Checking the time, she saw it was almost eight-twenty. Well, she didn’t want to be late. This isn’t a date, she reminded herself. This was a business dinner, and she had to be prompt. She grabbed her cream-colored purse, which matched her sandals, and headed for the living room.
Mark was already there, standing at the bar and sipping brandy. Seeing Alexandra, he drew a deep breath, and his amazing blue eyes turned a shade darker.
Alexandra noticed his reaction and felt satisfied for being able to have such an effect on him.
“You’re absolutely stunning!” His voice sounded raspy.
“Thank you,” she whispered and felt her cheeks blushing. “You don’t look bad yourself,” she returned the compliment, and, boy, that was an understatement! He was ravishing! Her eyes traveled from the handsome face to the strong shoulders and farther down… His dark blue suit fitted him like a glove, and the white silk shirt made his suntanned skin seem even darker. He’s gorgeous, she thought. He could wear just about anything and still look amazing. She imagined him dressed as a pirate, standing on the deck of his ship with the wind blowing through his soft, beautiful hair, and her body rippled with desire.
Seeing the amused look in his eyes, she lowered her head. Damn! He’s aware of the effect he has on me, and he’s enjoying it.
Alexandra straightened her back and walked towards the door. “Are you ready?” she asked over her shoulder.
“Yes,” he said softly. “Let’s go.” And he followed her out of the apartment and down to the front entrance where the limo was waiting for them.
The restaurant was exquisite, with elegant décor and a warm, relaxed atmosphere. White pillars and arches separated different sections, creating cozy, intimate areas, while beautiful indoor plants provided more privacy. The walls were decorated with pictures from the Greek islands—crystal clear sapphire waters, gorgeous white beaches, breathtaking sunsets, and nature of impeccable beauty in hundred shades of green and blue. The tables were covered with white linen tablecloths, while colorful candles and vases with fresh roses and baby’s breath were placed on each of them. The chairs were covered with soft blue velvet, and the glasses and silverware were superb.
A waiter approached them as soon as they came in. “Welcome!” he said in English and then repeated it in Greek with a bright smile on his face. “Kalos Orisate! I’m so glad to see you, Mr. Taylor.”
“Hello, Jimmy! It’s good to see you again,” Mark replied. “This is Alexandra Stewart, a good friend of mine,” he introduced Alexandra.
Why on earth did he introduce me to the waiter? Alexandra wondered.
“Welcome, Miss Stewart!” Jimmy said. “Please follow me,” he added and led them up some stairs to a table on a balcony, which was private enough while having a great view of the orchestra and the dance floor. A picture of an awe-inspiring sunset on Santorini hung on the wall behind them.
Alexandra’s breath caught in her throat as a thrilling sensation rippled through her body. She glanced at Mark, who was talking with Jimmy as he stood holding the chair for her to sit.
Alexandra sank in the comfortable chair and stared at the colorful flickering flame of the candle on their table.
“Just relax,” Mark said, smiling and sat across from her. “We’re here to have a good time. No talking business tonight.”
Alexandra stared at him and let out a deep breath, trying to relax.
Jimmy gave them the menus, which were both in English and Greek, and left them alone.
“Jimmy is a great guy,” Mark went on as soon as the waiter walked away. “I’ve known him for years. He and his brother own this restaurant, which is one of the finest Greek restaurants in New York.”
“Oh, so he’s the owner,” Alexandra said. No wonder Mark introduced me to him.
She glanced at the menu and felt overwhelmed with so much to choose from. She raised her eyes and looked at Mark.
“Do you want me to order for you?” he asked politely.
“Yes, please.”
“All right then,” he said and waved to Jimmy, who appeared at the top of the stairs, bringing a pitcher with ice-cold water.
Alexandra listened to Mark giving their order in Greek, wondering who was going to eat all that food. However, she remained silent, not wanting Mark to know she spoke Greek. Maybe, he already knows, a voice echoed in her mind. It was infuriating not knowing what he knew and didn’t know about her. Glancing at him sideways, she was puzzled by the mixed feelings he had for him. He made her furious, while at the same time he pushed every hot button in her body.
When the waiter left, his gaze turned on her, and Alexandra was lost. If he reached over and kissed her right there, she would return his kiss with no shame and no second thought. So much for keeping my distance, she realized, bitterly.
The longing was probably evident in her eyes as she saw Mark tensing up. He reached over and covered her hand with his while his thumb caressed her gently. His touch burned her flesh, but she didn’t pull away. Their eyes locked for what seemed like an eternity.
A noise from the dance floor brought her back to reality. She turned and saw the musicians coming on stage.
Shortly after, the music started with a few soft pieces. In the meantime, their dinner was served.
Alexandra enjoyed a Greek salad with lots of feta cheese, which was her favorite. Then, for starters, they had some delicious dolmades—minced meat with rice, fresh herbs, and seasonings, wrapped in delicate vine leaves and served with egg lemon sauce—and lots of other tasty dishes, which brought back memories from her happy childhood. Her mother was a great cook, and Alexandra and her father enjoyed traditional Greek meals almost every day. And after her mother passed away, her father used to take her to a small, family-owned Greek restaurant close to their house every chance he got.
When the main dish came, Alexandra was already stuffed and felt she couldn’t eat another bite. To her surprise though, she ate almost half of her mouthwatering moussaka—a traditional Greek casserole with eggplants, potatoes, and hamburger-meat topped with delicious, creamy béchamel sauce.
The red wine that accompanied their meal was superb, and Alexandra drank more than she had intended to. Soon enough, she felt a sweet numbness in her entire body. I have to be careful, she cautioned herself. She didn’t want to do or say anything she would regret afterwards.
They were almost finished with their meal when the orchestra started playing more traditional songs. Alexandra watched as a lot of people in the audience started singing along, and some of them stepped on the dance floor. She had to admit she was having a good time. Mark was the perfect date. However, she had to keep reminding herself, he wasn’t her date. This was just business… But was it really? Was it business the way his hand was caressing hers, sending electric sparks throughout her body, or the way his captivating eyes were staring at her, promising unspoken pleasures?
“Would you like some dessert?” His husky voice brought her back to reality.
“No, thanks,” Alexandra replied. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”
They sat there for a while, enjoying the music and the dancers, and Alexandra was happy and content. She wished they could stay there forever, away from all the problems and worries of their lives. However, as soon as she thought about her problems, she tensed.
Mark must have sensed her change of mood, because he squeezed her hand.
“Do you mind if we leave?” she asked. “I have a meeting tomorrow with the president of my company, and I need to rest.”
“But of course,” he agreed and waved for Jimmy to come.
***
Silence stretched inside the limo on their way back to the apartment. Alexandra leaned back in the soft leather seat, and Mark couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Intoxicated not so much by the superb wine but by her mesmerizing presence, it took all the strength he could muster to restrain from pulling her into his arms. The emerald ocean of her eyes, her sensual lips, her beautiful hair shining like liquid
gold, and that luscious body that could tempt even a saint—and Mark was no saint—drove his senses wild. His gaze lowered from the flawless face to the full breasts and was magnetized by the endless legs bared to his hungry stare as her dress had slipped upwards. Oh, Lord! This is going to be a long night, he realized breathlessly and tried to shift his attention away from her. No use. While looking outside the window, his mind played sizzling games with him, imagining her alluring body hot and willing under the covers.
***
Numb from the wine and the good mood she was in, Alexandra kept her gaze outside, enjoying the spectacular view of the city at night. As the limo sped down the well-lit avenue, she watched the lights from the street and the billboards blend into one, creating an amazing spectrum. She could sense Mark’s electrifying presence and his gaze burning into her skin, but she couldn’t allow herself to look at him and be drawn into the dark, passionate ocean of his eyes. Feeling her defenses subside, she knew that his mere touch could send her over the edge and right into his arms.
As soon as the limo left them in front of the apartment building, Alexandra rushed inside and into the elevator. On the way up, she kept her eyes on the honey-brown marble floor tiles, knowing that Mark watched her closely. Walking on the luxurious burgundy carpet towards the apartment entrance, the alluring sensation of his sizzling gaze made it difficult for her to keep her gait steady.
When they stepped inside, she was in a hurry to disappear into the sanctuary of her bedroom. She didn’t want to be alone with him as she felt quite vulnerable at that moment, and especially after all the wine she had consumed tonight.
“Thank you so much for the wonderful evening,” she murmured and was embarrassed to hear the trembling in her voice.
Mark didn’t respond, and Alexandra lifted her eyes to look at him. He was standing unbearably close, with no lights on except the dim Tiffany lamp on a round end table. His adorable face was staring down at her. The passion burning in his eyes made her mouth go dry and her pulse accelerate.
“If you excuse me, I would like to go to bed,” she started, but the words died on her lips as he reached and pulled her into his arms. She knew she should protest, but it felt so right… His mouth—hot and demanding—came down on hers, scattering her thoughts in every direction, while his hands caressed her spine, sliding down to the small of her back. She could taste the wine in his mouth, and her senses went wild… she wanted him so bad, and she could tell he wanted her, too. Oh, no, she thought as his lips moved downward, leaving a burning trail on her throat. I need to stop this right now before it’s too late. But her body wasn’t responding to her mind. It had a will of its own.
It was Mark who pulled away from her. She stood there lost with a sense of emptiness, watching him walking towards the windows, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Good night, Alexandra,” he said, and his voice vibrated with passion.
Alexandra took a deep breath and stood there for a couple of seconds, unable to move or say anything. Her heart cried out to him.
Mark didn’t turn towards her. He just stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the darkness outside.
“Good night, Mark,” she finally whispered and turned towards her room.
Alexandra, grab a hold of yourself, she kept thinking as she felt the uncontrollable urge to turn around and rush into his arms.
Reaching her room, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, breathing heavily. She had a hollow feeling in her stomach, and her entire body was on fire. I want him so bad, she admitted, truthfully. All she wanted right now was to feel his strong hands holding her, caressing her, and his sensual lips claiming hers.
***
Mark clenched his fists, taking deep breaths to squelch the passion threatening to engulf him. He was torn between his sizzling desire for her and his promise to Alexandros. “No,” he whispered, “no matter how badly I want her, I can’t allow myself to get carried away.” Frustrated, he turned on his heel and marched to his bedroom. Scattering his clothes all over the floor, he stepped into the shower and let the cold water slide down his naked body, hoping it would subdue his arousal.
***
Almost one-thirty in the morning, Alexandra was still tossing and turning in her bed, tormented by vivid images of Mark holding her in his arms, making passionate love to her. Well done, Alexandra, she reprimanded herself, sitting up and placing her feet on the floor. I’m not going to be able to function properly in the morning, and Mr. Hughes is going to be sorry he ever trusted me with this deal. And even worse, she thought, what if I have to meet with the president of Imperial Resorts Corporation tomorrow? Some first impression I would make.
Frustrated, she climbed out of bed and walked to the French doors. She opened them and stepped outside, breathing the fresh air of the night mingled with the aroma of the roses in the well-kept flower beds surrounding the balcony. She raised her head, feeling her hair flutter in the light breeze and her white silk nightgown cling to her body. Drawing a deep breath, she was about to turn on her heel and go back inside when she stopped dead in her tracks. She could sense him silently approaching from behind.
Spellbound, she remained motionless until his warm hands massaged her shoulders, miraculously relieving all the tension. Her eyes fluttered shut as a wonderful sensation spread inside her. Hypnotized by his touch, she felt his hands sliding down her arms and then up again, sending heat waves throughout her body. Her breath caught in her throat as he pulled her back against his rock hard body. His arms slid to the front, caressing her breasts and nipples, while his ravishing mouth sucked on the side of her throat. The soft moan that escaped her lips made his arousal, pressing against the small of her back, even more evident.
As if in a dream, she felt him pick her up, carry her inside his bedroom, and lay her on his bed. Her eyes flew open and rested on his bare, muscular chest as he stood over her, and then lifted to his face. Passion burned in his eyes as they roamed over her body. She silently watched him remove his underwear—the only piece of clothing covering his magnificent body—and then her nightgown and panties. As he leaned over her, she closed her eyes, lost in the mesmerizing sensation of his naked body against her burning skin. She was out of breath and warmth simmered between her thighs.
“Alexandra…” she heard him moaning as his mouth, teasingly, moved back and forth from one nipple to the other. His hands caressed every inch of her body. She burned with overwhelming desire and desperately dug her nails into his back, pulling him even closer. When his mouth—ravishing and demanding—covered hers and his tongue sought hers, Alexandra returned his kiss with a passion matching his own. His hands clasped her buttocks and pulled her against his manhood. Alexandra arched her back, and when he claimed her virgin body, a soft cry escaped her lips.
Mark stood still for a few seconds, obviously startled by the fact he was her first lover. “Did I hurt you?” he asked, his voice harsh with desire.
“No,” she whispered and shamelessly wrapped her legs around his bottom, urging him to go on. No matter what he thought of her, she needed him to move. She just couldn’t stop right now.
Mark’s thrust inside her, and his rhythmic movements drowned her in pleasure. She arched her back higher, and she cried out his name as she orgasmed. His movements became more urgent and intense, thrusting into her a few more times before he came, too.
Lost in the ecstasy of the moment, they lay still until their heavy breathing subsided. Then, Mark rolled onto his side, and Alexandra snuggled up in his warm embrace, staring at the glorious moonlight sneaking inside from the open French doors.
She knew she would regret this in the morning, but right now, nothing else mattered than being in his arms.
“I didn’t know…” he whispered, softly caressing her hair.
Alexandra was at loss for words. She was too embarrassed to explain that she was hopelessly romantic and was saving herself for the right man. Mark would think of her as an old-fashioned idiot.
However, with Mark, everything seemed right. Unwilling to explain all that to him, though, she remained silent.
Content, she laid in his arms, listening to his heartbeat.
Mark kept her close, caressing her hair and back until she drifted off to sleep.
***
Alexandra woke up in the middle of the night. Mark’s warm arm was wrapped around her waist. She stared at his adorable face in the dim moonlight and felt the urge to touch him. However, she didn’t want to wake him.
Carefully, she slid out of bed, grabbed her nightgown and panties from the floor, and hastily put them on. Then, she snuck outside to the balcony and back to her room. Climbing onto her bed, she glanced at the clock on the night stand. Four o’clock, she thought astonished. It will be dawn soon, and I’ll have to look and act as if I had a good night sleep.
Anxiety washed over her, thinking of her meeting with Hughes. What would she say? She hadn’t met with the president of Imperial Resorts Corporation yet. However, from talking to Mark and the company’s attorney, she had the feeling the deal was almost closed. But would that be good enough for Hughes? Alexandra sighed. Well, the president hasn’t been available so far, and there is nothing I can do about it, she reasoned with herself.
As her eyelids grew heavy, her thoughts flew back to Mark. Vivid images of their passionate lovemaking sent heat waves throughout her body. Then again, she thought how awkward the situation would be between them from now on. Surprisingly enough, though, she realized that she didn’t care. She wouldn’t trade this night with him for anything in the world. Totally unaware of what fate had in store for her, she thought that no matter what, she would never regret it.
Chapter Nine
TO HER SURPRISE, Alexandra woke up early the next morning, feeling rejuvenated. Her face looked as if she had a good night sleep. Thank God, she thought. I need to appear relaxed and confident at the meeting.