The Greek's Baby Bargain (5 page)

Three sets of eyes blinked in confusion. “What does that mean?” Doris asked.

 

“I’ll bet it has something to do with the fact that she didn’t get to bed until three am. Is that right?” Betty asked, smiling hopefully.

 

Emma laughed, memories of the night before coming back to her. “Yes. Dimitri and I stayed out late talking.”

Doris’ expression showed her cynicism for the talking portion of the evening. “Uh, huh. And now he sends you something in a huge red box. Spill the beans, sweety!” Doris demanded, bouncing onto the other side of her for a better look at whatever was inside.

Emma laughed at her friends’ excitement but gave in to her own curiosity by pulling at the large, red satin bow. Opening the box, she tossed the cover over to the end of the bed and pulled the white tissue paper away.

“Wow!” Lisbeth gasped, eyeing the gorgeous red dress Emma pulled out of the tissue with awe.

 

“I’ll say,” Betty replied. “Who is this bloke?”

“He’s a very nice gentleman,” Emma replied, standing up to look in the mirror, pulling the dress out of the box and laying it against her figure. It was exactly the right size and coloring for her although she’d never worn red before.

“Nice doesn’t cover it,” Betty said, eyeing the dress jealously. “Where did you meet him? Give us all the details.”

Emma explained how she’d met Dimitri yesterday by literally running into him on the sidewalk. Her friends were oohing and ahhing about the whole story as they pulled on their bathing suits. “What are you doing?” Emma asked when she realized what they intended to wear. She was carefully putting the beautiful dress into the closet, careful to hang it gently on one of the hangers so it wasn’t pinched by the other clothes.

“We’re heading to the pool. Come on silly,” Betty replied.

Emma was shocked that they would want to sit around by the hotel pool yet again when there were so many wonderful things to see in the city. They’d seemed interested when she’d told them about her day but obviously not enough to come with her today and explore more of the sites. She didn’t understand. “To the pool? But we’re in Greece. Don’t you want to see some of this wonderful city while you’re here?”

Lisbeth laughed but touched the delicate looking fabric of Emma’s new dress as she passed to get a towel out of the bathroom. “Goodness no! I want to work on my tan. We can’t come back from holiday looking exactly like we left. We have to have something to show for it.”

Emma was frustrated when all three of them left their tiny hotel room and headed for the pool, none even remotely interested in sight seeing. She didn’t understand the mentality that would drive people thousands of miles away and not explore the area. Instead of getting upset that they were deserting her once again, she simply shrugged and pulled on a pair of shorts, tee-shirt and walking shoes, then grabbed her purse and headed out. She was determined to get as much sight seeing in today as possible before being back at the hotel to get ready for her date with Dimitri.

She explored the Roman Market, and the Poseidon Temple which was just as amazing as the Acropolis but this time she could see the sea in the horizon. It was spectacular. From there, she traveled back to the Syntagma – the main square of Athens and she contented herself with going through some of the other museums that clustered in the heart of the city. Just as in the previous days, she was thrilled with the amount of ancient culture she was able to absorb.

By five o’clock, she walked back to the hotel. She was hot and sweaty, her hair sticking to her neck and she was pretty hungry, only having eaten a gyro sandwich from a curb side vendor earlier in the afternoon.

Her friends were back in the hotel and were all preparing for their evening out, having discovered a restaurant that came highly recommended for tourists. Betty helped with Emma’s hair, pulling the curling tresses into a sophisticated twist but Emma resisted the urgings of everyone to put on more makeup. Instead, she applied only mascara, powder and a slightly darker shade of lipstick that matched the red dress better than her usual pinks.

The limousine was waiting in front of the hotel when she walked downstairs but she was disappointed when she stepped into the back seat and Dimitri wasn’t there. She sat back and watched as the car drove to the harbor and Emma was shocked when she was directed to a private yacht instead of a restaurant. In fact, it wasn’t just a yacht, she noticed as she made her way to the numbered dock. It was actually an enormous ship. A ship hand greeted her smartly when she walked up and helped her step onto the gangway.

“Mr. Christoph is awaiting your arrival in the prow, Ms. Mitchell.” The man bowed slightly as he politely gave her the directions.

Emma walked carefully toward the front of the ship, wondering who owned the ship and hoping it wasn’t Dimitri. If he owned this magnificent vessel, then she could consider him definitely out of her league. The man was powerful, obviously. But this kind of wealth was beyond even her imagination.

It took several minutes before she finally reached the front of the ship and when she saw him leaning against the railing, her breath literally caught in her throat. He was magnificent, dressed in pleated black slacks with a snowy white shirt, open at the collar. He looked both casual as well as extremely elegant. And dangerous, powerful and overwhelming as well as all those other words that seemed to pop into her head whenever she looked or thought about him.

She must have made a sound because he turned at that moment and saw her. She was too far away still to see his eyes, but she suspected that he liked her in the dress. He pushed away from the railing and walked over to her and Emma couldn’t banish the idea that he was a panther, stalking his prey, which would be her.

Should she let him catch her? The idea of making love with this man was tempting. She’d never even considered having sex with any of the men she’d met before, preferring to wait until the right man came along. But if Dimitri wasn’t the right man, she didn’t know who would fit the bill. He was tall, gorgeous, charming and muscular. And she wanted him.

“Good evening,” he said, picking up her hands and kissing both, then turning them over to kiss her palms as well. “I’m glad you like the dress.”

Emma shivered, both from the words as well as his hands on her palms. It was incredibly sensuous to feel his lips there. “It’s beautiful,” she said, wishing she could sound sophisticated and glamorous. She suspected she only sounded childish. Clearing her throat, she smiled broadly. “I’m not even going to ask you how you knew my size,” she said.

Dimitri laughed and shook his head. “Don’t worry too much about it. I’ve been thinking about your delectable figure since you ran into me yesterday,” he explained.

 

“Oh,” Emma replied, blushing painfully.

That blush only made Dimitri laugh again and Emma pulled herself up, trying desperately to not appear childish around him. “Well, you’re not so bad yourself,” she quipped.

Dimitri winked and pulled her hand through his arm. pulled a bottle of champagne out of a holder filled with ice. offered.

He led her forward and “Something to drink?” he

 

“That would be lovely,” she said.

 

“Tell me what you saw today,” he replied as he expertly popped the cork and poured the liquid into a long, fluted glass.

Emma went into details about the museums and the items she liked the most. He asked her questions and gave her more information about the pieces and Emma was amazed at his historical knowledge. “How do you know so much about Greece and its past?” she asked, sipping the icy liquid thirstily.

Dinner was delicious and she relaxed as they talked about their past. Emma’s growing years were diametrically different from Dimitri’s. She was an only child and both of her parents died two years ago. Dimitri, on the other hand, had four sisters, all younger than himself and both of his parents were very involved with their children’s lives. His father had run the Christoph shipping empire until he retired five years ago when Dimitri took over, having worked there all his life. Emma was fascinated when he revealed that he’d started working on the docks as a teenager. He’d worked in the accounting department through college and then as a junior executive, earning his way to the CEO’s position instead of simply inheriting it as other wealthy family’s usually do.

Emma had no idea what she ate, more interested in the conversation. She felt both relaxed and energized by Dimitri and he made her laugh at his stories of having so many sisters. They were all married now and Dimitri was proud when he told her of his six nieces and nephews, one or two of whom could always be found at his parents’ house, regardless of the day or time of the week.

Sitting on one of the sofas sipping brandy, Emma felt Dimitri pull her closer. She went willingly into his arms, sighing at the idea that he was finally going to kiss her, something she’d wanted him to do ever since she’d arrived that night.

Emma remembered the previous evening when he’d noticed her lack of experience and was determined to show him that she wasn’t as innocent as he thought she was. Of course, in reality, she was. But she wanted to change that. She imitated everything he did until she was unable to think anymore. Dimitri’s tongue slipped between her lips and that was the end of conscious thought. His tongue tasted the sweet inside of her mouth, showing her what to do without him even knowing he was teaching her.

His hand slipped higher and Emma was so absorbed in the new feelings, she didn’t hear the zipper slide down her back. When the cool air hit her naked breasts, she was able to think for half a second but then Dmitri’s hand covered her right breast and her head fell back against his arm, her nipple pebbling under his palm. “Dimitri!” she cried out and almost whimpered when his mouth took the place of his mouth. The fingers that had been tangling in his black hair gripped the strands now. The torment was so intense, she tried pulling his head back. But as soon as her breast was free of his tender ministrations, she wanted it back for more torment.

When she felt his fingers against her thigh, Emma shivered in delight. Opening her thighs wider, she allowed his fingers entrance to the place no other man had been. Almost with the first touch, Emma’s body tightened and then exploded and Emma cried out as her first orgasm washed over her. With her eyes closed, she slowly drifted down to earth, floating as if on a cloud. “So that’s what it is all about,” she sighed.

She felt as well as sensed the instant tension in Dimitri’s shoulders. Her fingertips could feel the muscles tighten and she knew she’d said the wrong thing. Opening her eyes, she looked up into Dimitri’s startled expression. “What’s wrong?” she asked, instantly worried.

“Please tell me you’re not a virgin, Emma,” Dimitri said, but he already knew the answer and she couldn’t lie to him, especially when he would find out soon enough.

 

“Yes,” she struggled to say.

Dimitri laid his head on her shoulder and Emma sensed the struggle inside him. “I’ll take you home,” he said, quickly sitting up and pulling her into his arms. “I’m sorry, Emma. I knew you were inexperienced but I had no idea that you were completely innocent.”

Emma trembled in his arms, wishing very much that she could take back those words of bliss. Unfortunately, they were out and she felt her dress being placed back on her shoulders, the zipper sliding up the back. “Dimitri, please don’t do this. I don’t want to go home. I want to stay here with you and understand more. I’m sorry I said something but it’s okay, really!”

He shook his head with grim determination. “I can’t make love to you, Emma.”

His tone told her that he would not budge on the issue no matter how much she pleaded with him to show her more and finish what they’d been doing. Hearing that it would be useless to argue with him, she sadly nodded her head. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Dimitri pulled her back into his arms and kissed her gently. Looking down into her blue eyes, he said, “Never apologize for being sweet and innocent,” he said, almost harshly. “It is a treasure you should give to your husband on your wedding night.”

She smiled wanly and nodded. That had been how she’d felt about it until she’d met Dimitri. Now, as she sat in the back of his limousine, her hand in his gentle grip, she felt that her virginity was more of a burden than anything else.

As the car drew smoothly to a stop outside her hotel, she leaned forward, prepared to just exit as gracefully as she could before breaking into tears once he was gone.

 

“What are you doing tomorrow,” Dimitri asked, stopping her so she had to sit back down on the seat.

She shrugged her shoulders sadly and turned her head away, unable to look at him, afraid she might break down before she found the relative privacy of her hotel room. “I don’t know. I usually figure out my itinerary in the morning while my friends are at the pool.”

“If you don’t have plans, then let me take you out tomorrow.”

Her eyes snapped back to his, searching his face and revealing her own confusion. “But I thought….” She started to say, then stopped herself. If he was giving her more of his time, she wasn’t one to say no. She’d been devastated on the drive, thinking that their time together was over. Emma laughed delightedly, relieved that he still wanted to spend time with her. “What about earlier? Why would you want to see me when you won’t make love with me?”

Dimitri grimaced himself. “It will be safer out in the day. I’ll pick you up at nine o’clock,” he said and kissed her quickly.

Emma’s spirits soared and she almost danced out of the car and into the hotel. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep and she woke the next morning feeling excited at the prospect of spending the whole day with Dimitri. She couldn’t imagine where they would go that she hadn’t already seen but anything was worth it just to be with him one more day. She and her friends would be leaving Greece tomorrow, early in the morning. Now she would have one extra day, definitely more than she could have hoped for.

He showed up himself this time in an open jeep, no body guards or limousine as far as the eye could see. He was wearing dark sunglasses and looked dangerous, she thought as she climbed in beside him wearing a pink sundress this time.