Chapter 24
Nikos kept a close watch on Emma over the following days. He never left her for more than an hour at a time before he would wander back in to check on her. He had forbidden her from doing any of her chores. He wanted her to rest and recover her strength.
After 3 days of his mollycoddling, Emma rebelled. She wasn’t in her bed where he had left her an hour ago. Nor was she in the bathroom, library, or on the patio. His anxiety grew as he searched, unable to find her. He was calling for her as he went room to room when she came around the corner rolling the vacuum in front of her.
Emma drew up short when she saw Nikos flinging open door after door. She pulled her earphones out and heard him calling her name. “Nikos! I’m here,” she called, going to him. He raked her up and down with an anxious look before pulling her to him in a crushing hug. “Hey, it's ok. I’m right here,” she said running her hands up and down his back.
“For God’s sake, Emma. I couldn’t find you. Why didn’t you stay in bed?” His tone was angry and hard, and he stepped back to hold her at arm’s length. “Do you know what I thought when you weren’t in your bed?”
Emma knew that he was just reacting to the trauma of the incident at the beach, but she didn’t have any more patience for him. “I don’t know, Nikos. I wasn’t in my bed, so you immediately thought that I was lying dead somewhere. I didn’t die! Quit treating me like I did!” She whirled on her heel and ran down the hall grabbing the vacuum as she went past.
Nikos stood and watched her retreat, dragging the vacuum roughly behind her. He blew out a breath and raked his hands through his hair. For the past 3 days, he had wrestled with visions of her limp body in his arms. He knew she was right. She was fine, and he needed to let her live. Treating her like an invalid, he just kept them both reliving the nightmare. Time to let it go, he told himself. With an effort, he straightened up and went in search of Gretchen.
Emma stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed and oddly excited. She had found Nikos’ note on her bed when she had finished her chores.
Emma, I’m sorry. Please join me this evening. There is something I want to show you. Nikos
She had no idea what he had in mind. She felt bad about her outburst earlier today. He had been badly shaken by the whole incident and was just working through it. Oddly, Emma had bounced back fairly well. She figured when you have a truckload of baggage already, one more piece didn’t matter as much.
Emma waited for him in the lounge. She thought about their first night together and how she had climbed on top of him and ridden him like a wild thing. She chewed her lip and wondered for the hundredth time what he had planned. She smiled as she heard his footsteps in the hall. “I’m in here,” she called.
“Are you ready? Gretchen and Abigail went to town for the evening. We need to hurry so we don’t miss it.” Nikos walked in and held his hand out to her. She took it happily and stood to kiss him.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he said, pulling her behind him out the door.
The Range Rover easily crossed the rugged terrain between the endless rows of vines. Emma had never been through the far reaches of the vineyard, and she looked around eagerly. Even as they lay sleeping, the rolling hills were lovely.
“This is a beautiful place.”
“Thank you,” Nikos said, strangely gratified that she thought so. The wine of this vineyard flowed in his veins. That she saw the beauty in it, even in its dormant state, made him happy beyond reason.
They crested a hill, and he rolled to a stop next to a large olive tree that marked the corner of the property. Below them, the valley opened up in a tableau of rolling hills, grapevines, and olive groves. Nikos laid out a picnic blanket and cold supper. He handed Emma a glass of wine as he settled down behind her. The sun was dropping lower, bathing the valley in a golden, orange light.
Emma sighed and leaned back against Nikos’ warm body. The sunset was beautiful as pink chased the orange across the sky. This might be the happiest moment of my life, she thought contentedly.
The light faded further into twilight. They had finished their supper and were lying side by side, watching the stars blink into existence. Nikos held her hand, lightly running his thumb in circles on the back of her hand. It had been the perfect evening. He felt peace settle around him, pushing the anxiety of the last several days away.
Rolling to his side, Nikos looked at her with longing. He wanted her with a sudden fierceness. He needed to chase the last shadows of worry from his soul. He slowly started to unbutton her blouse. Soon her chest and belly lay bare in the starlight. She hadn’t worn a bra, and her nipples stood tight and firm. Leaning in, he took one gently in his mouth, sucking softly.
Emma’s eyes drifted closed, and her hands twined in his hair. “Nikos,” she whispered raggedly. Her body burned for him. He hadn’t made love to her since the beach, and she was desperate to feel his skin against hers. She started to sit up, but he quickly pushed her back, rolling his body on top of hers. He nuzzled her neck and whispered a steady stream of Greek that meant nothing to her but inflamed her all the same. “Nikos. Please.” Her voice was a harsh plea as her body arched under him.
Nikos found her mouth, cutting her off. His tongue plunged deep into her mouth. He groaned as he pulled his mouth from hers and yanked his shirt over his head. He fell back over her body, stretching her arms over her head. Her skin was smooth and soft against him as she moved restlessly underneath him. Her soft sighs of desire were hot against his neck. His mouth found its way back to her neck, nibbling, kissing and sucking. He worked his way down her body. He sucked her nipples, each in turn. She giggled when he kissed her belly and sucked in a ragged breath when his hand suddenly rubbed her hand through her jeans. He loved how she responded to his touch.
Slowly, Nikos unbuttoned her jeans and lowered the zipper. He kissed the tender flesh of her lower belly as he began to work them down over her hips, kissing her over every inch he exposed. Finally, he pulled them free of her hips and off. She lay open to him, and he looked at her thinking she was the most glorious sight he had ever seen.
Emma’s heart stuttered when he looked at her like that. She never thought a look could convey so much. When he looked like that, she felt like she was a goddess. He stood and unbuttoned his jeans and slowly peeled them off letting her watch as his hard cock spring free. He stood, half hidden in the starlight and stroked himself as he looked over her body. Her breath caught, and she swallowed hard as she stared up at him. He had an intensely carnal look as he knelt between her legs. Slowly, he lowered himself over her and slipped the tip of his cock down, so he rested just at the entrance to her body. She moaned, her body clenching in need and anticipation. She flexed her hips, inviting him, begging him to slide inside her.
“I love you, Emma,” Nikos whispered in her ear as he slid smoothly, completely inside her. Her back arched and her legs rocked back to take him as far as she could inside her. He moaned her name against the delicate skin of her neck and drove his hips forward again. She was hot and tight and quivering under him. Her body responded, rocking with him, gripping harder with every thrust.
Emma’s head spun with the intensity of him. She clung to him as they rocked. Spasms pulled her tight around him and held him hard inside her. He groaned and flexed his hips getting as deep as he could. She felt her body respond and drew tighter still. “Nikos,” she moaned his name as her body arched. His hips pulled back, and he slammed himself hard back into her. “Nikos!” This time his name came out in a scream. She felt the pleasure blossom and grow and spill over to a terrific climax as he slammed into her again.
Nikos drove hard one more time, feeling himself draw up and suddenly he was rigid, his hips flexing and pumping. His cock erupted inside her and pulses of bright joy and pleasure tore through him. He threw his head back, and his shout of pleasure filled the night. His body throbbed again and again as his orgasm rolled on. Finally, he lowered his head to her shoulder, slumping forward and trying not to crush her. He felt wrung out, spent and limp with exhaustion. Her hands roamed over his back, lightly tracing and caressing. Slowly, his heart stopped pounding in his ears, and he stopped breathing like he had just run the 100-meter sprint. He kissed her shoulder and neck and finally her mouth before shifting himself off of her.
The air was cold on her skin after Nikos’ warmth. Emma gasped as he left her body, feeling suddenly empty and like she had lost something precious. Instinctively, she reached out to him, reassuring herself that he was still there, and it hadn’t all been a dream. His strong arms pulled her to him as he spooned her from behind, fitting her back against his chest. He pulled part of the blanket over them.
“Tell me what it means,” she said staring at the stars on the horizon. “The name you call me in Greek.”
“Lígo kléftis mou. I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out.” He chuckled and ran his hand up and down her body. “It means ‘my little thief.’”
He felt her stiffen beside him. “I am not a thief,” she said indignantly.
“Oh, that is where you are wrong,” he whispered in her ear, cupping her breast and nuzzling her neck in the spot he knew she loved.
“And exactly what am I guilty of stealing,” she asked as she melted back into him, giving him more access to her sensitive neck, forgetting that she was supposed to be offended.
“Only my heart,” Nikos said gently turning her head so he could kiss her mouth. “It is yours to keep, lígo kléftis mou. Take good care of it.”
“I will try, aftokínitó mou. I love you too,” Emma said, wiggling away from him so she could face him. He was shaking all over. “What’s wrong,” she asked in alarm.
Nikos tried, he really tried to keep the laughter in, but in the end, it was just too much. His laughter burst from him until he had tears in his eyes. “You just called me your car,” he gasped between fits of laughter. “Your Greek is still terrible.”
“Well, I guess I need some more lessons then,” she said giggling along with him.
“Indeed. Starting now.” He covered her body with his and began to teach her in earnest.