Playing by the Greek's Rules (Puffin Island 0.50)

‘No, I’m smiling because you’re cute when you’re angry.’

‘I’m not cute. I’m fearsome and terrifying.’

What was fearsome and terrifying was how much he wanted her but he kept that thought to himself as he strolled towards her. ‘Can we start this conversation again?’

‘There is nothing more to say. Stop right there, Nik. Don’t take another step.’

He kept walking. ‘I should not have left you with Chloe. I behaved like an idiot, I admit it,’ he breathed, ‘but I’m not used to having a relationship with a woman like you.’

‘And you’re afraid I don’t understand the rules? Trust me, I not only understand them but I applaud them. I wouldn’t want to fall in love with someone like you. You make Neanderthal man look progressive and I’ve studied Neanderthal man. And stop looking at me like that because there is no way I can have sex with you when I’m this angry. It’s not happening, Nik. Forget it.’

He stopped toe to toe with her, slid his hand into her hair and tilted her face to his. ‘You’ve never had angry sex?’

‘Of course not! Until you, I’ve only ever had “in love” sex. Angry sex sounds horrible. Sex should be loving and gentle. Who on earth would want to—?’ Her words died as he silenced her with his mouth.

He cupped her face, feeling the softness of her skin beneath his fingers and the frantic beat of her pulse. He took her mouth with a hunger bordering on aggression and felt her melt against him. Her arms sneaked round his neck and he explored the sweet heat of her mouth, so aroused he was ready to rip off her dress and play out any one of the explicit scenarios running through his brain.

He had no idea what it was about her that attracted him so much, but right now he wouldn’t have cared if she was holding an armful of babies and singing the wedding march, he still would have wanted to get her naked.

Without lifting his mouth from hers, he hauled her dress up to her waist and slid his fingers inside the lace of her panties. He heard her moan, felt her slippery hot and ready for him, and then her hands were on his zip, fumbling as she tried desperately to free him. As her cool fingers closed around him his mind blanked. He powered her back against the wall, slid his hands under her thighs and lifted her easily, wrapping her legs around his hips.

‘Nik—’ She sobbed his name against his mouth, dug her nails into his shoulders and he anchored her writhing hips with his hands and thrust deep. Gripped by tight, velvet softness, he felt his vision blur. Control was so far from his reach he abandoned hope of ever meeting up again and simply surrendered to the out-of-control desire that seemed to happen whenever he was near this woman.

He withdrew and thrust again, bringing thick waves of pleasure cascading down on both of them. From that moment on there was nothing but the wildness of it. He felt her nails digging into his shoulders and the frantic shifting of her hips. He tried to slow things down, to still those sensuous movements, but they were both out of control and he felt the first powerful ripples of her body clenching his shaft.

‘Cristo—’ He gave a deep, throaty groan and tried to hold back but there was no holding back and he surrendered to a raw explosive climax that wiped his mind of everything except this woman.

It was only when he lowered her unsteadily to the floor that he realised he was still dressed.

He couldn’t remember when he’d last had sex fully clothed.

Usually he had more finesse, but finesse hadn’t been invited to this party.

He felt her sway slightly and curved a protective arm around her, supporting her against him. His cheek was on her hair and he could feel the rise and fall of her chest as she struggled for air.

Finally she locked her hand in the front of his shirt and lifted her head. Her mouth was softly swollen and pink from his kisses, her eyes dazed. ‘That was angry sex?’

Nik was too stunned to answer and she gave a faint smile and gingerly let go of the front of his shirt, as if testing her ability to stand unsupported.

‘Angry sex is good. I don’t feel angry any more. You’ve taught me a whole new way of solving a row.’ She swayed like Bambi and he caught her before she could slide to the floor.

‘Theé mou, you are not going to use sex to solve a row.’ The thought of her doing with anyone else what she’d done with him sent his stress levels soaring.

‘You did. It worked. I’m not saying I like you, but all my adrenaline was channelled in a different direction so I’m feeling a lot calmer. My karma is calmer.’

Nik was far from calm. ‘Lily—’

‘I know this whole thing is difficult for you,’ she said, ‘and you don’t need to make the situation more difficult by worrying about me falling in love with you. That is never going to happen. And next time your little sister is upset, don’t hand her to someone else. I know you don’t like tears, but I think you could make an exception for a distressed two-year-old. Man up.’

Nik, who had never before in his life had his manhood questioned, struggled for a response. ‘She needed comfort and I have zero experience with babies.’ He spoke through his teeth. ‘My approach to all problems is to delegate tasks to whichever person has the superior qualifications—in this instance it was you. She liked you. She was calmer with you. With me, she cried.’

She gave him a look that was blisteringly unsympathetic. ‘Every expert started as a beginner. Get over yourself. Next time, pick her up and learn how to comfort her. Who knows, one day you might even be able to extend those skills to grown-ups. If you didn’t find it so hard to communicate you might not have gone so long without seeing your father. He adores you, Nik, and he’s so proud of you. I know you didn’t like Callie, but couldn’t you have swallowed your dislike of her for the occasional visit? Would that really have been so hard?’

Nik froze. ‘You know nothing about the situation.’ Unaccustomed to explaining his actions to anyone, he took a deep breath. ‘I did not stay away from my father because of my feelings about Callie.’

‘What then?’

He was silent for a long moment because it was a topic he had never discussed with anyone. ‘I stayed away from him because of her feelings for me.’