Home to Hellas (The Challenge Series) (8 page)

“You’re asking for more than my patience can give at the moment,” he muttered and kissed her neck while thrusting into her grasp.

She paid special attention to the head of his penis, rubbing pre-cum over it.

“Condom?” The white droplets gave her a moment of clear practicality.

His brows furrowed. “I’m sorry. I don’t have any. Do we need them?”

“Don’t worry, I have one in my shorts. Don’t move.”

She fished the roll of condoms from her pocket and tore one off, setting the rest on his chair. In the past she’d been on birth control, but this time the Greek-labeled raincoats would do the trick. He kicked his slacks away from his ankles and straightened, as hard as ever. The muscles in his legs and torso begged to be touched, but she focused on his most prominent feature. She wanted to kneel, to give him the full benefit of a long kiss.

He tucked his finger under her chin and brought up her face until they made eye contact. “I won’t last. Give me the coat and let me finish this for you before I embarrass myself.”

“You’re bossy.”

His eyes sparkled as he lifted her onto his desk. She tore open the condom, intent on doing that part even if the oral fun she had in mind was on hold for a later date. She rolled on the cover, giving his cock an additional pat before he pulled her away with a tsk.

“I’m going to have my way next time,” she told him while she welcomed him close.

“Yes, darling.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed up to nip her earlobe. “I will be your puppy.”

She took him in hand and guided him to her opening, done being teased. Though she’d wanted to play, she shared his urgency. She rocked her hips and drew him deeper, groaning when the immediate fullness satisfied her initial desire, while igniting a deeper ache.

He nipped her ear again and brought her back to the moment. She wound her arms around his neck and lifted up, rocking against him to meet every thrust as they climbed higher. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he didn’t slow down. She wanted more, needed it to break the glass of the orgasm just beyond reach.

Like he could hear her thoughts, Dorian shifted until his fingertips circled her clit. She shivered and pressed for more. He flicked his finger again and tapped her most sensitive spot. She held on tighter and squeezed her eyes closed tight as her body flew into orgasm. Under her eyelids, fireworks burst to match the ones running through her nerves.

He abandoned her nub and slammed his hand beside her, marking his finish with another tap of his fingers against the hard wood. She ran her palm up his back, treasuring the float back to reality, even though real life still held problems.

She ignored the instinct to run away after she caught her breath. Running no longer appealed, never really had. Dorian deserved better, and so did she.

“That was a most pleasant surprise.” Amusement and lust laced his deep voice. “The most fun this desk has seen in far too long.”

“It was too fussy. Now it’s been defiled.” She snuggled into his chest. “You looked so bored when I came in.”

“Not feeling that way now.” He kissed her hair. “I fear I let my mother have her head this year, and it led to more work than I want. Between the government issues and the struggles for new businesses, there is no extra money to be made at the moment. I am content to bide my time and maintain my properties. In my father’s time, opportunity abounded, foreign at least when the domestics floundered. She doesn’t understand the entire world is slowing.”

She’d heard other investors complain about the same things, but never with Dorian’s practicality. He didn’t expect constant growth. “I will have to distract her,” he mused. “I’m betting you could help me.”

“Oh?” Her heart raced with possibilities.

“Yes. You have the temperament to go toe to toe, but still charm her. Yes, you are a fine ally.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your faith in me.”

“I’d like to find my closest ally in my bed. Tonight, if possible.”

She rubbed her face into his chest. Her tension ebbed as they chatted, and eased her closer to normal. “I suppose that could be arranged. It would free up the room Natalie likes so much and make less work for Athena.”

“That is a positive approach.”

She kissed his cheek. “I’ll move today.”

“Maybe you can begin to think about forever,” he added. “You could stay through the summer and see if living here suits you.”

They were past the point of not knowing. She felt past it, but couldn’t fault him for his hesitancy. He’d worn his heart on his sleeve for years, and she’d refused to notice. If anyone needed to put herself out of her comfort zone, it was Jenn and acceptance came easier than she might have thought.

“Just the summer? I had something a little more…permanent in mind. You know, eventually.”

He shifted so she could see his face. She loved the range of expressions that showed. Crow’s feet creased his skin and his eyes sparkled. He wore his joy like gold.

“I have to confess that makes me happy. I think a little more permanent can be arranged. We shall get through the basketball visitors, and then we will go from there, when we are alone.”

She’d gotten into the habit of putting things off and found the practice dangerous. “We’ll talk tonight. You know, when I’m in your bed.”

She shifted from his lap but paused to tap his nose. “You can think about that. I’m going to shower, and you know what? I feel a nap coming on.”

He threw his head back and laughed, the full-bodied sound everything she remembered and everything she’d hoped to hear. “Brilliant. I envy you and wish I could join, but Adrian is due back with work to keep me busy all afternoon. I will have Athena help you move this evening.”

She slipped her shorts and shirt back on and tucked her underthings into a pocket. “I have a single bag. I can handle it.”

He shrugged. “You have more than you realize. This way, you’ll make the transition without delay. I get the feeling we are, as you Americans say, taking out all the stops.”

She liked the sound of that. They were on a one-way trip to together where they both could be happy. She saw it, wanted to go for it. Her heart raced and palms sweated, but she refused to ignore the goodness right in front of her.

“All right, stops are out. Send on the help—after I wake up.”

He tapped his forehead in a small salute. “Of course, my darling.”

She spun on her heels and headed out of the room. Her body shook like a leaf, but in a positive way. She’d had the sex she craved with the man she wanted to eat up. She did need the nap and time to decompress, but she’d made a hell of a stride forward.

Chapter Ten

Jenn sat in his lap again. Dorian knew what she attempted to prove, understood the habit she needed to break. Since she felt relaxed and loose in his arms, he enjoyed the moment. She sipped her coffee, resting against him as he ate. He preferred sweets for breakfast, but when Athena had called him chubby, he’d switched from pastry to fruit. With Jenn, he didn’t miss the pastry—she satisfied his sweet tooth.

“I feel less slappy today,” she announced, setting her cup down. “For sure, at least twenty-seven percent less slappy.”

He tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Twenty-seven percent is a quality percentile. I am glad you are regaining what you’ve lost.”

“I didn’t lose it. I let it go. I don’t have control over most things in life, but I do have control over how I feel, how I allow others to interact with me, and how I choose to interact with others.”

“I hear the good doctor in your words.”

Jenn had seen him late the previous evening, two appointments in one day. She’d been a shivering mess after the therapist left, taking away any thoughts of further intimacy. Still, he’d held her through the night and woke with her in his arms. Another dream come true.

Jenn wrinkled her nose. “The good doctor is an ass, but he knows his stuff. I’m grateful for him. He says I’m making admirable progress and that he has high hopes for me to get back on the healthy-mindset bandwagon. I’m always surprised when Greeks use American idioms, but it sounds like he’s a huge fan of American TV, which has opened up his vocabulary.”

The more Dorian learned about the therapist, the more he agreed with both her assessments. He looked forward to a day when the gentleman no longer made calls.

“Natalie and the others should arrive today,” he said. “I don’t want you to overdo.”

She leaned away from him and raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“You’re coming out of emotional and physical fragility. I see you becoming the woman you’ve been growing into the last decade. I don’t want your progress pushed aside for the sake of this week.”

He didn’t have any right to criticize how she lived. Even if they married, he didn’t allow himself to think he would. Jenn’s bold spirit called to him, but she also knew how to work as a team. He wanted to be her teammate and he wanted her healthy.

“Well, I guess you’ll have to take the week off to supervise.” She placed a smacking kiss on his cheek. “I’m going to help Athena get lunch ready. We’re going to take them on a picnic. They’ve been cooped up too long. I thought the beach would be a nice break.”

“Very thoughtful.” Having her invite him to join the party reassured him more than other promises could. “I will join you later.”

She waved but didn’t return to him. He relaxed and sighed. The woman seemed intent on wreaking havoc on his life. It was about time someone did.

***

The drooping but noisy group emerged from the bus, and Jenn wondered if she’d ever been so young. Athens was always their final stop—saving the best for last. She’d had Dorian to look forward to but hadn’t skipped any workouts to be with him. How she’d worked all day and played all night, she didn’t remember. Maybe she was getting old.

Natalie waved and guided the players up the long path from the driveway. Jenn pushed the large doors to the villa open in welcome to the team, even Chelsea who studied the tails of her backpack instead of taking in the beautiful seaside villa.

“Greece agrees with you.” Natalie gave her a quick hug. “I’m glad I sent you ahead. Are the bunks onsite? These girls are beat.”

“Right this way.” She led them to the guest wing of the villa. The girls chattered about school and the flight—topics she’d put out of mind since arriving. Though she didn’t know what the future held, she couldn’t see herself going on as she had before Greece.

“Wow, this place is great,” Natalie said. “Dorian knows how to live. Cute dorms.”

“Do you want to stay here?” Jenn opened the door to a private bedroom in the bunkhouse. “You can have this one if you want, but the room you usually stay in is free too, right next to mine.”

Natalie wagged her eyebrows. “You’re in the main house? If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you had something on the side. I’ll stay inside—I love the view. Chelsea can take the private quarters. She’s been doing your job since you’ve been here. She’s a great little assistant.”

The emphasis on “ass” could have been in Jenn’s head, but she didn’t think so. Things between the two appeared more obvious, and she wondered if she’d missed dalliances in years past. She hadn’t realized Coach was a lesbian until the last year, too naïve to ever jump to such a conclusion, so she could have missed other details.

Chelsea stalked toward the bedroom and the other girls tossed their bags on the beds. Jenn had hoped to show them around more, but true to Natalie’s words, they looked exhausted.

“Let’s save the rest of the tour for later. Take the day off, ladies. Hit the pool, the shower, the bunks.” Natalie pulled her suitcase behind her. “I’m going to head to my room. I like you all very much, but there’s no way I’m missing staying in the guestroom—it’s gorgeous. Text me if you need anything. Otherwise, Jenn and Chelsea are in charge.”

“Jenn is in charge.” She added a smile, even though having her authority put on the same level as the bitchy coed bit her ass. “In Greece, I’m your liaison. Any questions?”

Chelsea snorted from where she leaned on the doorjamb. “None at all, Assistant Jenn.”

The girls shared wary glances with one another. They’d obviously gotten used to Chelsea taking over. Going along with her nonsense had to be easier than bucking her. Jenn didn’t have the inclination to take on Chelsea. Playing her game would make her think they belonged on the same court.

“Great,” she said. “My number is on the top page of the folders on your bunks along with numbers for household staff and information about local places you might want to visit. The schedule is also posted on the door. Please let me know if you have problems or questions.”

She headed out, not bothering to look over her shoulder. Natalie’s footfalls let Jenn know she followed as she made the exit she wanted.

Coach whistled when they were well away. “Feeling a little territorial?”

“Feeling professional, for sure,” she answered. “If you think I’m going to defer to Chelsea because of your personal relationship, you’d better take another look at my contract.”

Maybe Dorian is right about my being fragile
. Her tolerance for bullshit scraped an all-time low. She stopped at her former room.

“Here you go. You also have an identical folder waiting for you. The Greeks will be here bright and early for drill work. I have a team-building outing planned for the late afternoon.”

Natalie nodded, looking her fifty years for a change. The weeks in Europe were always tough. Little sleep, hard work, and change—no matter if the fun matched—took a toll.

“Great, sounds like you’ve done everything on your end. Good work. If Chelsea gets out of line, do not defer to her. You’re paid staff, she’s a student. On the other hand, she is team captain, so let’s play nice.”

Jenn respected that Natalie saw the way things should be and wasn’t asking for special favors. If her relationships had involved students in the past, she probably knew how to handle problems. A person didn’t fiddle around for twenty years and maintain her job, at least not a woman in their competitive field.