hands stroked lower over her ribs and down over her pants, finding the core of her and then tormenting her through the delicate silk.
She groaned with pleasure as his caress became firmer, more insistent.
Katie couldn’t think of anything now except the pleasure he could give her, and the aching void inside her. ‘Alexi, I want you so much.’ The words were torn from her.
And then he pulled away from her.
‘Where are you going?’ Her eyes snapped open in panic and he laughed.
‘I’m not going anywhere, believe me.’ He’d been holding on to his control by a whisper, but now that she was truly ready for him he was going to savour this moment. He unbuckled his belt and took off his trousers.
‘Tell me again how much you want me,’ he commanded softly as he took off his boxers.
‘You know how much I want you,’ she whispered unevenly, and he noticed the way she moistened her lips and looked at him with those playful come-to-bed eyes.
He found himself hardening so much that he was uncomfortable now.
Unable to bear it a moment longer, he reached for her, pulling her down against him. ‘I’ve missed you so much, Katie.’
The murmured words gave her a thrill of pleasure unlike any other as he rained kisses down over her face before crushing his lips against hers.
She gasped with joy as he rolled her over, tipping her head back, raking his hands through her hair, pulling it roughly as his lips nuzzled in against her neck. The sensation was pure sensual bliss.
‘I don’t know how I’ve waited this long to have you again.’ His mouth was on hers again now, his tongue entering the softness of her mouth, taking possession as his hands moved over the narrow curve of her waist, then lower to push down the flimsy pants that she wore.
She felt him push deep inside her and she cried out in rapture, running her hands over the broad, smooth contours of his back as she drew him as close to her as she possibly could.
He smiled. ‘This is the Katie I remember so well, the Kat I like to play with, torment and tease …’ He laced the words with kisses along her neck, and she shuddered with delight, wrapping her legs around him, holding him tight and giving herself up to the thrill of his body.
Alexi felt lost as soon as he entered her—he wanted her with a force that was overwhelming in its intensity. He felt like he’d been starved of her and now had to gorge on her, take her and take her and drive himself into her, with thrusting, deep strokes until they became absolutely one.
He spoke to her in Greek, forgetting everything, forgetting almost who he was in the mist of his desire.
And she matched his passion, her body merging with his with a wanton, passionate disregard for everything but the moment.
Katie cried out his name as she exploded inside with long, shuddering, orgasmic pleasure. He followed soon after, and she held him tightly against her body, absorbing the shudders of his body, stroking her hands caressingly over his shoulders, turning her mouth to find his lips and drink him in.
For a long while afterwards they just lay closely entwined—exhausted. Alexi’s body was hot against hers, his arms like tight bands of possession around her. She cuddled closer, loving the feeling of warmth and closeness. She’d missed him so much. She wanted to cry at the sheer pleasure of being held in his arms again. And the fact that he’d told her he’d missed her swirled pleasurably with the sated, exhausted threads of her emotions.
Maybe this marriage would work. Maybe there was a chance for them. Maybe he would start to fall in love with her …
After all, in the right situations, love could be nurtured and cultivated until it blossomed like a flower.
He pressed a kiss against her forehead and she smiled, drowsily contented.
Alexi pulled away from her slightly, and his eyes drifted down over the warm curves of her body. He’d known he wanted her, but the extreme force of that need had taken him totally by surprise. He’d lost control—and that never happened to him.
He wanted her again, wanted her right now. The sudden need hit him again and it angered him. He didn’t want to feel like this. He wanted to feel sated now, wanted the bewitching spell she had cast over him to abate so that he could take her again at his leisure when it suited him. He wanted absolute control over his emotions.
She rolled over and looked up at him with clear blue eyes. ‘Tell me again that you missed me,’ she whispered.
The question splintered through him.
‘You know I’ve missed you. You’re great in bed, Katie.’
He said the words with a frown, and they hit her like a physical whack of a stick.
The world had been held at bay whilst she was in his arms, and she’d believed him when he’d said he’d missed her. But what he’d really meant was that he had missed her body, nothing more. Would she never learn? How could she be so stupid? A hot wave of shame rushed through her as she remembered how hungrily and greedily she had needed him.
‘Do you want a drink of something?’ Alexi forced himself to move away from her.
‘Some water would be good.’ She reached hastily for her clothes on the floor and found her underwear. Her hands were shaking as she tried to fasten her bra.
Alexi watched her, momentarily distracted. He loved the way she looked after sex, her hair all messed up and her skin flushed.
God, he wanted her.
‘We’ll make love again later,’ he told her abruptly. He noticed how her hands weren’t completely steady now as they flew to pick up her jacket, shutting out his view of her curves.
‘I think I’ll have a shower and get changed.’
Something about the way she looked over at him made him reach out and catch her arm before she could move away. ‘Katie, are you OK?’
‘Of course.’ Her blue eyes shimmered for a moment, too wide, too impossibly blue for the pallor of her skin.
‘I didn’t hurt you, did I?’
For a moment the gentleness of that question threw her—and she thought he realised how she was feeling.
‘I wasn’t too rough?’ he asked softly, and his eyes moved down over her to rest on her stomach, and she realised he was just worried about the baby.
‘No—it was fine.’ She moved away and came round to pick up her dress.
‘Fine?’ For a moment he frowned. ‘I think it was more than fine.’
Her hair flowed like liquid silk around her shoulders as she glanced over at him. ‘Not worried about your sexual prowess, are you, Alexi?’ She couldn’t resist the jibe—she was hurting inside, and she wanted to hurt him, too. Wanted to act and talk as if she didn’t care. ‘You were good,’ she said airily. ‘Don’t concern yourself. It was more than … adequate.’
She
