Seduced by the Bachelor Page 17
Surprised by the plush décor, Oriental area rugs and sumptuous leather furniture, with framed movie posters hanging on the burgundy walls, Tatiyana whistled. “Wow, great digs. Your man cave smells like a florist shop, and there isn’t a dirty dish in sight. Nice.”
“I’m glad you like it. I don’t usually bring dates in here, but you’re special to me, and I wanted you to see where I spend my free time.”
Tatiyana gave a nervous laugh. “I am?”
“You have to ask? Isn’t it obvious?”
“No. You’re hard on me, and I never know where I stand with you,” she said. “Take yesterday for example. You snapped at me twice, then kicked me out of your office.”
“That’s because I’m an ass.”
A smirk tickled her lips. “You said it, not me.”
“I know I’m not the easiest person to work for, but I’m trying to change.”
“Ha!” Tatiyana barked a laugh, couldn’t believe Markos thought he could sweet talk her. He was just telling her what he thought she wanted to hear, but she wasn’t buying it. “No, you’re not. You’re a Morretti, and winning is all that matters to you.”
“Not anymore. Helping my clients means more to me than having a winning record.”
Raising an eyebrow, she searched his face for signs of deception. “Really? Why the sudden change of heart? You were singing a very different tune three weeks ago.”
“I ran into Mr. Zapata this afternoon at the country club,” he explained, a pensive expression on his face. “He credited me with saving his marriage and promised to name his second child after me if it’s a boy—”
“They’re trying to get pregnant? No way!”
“Yoshiro said they’re happier than ever. I told him you’re the one he should thank, not me, so I suggested they name their next child, Tatiyana. Perfect, right?” Markos wrapped her in his arms. “Because of your example, I’m a better attorney, and a more thoughtful, compassionate person, so thank you for teaching me how to effectively support my clients.”
His smile stole her breath away, and her thoughts scattered. Driven by desire, Tatiyana made the first move. She kissed him hard on the mouth. Tatiyana feasted on his lips, mating desperately with his tongue. Her desire for Markos couldn’t be denied or contained, threatened to consume her, and in that moment, all she cared about was pleasing him.
To her surprise, Markos abruptly pulled away. “Tatiyana, what are you doing?”
“Giving you an early birthday present.”
“I didn’t invite you here to have sex.”
Her hands fell to her sides and shame flooded her skin. Tatiyana wanted to run and hide, but her legs wouldn’t move. They felt weak, as if they were shackled with eighty-pound weights.
“You make me laugh, and there’s never a dull moment when you’re around.” Touching her face, he caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I think you’re an incredible woman, one of the most authentic and genuine people I’ve ever met, and I don’t want to mess things up by jumping back into bed.”
He is—water filled her eyes, and her nose twitched—rejecting me? Gathering herself, she nodded in agreement. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. We’re just friends.” Marching across the room, her vision blurred with tears, she hid her disappointment. “I’m going to turn in. It’s been a long day.”
“No way. Not so fast.” Markos captured her arm and pulled her to his side. “The night’s still young. What would you like to do?”
Tatiyana shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s your estate.”
“Let’s grab some snacks and relax in the media room,” he proposed.
“I’ll come, but only if you make homemade popcorn, and gelato.”
“One strawberry-chocolate gelato coming right up.” Chuckling, Markos took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “I’m glad you’re here, Tatiyana.”
Me, too, she thought, returning his smile. Me, too.
Chapter 19
Markos rolled onto his back on his king-size bed and sniffed the air. Starving, he licked his lips and rubbed his stomach. Chef Igor was a wiz in the kitchen who made scrumptious, elaborate meals at his request, and Markos was looking forward to having breakfast with Tatiyana on the patio. He was excited they were spending the weekend together, but feared what would happen if she kissed him again. It was damn hard to keep his hands in his pockets and off her body, but Markos was determined to be a perfect gentleman while she was at his estate.
His cell phone buzzed, alerting him that he had a new text message. Grabbing his iPhone off the side table, Markos punched in his password and accessed his inbox.
Morning, Birthday Boy! Ready for your birthday breakfast?
Reading Tatiyana’s text made Markos grin so wide his jaw ached.
Good morning, Beautiful. I’ll be downstairs in ten minutes. Can’t wait to see you. I have a fun day planned, filled with plenty of surprises, so don’t be late.
Markos sent the text he’d composed, tossed aside his black satin sheets and swung his legs over the side of his platform bed. Yawning, he stretched his sore, aching muscles. Last night, after seeing Tatiyana to her room, he’d worked in his home office for hours. It was a struggle, impossible to focus when all he could think about was his titillating house guest sleeping across the hall, but he’d finished his to-do list and answered his clients’ emails.
Feeling his cell phone vibrate in his hands, he read Tatiyana’s response.
You’re not the only one with surprises up your sleeve, Morretti! I told you this was going to be the best birthday you’ve ever had, and I meant it.
Eager to see her, he chucked his cell on his pillow and rose to his feet. Inside the master bathroom, he showered and shaved, but his mind was filled with thoughts of Tatiyana. Reviewing the plans he’d made for them, Markos made a mental note to call the tour guide to confirm the details of their afternoon excursion. They were going to do it all: hike at Joshua Tree National Park, explore a world-class vineyard and feast on lobster at a popular seafood restaurant. Tatiyana was special to him, and he wanted to spoil her this weekend.
Returning to the bedroom minutes later in his undershirt and boxer shorts, Markos selected a T-shirt and blue jeans from the walk-in closet and put them on the dresser. Markos heard a knock on the door, and said, “Come in.”
The door swung open, and in strolled Tatiyana. Pleased to see her, he admired her strapless dress, her lace-up sandals and her gold ankle bracelet.
Carrying a silver tray, her smile radiant and bright, she sashayed toward him with the confidence of Miss Universe. “Happy birthday to ya,” she sang, rocking her shoulders from side to side. “Happy birthday to ya. Happy birthday!”
Amused by her off-key rendition of the Stevie Wonder classic, Markos cheered. “Wow, breakfast and a song? Tatiyana, you shouldn’t have.”
“I had to. It’s your birthday. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t go all out for your big day?” she replied. “I made all of your favorites—smoked bacon, Belgian waffles, pesto-scrambled eggs and zucchini muffins.”
Confused, Markos pointed at the tray. “You cooked? But Chef Igor is here.”
“He was, but I sent the poor guy home. His wife broke her leg yesterday playing Frisbee with their daughters, and since his family needs him more than you do, I gave him the day off. He was worried you’d be pissed, but I told him you’d understand.”
“You’re not happy unless you’re running the show, huh?”
“You know it,” she said with a wink and a smile. “Don’t be mad. I wanted to cook for you. It’s a special day. Turning twenty-one is a big deal!”
Chuckling, he plucked a piece of bacon off the tray and took a bite. “Hot and crispy, just the way I like. I’m impressed. I didn’t know you were a world-famous cook,” he teased.
“Really? Like what? Fill me in.”
“I don’t know where to start. There’s so much to share.”
The allure and charm of her laugh captivated him, awakening his desire.
“I’m an avid chess player, my family members say I cook better than a professional chef and I love biking.”
“That explains why you have such a gorgeous body.”
“If I have such a gorgeous body, then why did you reject me last night?”
“Reject you?” he repeated, baffled by her outrageous statement. “Are you kidding me? Why would I reject the woman I’ve been fantasizing about for weeks?”
Tatiyana shrugged. “You tell me.”
“I didn’t reject you. I’d never reject you.”
“Sure seems that way to me.”
Markos closed his gaping mouth. He couldn’t believe that Tatiyana—a bombshell who had men chasing her down at every turn—doubted his feelings for her. “Let’s sit down and talk. It’s obvious you’re upset.”
“No, later. Your food’s getting cold.”
“It can wait.” Markos took the tray from her hands, set it on the raised glass table and sat on one of the leather chairs. Pulling her down onto his lap, he wrapped his arms around her. “Umm,” he murmured, inhaling her scent. “You smell like heaven.”
“Thanks. After my morning jog, I treated myself to a long, relaxing bubble bath.”
“You went out without me? What’s up with that?”
“I didn’t want to disturb you. You work long hours, and I know you need your rest.”
“No,” he argued, meeting her gaze. “I need you.”
Caressing his face with her warm, soft hands, she whispered against his ear, “Then let’s make love. It’s your birthday, and I want it to be a memorable, passionate day.”
Guilt troubled his conscience, making him feel low, and he confessed the truth. “It’s not my birthday. My birthday was in July, and I celebrated with my brothers and cousins in Cozumel.”
“I can’t believe you tricked me.”
“I wanted to spend time with you, so I lied,” he confessed, wearing an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I should have been honest with you. Do you forgive me?”
Markos held his breath. He thought she’d be angry, expected her to curse him out for tricking her, but to his surprise she nodded in understanding.
“Apology accepted, and since we’re being honest with each other, I have a confession to make, too.” Wearing a contrite expression on her face, she dropped her gaze to her lap, and fiddled with the gold bracelet on her wrist. “I taped the conversation we had in my suite our last night together in Tampa.”
“Good one!” he said with a hearty laugh, patting her thighs. “Sure you did!”
“It’s true. I was going to use the tape to blackmail you that morning I showed up at your office...”
Markos gulped, and his hands fell from around her waist. Filled with panic, his body tensed, and a cold sweat drenched his skin. What the hell? This was a nightmare. He was a Morretti. A successful divorce attorney. A future mayoral candidate. And if a tape surfaced of him badmouthing his celebrity clients it would ruin his reputation, and tarnish his career.
“I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“How could you do this? Why? What were you thinking?” Suddenly Markos saw the full picture, understood why she’d taped their conversation in her suite. The truth came to him in a flash, hit him hard, like a fist to the gut, momentarily knocking the wind out of him.
“I made a mistake, and I’m sorry. No one heard the recording, and no one will. I deleted it after you threw me out of your office.”
“Is that the truth?”
Tatiyana hung her head. “Yes. You called me a liar and a con artist, and I lost my nerve,” she said quietly, staring down at her hands. “I wanted to help my sister, and I didn’t know what else to do, so I befriended you on the flight to Tampa.”
Anger shot through his veins. Weeks earlier, he’d contacted his friend who worked at Pinnacle, but the marketing director had never met Tatiyana, and couldn’t tell him why she was terminated. “Do you have a history of blackmailing people? Is that why you lost your job at Pinnacle? Because you blackmailed your former boss? Is that your modus operandi?”
Tatiyana shot to her feet, but Markos captured her arm.
“Let go of me,” she said, struggling to free herself from his hold. “I shouldn’t be here. Coming here was a mistake. I’m leaving...”
“Answer me, dammit. I deserve to know.”
A tense silence filled the room.
“I said, let go of me.”
“Tell me what happened at Pinnacle first.”
Her hands curled into fists, and for a moment Markos feared she’d punch him for holding her against her will. Staring at the window, her eyes dark with pain, she spoke in a somber tone, and the anguish in her voice made him want to hold her in his arms again.
“My boss made a pass at me, and when I threatened to go to HR he fired me.”
“You should sue the company for wrongful dismissal. Need my help?”
“No way. Why look back when I can go forward? Life’s good. My family’s closer than ever, I have an interview at Center of Hope next week, and I met a great new guy who’s smart, romantic and dreamy. Did I mention he’s an incredible golfer, too?”
Chuckling, he reached out and caressed her cheek. “I want to be with you, Tatiyana.”
“Me too, Markos. I have a good feeling about you. About us.”
“Then no more secret recordings,” he admonished. “Thank God it wasn’t a sex tape. That would ruin me, and my future bid for mayor, if it fell into the wrong hands.”
“Sex tapes aren’t sleazy. They’re sexy and hot and I think we should make one.”
Desire sparked in her eyes, and a seductive grin curled her lips.
“Tatiyana, we can’t. It’s too risky.”
Standing, she unzipped her dress, let it fall on the floor and kicked it aside. “Baby, are you sure, because I love living on the wild side. In fact, the riskier the better...”
At the sight of her naked body, Markos salivated. No bra, no panties, no problem, he thought, eager to touch her. He couldn’t resist her, even if he tried. “Fine, we’ll make a video,” he agreed, swiping his cell phone off the side table. “But I’m calling the shots.”
“Good,” she quipped. “I’m ready for my close-up.”
Chapter 20
Excitement pricked Tatiyana’s skin, flooding her body with heat. She helped Markos out of his undershirt and boxers, and tossed them over her shoulder. Kneeling between his legs, she parted her lips, and sucked his erection into her mouth. She licked it eagerly, hungrily, as if it was coated in caramel chocolate. His groans filled the room, playing in her ears like a song, turning her on. The harder she sucked, the louder he grunted. Markos praised her skills, told her how much he desired her, adored her, and her heart inflated with pride.
Throwing his head back, his eyes pressed shut, he groaned. Markos grabbed fistfuls of her hair, playing in her loose, lush waves. He knew how to excite her, and used his hands to stroke, tease and caress her flesh. Tatiyana wished his fingers were buried inside her sex, his tongue, too, pleasing her like only he could.
“Tatiyana, baby, this is torture...you’re killing me... I need to be inside you...”
Looking up at him, their eyes met. His words were a desperate plea, filled with longing and angst, music to her ears. Holding his gaze, she swirled her tongue around his length, wetting and tickling the tip of his erection. His hard, muscled body quivered. Watching Markos come undone, lose control, made Tatiyana feel powerful, as if there was nothing she
couldn’t do.
“Enough. I can’t take any more,” he growled, seizing her wrists. “Come here.”
Taking her hand, he helped her to her feet. Kissing, they tumbled onto the bed in a heap, shrieking and laughing. Pressing his mouth against her throat, he told her in explicit, graphic detail what he wanted to do to her, and Tatiyana enjoyed every wicked minute of his X-rated confession. Couldn’t get enough. Wanted more. His words made her tingle, giving her a rush.
“I love your lips,” he whispered, staring deep into her eyes. “They’re irresistible.”
“Then kiss them.”
He did, nibbling and biting and licking until she didn’t know left from right.
Tatiyana was wet, and as he rolled on top of her and slid his erection between her legs, she cried out. Bolts of lightning struck her body, leaving her speechless. Hiking her legs in the air, he thrust and stirred his length inside her, over and over.
Watching his erection moving in and out of her sex was a turn-on. His stroke was incredible, oh-so-good, a sensual treat. Tremors, fiery and hot, consumed her. Cupping her breasts in his hands, Markos tweaked and sucked her nipples, licked and rubbed them. The man was a beast, the most expressive and explosive lover she’d ever had. Her eyes closed, sealing her in the moment. They played and teased each other, and Tatiyana couldn’t remember ever having so much fun in the bedroom. Since her breakup, she’d been reluctant to get involved with anyone, but Markos had proved to her that he was a good man, someone she could trust, and Tatiyana was willing to take a chance on love.
“I can’t get over how beautiful you are, how passionate you are. Baby, you amaze me.” Tenderly, he brushed his lips across her cheek and mouth. “I wish I knew how to resist you, but I don’t. One look at you and I’m utterly captivated.”
Shocked by his confession, Tatiyana couldn’t speak.