in the spotlight.”
Stefan stepped closer, calling himself all kinds of a fool for torturing himself with her familiar floral aroma, her tall, lithe body close to his. But he couldn’t help himself. He needed that intimacy, that closeness only Tori could provide. He told himself it was to get used to making this “relationship” seem real. In truth, he wanted to touch her, kiss her…undress her. Possibilities and images swirled around in his mind. Years he’d waited to have a chance with her, and here he was nervous as a virgin on a wedding night.
Na pari i eychi. Dammit. The last time he’d seen her in person two years ago he’d flown to L.A. to attend a benefit art show to raise money for a children’s charity. His father was supposed to have gone but had fallen ill at the last minute, so Stefan had stepped in, all too eager to get to L.A. and try his hand at seducing Victoria.
But when he’d arrived at her home, she’d introduced him to some up-and-coming actor whom she’d just begun dating. Stefan had been totally blindsided with the sudden serious nature of the relationship. They talked on the phone, emailed or texted several times a week and no mention had been made of this other man.
Because she’d been beaming with happiness, Stefan had kept his lustful feelings to himself and tried to maintain a physical distance. But now she was here because that jerk, Alex, had humiliated her and crushed her heart.
Stefan had every intention of helping her heal. And now he knew there was no way he could hold his desire back. Eventually, he’d have to confess that he wanted her intimately, paper marriage be damned.
As if just realizing how close they’d gotten, Victoria looked up at him and licked her lips, making them moist and inviting. “I still think we have our work cut out for us. We’ve never been anything more than best friends.”
It was just the opening he’d been waiting for. “Then we better start now making this believable.”
In one move, Stefan had his arms snaked around her waist and his lips crushing hers, swallowing her gasp. He hadn’t meant to push, really he hadn’t, and the second their tastes and bodies collided, he knew this was a bad idea. Now he’d only want her more. But if his life depended on it, he couldn’t pull away.
After the briefest of hesitations, she exploded in his arms, kissing him back with a passion he hadn’t expected, but he would definitely embrace. For years he’d wondered, dreamed, and here she was kissing him as if she thought of him as a man and not just a friend. Obviously he wasn’t the only one who’d imagined this moment.
And that aroused him even more and left him with the knowledge this was something that would have to be discussed sooner rather than later.
Needing more and taking it, he parted her lips with his tongue. Her fingers gripped his biceps as she leaned against him a bit more. And just like he’d imagined for years, she fit against him perfectly.
But before he could take more and allow his hands to roam freely over that killer body, Victoria stepped back, her hand immediately going to cover her lips.
“We can’t…that was…”
Stefan closed the gap she’d just created, but not to pick up where she broke off. He intended to reassure her that what just happened was not a mistake. Hell no, it wasn’t. An epiphany, yes, but no mistake.
“Interesting how flustered you are after one kiss,” he told her with a smile, still tasting her on his lips. “We’ve kissed before, Tori.”
With fingertips still on her lips, Victoria placed her other hand on his chest. “Our kisses were never anything like that.”
Because he was a gentleman, at least where the ladies were concerned, he didn’t mention the groaning she’d done when his lips had touched hers.
He wanted her to think about what happened…God knows he’d never forget. Her taste and the feel of her body were all burned into his long-term memory. But he needed to move slowly and stay on track.
“My top chef has prepared moussaka for us.” He ushered her toward a chair and assisted her into it. “I remember how much you enjoyed Greek cuisine the last time you visited.”
Victoria didn’t even look at the meal; she merely gazed at him from across the intimate table complete with a small exotic bouquet of flowers and two tall white tapered candles.
“Are you going to pretend that kiss didn’t make an impression on you?” she asked, arching a perfectly shaped brow.
Her bold statement had him smiling. Why lie? She knew him too well.
“I wasn’t unaffected, Victoria.” He held her gaze, needing her to see how serious he was. “Any man would be a fool not to be physically attracted to you. And I’d be a liar to say I hadn’t thought of kissing you before.”
“I’m not quite sure how to respond to that.” She glanced down, then cleared her throat and met his gaze again. “I have to say, it’s no wonder you have the reputation you do when you kiss like that. If you pull that stunt in public, the media will never think to question the engagement.”
“They’ll see nothing but eros when they look at us.”
“What does that mean?” She laughed. “You always show off by throwing out Greek terms I don’t know.”
“Passionate, erotic love.” Yet again, he held her gaze. “Cameras don’t lie, and I know that’s what they’ll see. I will have no problem making the relationship look real.”
Victoria shook her head. “I’m afraid your cockiness and ego may overshadow me in any picture, but I’ve found that ego charming over the years—must be from growing up with a very alpha brother. Your pride stems from confidence, which is always a redeeming quality in a man. But I know there’s a soft side beneath that tough-guy persona. Besides, I’ve been around onlookers and cameras since I was born, so I actually don’t notice them much anymore.”
But they notice you.
“I’m glad to hear the media doesn’t bother you because we’ll have to pose for several formal pictures once we’re married,” he told her, taking the silver dome lids off the dishes. “Though something you may not be as used to is servants. As queen, you’ll have your own assistants who will do anything and everything—from dressing you, to preparing your meals and escorting you anywhere you need to go.”
Victoria’s perfectly manicured hand stilled on her wineglass. “I don’t need someone to dress me—that’s literally my job. And an escort? Is that really necessary? I can’t stay here after the marriage until the title is official, Stefan. I have a life, a job to get to. If we need to put up a united front, you’ll just have to come to the States and be with me there.”
“For how long?” he asked. “With no one reigning as king, I am technically the…stand-in, if you will.”
Victoria jerked in surprise. “You’re acting as king now? I didn’t know this.”
He nodded. “Nothing is official until the coronation, but it’s law that when the king dies, the oldest son will step in immediately. If something were to happen to me or if I did not marry, the country would go back to Greece. So this is all temporary until I fulfill my duties.”
“So do you
