and wary golden green-flecked eyes. ‘Just be the beautiful, sexy woman I know you are, Selina …’ He brushed her lips with his. ‘Let me do the rest.’

The strange thing was that it seemed the most natural thing in the world to be like this with him, Selina thought, but said nothing. The flush of desire burned her skin as he smoothed a hand along her shoulder.

She trembled as his lean hands shaped her waist, her thighs, and then moved back to let his fingers drift over her breasts, grazing the tight peaks.

He bent his head and kissed her with a gentleness, an aching warmth that surprised her, and she was seduced all over again by his tenderness. Her lips parted to taste him with her tongue, her hands moving of their own volition up his chest.

‘Oh, yes …’ Rion groaned against her mouth as she touched him, and he kissed her again with a demanding, possessive passion that sent electric sensations arcing through her, tightening her body, driving her wild.

His hand stroked down her belly, his long fingers playing with the soft curls at the juncture of her thighs before moving between the velvet lips, the tips teasing and stoking the fire in Selina’s blood to fever-pitch.

Selina’s hand clenched on his shoulder as arrows of liquid heat shot to her damp, pulsing core. She raked a hand through his dark hair and shuddered, wanting him … all of him … with a white-hot wanton passion. Her other hand reached for the velvet-and-steel length of him, her slender fingers barely closing around the thickened strength of him, moving, exploring.

Rion groaned, ready to explode. Fighting for control, he pulled her hand away and, dipping his head, captured a pouting nipple in his mouth while his long fingers explored the hot wet centre of her with delicate strokes.

Selina’s eyes closed, her face taut with pleasure at his hungry suckling, the insistent harder rhythm of his fingers. She felt her muscles clench, her body lifting, trembling on the brink, then convulsing in shuddering release as Rion lifted her and, with one powerful thrust, filled her.

‘Rion … please!’ she cried, not sure she could take any more.

But she was wrong, and she was flung into a maelstrom of sensations that went on and on as his hard length stretched her and thrust deeper and faster, until with an answering cry Rion’s great body shuddered, filling her with his very essence.

Rion rolled onto his back, weak with release but still with enough strength to take Selina with him, so she lay cradled across his heaving chest. He was shocked. He had never come so fast or so fiercely before—ever … Not even when they were married. Then he had been gentle with Selina, thinking to lead her slowly down the sexual highway.

Rion raised his hand to brush her silken hair back from her face, and found himself huskily apologising. ‘Sorry I was a little quick, but it has been a while.’

Selina shifted against him, one slender leg brushing over his groin. Amazingly he felt himself stir again as she lifted her head and glanced up at him. ‘You were fine,’ she murmured, a dazed look in her gorgeous eyes, and let her head fell back on his chest.

‘I’ll make it better next time,’ he said, and felt her body relax.

Next time, Selina thought—then stopped thinking and closed her eyes.

Rion held her close and stroked his hand gently over her head, let the silken strands of her hair slide seductively through his fingers. He brushed his lips across her brow and realised she was asleep. Next time was not going to be as soon as he had hoped, he thought, a rueful smile twisting his lips. But with the warmth and the weight of her body over his chest, the feminine scent of her filling his nostrils, he didn’t really mind. He could wait …

Selina was his for the next couple of weeks—and, given her response, longer if he so chose, Rion thought with a sense of masculine satisfaction. He relaxed.

Then it hit him what he had done—or to be precise what he had not done …

Damn it to hell! he cursed. Only twice in his life had he forgotten, and both times with the same woman … His sense of satisfaction vanished like smoke in the wind.

‘Selina—Selina!’ He slid his hand from her head to her waist, to tip her onto the bed.

Snuggled against a hard, warm body Selina let her eyes flutter open. Someone was calling her name. For a moment she was totally disorientated—then suddenly she was lying flat on her back.

‘What?’ she muttered, and her eyes opened wide at the sight of Rion sitting up, his upper torso turned towards her. ‘Is it morning?’ she asked, though it wasn’t daylight, she realised, but moonlight that illuminated Rion’s bare chest and face.

Then it all came back to her. She was in Rion’s bed and they had made love. Suddenly she was conscious of her own naked state and felt a slow tide of warmth spread through her body—not so much a blush, more an involuntary sensual response to the man looking down at her. But by the thunderous expression on Rion’s hard face he was having no such reaction.

‘I did not use any protection, Selina. I need to know: Are you on the Pill?’ he demanded

‘You woke me up to ask that?’ The warmth seeped away and, sitting up, she reached for the edge of the coverlet and pulled it over her chest.

‘Yes, it is vital. I have no intention of being trapped into becoming a father and paying for it the rest of my life. I never forget to use a condom, and I can assure you I am perfectly healthy. I have regular check-ups—can you say the same?’

Selina had heard some insults in her twenty-four years, but Rion’s took the cake! How like a man. He didn’t want to be trapped—no thought for the woman who would have to carry the child for nine months and look after it for the rest of her life. All Rion was worried about was the money it might cost him …

What a charmer. But then why was she surprised?

She considered stringing him along. Letting Rion sweat for a few weeks would serve the arrogant devil right. But then that would involve her keeping in touch with him, and she didn’t want that … did she?

‘Lucky for you I am on the Pill.’ Ironically, when she had returned to England after Rion had thrown her out she had consulted her GP about her cramps and he had put her on the Pill. ‘And I had a check-up four months ago.’ Which she had—but not for the reason he thought. ‘I have not had a lover since. Can you say the same?’ She repeated his own question with a cynical arched brow in his direction and then, swinging her legs off the bed she stood up, ignoring Rion.

‘Good,’ Rion said, and he felt good. Of course Selina was on the Pill—she was an intelligent, sexually active woman who took care of herself. It made perfect sense. ‘And to answer your question yes, I can say the same. It seems we have both had a barren spell.’ He chuckled, and looked at her shapely naked body as she bent down to pick up her sweatpants from the floor with her back towards him.

Suddenly Rion didn’t feel so much fine as hungry. He was hardening again at the sight of her peachy bum slowly disappearing beneath the blue pants. He rolled off the bed and in one lithe movement reached for her arm and spun her around to face him.

‘Why bother dressing? We have the night ahead of us and the best is yet to come,’ he drawled, supremely confident of his virile prowess.

Selina’s eyes widened on his as she saw rekindled passion in the deep black pupils, sensual invitation … Hastily she lowered her gaze, refusing to be tempted. But looking at him standing in front of her stark naked was no help. His big body gleamed in the moonlight and incredibly she saw he was aroused again. She felt a renewed flicker of desire flare inside her.

She stiffened and doused the flame. ‘I’m going to bed. Dimitri gave me the cabin next door, and I prefer to sleep on my own,’ she clipped.

Rion recognised her defiant stance and was infuriated as well as frustrated. ‘Reneging on our agreement already, Selina? You are here as my lover, remember?’ he told her bluntly.

His dark eyes flicked over her face, over the wild tangle of hair falling to her shoulders, the proud thrust of her full firm breasts, the rosy nipples still swollen from his mouth. Her slender arms were by her sides and her hands clenched into fists.

‘Playing games will get you nowhere. You sleep in my bed unless I say otherwise.’ Rion didn’t know why he was insisting. He preferred sleeping alone. He had never spent a whole night with a woman in years—not since Selina …

Selina’s shoulders slumped. ‘Okay,’ she said. He was so damn arrogant, and she was too exhausted to argue with him. There was no point anyway. Rion would do what he liked—he always did. In his business life and his private life. With a skill and cunning that rarely failed. She meant nothing to him other than a female to warm his bed for two weeks. She had to remember that.

Turning, she walked around the foot of the bed and climbed in, pulling the coverlet up to her neck.

Just like that she had given in, and Rion was left standing like a lemon, watching her pull the cover over her body. He didn’t know whether he felt pleased or angry. What was it about Selina that managed to confuse him so easily? Whatever it was, the bed beckoned, and he lay down beside her and drew her unresisting body into his arms.

‘A kiss goodnight?’ he drawled softly, lowering his dark head.

Selina glanced up into his handsome face, saw the sensuous intent in his black eyes. She could not help it. A wide yawn escaped her.

As a passion killer it was classic …

Rion’s lips twitched in a wry smile. She was so beautiful, so very feminine—and so very tired, he realised belatedly. A pang of guilt stabbed at him, but though he had no doubt he could persuade her, he wasn’t a selfish enough lover to try.

While Selina had been making calls to rearrange her work schedule Anna had told him that when the doctor had said Mark Stakis only had days left, not knowing who to call, she had rung Selina. Without hesitation Selina had dropped everything to come straight to Greece. She had sat at her grandfather’s bedside for two days, only taking the occasional nap, until he died, and then she had arranged the funeral—contacting all the necessary people and holding up marvellously all day as a perfect hostess. Then Anna had asked him to make sure Selina caught her flight all right—because she really needed a rest.

Avoiding her lips, he pressed a kiss on her forehead. ‘You’re tired. Go to sleep.’

Selina needed no encouragement, and with a deep sigh she was asleep in seconds.

It took Rion a lot longer as Selina twisted restlessly in her sleep, ending up with a slender arm slanting down over his body, her hand splayed on his belly, her head resting on his chest and her firm breasts pressed against his side. Her steady breathing teased the hairs on his chest, and if her hand moved a fraction of an inch he would no longer be responsible for his actions.