Tiana (Starkis Family #3) (4 page)

“You look incredible.” His voice sounded throaty as his eyes feasted on me.

His thorough examination should have made me run for cover, or at the very least blush, but instead I felt powerful and sensual. This man, who’d often been labeled by the media as a reckless billionaire, seemed captivated by me.
Me
. I knew I was attractive, an object of men’s sexual fantasies. Alabaster’s wouldn’t have hired me if I didn’t have that elusive quality that made men encourage their wives and girlfriends to buy our products, but the way Damon looked at me was different. He wasn’t objectifying me. I wasn’t a mannequin wearing an arousing ensemble.
I
was arousing… him. That much was obvious. And at that realization, I did blush.

Tearing my eyes away from the impressive bulge tenting his well-cut dress pants was no easy feat, especially when my eyes found his and all of the oxygen seemed to get sucked out of the room. I was vaguely aware of people around us, moving about, doing their jobs. In my mind, it was just the two of us, trapped in a moment that felt as if it had been building since I’d first laid eyes on him months ago.

There had been other men for me since I’d met Damon. I’d dated many, slept with a few, but lately I’d been catching myself staring across the table at a dinner companion and seeing Damon’s face smiling back at me. When the lights were out and my fantasies crept to the forefront, it was his voice whispering in my ear, calling me to completion. I could have claimed, even to myself, that I didn’t know where this was going, but I did. This was destined to end in Damon’s bed. The only question remaining was when.

“So what do you say?” he asked finally. “Can you join me?”

“Yes.”

I wondered if he’d heard my hidden meaning. He’d been asking the question since we met.
Would I sleep with him?
The answer was a resounding yes. I didn’t expect hearts and flowers, poetry, or romantic declarations. Damon Starkis presented the truth in every stolen glance, accidental touch, and suggestive comment. He liked sex. So did I. That’s all this would be—two single people answering the call of mutual attraction and undeniable lust.

“Great.” He smiled the same smile that made my breath hitch every time I saw it. He was breathtaking. There was no other way to describe it. He epitomized the Greek god stereotype, much like his brother, Deacon. Dark hair and eyes, olive skin, tall, broad shoulders, and enough money to feed a third world country indefinitely.

Not that being with him was about money for me. I’d been propositioned by wealthy men, even dated a few. This was about good old-fashioned chemistry. Even if the man hadn’t had a dime to his name, it would still have been there, teasing me with every breath I took.

“I’m just going to run upstairs and say hi to my brother while you get ready. I won’t be long.”

I knew that was his way of telling me I didn’t have much time to change. He was a busy man with a full schedule. Normally his unspoken demand would have irked me. Unlike my best friend, I didn’t care for dominant men, probably because I was so headstrong, but Damon’s subtle commands did nothing to temper my excitement about what was to come.

Was this the day we would finally act on our attraction? Was the appointment downtown just a ruse to get me alone? Once in the car, would he drive toward an upscale hotel while telling me he couldn’t wait another day to have me? Just the thought of that possibility made me shiver as I watched him walk out the door. No question about it, I was his for the taking.

***

Damon

I’d told Eleni that I needed to speak to my brother, but the truth was I needed a moment to catch my breath after seeing her in that lacy getup. My mind raced, thinking about taking it off of her and revealing the flawless body I’d undressed in my mind a hundred times. Had I met Eleni a year and a half ago, I would have taken her in every way my imagination had summoned by now. It would have taken me time to wear her down, to convince her I wasn’t as callous as the picture the tabloids painted of me, but that would have taken weeks, a month tops.

I could tell she was feeling it too. We wanted each other, and I didn’t know how much longer I could deny either of us. David said I didn’t have to remain celibate, just discreet, which meant I could scratch the itch with the occasional one-night stand who knew the score, but one night with Eleni would only fan the flames. I’d want her again and again. Regular sex would inevitably lead to dating, which would have to be on the down-low for reasons I couldn’t explain to her. Numerous dates would lead to the discussion of exclusivity, which clearly wasn’t an option given my circumstances.

I hated the thought of lying to her, even by omission, which was why I’d kept my distance. But something had changed between us today. I saw it in her eyes. Consent. She was acknowledging what we could no longer deny and inviting me to act on it. If only it were that simple.

When I knocked on the door to my brother’s office, I considered breaking down and telling him everything, but one look into his unyielding eyes reminded me that my brother didn’t tolerate fools. I’d already made enough mistakes to earn the title of family jester. I couldn’t stand to see that look of frustration and disappointment in his eyes one more time. Deacon believed I was working hard to become a better man, though I knew when the truth came out, my family would view my secret as the ultimate act of selfishness and betrayal.

Deacon chuckled. “Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to come in?”

I realized I’d been trapped in an endless loop of torturous thoughts again, playing out the worst-case scenario as if it were a given, so I forced myself to match his easy smile as I closed the door. “Hey, I was just going to take Eleni to lunch, and I—”

“You’re taking El to lunch?” Deacon frowned before his look of concern was replaced by one of amusement. “Mia and I placed a bet last night on when your first official date would be. It seems my fiancée won.”

“I don’t know if I’d call this a date,” I said, wondering if Eleni would agree. Was it a date? If so, what did that mean? Would her expectations change? Should I play it safe and let her know I’d invited her as a friend simply because I didn’t relish the idea of eating alone?

“Good.” Deacon grinned. “Tell that to Mia. That way I’ll be the one who can cash in on our little wager.”

Knowing my brother, he stood to gain a lot more than money if he won their bet. I had no doubt payment would come in the form of a sexual favor, and judging by the faraway look in his eyes, he was calculating how quickly he could clear his schedule so he could collect. I would have given anything for what Deacon had. An honest committed relationship with the woman he loved. A future based on shared dreams and goals. There was a time when a life like that would have felt like a life sentence to me, but seeing how happy Deacon and Mia were made me believe it may be the answer I’d been searching for.

“I talked to Dad today.”

Deacon slipped the unyielding mask back into place at the mention of our father. Their relationship had always been contentious, even more so now that our parents were trying to turn Mia and Deacon’s wedding into the social event of the season without any thought to what the bride and groom wanted. Deacon respected and honored our traditions and culture, as did Mia, who’d agreed to convert to Greek Orthodox prior to the wedding, but that didn’t mean they intended to be slaves to custom. They wanted to put their personal stamp on the wedding, to honor their love as well as tradition. Which I respected. My parents, however, thought the happy couple was being petty and obstinate.

“What did he want?” Deacon asked. “Or do I want to know?”

“He wanted to know what’s going on with me, why I’ve been so different since I returned from Greece last year.”

Deacon rolled his eyes. “That’s so typical of him. He’s been after you to get involved in the company for years, to settle down and stop being so irresponsible. Now that you finally have, he questions your motives. You just can’t win with that guy, Damon. Don’t even bother trying.”

“I told him about the therapy.” Deacon was one of the few people who knew I’d sought out the help of a professional. I’d only told him because I’d suggested he seek help when he and Mia were having problems. “Needless to say, he wasn’t too happy about the idea of me spilling all of our deep, dark family secrets to some stranger.”

“Who cares what he thinks?” Deacon demanded, his hand curling into a fist. “He’s half the reason we’re so messed up.”

I couldn’t deny my brother’s claim, but I had to walk a tightrope that he didn’t. “I know, but I have to work for him. You don’t.”

“I still don’t know why you decided to get involved in the family business. You graduated at the top of your class at Yale in spite of the fact you rarely cracked a book. You’re brilliant, man. You don’t have to do his bidding. You have the business acumen, intelligence, and resources to do anything you want. The only thing you’ve been lacking is drive and passion.”

That was typical of Deacon. His compliments were always a double-edged sword, but I knew he was right. “You know me—the path of least resistance is always the chosen one for me.” I was trying to make a joke of it. Years ago, it may have seemed funny, but now it stung to admit I’d been lazy and unmotivated for most of my life. I didn’t want those characteristics to define me anymore.

“You say that, but you’ve been working your ass off since you started at Starkis Inc. If you applied that same work ethic to any start-up, you could grow it into something incredible. That’s where the challenge lies.” Deacon fell silent, obviously considering something. “You should talk to Blake. He and a group of investors do the venture capital thing, investing in small- to medium-sized businesses, funding their expansion. I think you’d be perfect for that.”

As intriguing as the idea sounded, I had enough on my plate at the moment. “I’ll think about it. Listen, I just wanted to give you a heads up about my talk with the old man. He’ll probably talk to you about it, and I wanted to ask you to have my back when he does.”

“Always. You know that.”

We shared a smile. Our relationship hadn’t always been so effortless. Deacon had resented me for years because I’d refused to take things seriously and left him with the burden of being the “good son.” But since I’d returned and he’d seen the strides I was making, we’d become closer than ever.

“Thanks. Well, I’ll see you later. Give Mia a kiss for me.” I was almost out the door when Deacon stopped me.

“Hold up a minute. What about this thing with El? Where do you see that going?”

If only I could have answered honestly without giving myself away. “I don’t know. Why?”

“Because she’s my fiancée’s best friend, my employee, and I care about her. She’s like family, and I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“Point taken.” I had one hand wrapped around the doorknob, but I knew there was no way he would let this go until he’d said his piece.

“Why are you in such a hurry to get out of here?”

“Because Eleni’s waiting for me downstairs,” I said, not even trying to conceal my annoyance at his probing. “Can we talk about this later?” That day would never come. I had no intention of talking to my brother about my relationship with Eleni, assuming there was anything worth talking about after today.

“No, we can talk about it now,” Deacon said firmly. “Look at me, Damon.”

I gave him a steely look that would have made most adversaries wither, but this was my brother, my staunchest opponent and greatest ally. We could say things to each other no one else would dare say. “What?”

“El’s special, but I know I don’t have to tell you that. You recognized it the first time you saw her. She’s strong and determined, independent and courageous.”

I thought my brother’s description of Eleni fit her perfectly. “Your point?”

“What you may not have seen is her vulnerability.”

I raised an eyebrow. I had seen Eleni put deadbeat drunks with roaming hands in their places too many times to associate that trait with her. She had a razor-sharp tongue and routinely insulted me while making me laugh like hell the next minute thanks to her kick-ass sense of humor. She was special all right, the perfect mix of sass and class.

“I know you may find that hard to believe. I did too when Mia told me, but I’ve seen evidence of it. The way she is with Rosie.” Deacon smirked. “She’s still that affectionate little girl whose parents wouldn’t let her have a pet, so she smothers that little dog with hugs and kisses.”

“Lucky dog.”

Deacon grinned. “I’m serious. She may act tough, but there’s a sweet vulnerability about her only a few people get to see. She has a big heart, and she’s fiercely protective of those she loves. I’ve seen the way she is with Mia. I know that in spite of her protests against lifelong commitment, she wants the same thing we all want—someone to love us.”

I still wasn’t used to this softer side of my brother. Apparently Mia and his therapist had helped him get in touch with a part of himself I’d never known existed. In that moment, I believed I could have lived without ever catching a glimpse of it. I didn’t want to think about the possibility of hurting Eleni. It was easier to believe her when she said she never intended to marry or have children because a ring and piece of paper were for those delusional enough to believe in fairy tales.

“I don’t intend to hurt Eleni.” Unfortunately, it was out of my hands. Her feelings for me were beyond my control. Sadly, I could have said the same about my feelings for her. Common sense and restraint disappeared when she was around. The only things remaining were a feeling of helplessness and more questions than answers.

***

Eleni

We were sitting in what could only have been deemed a romantic little restaurant after a showing with his realtor, where Damon had deferred to me as if I were his life partner instead of just a friend. Yet at lunch, Damon was clearly trying to keep the conversation light and neutral. It was making me crazy.