The Maid's Best Kept Secret (The Marchetti Dynasty 1)

Now he looked the opposite of seductive. He looked positively icy. Condemning. A cold shiver went down her spine. What had she done?

She made her mouth form the shape of a word. ‘I...’

‘You...?’ he said, impatience and something else less definable making his tone sharp.

Maggie’s brain wouldn’t function. She dragged her gaze away from his naked torso. ‘Can you put some clothes on, please?’

He emitted a curse in some language that sounded guttural. She took advantage of the fact that he’d moved towards where his trousers lay, in a crumpled heap on the floor to pull the sheet up over her breasts.

He came back, hitching his trousers over his hips, pulling up the zip. ‘Well?’

Maggie wanted to point out that his top button was still open but she resisted the urge. She swallowed. Focused on his question.

Virgin.

‘I didn’t think...’ She trailed off.

That had been the problem, from the moment he’d appeared on the doorstep earlier she hadn’t had a rational thought in her head. First of all she’d sparked off him, and then...then she’d wanted him.

He opened his mouth, but she didn’t want to hear that sharp tone again so she said, with a little sheepishness, ‘I didn’t want you to stop.’

I was afraid you’d stop. Those words trembled on her lips but she clamped her mouth shut.

‘Theos, Maggie. You should have told me. I thought you were experienced. I don’t sleep with virgins. I am the last man who should initiate a woman in her first sexual experience.’

Maggie’s body disagreed. After what had just happened, the thought of another man being the one to initiate her in the ways of lovemaking almost made her feel nauseous.

And that was an earth-shattering revelation.

Wasn’t Nikos Marchetti the antithesis of everything she wanted in a man?

At what point had she succumbed to his wicked temptation?

It was all fuzzy now, but Maggie knew that somewhere along the way she’d justified having sex with him. And now she felt exposed. She’d had sex with a man who was the same as her father: rich and powerful. And she’d done it without a second thought.

She said, ‘Could you pass me a robe, please?’

Nikos looked at Maggie for a long moment, feeling conflicted between anger and desire. She looked thoroughly and utterly debauched. Her skin was still pink from his touch. Her hair was in a wild tumble around her shoulders. Her lips were swollen. Her eyes were huge with the same conflict he was feeling, but there was also something slumberous. And dazed. As if she couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Neither could he. He hadn’t had such an erotic encounter in a long time. If ever. He’d never felt such desperation to join his body to a woman’s.

He emitted a frustrated sound and retrieved a robe from the bathroom door, handing it to Maggie, who scooted into it awkwardly, trying not to show her skin.

It didn’t really work. Nikos still got a view of one plump breast and recalled how his hand hadn’t been able to contain its bounty.

His body tightened again. He ran a hand through his hair.

Maggie belted the robe and stood up from the bed. It was no consolation to see her legs wobble slightly. His own didn’t feel much steadier.

Nikos shook his head. ‘How were you still innocent?’

She shrugged minutely, avoiding his eye. ‘I just...never met anyone I wanted to...’ A blush stained her cheeks red.

‘Have sex with?’ h

e supplied, with a tone that he knew was astringent.

She looked at him. ‘Something like that.’