Chapter Nine

Dimitri swore. Landi hadn’t returned. He had been waiting for her so he could explain why he’d left her. Powerful strides took him across the lobby floor as he paced.

“Mr. Melonakos,” the manager said as he approached.

Dimitri stopped. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry you’ve been waiting for so long. Ms. Nycks is no longer a guest at our hotel. She checked out this morning.”

Dimitri clenched his jaw and fisted his hands. Gone? Damn it, Landi, where are you? Forcing a smile, he nodded his thanks. “I appreciate you telling me.”

“No problem.” The manager walked off.

Dimitri was furious. He berated himself as he left the hotel. Shoulda gone to her room. Shoulda made her listen to me!

He was still in a foul mood hours later as he waited for the boarding call at the airport. He finally relaxed as the plane settled into its cruising altitude. His eyes closed as exhaustion took over his body.

Soon, Ms. Nycks. Soon.

The flight home gave him time to remember their wonderful time together. Chasing her on the beach. Frolicking in the waves. Making love…

Dimitri stared at the vibrant woman sleeping beside him in the late afternoon, bathed by the warm rays of the sun. She was exhausted. They had spent most of the day swimming, making love, and just goofing off.

At the moment, she lay boneless on the bed totally naked. The light blue sheet barely covered her. Tendrils of her wavy hair were plastered against her skull.

With a smile, he reached out and ran one finger down her beautiful and serene face.

Her light eyes opened and she blinked once before she said, “Hey, handsome.”

“Hey, beautiful.”

She stretched, showing him the tops of her breasts. He groaned as his cock began to swell.

“Why do you keep starting at me?” she asked.

“Does it bother you?”

“No.” She blinked. “You just look so intense.”

He gave her a gentle smile and leaned over her to brush his lips over hers. “I could stare at you all day.”

Landi lowered her lashes slowly before she glanced at him again. “Just stare?”

“No, not just.” He tugged the sheet from her body. His gaze ran over her naked form hungrily. “Never just.”

Dimitri maneuvered himself over her and nudged her legs apart before lowering his body on hers. Hands on either side of her, he inhaled the delectable aroma that always emanated from her skin.

“What do you want to do this evening?” he asked, rubbing against her lower body.

Spreading her legs wider, she grinned. “Take me out to dinner?”

Her feminine moisture coated one side of his rigid erection and he knew whatever else they planned to do would wait until after he made love to her again.

Getting hold of a condom, he moaned as she reached up, took it from him, and sheathed his cock. “Fill me, Dimitri,” she ordered, her hand guiding him into her.

Dimitri released a hiss of pleasure as her heat surrounded him. She was so tight and wet around him; the experience was mind blowing.

“You feel so good, baby.”

Her legs gripped high around his torso, angling her hips more to allow him deeper penetration. She took her lower lip between her teeth as she undulated against him.

He nipped her chin when her nails sank into his shoulders. His hips moved faster and he thrust home deep into her wet, willing pussy.

Her moans and mewls filled the air. “More…more…harder! Oh, God, yes!”

Dimitri could feel his balls tighten as her internal muscles squeezed and clamped around him. Her heels dug into his back and her scream rent the room.

In. Out. In. Out.

Dimitri pumped a few more times before he echoed her cry with a roar of his own. Limbs shaking, heart pounding, he covered her mouth with his and rolled them over so she was on top.

Oh, yeah, dinner can definitely wait…

“…We are beginning our final descent into Los Angeles International Airport. Please make sure all seats are in their upright position and all tray tables are properly stowed.”

Dimitri jolted awake. He had slept for a good portion of the flight. Looking out the window, Dimitri took in the sight of LAX. It was six o’clock at night and he knew there’d be a big meal waiting at his mama’s once he got there.

Checking his belt, he ran a hand through his hair. It was getting long. He knew there would be no stopping his mama from commenting on it.

Dimitri moved steadily through the throng at the airport toward the baggage claim. A grin crossed his face, nothing like LA to boast of women wearing next to nothing. It always amazed him.

“Dimitri,” a female voice said as he approached the group at the carousel.

He glanced over the crowd and swallowed. It was Austin Stroud. A beautiful woman, blonde hair, blue eyes, and tanned skin courtesy of the California sun.

“Austin,” he said with a smile. “Good to see you.”

“And you.” She stuck out her hand and he shook it. “What are you doing out here?”

“I’m on my way to visit my parents.” The light on the carousel began to flash.

She sent him a tight smile. “Tell them hi for me.”

“Of course. Are you doing okay, Austin?” He stared into her big blue eyes.

More strain appeared at the corners of her mouth. “I’m okay. How about you?”

He touched her arm. “I’m good. You know, some days are better than others.”

“I know. Look, I’m sorry to keep you. Take care of yourself.”

“Austin, wait!” He reached for a pen and paper, scribbling on it. “Here’s my number. Call me if you need anything. I mean it, Austin. Anything.”

“You’re a good man, Dimitri Melonakos.” Austin leaned in to hug him and kissed him lightly on the lips. Then she slipped away vanishing into the crowd.

An hour later, his parents welcomed Dimitri home. He smiled as his mother’s arms closed around him.

“Gios,” his mother said, pulling him tight against her. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, mana.” He kissed her cheek gently.

His mother stepped back and looked up at him. There were tears in her eyes.

“Good to see you, Dimitri,” she said in Greek.

“Hello, son,” a male voice greeted.

“Pateras.” In another second, he was in his father’s arms.

“Glad you made it safely, son.”

“Me too.”

His father let him go and grabbed his bag. “Let’s get you settled. I know your mother has a big meal ready and we can catch up then.”

“Yes, sir.”

They spoke in Greek over dinner and Dimitri filled them in on how the family over in Greece fared.

“What’s with the hair, gios? Don’t you get paid enough to have it cut?” his mother asked as she placed more food on his plate. She had made Minorcan-Style Duck with Green Olives.

“It’s not bad, mana. I keep it longer now.”

She harrumphed.

Dimitri smiled. Airlia Kolette Sophronia Melonakos was one hell of a woman. Still very beautiful and full of fire, she turned many a head. His father, Feodras Cenon Melonakos, was tall and in as good a shape to this day as he had been in his younger years.

“So,” Dimitri decided to tread down a safer route. “What can I do for you while I’m here?”

***

Landi sat in her loft overlooking Central Park. For the moment she wasn’t working, wasn’t doing anything, except staring over the green landscape. Her easel sat behind her, ignored.

It was like she had hit a wall in wanting to create. She figured taking a few moments to herself couldn’t hurt. Leaning against the open glass door to her balcony, she wrapped her fingers around her glass of lemonade and gazed out over the vast park.

Her attention had been lacking ever since she’d run into Dimitri in Greece. Numerous times a day, his image would shimmer before her; and each time, she drank it in like she were dying of thirst.

It was as if he had pulled back the protective barrier she had put there and exposed not just her feelings for him, but also her soul. Dimitri was the only man she had let into her heart, and the mark he left on her was intense.

Anger was her only defense against him now and she used it liberally. She knew he still owned her heart. This was why she was in New York instead of Virginia.

Somewhere deep down she knew he would be looking for her, especially since she’d never talked to him after he’d come to her hotel room. Landi knew Kacy had been disappointed she wasn’t coming for a visit as planned, but she’d allowed Landi this rain-check.

The sounds of the city distracted her and finally managed to push the thoughts of Dimitri out of her mind. With a sigh, Landi drank her lemonade and headed back to her work area.

She was in the process of designing a man’s semiformal outfit. As her fingers flew over the sketch-es, she lost track of time.

Her doorbell chimed lightly through her dwelling and she went to answer it. Jason.

“Hey,” she said, stepping back to let him in. “Come on in.”

“Hey, doll.” He entered, carrying a folder filled with more sketches. “Let’s see what you got.”

“Sure. It’s over there. I’ll grab you a drink.” She completed the task quickly. “Whaddya think?”

Jason took the tall glass and stared down at her, his dark-brown eyes twinkled. “I think that suit will be great on Dimitri.”

She frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Well, you did design it with him in mind. I think that’s a suit only he can pull off. No model will properly show it. Not in your eyes.”

Narrowing them, she demanded, “What makes you think I had him in mind?”

“Doll, have you looked at the picture? I mean really looked at it?”

I did the work on it! “Of course. I created it!” Landi scoffed and took another glance at it.

Oh, shit!

Jason was right. Somewhere during her work, she’d made the male model into an exact replica of Dimitri. Golden eyes, darkly tanned skin, and long, shaggy black hair. There was such intricate detail to his face it was more like a portrait than a sketch.

The greens and golds of the suit only highlighted the power that leapt from his two-dimensional eyes. The fabric appeared to hang perfectly from his body. Even though it was a casual pose, it screamed danger and virility.

Landi knew at that second, Jason got to see Dimitri Melonakos as she saw him.

She licked her lips. One hand reached for the picture, but she didn’t touch it. “Let’s see your pictures,” Landi said.

“For what it’s worth, I think it’s a great likeness of him.”

Cocking her head to the side, Landi sighed as she reached out again with two fingers, this time touching the likeness of Dimitri. “Yes, it is.”

Shoving her desire for that Greek man to the back of her mind, Landi sent Jason a small smile, doing her best to effectively hide her pain.