Dirty Delilah (7 page)

I’m not sure I’ll be able to get over Asa again.

“You still have feelings for him.” Darcy wasn’t asking a question. “And something definitely happened.”

Delilah huffed out a frustrated breath. “Stop pretending you’re a witch, Darcy. You don’t have psychic powers.”

“I don’t need them with you.”

“Fine. You want to know? We had a drink, went for a ride on his bike, had crazy sex and then fought about…I’m not sure
what
that was about.”

“
What?!
”

“Del, you’ve only been there for
one
day
!”

She shook her head, making the turn that led to Sebastian’s road. “And this is why I don’t tell you things.”

It sounded like Drew was banging her forehead against the phone before she spoke. “You were getting it out of your system. The crush. His rejection. It was closure…right?”

“I don’t think so. I did at first, but no.”

Now it was Darcy’s turn to sigh. “Why did you fight? Was the sex bad?”

“I think you’re too young to hear about the kind of sex we had.”

“Oh my.”

“Yes.” She turned in the driveway she was directed to and swore. “Holy shit.”

“What?” The sisters echoed.

“His house is ridiculous. It’s an entire apartment building. Five families,
at least
, could live inside this thing. What does he want with Dad’s dinky shop?”

Darcy chuckled in relief. “Well he’s a Kosta. They don’t do anything halfway.”

“Apparently not.” Delilah parked and leaned her head back. “I’m okay. Really. But I should go get this breakfast over with.”

Drew whistled. “Now I know you’re not okay. You don’t ‘get over with’ a breakfast being made for you in a garish mansion by a hunky Greek millionaire with a brilliant mind and a charming personality. You relish and enjoy it.”

“Then I should hurry up and go start with the relishing.”

“Good.”

“Fine.”

“Okay.”

Delilah hung up and made a face at the phone. She really shouldn’t have told them. They weren’t going to leave it alone.

She walked up to the large white house, thinking it glimmered the same way his shop did. And then she thought about breaking into that shop. About the note Sebastian would find near his bike when he arrived.

About Asa.

Stop it. Relish. Enjoy. Business and crepes!

She obviously wasn’t listening.

When the door opened she took a breath, surprised that she’d forgotten the impact his looks had had on her yesterday. He stood there in a white, short-sleeved shirt and grey tailored pants, looking like a prince from a fairytale. A muscular, toffee-skinned prince with dark chocolate eyes. Edible. He was a beautiful man. So beautiful she’d put him in the threesome fantasy Asa had spun for her last night.

Stop thinking about Asa.

“It’s good to see you again, Sebastian.”

“Delilah. Why is it you’re more beautiful today than you were yesterday?”

I
had sex. Unbelievable, kinky, mind-blowing sex…followed by four hours of crying.

“Now I know you’re being nice. The hotel bed isn’t as comfortable as mine and I’m afraid there was tossing. And occasional turning.”

He took her hand and stepped back to guide her into his house. “We’ll have to make up for your bad night with a perfect morning then. I was just starting breakfast.”

She looked around his house, her eyes instantly drawn to the wall of windows that gave her what seemed to be an endless view of the San Francisco Bay. “Wow.”

Sebastian smiled. “That was my first reaction as well. This place is a monster, I refuse to buy as much furniture as it needs and I rattle around it like a lonely ghost. But for this? It’s worth it. The view inspires me.”

“I’m glad you said that,” she chuckled. “Here I was thinking you only bought it because you could.”

“Because it was expensive?” She nodded and his lips quirked. “Yes, you would be thinking of my mother and father. A few of my cousins. Not me. My home in Arizona could fit easily in this living room, I promise you.”

“What made you decide to move here?”

He placed his hand on her back and guided her down the wide, open hallway to the kitchen. “An ex-girlfriend, believe it or not. She grew up in San Rafael, talked about the wonders of San Francisco and the beauty of Marin County so often and in such graphic detail that I fell in love with the place around the same time she realized she wasn’t as fond of me.” He shrugged casually. “I came for a visit, rode past the parks and the water, and I knew this was the place.”

Delilah knew exactly what he was talking about. There was something about this corner of California that was unforgettable. More magical than Hollywood, it called to her, making her long for its sweeping fog, rolling hills and the feeling of community and connection. A part of her would always be here.

Her heart.

“You were lucky that welder my father sold to decided to retire.”

Sebastian poured her a glass of fresh orange juice from a carafe on the large island and handed it to her with a wink. “Luck had nothing to do with it. I wooed him. Dazzled him with my vision. Paid him a vulgar amount of money that I believe he used to purchase a small island where he can weld to his heart’s content.”

“Ah.” She glanced around the kitchen and shook her head.
Monster
was right. She could get lost in this room and never find her way out again. “That works too.”

“If all else fails,” he agreed. “But I refuse to talk business deals and money at the moment. I am in the company of a goddess in a dress the color of sunflowers, with hair like the dawn and a fascinatingly sad expression on her face. I want to talk about her. After I feed her, of course.”

Fascinatingly sad.
She must not have done a good enough job donning her camouflage if he wasn’t distracted by her buttery pinup halter dress and scintillating conversation. She sipped her juice. “Lack of sleep depresses me.”

“Obfuscation depresses me.”

Her lips twitched. “Big word.”

“I know,” he answered dryly. “My obnoxiously rich parents paid a lot of money for that.”

She laughed, her shoulders relaxing. He really was pretty damn charming.

“There it is,” he sighed. “The smile that felled Samson.”

He set a plate of gorgeous, raspberry-covered crepes in front of her and she snorted. “You can stop now. I get it, you’re polite and charming and you want to buy Dean’s Garage. I don’t need more flattery.”

He stopped mid-turn and knelt beside her chair instead, surprising her. “You think you know how attractive you are, Delilah, but I can see you don’t grasp it entirely. If you only had a beautiful body built for pleasure I would understand. If you were
only
clever and mechanically minded and honest, I would concede your point. But you are all these things and more. A man doesn’t have to know you long to understand that you are the entire package. To know how rare that is.”

Sebastian watched her lick her lips and set her glass down as if the movements fascinated him. 

She wasn’t sure what to say after that. “Thank you.”

He set his large hand on her thigh and nodded. “Now take a bite and tell me it is the best crepe you have ever tasted. I’m not moving from this spot until you do.”

She glanced down at his hand, her cheeks flushing as she lifted her fork. If last night hadn’t happened, she might have thrown herself at Sebastian Kosta. He was exactly the kind of man she’d started to lean toward once she moved to West Hollywood. Educated. Witty.

Only he also had that built-like-Atlas body going for him. He looked like he could carry the heavier load. She felt small beside him.

And his hand was making her thigh tingle.

You still tingle and ache from the things Asa did to you. How do you know it’s him?

She took a bite to distract herself and closed her eyes. “Oh my
God
,” she muttered, savoring the burst of flavors that exploded on her tongue before swallowing. “You weren’t lying. This is the best crepe I’ve ever had.”

“I know.” His proud smile as he got to his feet, leaving a light, lingering caress on her thigh with his fingers before he went to his chair. “It was no easy task acquiring the recipe, I assure you.”

She wiped her mouth with her napkin and tilted her head. “Vulgar amounts of money or sexual favors?”

He dug into his breakfast with a grin. “Both.”

Lifting her glass of orange juice, Delilah toasted him. “Worth it.”

“Yes.”

They ate in companionable silence, occasionally making ecstatic faces at each other or groaning in delight. When she was done, she stood with her plate in hand. “Where is your dishwasher?”

“Break it.”

“Excuse me?”

He stood and took the plate from her hand. “Sorry. That is a Greek joke I learned from your friend Angel. I lost four cups before I caught on.”

She covered her mouth apologetically when she laughed. “I’m sorry. They’re harmless. But knowing what I do about Angel’s past? If they really didn’t like you, I doubt you’d still have a workshop to go to. So there is hope.”

“Comforting.” He pursed his lips. “Speaking of old friends, have you talked to Wilder yet?”

Her smile disappeared again. “Yes, I did. But not about the sale, if that’s what you’re wondering. We were just…catching up.”

He was studying her again. “I see. I have an idea, Delilah. Would you be interested in playing hooky today? We can go across the bridge into San Francisco.”

She lifted one shoulder ambiguously and pushed her hair off her face. “I’m not sure that’s the best idea, Sebastian.”

He set down the plates. “Of course not. You’re tired. Let’s stay here. What you need is a swim in my pool and a few hours of sunshine. Then I can show you those projects I told you about. Or we could watch a movie. Anything you want.”

She was tired and that sounded good. Tempting. “You don’t need to go into the shop today? I thought you wanted to get to business. Impatience and all that.”

He shook his head. “All our troubles will still be there tomorrow. Right now, I would rather be here.” He raised his eyebrows. “I have a feeling you would as well.”

Delilah didn’t have the energy to deny it. She wanted to go to the shop and visit with the Major and Angel, wanted to meet the new kid and see what everyone was working on. But there was something standing in her way. Someone.

The way they’d ended things last night, she wasn’t sure she was ready for the morning-after fall out with Asa.

“I don’t have a bathing suit,” she offered weakly.

Sebastian grinned, knowing she’d given in. “I happen to have a few never-before-worn bikinis in the guestroom.”

She sent him a sideways glance, unable to hide her admiration. “I suppose in this case it’s a good thing you’re such a lady’s man.”

“I haven’t had many complaints.”

She believed him.

With some direction, she made her way to the closet full of new clothes and found a red bikini in her size—a miracle—and changed. He was waiting for her in the hallway with towels in his hand and nothing but a snug pair of shorts concealing his airbrushed body. It had to be fake…no human had that many muscles in his stomach.

Delilah had just begun to relax. How could she not? Lounging with her body submerged in the crystal clear water of a pool that overlooked the Bay, and her face lifted up toward the sun.

She sensed him swim up beside her. “Relaxed?”

“Mmmhmm,” she replied sleepily.

“Are you relaxed enough to tell me what Asa Wilder said or did that had you up all night crying?”

Her body jerked in shock, and she opened her eyes to see the apology in his. “It is obvious, Delilah. Your reaction to his name. The sadness you arrived with. To my shame, I have made too many women cry not to recognize the signs.”

“I didn’t realize I was that obvious.”

He shook his head. “I’m observant. Particularly, it seems, when it comes to you. Tell me?”

She sighed. “Sebastian, it’s a long story with a lot of baggage and history you don’t want to know about. Asa and I…” Were what?
Had
what? “We’re complicated.”

He watched her, his eyes more piercing with his glasses removed and the sunlight on the water making them sparkle. “I don’t think so.”

“You don’t?”

He moved closer. “You want him. Crave him. But it’s more than that. You love him. And I’d be willing to bet he feels the same.”

Sebastian’s lips were now inches away from hers. She took a shallow breath. “If you believe that, why are you acting like you’re going to kiss me?”

“I’m not acting.” Sebastian lowered his lips to her softly. Brushing against her with delicate caresses.

She was in shock. And thinking about that fantasy. That had to be why she didn’t move.

He noticed and his kiss deepened. He tasted like raspberries and spiced tea and raw, unadulterated male. Was it only yesterday that she’d wondered how it would feel to be the focus of his attention?

Sebastian dragged her body through the water until she was in his arms, his hands squeezing the cheeks of her ass as her arms wrapped around his neck.

Damn, he was a great kisser.  And his body—it was heated steel. Big…everywhere.

Hard everywhere.

He wanted her, and with his nature, Delilah knew she wouldn’t have to wait eleven years to find out how much. Sebastian went after what he wanted with laser-like focus and determination.

His hands had slipped beneath her bikini bottoms, tracing the curve of her ass until his fingers were grazing the heat between her thighs. He groaned against her lips. “You feel like silk, Delilah. Let me…”

His mouth covered hers again as one of his hands slid around her hip and down the front of the red fabric. One thick finger pushed inside her sex and Delilah shivered, rocking helplessly against his hand. “Oh, God.”

Her reaction had him adding another finger to stretch her, curving until he was caressing the spot that made her whimper in pleasure.
Yes, like that
. His fingers were thrusting deeper. Harder.
Don’t stop.
Right here, outside in the sunshine, she was going to come for Sebastian. Come so hard like this, and then he would lift her up, out of the pool, rip off the bikini bottoms and his shorts and bury his big, fat cock inside her.
Yes.