He set Ava on her feet in the luxurious suite that he’d rented for the night. They’d leave in the morning for Paris for their two-week honeymoon. But tonight they were in Athens at one of the five-star properties his family owned. The owner’s suite was large, with the best marble flooring imported from Italy, priceless works of art adorning the walls and Louis XIV furniture. Beautiful, opulent, yet it all paled compared to the woman in his arms.
She danced around the room, her strawberry-blond hair fanning out around her. There was a restless energy about herthat underscored the fact that, even though he could hold her in his arms, he never really understood her.
“You’re staring at me,” she said, coming to a stop in front of the balcony doors.
“I know.”
“Usually I’m the one who does the staring,” she quipped.
“You’re effervescent tonight. I can’t seem to stop looking at you.”
The lighting in the room was dim and candles flickered on all the surfaces. Pale-pink rose petals made a trail on the floor to the bedroom.
“Am I?” She tipped her head to the side, giving him a seductive look from under her eyelids.
He nodded. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since I came back into your life.”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment since you left my life. I can’t believe today has been real.”
“Come over here and I’ll prove it.”
She smiled over at him in a dreamy way that he thought meant she might be a little buzzed from the champagne she’d drunk at their reception. She’d danced with Theo and with him, but no one else. It was as if she were sending him a direct signal that she was his.
“Moro mou, come here.”
She shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“You’ll kiss me and I’ll forget that I want this night to last forever.”
“I promise it’ll last forever,” he said, wondering if that was the truth. His erection strained against his zipper now that they were alone and he knew that he was going to have her. At last. Well, if the first time didn’t last forever, he’d make it up to herthe second time he took her. He didn’t plan on sleeping much tonight anyway.
She didn’t say anything but kicked off her high heels and walked toward him in that sexy dress she’d changed into before they’d left the reception. The skirt danced around her legs and she put an extra swivel in her hips.
“Ava…”
“Christos….”
“Stop teasing me.”
“Is that what I’m doing?”
“You know you are.”
“Why don’t you stop me?”
“Because you don’t want me to,” he said.
She stopped. “You’re right, I don’t. I want to tease you until you can’t sit there and beckon me. Until that passion you do such a good job of hiding forces you to come to me?—”
He lunged for her, pulling her tight to his body. Holding her by her hips as his mouth found hers. He plundered her lips, pushing his tongue deep into the cavern of her mouth, swallowing her gasp and tasting that champagne he knew she was buzzing from.
He didn’t lift his head until she was clinging to him.
“Like that?”
“Just like that. I’ve missed being in your arms,” she said, curling herself around him.
