Return Of The Moralis Wife Part 4

The life and death of Mark Stakis had put her in this position. Chance ... fate ... it didn't matter which. The question was, with her firmly held moral beliefs, could she walk away from Anna and her girls?

No, she would not be able to live with herself if she did ...

Selina knew there was no other work on the island for Anna, and since the death of her husband she had been the only financial support for her daughters. Thea, the youngest, was joining her sister at college on the mainland in the autumn hoping to become a lawyer. There was no way Selina could destroy those young girls' dreams ... which was what would happen if she walked away. She had spent the past few years trying to help children's much smaller dreams come true.

Rion was a filthy-rich powerful man, and what he wanted he got-money no object. And at the moment he wanted her ... A cynical smile twisted her lips. The great Orion Moralis would be outraged if anyone dared suggest he paid for s.e.x, and yet what he was suggesting was no different in her eyes.

She thought of her Aunt Peggy, whom she considered her family. Although Peggy had claimed her state pension two years ago naturally she still lived with Selina, and depended on her to a large extent. She would never dream of leaving Peggy to fend for herself, as her grandfather had done Anna. Then there was Beth and her husband, Trevor, and the charity they ran that needed Selina's regular financial support. She made good money at her job, but it was not enough to cover any more commitments.

She stifled a despairing sigh. She needed the money from the shares she had supposedly inherited for Anna but she had to go through Rion to get it. Unfair, but then life wasn't always fair ...

Selina thought of all the people she had met, some so very young, who had really suffered and sacrificed for their family-not for a couple of weeks but for years. Could she in all conscience do any less? she asked herself. How hard could it be to put up with Rion? He said he wanted her, but only for two weeks-no surprise there. He had the attention span of a flea where women were concerned. He scratched the itch and leapt on to the next ...

She could 'lie back and think of England,' she supposed. A cliched expression but probably true for many women ...

Her decision made, she put her hand in Rion's. 'Agreed.' She shook his hand to seal the deal and swiftly pulled free. 'Now can I go and tell Anna the good news?'

'Yes, but first ...' Rion wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her hard against him. Cupping her chin between thumb and forefinger, he tipped her head back. 'Anna is an astute lady. You need to look the part.'

He was going to kiss her again, she knew and Selina splayed a hand on his chest to push him away, but with his shirt open her fingers made contact with satin-smooth flesh and her stomach churned.

'Yes, touch me, Selina.' His voice lowered to a husky growl and she felt the warmth of his skin beneath her palm as his mouth covered hers.

She tried to stay rigid in his arms, her mouth closed, and she did it for a few seconds. Then her lips quivered beneath the pressure of his as he circled them teasingly with his tongue. He bit her bottom lip, and involuntarily her mouth opened. He caught the tip of her tongue and sucked lightly before deepening the kiss, his tongue probing the interior of her mouth with a gentleness that sent shivers through her slender frame. His hand stroked down her neck and over her breast and finally her body betrayed her. She was eighteen again and eager, her resistance melting, and she kissed him back.

Rion felt the yielding softness of her body and broke the kiss. Her head was tipped back, her eyes closed and her lips parted, and he knew with little effort he could have her here and now.

Selina opened her eyes and Rion's mouth fastened over hers again. His hand moved to curve around her b.u.t.tocks and involuntarily she pressed closer, felt the hard length of his arousal against her belly. His other hand cupped her breast, his long fingers teasing the burgeoning nipple through the silken fabric. The deep, searing kiss and the caress, the heat of his hard body, the scent of him-all so achingly familiar, and in seconds she was drowning in a sea of delight.

Rion heard her whimpering cry and felt her small hand stroke beneath his shirt. Stifling a groan, he knew he had to stop now or he wouldn't be able to, and he eased away, linking his hands behind her back.

'Ah, Selina.' He looked into her pa.s.sion-hazed eyes.

'I think that is enough. Anna will have no trouble believing we are reconciled now.'

Enough? Reconciled? Selina came down to earth like a spent balloon, all the air knocked out of her, humiliatingly aware of how easily she had succ.u.mbed to Rion's brand of lovemaking. No, not love ... just s.e.x, she reminded herself. Something she must never forget again. Her body might be weak and hot but her heart would forever remain a block of ice where Rion was concerned.

'What do you mean, reconciled?' she asked, and took a step back. His arms fell from her waist and she glanced up at him, noting the dull flush on his high cheekbones and realising he was nowhere near as cool as he acted-which was some slight consolation.

'How else are you going to explain to Anna you are leaving with me tonight?'

'Well, I am sure as h.e.l.l not going to tell her we are reconciled. Anna is not an idiot-she would never believe that,' she shot back, her mind spinning, searching for an answer. 'I told her earlier I was fine with you being here. She was worried you might be up to something, as you hadn't spoken to my grandfather in years.' Thinking on her feet, she added, 'I was due to leave tomorrow morning, but I have not booked a boat to the mainland yet. If I tell Anna you have offered to take me back to the mainland earlier, so I will have time to call on Mr Kadiekis to sign some legal doc.u.ments and speed up the processing of the will before I fly out tomorrow night, I think she would quite easily believe me.'

'My, my, Selina!' Rion grinned. 'So quick-thinking and so devious. You have certainly matured. But I agree.' And, looping an arm around her shoulder, he led her out of the pavilion and back towards the house. She made no attempt to break free.

Selina's mind was filling with the enormity of what she had agreed to with every step she took.

'You'd better decide quickly exactly what you are going to give Anna before we reach the house, Selina. Anna is not going to be convinced she is mentioned in the will if you are indecisive.'

Rion's businesslike comment was a timely reminder of why she had agreed with him-why she was strolling through the orchard with his arm around her-and it hardened her resolve to do the right thing by Anna.

'Anna can have the villa. I doubt I'll ever be back,' she said with a hint of bitterness. At the same time she wondered how she would explain to Beth she was going to be delayed because she was going on a two-week holiday with her ex-husband ...

'Not a good idea. Anna would find it very hard to believe Stakis left her the house-and even if she did how could she possibly afford the upkeep of the place?' Rion pointed out. 'She would have to sell it, and the legal doc.u.mentation would reveal you had owned it before you gave it to her, which would defeat your purpose of keeping Anna in the dark about the true contents of the will.'

'Oh,' she said, and it did not help realizing Rion was right.

'As I see it, you can give Anna a lump sum-say fifty thousand or, being generous, a hundred thousand-which you will easily be able to afford. As a local islander Anna will be able to get a house in the village for that. You keep the villa, and keep on employing Anna for as long as she wants to work. You can visit whenever you like, and rent it out as a holiday let the rest of the time. That way the villa will still be an a.s.set for you. One day you might marry again, have children and want to live here-after all, you are half Greek.'

'I'm not in the least Greek, I will never marry again and I have no intention of having a child. There are enough in the world already that need looking after,' Selina said, finding her voice. 'As for Anna-you are right. I'll tell her she was left a hundred thousand.' She glanced up at Rion and saw he was frowning-strange when she had agreed with him! 'I need to make a few phone calls before I leave.'

She never lied, but now she was going to have to-three times in one day, she thought helplessly. Selina knew Beth would readily accept she had decided to take a holiday and booked a cruise around the Mediterranean, and would be happy for her. Beth was always telling her she worked too hard and should take a break and relax. If she told Beth the truth she would be outraged and beg her not to go with Rion. She knew what a wreck Selina had been after her ill-fated marriage. There was no reason to upset Beth unnecessarily, and the charity needed every penny it could get ...

CHAPTER FIVE.

ALMOST midnight-the witching hour, Selina thought fancifully as she stood on the deck, her hands gripping the ship's rail as the luxury yacht slid smoothly out of the harbour of Letos. Thankfully it was a newer model than the one on which she had spent her ill-fated wedding night.

She was still stunned at how easily Rion had charmed Anna. He'd told her she had inherited a hundred thousand euros in the will, Selina had added that she wanted to continue to employ Anna to take care of the villa for as long as she wanted to work, and Anna had been so happy it was not surprising she'd believed everything Selina had said. She had accepted her story that it made sense to return to Athens with Rion so she would be there by the morning and have time to see Mr Kadiekis before flying out in the evening. So much so Anna had actually helped Selina to pack ...

As soon as they'd come on board Rion had introduced her to the only other guest-Dimitri, a shaven-headed, fit-looking man in his fifties-telling her he would look after her for a while as Rion had to join the captain on the bridge and see the yacht safely out of harbour.

Dimitri had taken her bags and shown Selina to her cabin. He had explained how the computerised system worked and told her if she wanted anything to call. Then he'd told her Rion had the master cabin next door.

At least she had her own cabin, Selina thought with a sigh of relief. But even so, after unpacking her clothes and taking a quick shower, she had slipped on an old sweatsuit-enough to turn off any man, she thought. But five minutes later, unable to stand the confines of the cabin with its bed-a reminder of why she was there-she'd slipped on a pair of flip-flops and escaped to the deck.

But there was no escape for her, Selina realised. She must have been mad to agree to Rion's demand. She was never going to be able to do it ... He was expecting an experienced lover-he had said as much-and she was the opposite. She had been celibate since their divorce. True, she had dated a few men, shared a kiss, but had never been tempted into a s.e.xual relationship. She had seen more than enough of what it did to people and wasn't interested.

Rion descended the stairs to the main deck and stopped, drawing his black brows together in a frown. Selina was leaning over the rail, and even from this distance he could sense the tension in her. She did not want to be here, he knew, and felt a slight twitch of conscience. But she looked so gorgeous, with her long hair tied up in a ponytail dancing around in the sea breeze.

He noted she had changed the elegant dress for a baggy blue sweatshirt and pants, probably meant to put him off. But they were doing just the opposite. He felt his whole body respond and put his conscience aside. He had no need to feel guilty. Selina was getting what she wanted, like most women-money-and he was confident enough in his masculinity to know he could keep her satisfied and happy in his bed.

Selina smothered a cry of surprise as two strong arms folded around her waist. Lost in thought, she had not heard Rion approach. Letting go of the rail, she clasped his forearms, but the feel of his firm, warm skin against her palm made her catch her breath. The memory of another night and a different yacht, but with the same man doing exactly what he was doing now, flashed through her mind. And the memory of her avid response.

Not surprising, really, as after the first time they had made love Rion had never made love to her again, saying he wanted to wait and make the wedding night special. More likely he'd had some other woman-probably Chloe-warming his bed, she had realised later.

Stiffening, Selina turned her head to cast him a sidelong glance. 'You surprised me. I thought you were with the captain.'

'I was, but you looked so alone.' His dark head bent and he nuzzled the back of her neck, her earlobe. 'I decided to keep you company.'

'There is no need,' Selina said, trying to hang on to her self-control, which was becoming harder to do by the second with the warmth of his breath against her ear and the slight spicy scent of his cologne. It was hard to suppress the old familiar feelings and the memories she had thought long forgotten.

'Trust me-there is,' he said huskily, nibbling her neck and then sucking the tiny pulse that beat there as his hand snaked up beneath her sweater to cup her breast. Kneading gently, his long fingers slid teasingly over the swelling peaks in a caress that made her shudder from head to toe.

Selina gasped, her heart pounding. Why had she thought a scruffy old sweatsuit was enough to deter Rion? And she wasn't wearing anything underneath, she thought helplessly. She tried to wriggle free from his hold-a bad mistake!

He pressed her back against his great body and she let her hands fall to her sides-and was immediately made aware of the strength of his masculine arousal against her b.u.t.tocks.

'Feel what you do to me?' Rion rasped against the hollow of her throat, kissing and licking her tender skin.

'Let me go,' she got out shakily, her overheated body combining with the feeling of being completely surrounded by Rion making her head whirl. She grasped his arm at her waist, trying to prise herself free, but as she did so he rolled her aching nipples between his index finger and thumb, sending shafts of aching pleasure from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to her loins, while his sensuous mouth lingered on the pulse that beat wildly in her throat, making her tremble, making her weak ...

She raised her hands again, but with a will of their own her fingers seemed to glide up over his forearms, his muscular biceps.

'Don't ...' she murmured desperately. 'Someone will see.' A low moan escaped her as the hand at her waist slipped beneath her sweatpants to splay across her bare stomach and finally to cup the delta of her thighs, while his other hand continued the delicious torment of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

'No one can see except perhaps the fishes,' Rion rasped. 'Relax and enjoy.'

'No ...' she moaned. But against her will she was caught up in the wild, sensual hunger that rose from deep inside her as the past and the present collided in her mind. Her head fell back against his chest, her neck arching as he eased her legs slightly apart. His long, skilful fingers traced the delicate folds guarding her feminine core, searching the hot, damp centre with his fingertips, the pad of his thumb finding and stroking the tiny point of sensitive nerves to swollen pulsing pleasure ... She was on fire, every nerve end taut with need ...

'You like that, Selina. You want more,' he breathed against her ear, and nibbled on the tender lobe. 'You only have to ask,' he rasped.

She was trembling with need and yet a note of discord at his words pierced the sensual haze that was her brain. A flash from the harbour lighthouse spun across the water, dazzling her eyes and reminding her where she was.

'No, Rion.' She breathed his name and grasped his wrist, digging her fingers into his skin as much to quell her own desire as his intention.

Rion wasn't sure how it had happened so fast, but Selina had responded to everything he'd done to arouse her, and aroused him so much he was desperate to be inside her. And yet she had the strength of will to stop him. The girl he had married would never have done so-but the Selina of today was a much stronger character.

He knew with his superior strength and skill he could easily persuade her differently, but he was reluctant to do so. Maybe he had been cra.s.s to demand she ask him. But he had never known a woman so responsive, and he was not going to let her slip back into denial.

Sliding his arm around her, he turned her to face him. 'You're right, Selina, the cabin would be better.' And he stroked a hand up her back, holding her close, aware of the erratic beat of her heart. 'But no more games. We both know what we want.'

He dipped his head and kissed her long and deep, until he felt her relax against him, her slender arms sliding around his neck. Raising his head he smiled into her eyes.

'Bedtime, Selina,' he said, and swept her off her feet.

Aching with frustration, and dazed by his kiss, Selina clung to Rion's broad shoulders as he carried her through to his cabin and laid her down on a huge bed. She was intensely conscious of him-his dark chiselled features, the unfathomable depths of his eyes-and she wasn't capable of resisting or uttering so much as a word as he reached for her and deftly removed the baggy suit.

What was the point of resisting anyway? Even if she could-which she very much doubted. It was too late for that. They were at sea, and so were her emotions ... The result was inevitable, because she had made a deal and she must honour it. An impish devil whispered in her mind: So why not enjoy the experience? No other man had ever made her feel the way Rion did and probably never would!

He'd said he wanted her naked in his bed and here she was. He had seen her naked dozens of times-well, maybe not. She had been a bit of a prude about walking around naked, unlike Rion who had often teased her about it. But now she was naked, exposed, and Selina had a moment of panic, glancing warily up at Rion looking down at her.

She saw the hunger and the dark desire in his eyes, and her heart missed a beat and another, as he stripped off his shirt, revealing his broad muscular chest with its sprinkling of black hair arrowing down his stomach. Then he took off his pants, and she swallowed hard as his magnificent bronzed body in all its masculine beauty was revealed to her no longer wary but wondering eyes. He was incredible. The strength and the power of his erection made her gasp and desire kicked in her belly, her body throbbing in hungry recognition.

Suddenly she felt totally inadequate. He was expecting an experienced lover. Weakly she asked, 'What do you want me to do?'

Rion stilled, hearing the catch in Selina's voice. His dark eyes sought hers and he saw the shadows in their amber depths. He didn't want her thinking she had to do whatever he said, he realised, even though he had given her little choice but to come with him.

His avid gaze roamed over her incredible naked body.

Selina was perfect-quite perfect: her glorious hair trailed across the pillow, her superb b.r.e.a.s.t.s and straining nipples, the flat stomach, the soft strawberry-blonde curls at the apex of her thighs, the long legs ...

Rion wanted her badly-but he wanted her warm and willing. Lying down beside her, he raised himself up on one elbow and looked into her wide and wary golden green-flecked eyes. 'Just be the beautiful, s.e.xy woman I know you are, Selina ...' He brushed her lips with his. 'Let me do the rest.'

The strange thing was that it seemed the most natural thing in the world to be like this with him, Selina thought, but said nothing. The flush of desire burned her skin as he smoothed a hand along her shoulder.

She trembled as his lean hands shaped her waist, her thighs, and then moved back to let his fingers drift over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, grazing the tight peaks.

He bent his head and kissed her with a gentleness, an aching warmth that surprised her, and she was seduced all over again by his tenderness. Her lips parted to taste him with her tongue, her hands moving of their own volition up his chest.

'Oh, yes ...' Rion groaned against her mouth as she touched him, and he kissed her again with a demanding, possessive pa.s.sion that sent electric sensations arcing through her, tightening her body, driving her wild.

His hand stroked down her belly, his long fingers playing with the soft curls at the juncture of her thighs before moving between the velvet lips, the tips teasing and stoking the fire in Selina's blood to fever-pitch.

Selina's hand clenched on his shoulder as arrows of liquid heat shot to her damp, pulsing core. She raked a hand through his dark hair and shuddered, wanting him ... all of him ... with a white-hot wanton pa.s.sion. Her other hand reached for the velvet-and-steel length of him, her slender fingers barely closing around the thickened strength of him, moving, exploring.

Rion groaned, ready to explode. Fighting for control, he pulled her hand away and, dipping his head, captured a pouting nipple in his mouth while his long fingers explored the hot wet centre of her with delicate strokes.

Selina's eyes closed, her face taut with pleasure at his hungry suckling, the insistent harder rhythm of his fingers. She felt her muscles clench, her body lifting, trembling on the brink, then convulsing in shuddering release as Rion lifted her and, with one powerful thrust, filled her.

'Rion ... please!' she cried, not sure she could take any more.

But she was wrong, and she was flung into a maelstrom of sensations that went on and on as his hard length stretched her and thrust deeper and faster, until with an answering cry Rion's great body shuddered, filling her with his very essence.

Rion rolled onto his back, weak with release but still with enough strength to take Selina with him, so she lay cradled across his heaving chest. He was shocked. He had never come so fast or so fiercely before-ever ... Not even when they were married. Then he had been gentle with Selina, thinking to lead her slowly down the s.e.xual highway.

Rion raised his hand to brush her silken hair back from her face, and found himself huskily apologising. 'Sorry I was a little quick, but it has been a while.'

Selina shifted against him, one slender leg brushing over his groin. Amazingly he felt himself stir again as she lifted her head and glanced up at him. 'You were fine,' she murmured, a dazed look in her gorgeous eyes, and let her head fell back on his chest.

'I'll make it better next time,' he said, and felt her body relax.

Next time, Selina thought-then stopped thinking and closed her eyes.

Rion held her close and stroked his hand gently over her head, let the silken strands of her hair slide seductively through his fingers. He brushed his lips across her brow and realised she was asleep. Next time was not going to be as soon as he had hoped, he thought, a rueful smile twisting his lips. But with the warmth and the weight of her body over his chest, the feminine scent of her filling his nostrils, he didn't really mind. He could wait ...

Selina was his for the next couple of weeks-and, given her response, longer if he so chose, Rion thought with a sense of masculine satisfaction. He relaxed.

Then it hit him what he had done-or to be precise what he had not done ...

d.a.m.n it to h.e.l.l! he cursed. Only twice in his life had he forgotten, and both times with the same woman ... His sense of satisfaction vanished like smoke in the wind.

'Selina-Selina!' He slid his hand from her head to her waist, to tip her onto the bed.

Snuggled against a hard, warm body Selina let her eyes flutter open. Someone was calling her name. For a moment she was totally disorientated-then suddenly she was lying flat on her back.

'What?' she muttered, and her eyes opened wide at the sight of Rion sitting up, his upper torso turned towards her. 'Is it morning?' she asked, though it wasn't daylight, she realised, but moonlight that illuminated Rion's bare chest and face.

Then it all came back to her. She was in Rion's bed and they had made love. Suddenly she was conscious of her own naked state and felt a slow tide of warmth spread through her body-not so much a blush, more an involuntary sensual response to the man looking down at her. But by the thunderous expression on Rion's hard face he was having no such reaction.

'I did not use any protection, Selina. I need to know: Are you on the Pill?' he demanded 'You woke me up to ask that?' The warmth seeped away and, sitting up, she reached for the edge of the coverlet and pulled it over her chest.