felt pliant as he pulled her closer to him and felt her form fit his perfectly. He ached to rid her of her clothes, frustrated at the barrier between his hand and her skin. He sucked in his breath when his palm gently glided over her breast and he felt her light, erect nipple, her moan verbalizing the need was just as intense for her as it was him. He knew he could take her now, she was as hot and wet as he was but he didn’t want to take advantage of her, knowing she had been under a tremendous amount of stress so he tried to pull away but found his body unresponsive. He focused on Jennifer, how this might affect her and envisioned her being angry before he was able to pull away, both of them breathing heavy. Unable to find any words, he took her hand and kissed it, lingering before he finally found his voice.
“Good night, Anastasia.”
She smiled and nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He turned and left her at the door as she watched him stroll back the way they had come. When his figure disappeared, she backed into her room and quietly closed the door. The exhaustion that recently filled her body was gone now and she knew it was going to be a long night. With her lips still swollen from the passion of their kisses, she quickly undressed and snuggled under her covers. Hours would pass before she found slumber, her thoughts filled with questions of who Rick Montgomery really was and reliving that kiss.
CHAPTER TEN
T
he next morning Ana awoke shortly after dawn. Having only a few hours of sleep, she was pleased that she felt rested, refreshed and
even excited. She knew something special had happened between her and Rick and was anticipating the time they would spend together. She dressed carefully, taking her time to pick out a fun and flirty outfit, something she hadn’t done since Austin. It was almost seven when she quietly entered the kitchen to commandeer a cup of coffee. She gasped when a shadow from the corner stepped forward.
“Oh, God, Stavros! You scared the life out of me! I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here!”
“Neither was I.” He replied with just enough suspicion in his voice to make Ana blush.
“I couldn’t sleep and I thought Jennifer wouldn’t mind if I came into the kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee. I hope that’s okay.”
The corners of his mouth twitched up and he nodded. “I just brewed a fresh pot, the mugs are here. Please help yourself.”
Ana smiled and quickly fixed herself a cup with cream and sugar before sitting down at the beautiful butcher block table. Aware that Stavros was watching her, she turned her attention to him and cocked her head. “Please, join me?”
He hesitated a moment before he refilled his cup then sat down across from her.
“It occurred to me,” she started softly, looking out the window, “that you seem to be a very serious person, very reserved. I have never seen you genuinely smile and happiness never quite reaches your eyes.” she paused and then turned to look him squarely in his. “Until you look at Jennifer, then they are filled with this beautiful light and you actually seem to be happy. Does Jennifer know you’re in love with her?”
He didn’t say anything, stonily staring at her, anger building in his dark eyes and Ana began to wonder if she had made an error in broaching the subject. His jaw bulged one last time as he clenched his teeth then he slowly lowered his head to gaze into his coffee cup. “No, she doesn’t. But she doesn’t need to right now.” he said sharply. “She needs time to grieve and mourn for her husband, to be given the space to heal her heart before she can open it up to love again. I am patient, I can wait.” He said it with such determination that she realized he would be as enduring and tolerant as he said.
“Won’t it be hard, living here with all of the memories of Austin?” she asked, surprised by her depth of concern for his feelings.
He created one of his half smiles. “When she is ready, I
“Good night, Anastasia.”
She smiled and nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He turned and left her at the door as she watched him stroll back the way they had come. When his figure disappeared, she backed into her room and quietly closed the door. The exhaustion that recently filled her body was gone now and she knew it was going to be a long night. With her lips still swollen from the passion of their kisses, she quickly undressed and snuggled under her covers. Hours would pass before she found slumber, her thoughts filled with questions of who Rick Montgomery really was and reliving that kiss.
CHAPTER TEN
T
he next morning Ana awoke shortly after dawn. Having only a few hours of sleep, she was pleased that she felt rested, refreshed and
even excited. She knew something special had happened between her and Rick and was anticipating the time they would spend together. She dressed carefully, taking her time to pick out a fun and flirty outfit, something she hadn’t done since Austin. It was almost seven when she quietly entered the kitchen to commandeer a cup of coffee. She gasped when a shadow from the corner stepped forward.
“Oh, God, Stavros! You scared the life out of me! I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here!”
“Neither was I.” He replied with just enough suspicion in his voice to make Ana blush.
“I couldn’t sleep and I thought Jennifer wouldn’t mind if I came into the kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee. I hope that’s okay.”
The corners of his mouth twitched up and he nodded. “I just brewed a fresh pot, the mugs are here. Please help yourself.”
Ana smiled and quickly fixed herself a cup with cream and sugar before sitting down at the beautiful butcher block table. Aware that Stavros was watching her, she turned her attention to him and cocked her head. “Please, join me?”
He hesitated a moment before he refilled his cup then sat down across from her.
“It occurred to me,” she started softly, looking out the window, “that you seem to be a very serious person, very reserved. I have never seen you genuinely smile and happiness never quite reaches your eyes.” she paused and then turned to look him squarely in his. “Until you look at Jennifer, then they are filled with this beautiful light and you actually seem to be happy. Does Jennifer know you’re in love with her?”
He didn’t say anything, stonily staring at her, anger building in his dark eyes and Ana began to wonder if she had made an error in broaching the subject. His jaw bulged one last time as he clenched his teeth then he slowly lowered his head to gaze into his coffee cup. “No, she doesn’t. But she doesn’t need to right now.” he said sharply. “She needs time to grieve and mourn for her husband, to be given the space to heal her heart before she can open it up to love again. I am patient, I can wait.” He said it with such determination that she realized he would be as enduring and tolerant as he said.
“Won’t it be hard, living here with all of the memories of Austin?” she asked, surprised by her depth of concern for his feelings.
He created one of his half smiles. “When she is ready, I
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