He rocked back in his chair, frustrated, exhaling. What the hell? He’d seen the affection in her eyes, heard the concern in her voice when she mentioned her brother. Amaya was no actress.
She was a young, naive girl who had agreed to participate in Madame Alexa’s auction because she desperately needed the money.
He stood and grabbed his jacket. She was also a vibrant, responsive, luscious woman who deserved a proper first time. He’d been so worried about taking things slowly so as not to hurt her, when he should worry about what made her feel good. Yep, she was going to have a proper first time.
And he was going to give it to her.
…
Amaya glanced at the cheesy souvenir shirt she’d bought Diego. A powerful wave of affection surged through her.
She’d called Samantha who assured her he was doing fine without her. She’d also been able to Facetime her brother and wished she could reach across the screen and hug him. He’d acted content and calm and not confused or angry like she’d expected. He understood she’d be traveling for a while and would return. Still, she couldn’t avoid feeling remorse for not being there.
One month. Now, less than that. Twenty-six days.
She glanced at the front of the villa as the car made its way into the entrance. The driver had seemed anxious when she’d called him to pick her up. Did she make him go out of his way?
She sucked in a breath. Who cared? The previous night, Theo’d driven her crazy with desire only to toss her out of his bed when she was no longer needed. She couldn’t disagree or have any opinions…at least not demonstrate them. Sharing her feelings wasn’t why he’d paid so much for her.
A shiver raced down her spine. The man obviously didn’t care about her, and that bothered her more than it should. Growing up, she’d dreamed of losing her virginity with a man she loved, and nowadays, she guessed a man who wanted to use her body before marrying someone else had become the new normal. She certainly hadn’t wanted to lose her virginity like her sister Malena, poor thing. She’d ended up a pregnant teenager and dying in childbirth.
When her prom date had bailed on her, a part of her had felt relief. She knew all about girls giving in after high school prom parties and wondered if she’d be strong enough to refuse. Yet now she wanted nothing more than to give herself to Theo. A tantalizing shiver traveled through her, her chest radiating with hope. If only he’d take her.
The driver brought the car to a stop before the entrance and slid out of his seat to open her door.
Carrying a couple bags filled with souvenirs, she got out. It didn’t take her long after she entered his impressive home to find Theo in the living area.
Wearing dark jeans, a crisp white shirt, and a charcoal jacket, he looked good enough to eat again and again. Moisture evaporated from her throat and she halted, giving herself a mental slap. “Hi.”
“You’ve been gone all day,” he said, giving her a once-over.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d care. I thought you’d be busy working.”
“Go upstairs and change. There’s a dress for you on the bed. And shoes. Wear them,” he said in a steady, commanding voice.
All right, boss. The snarky response burned at the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it and zipped upstairs. A thrill of excitement moved through her. A dress! She dashed into her bedroom and lifted the cobalt gown on the duvet. Holding it against her, she turned around and faced the large mirror over the vanity. With thin straps and a V-neck, the rich fabric didn’t have a beaded pattern or much fanfare. It translated into understated elegance, the type a traditional rich woman suited to marry a man like Theo would wear.
She took a quick shower, dried off, and slipped into the dress. When she put it on, the promise of quiet elegance shifted into a sensual message. Perhaps on a different woman, the dress would look modest and classic; she smoothed her hand over it, her breasts straining against the top, struggling for freedom.
She drew in a breath, realizing if she exhaled without much planning, he’d see her naked a lot sooner than anticipated. Talk about a glamorized Spanx. Maybe that had been why he’d chosen the dress. He wanted something to slim her down. Hhhmmm. She shook her head. Nah. Probably ordered the wrong size.
With calculated moves, she opened the box on her bed, which she assumed contained the shoes. She fumbled with the tissue paper until she procured a sexy pair of nude stilettos. Her nipples puckered as she traced her fingers along the smooth surface. Until that moment, she’d never imagined a shade of beige could be sexy, but damn…
She slipped her feet into the shoes and exited the room, squaring her shoulders. He had summoned her to get dressed, and tonight, she again had to remember to go with the flow and not question everything. If this get-up got her one step closer to sleeping with him, she was game.
“Oraios,” he said, his voice dropping an octave.
“I don’t understand,” she said, though the hungry look in his eyes left no doubt. He approved of the way the dress hugged her curves.
A shot of lust traveled through her, contracting her core, and suddenly, her thighs became sticky. Because of how the dress fit, she’d ended up not wearing underwear to avoid lines. Now part of her missed the security an extra barrier of clothing would bring. Her cream coated her folds, and she clenched her legs, which only caused her clit to throb in response.
“Gorgeous,” he said, with a mysterious smile washing away the seriousness from earlier.
“Where are we going?”
“Out,” he said, making her wish they’d just stayed home so she could be his main course.
Amaya took a bite of the grilled octopus, part of the exquisite dish filled with fried peppers, olives, and cheeses. For the past thirty minutes, they’d talked in the lively Greek restaurant. She’d expected him to take her to a buttoned-up kind of place, but to her delight, he’d chosen a quaint eatery with great service and tremendous food.
