on, he couldn’t see straight.
Which was why it took a full minute to realise the fingers in his hair were pulling him back, not egging him on; that the hand on his shoulder was pushing him away with more than a little desperation.
‘No!’ The force of his kiss smothered the word but it finally penetrated his lust-engorged senses.
With a shocked groan, he lifted his head and staggered back.
Brianna stared up at him, her ragged breath rushing through lips swollen with the force of his kisses. But it was the expression in her turquoise eyes that froze his insides. Besides the shock mingled with arousal, the apprehension was back again.
Self-loathing ripped through him like a tornado. He might not have understood why she’d been terrified the first time, but this time he knew the blame lay squarely with him. He’d fallen on her like a horny barbarian.
He clenched his fists and took another step back. His chest rose and fell like a felon in the heat of pursuit and he dimly registered that he hadn’t bothered to breathe since he’d first tasted her.
‘I...think this has gone far enough,’ she said, her eyes darkening as they fell to his chest and skittered away.
Sakis wanted to refute that, to growl that it hadn’t gone far enough. But he would be speaking from the depths of whatever insanity gripped him.
Insanity...
Was that what he’d scornfully professed he wanted to test?
Well, now he knew. His gaze dropped to her mouth again and fresh need slammed into him.
Damn it...He knew, and yet he wanted more. Of course, ‘more’ was out of the question. Brianna held far more value to him as his assistant than she would as his lover.
Potential lovers were a dime a dozen. He only had to scroll through his diary...
The thought of doing just that for the sake of slaking the lust-monkey riding him made his mouth curl with distaste. He wasn’t his father, taking and discarding women with barely a thought between incidents, not caring about who bore the brunt of his actions.
Sucking in another breath, he forced a nod.
‘Ne, you’re right.’ He licked his lower lip, tasted her again and nearly groaned. He clawed a hand through his hair and fought to regain the control that had been all but non-existent since he walked into the gym, fully intent on a mind-clearing workout, only to find her contorted in a highly suggestive stretch that had fried his brain cells. ‘Let’s chalk it down to the pressure of the past seventy-two hours.’
A look passed through her eyes before her lids lowered. ‘Is this how you normally deal with a crisis?’
He gave another tight smile, whirled away and came face to face with his image.
Theos, no wonder she was frightened.
He looked like a crazed animal, a monster with wild eyes burning with stark hunger and a raging hard-on. He kept his back to her then forced himself to answer evenly.
‘No, I normally fly down to the lake and take a scull out on the water. Or I come here to the gym and use the rowing machine. Physical labour helps me work things through.’ Unfortunately, the physical he had in mind now involved Brianna beneath him, her thighs spread out in response to his hard, demanding thrusts.
‘Um...okay. I guess I was in your way, then. Shall I...let you get on with it?’ The slight question in her tone demanded reassurance.
Sakis had none to give. He remained exactly where he was, his back to her as he willed his body under control.
‘Mr Pantelides?’
He winced at the rigid formality in those two words. Gritting his teeth, he turned to face her. ‘Don’t worry, Moneypenny. Nothing’s changed. You tasted sweet enough but this was nothing to lose my head over. Our little experiment is over. The board is reconvening at eight. I’ll see you in the office at seven-thirty.’
A gym workout was now out of the question. Brianna’s scent lingered in the air and threatened to mess with his mind.
‘Okay. I’ll see you in the morning, then. Goodnight, Mr—’
‘Kali nichta, Moneypenny.’ He cut her off before she could trot out his title again.
Sakis scooped up his shirt, thought about putting it back on and discarded the idea. Since he couldn’t stay here, a two-— no, make that three-—mile swim in his pool was the next best option.
He was still staring at his shirt when she walked past him smelling of crushed lilies, rampant sex and sweat. God, what a combination. Against his will, his gaze tracked her sleek form. The taut, bare skin of her waist taunted him, as did the tight curve of her ass as she swayed her way out. With each sexy stride, the fire sweeping through his groin threatened to rage out of control.
It took a full minute after she’d left to realise he was still standing in the middle of the gym, clutching his shirt, gazing at the space where she’d been. With his fist tightening around the creased cotton, Sakis forced himself to admit that things indeed were about to get way worse before they got better.
And not just with his company.
* * *
‘You tasted sweet enough but this was nothing to lose my head over...’ Brianna forced herself to dwell on the relief rather than the sharp hurt burrowing inside her. The dangerous theory had been tested, the fire had been breached and they’d come out unscathed.
Are you sure? Brianna kicked off her leotard with more force than was necessary. ‘Yes, I’m sure,’ she said out loud. ‘One-hundred per cent sure,’ she added for good measure.
Her top followed and she strode into the lavish cream-and-gold decorated bathroom. Turning on the shower, she stepped beneath the spray. Hot rivulets coursed over her face, over the mouth Sakis had devoured less than five minutes ago, and a fresh wave of desire rushed over her.
‘No!’ Her hands shook as she reached for the shower gel and spread it over her body. This wasn’t happening. But it was... It had...
She’d let Sakis kiss her, had fallen into his hands like a ripe peach at harvest. She’d chosen to test the waters and had almost drowned in the process.
Because that kiss had rocked her to the depths of her soul. He’d kissed her like she was the last tangible thing in his universe, like he wanted to devour her. Aside from the pleasure of it, she’d felt his need as keenly as the need she’d fought so hard to suppress.
She didn’t want to need. For as long as she could remember, needing had only brought her disaster. As a child, her needs had come last for a mother who was only interested in her next drug fix. As a grown woman, she’d let her need for affection blind her into believing Greg’s lies.
Nothing would make her return to that dark, needful place.
Her fingers drifted once again to her tattoo.
Whatever it was Sakis needed, he could find it elsewhere.
*
