Chapter 9
Nikos hated to move. He wanted to stay at this moment with this amazing woman cuddled on his chest. He had never seen a woman so driven by lust and desire. It had been awe-inspiring to watch her come alive, like an ember blown into a flame and then into an out of control forest fire. Reluctantly, he shifted underneath her. His legs were bent at an awkward angle, and his left foot had already fallen asleep. He tried to shift her to his side so he could hold her, but as soon as she sensed his movement, she jerked upright and away from him. He moved to try to catch her, but her momentum was taking her away from him.
Emma fell unceremoniously on her ass next to the couch. Nikos scrambled off after her, but his left leg didn’t want to work right as most of its circulation had been cut off for several minutes. He landed next to her in a heap. She looked at him naked, sprawled on the floor and started to giggle. Nikos gave her a look of indignation. She giggled even harder, and soon, they both were laughing like loons, naked on the hardwood floor.
Emma lay on her back clutching her stomach and staring at the ceiling. All of the ramifications of what she had just done threatened in the back of her mind. No, she told herself firmly. This was her night- her one night to feel alive, to feel normal. She slammed the metal door and rolled on her side, propping herself up on her elbow.
She admired the man that lay beside her with his eyes closed. His thick black hair fell back away from his face in long waves. It was almost long enough to pull into a ponytail. Emma longed to run her hands through it. She kept her hands to herself with an effort, not wanting to disturb him, and tried to memorize every inch of him. This was her one night, and she didn’t want any gaps in her memory that would have to sustain her from now on.
Nikos felt her visual inspection and laid still. He liked her looking at him and planned to make her repay him in kind. No, he thought, I want to taste and touch every part of her, not just look. Lazily, he opened his eyes and immediately, Emma stopped eyeing him and gave him a sheepish smile. His heart squeezed at that smile. There was something so simple and sweet about this woman, but it was hidden under a cloak of vague answers and evasions.
“So, my little vine thief, is this your plan? Seduce me, fuck me until I can’t move, and then steal my vines as I lay helpless to stop you.”
Emma scoffed, “Hardly, if I wanted your vines, I would have seduced Alex, and he would have never told you about me.”
Nikos let out a bark of laughter thinking about Alex being seduced by Emma. More than likely, he wouldn’t have had any idea what she was about and eventually would have just left to find solace among the vines. The man obsessed over grapes, every minute of every day. Nikos reminded him to take a day off and literally forced him to take a vacation, which he hated, every year.
“Poor old Alex. He wouldn’t have known what to do with you.”
“He called the police on me!” Emma said with indignation.
“No, he called me to see if I wanted him to call the police. Your Greek is terrible. We should work on that.” Nikos rolled toward her and cupped her breast. “Stithos and thili,” squeezing her breast and pinching her nipple. She leaned into his touch, wanting more.
“And this,” she asked running her finger over his full lower lip. He told her and then told her the words for eyes, hair, neck, and shoulder as he caressed and kissed each one. The cold of the floor coupled with the desire coursing through her body made her shake and shiver. Nikos had been kissing each of her fingers murmuring their names when he noticed.
“Perhaps we should finish our lesson in the bedroom.” He stood and helped her to her feet. With an easy movement, he swept her up and carried her toward her room. She snuggled into his chest and indulged herself by running her hand through his hair. She said what she thought was the word he had used for hair.
Nikos chuckled as he put her on the bed. “Not unless I have sprouted hands out of my head. You weren’t paying attention.” He kissed her hot and deep. “Stay right there.” He straightened and left the room.
Emma wriggled under the covers as she watched him leave, admiring again his muscular back and hips and the self-assured way he moved. He returned quickly with a handful of condoms, having removed the used one. He tossed them on the nightstand and Emma cocked an eyebrow.
“You aren’t being overly optimistic are you,” as she counted at least 12 in the pile.
“Just prepared, lígo kléftis mou.” Emma didn’t get a chance to ask what he had just said. He kissed her with a deep soul-searing passion and lowered himself over her body.
Nikos began a whole new lesson then. Slowly, methodically, he learned her body and explored her secret places. Hours later, they had put a dent in the pile on the nightstand. Finally exhausted and sated, Nikos tucked her in against his chest.
“Don’t go tomorrow,” he murmured against her hair.
“I can’t stay, Nikos. I have to move on. I need a job.” I need to get far away from you before this gets any worse, Emma thought. She already didn’t know how she was going to leave in the morning. This had been the most magical night of her life.
“Emma.” He said her name like it was a torment and pulled her even closer. He was silent for a while and then said quietly, “Work for me then. Gretchen has too much between Abigail, her mother, and the house. You can help her in the house and watch Abby sometimes so she can go tend to her mother. I’ve been thinking about hiring someone anyway.”
Emma didn’t reply immediately. She was torn. Part of her argued that he was offering her a position to actually be his mistress and that part railed against the proposition. A larger part wanted never to leave this bed. The thought of not experiencing the things she had tonight ever again hurt her to her very core. Of course, then there was the compulsion to run. She needed to stay on the move. To stay anywhere increased her chance of being found, even a rural vineyard in the Peloponnese. Her mind and heart continued their vicious tug of war. Eventually, she replied with a noncommittal, “We’ll see.”
Nikos didn’t press her further. In the back of his mind, he questioned his own motives. He didn’t know this woman, and he was inviting her into his house and family. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed help. He decided as he fell asleep, that he was going to be the one to help her- whether she liked it or not.