Dimitri's Moon (2 page)

Her fawn-colored eyes narrowed as her nostrils flared. “You know, you’re probably right. I am wet, but then that cousin of yours
is
something else.” Landi spun around so fast her ponytail almost smacked him in the face.

A furious snarl erupted from his chest and he was on her heels in seconds. Grabbing her again, this time when he spun her around his mouth was waiting to land on hers. The kiss lasted maybe five seconds before her palm connected with the side of his face.

Smack!

“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” she demanded even as her chest heaved with the exertion it took to find her lost breath.

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Aliyah Burke

“Has it been that long since you’ve been kissed?” he taunted.

She’d practically melted in his arms before remembering she was angry at him.

“By an ass? Yes!” For the second time in mere moments, she yanked away from him. “Leave me alone!” Ilanderae whirled around and began storming off.

Dimitri followed, but this time he stayed behind her. What the hell was wrong with him? He was the one who had broken things off with her, not the other way around. Believing he was over her went up like smoke the second his eyes had landed on her pink-clothed body.

Ilanderae Nycks was stunning. She was a very small, petite woman who loved the color pink. Every time he had seen her there was some form of the hue on her somewhere. She could work the color, and work it she did.

A wry smile crossed his face as he followed his stomping woman through the streets of Athens. His cousin had no reason to worry; Landi knew her way and was traveling like a pro. Of course she was; he knew she had been here many times, coming for both business and pleasure.
Which is she here for this time?

He felt the trouble before he actually saw it. The tension in the crowd was escalating faster than he would have believed possible.

Immediately his body went into protect mode, and his gaze zeroed in on Landi.

“Landi,” he shouted over the increasing noise. When she looked back at him with an irritated look, he commanded, “Get back here to me.”

Her eyes flashed dangerously. She hated being told what to do.

As she opened her mouth to dispute him, someone shoved her from behind. Dimitri was there to keep her from kissing the pavement.

“God damn it!” she swore. “I am so sick of this!” Her hands curved about his muscular forearms as he led them to the doorway of an old building.

The crowd began chanting; it was obvious a riot was about to ensue. This time when her eyes met his, they weren’t full of anything but concern. “What the hell is going on here, Dimitri?”

“Civil unrest.” His sharp eyes scanned for the safest route to get her out of danger. “Hold on to my hand. Whatever you do, don’t let me go.”

His tone must have told Landi just how serious he was. Normally she would have taken exception to the command, but knowing what
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15

he did for a living, she kept quiet. He wouldn’t tell her that unless it was imperative for her wellbeing. “I won’t.”

“Good girl,
agapi
.” His endearment rolled so naturally off his tongue that it took a moment for either of them to realize what he said.

Landi felt so right near him. Later he could hash out what had—or hadn’t—happened between them. Right now, he had to get them out of this in one piece…even though he’d smashed her heart into millions of them.

Dimitri saw the war waging in her eyes. Tipping her face up more toward his, he asked, “Ready?”

“I think so,” she murmured even as she noticed how much rowdier the crowd was becoming.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Landi. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Okay,” she uttered as her grip on his hand tightened.

He smiled at her, revealing the dimple in his right cheek. “You’ll be fine.”

“I know,” she said immediately. “You’re with me.”

At that second, Dimitri felt invincible. His head lowered and he placed his mouth over hers one more time. Gently. Tenderly.

The rush of emotions that swarmed them took them both back to the beach. To the time they had spent with one another.

Two

Thirteen months earlier…

The knock at the door was shocking. Only one person knew Landi was staying here, and that person was busy with a handsome man in her bed. Ilanderae slowly walked to the door and opened it, leaving the security chain intact.

“Yes?” her soft voice asked as she peered out.

Standing on the other side of the door was a man who had invaded her dreams. He was the only thing she saw when her eyes closed at night. He wasn’t that tall; but since she stood five-two, his five-nine frame seemed to dwarf her—then add to that the proud way he carried himself.

He had thick black hair, olive-tanned skin, and eyes that were golden like a lion’s. His nose was crooked, as if it had been broken in a fight a long time ago; but on him, it only added sexual charm. He wasn’t in short supply of that; oh, no, this man dripped it.

The way he looked at her made her feel like he had taken all of her clothes off with his teeth and was preparing to enjoy a feast in which she
was
all
the courses. His clothes were very tasteful and molded to his chiseled body like they had been tailored for him specifically.

“Open the door and let me in, Landi,” his smooth voice said.

Unhurriedly, she did as told. She knew exactly what was going to happen once she did—they both knew. The passion had been building between them since they’d met a few nights ago at her friend’s house.

Somehow, she’d managed to run into him a few more times; and each look, touch, and shared space just made the tension between them increase in intensity. Now that the initial shock had worn off, she wasn’t really surprised to see him outside her door. He was a Navy SEAL, and she didn’t doubt his ability to find a person he was after.

And for the time being, it was Ilanderae Nycks he was after. Not that she minded; it had been a while since she’d had a good session of mind-blowing sex. “Should’ve known you’d find me,” she murmured as she waved him in with one hand.

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17

Dimitri “Merlin” Melonakos allowed his golden gaze to peruse the woman before him. She was very petite. A few inches over five feet, he bet he could lift her with one arm.

She had dark, thick, wavy hair that currently was up in a ponytail held in place with a bright pink ribbon. There was a matching pink spaghetti-strapped tank top covering the smooth dark skin of her torso and she wore a pair of white cotton shorts. She was barefoot and he could see the bright pink polish on her toenails.

“I’m a man who goes after what he wants,” he said in a low voice.

“And that would be me?”

He nodded. “That would be you.”

She closed the door behind him and leaned against it, assessing him with her eyes. He stood there wearing a pair of faded blue jeans with a hole in the left knee that fit him snugly. Stretched across his torso was a white tee shirt that contrasted alluringly with his tanned skin.

Covering that was a black three-quarter length leather jacket. On his feet were white tennis shoes.

“Well, now that you’re here, what exactly are you planning on doing to me?” Landi asked as her tongue snuck out to lick her lips.

“Oh, you have no idea what treasures I have in store for you.”

His eyes moved in a languid motion across the distance that separated them. It wasn’t more than four steps, and he would be right back into her personal space.

Her feet spread apart as she settled more comfortably against the smooth wood of her door. Thick lashes blinked over her exotic-shaped eyes before she held his gaze. There was no fear in hers, only the sultry assurance a woman had when she knew the man in question belonged, even if just for the moment, to her and her alone.

“And just what treasures are you holding for me?” Her eyes never backed down from the intense passion flaring in his.

“A night that neither one of us will ever forget.” Dimitri spoke with the calm confidence that was bred into every pore of his body. He knew whatever he and this vixen shared would be nothing short of explosive. With ease, he removed his jacket and laid it over the stool by the door.

Landi swallowed as her body reacted to his words, presence, and poise. From the first second she’d seen him standing in front of her friend, Koali, she’d felt a sexual reaction to him. That entire night had 18

Aliyah Burke

been spent exchanging glances, mere brushes of skin, and blatant promises of things yet to come.

Well, now those things had arrived and it was time for this man to make good, a time she’d been waiting for since she’d looked into his golden eyes.

“Take your shirt off.” Her command filled the room.

His hands gripped the hem of his white shirt and he slowly pulled it up over his head. He met her gaze as he dropped the cotton garment to the floor. A totally arrogant smile crossed his face as he witnessed her reaction to seeing his bared chest.

Landi inhaled sharply, her eyes skimming his golden chest. So far there were no tan lines on his body. The sight before her had her body clenching with desire and her panties flooding with more moisture.

He had a decent covering of chest hair, black like the hair on his head. It tapered as it neared the top of his jeans, creating a v that tempted her to follow it and see what lay below the snug material.

Licking her lips, Landi stepped closer to him and reached out her hand. She walked all the way around him, her fingers lightly touching his exposed skin. On his left shoulder was a tattoo of a crescent moon surrounded by five stars. “What does this mean?” she asked as she traced the five pointed star the five individual ones made up.

“It is a symbol of magic. My nickname is Merlin,” he said gruffly.

“Merlin, huh?” she purred while continuing her perusal of his toned body. Her hand caressed over his tight buttocks as she moved to the right side of his body.

“Yep.”

There was another inking on the inside of his right forearm that grabbed her attention. Holding his arm in both her hands, she turned it so she could get a perfect view. Short strokes made up a circle, almost like the sun’s rays in a child’s drawing. “And this one?”

“Explosion.” His body was trembling.

Completing her circle, Landi stopped before him, her fingers dancing lightly against his hairy chest. The coarse tendrils sent volts through her. “Are you a dangerous man, Mr. Melonakos?” She spoke his name like a native Greek.

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19

Dimitri felt his cock swell in anticipation of being inside this little vibrant woman who stood before him in pink. Hot pink, as if that didn’t give him ideas of how scorching she would be.

His eyes burned with a feral golden fire as they met her sultry and teasing gaze. One strong shoulder lifted with a graceful motion.

“Sometimes,” he intoned seconds before he reached for her and pulled her body against his.

Landi squeaked in surprise. Then, his mouth covered hers. His thick fingers grabbed her ponytail and pulled her head back so he had easy access to her mouth. She tasted like crème de menthe.

This kiss had enough energy to light up the Eiffel Tower. Dimitri swept through her mouth with his tongue, determined to learn what secrets she possessed. His thick tongue dove deep, retreated, laved all corners, and then repeated itself.

Soon he was just making love to her mouth. Dimitri felt his body shiver as his imagination replaced his tongue with the ramrod erection he pressed against her belly. His cock began leaking at the image his mind painted for him.

One of his powerful hands dropped to her shoulder and slid the skinny strap down over the ball of it. The feel of each callused fingertip against her satin-like skin made them both shudder with anticipation.

His other hand began to mimic the motion on the other side.

Dimitri shook with the strength it took for him not to lose control like a youth on his first time. Who knew this woman would test his resolve like this? It was slowly that he drew away from her mouth, holding her lower lip in his teeth, adding more pleasure to her experience. And his.

Moving his hands down her arms, he caught and held her gaze with his own. The blatant desire he witnessed in her eyes, was nearly his undoing. “Your skin is so smooth,” he complimented her as he tantalized her senses by bringing his hands back up her arms.

Landi felt her nipples tighten even more and she knew he could see them; she was only wearing the tank top. “Take off your shirt,”

Dimitri ordered her, just as she had to him.

With one small step back, Ilanderae gathered the hem of her pink top in her hands and pulled it off her body in one motion. She felt his sharp intake of breath deep in her soul. A heated flush filled her as his eyes grew to a dark burnished color while raking over her breasts.

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Aliyah Burke

“Perfect,” he groaned, and his hands cupped her globes. Dimitri allowed his thumbs to torment the already puckered nipples. “They fit so flawlessly in my hands.”

A small moan escaped her mouth as Landi fought not to lose control of her legs. Her knees were shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

She clenched her hands into fists; she wasn’t sure what else to do with them.

He his touch flowed over her flat stomach, dipped into the tiny swell of her waist, and slipped around to the small of her back. Then he removed his hands totally and walked around her, again like she had done to him.

Dimitri used one finger to trail over the expanse of her back while he moved slowly, not rushing the opportunity to look his fill of her beautiful body.

Standing behind her, Dimitri placed his hands on her hips and leaned in to bury his face into the ponytail she wore. The silken strands smelled like a mix of lavender, peppermint, and lemon. In fact, her whole body did. It was one hell of an aphrodisiac to his waning control.