Home to Hellas (The Challenge Series) (7 page)

Amusement faded as her heart aligned with her words. Maybe losing everything and rebuilding from scratch put things into perspective. Every year she counted the days until her return to Greece. She should have realized sooner how much he meant to her.

“You really are special to me, Dorian. I’m very grateful for you.”

His smile softened. “Yes, and I for you. If your knee is up for it, let’s walk before we get to our paperwork. I want to be done by the time Natalie arrives. The girls will be coming for the workshop as well and I don’t wish to worry about work during their visit.”

She couldn’t wait to see them. She stood and offered her hand. Little things mattered. He took it with the same grin she’d seen a hundred times. Little things mattered to him, too.

Chapter Eight

Jenn settled onto the bench she and Dorian had shared the day before, the waves and wind a welcome distraction, but even with their power, her mind wandered.

If she dies, it’s not your fault. It’s not your business. It’s not your life
.

Dr. Arogos’ harsh words echoed long after their appointment. She’d gone in expecting to discuss more coping mechanisms for the guilt. He’d offered quite a few good ideas she intended to use, but in their last few minutes, he’d given her the bitter taste of reality. His words were true, but they hurt.

“What happens to you if this other Jennifer dies?”

She swallowed, surprised at the abrupt change in topic. “Nothing, I guess.”

“Precisely. You don’t know her, aren’t family—you will be fine. Is that what bothers you most?”

She didn’t find his words so insightful anymore. “I don’t see how this is helpful.”

“Am I to understand this other patient has support? Can’t we assume she has family to help her?”

“Yes. I met her once. It was a fluke—she was checking in for an appointment at the same time I was picking up some papers, so I heard her name and introduced myself. We talked in the waiting room for quite a while. Her husband has a big family who is helping, and they also have a daughter.” She wiped her hands against her dress at the memory of red-rimmed eyes and sassy sarcasm.

“She has this group, one you would not have had if you had gone through treatment.”

Where was he going with this? “Right. But I would have been fine.”

“You are projecting your fear on her. She has family and treatment. She will be fine. Why are you predicting doom for her? You wish her to die?”

She gasped. “Of course not.”

“Then why this, this…sadness you feel for her? She is better off than you were and will have help. Why take that away and wish her ill?”

“I do not.”

“Repeat after me if you would. If she lives it’s not my fault. If she dies it’s not my fault. It is not my business. It is not my life.”

Jenn kicked a clump of sand. Had she projected the fears she’d held on the other Jenn? Maybe that explained the guilt. She ignored the positive things and assumed she would have to handle the same level of crap.

Maybe a few friends would have come out of the woodwork, but she couldn’t be sure. She might have had no support at all. The other Jenn mentioned being married to her high school sweetheart and in-laws clamoring to babysit.

A sailboat bobbed across the rough water, on its own against the waves. How long had she let herself be that boat?

She’d messed up, getting isolated. When her mother got sick, she’d set aside her work and friendships. After the funeral, Jenn hadn’t put the effort into reestablishing relationships, and the women she’d known well had gone on with their lives with new jobs and family matters keeping them busy.

Dorian stood out. Out of her circle, he’d tried hardest to connect in the past year. She pinched the bridge of her nose to fight a growing headache. Maybe she was closer to the root of the problem. Allowing the aversion to grow had supported her isolation.

Poor Jenn, can’t stand to be touched. Good thing she has no one left who wants to
.

She gasped at her inner cruelty. Who was this ugly voice? It wasn’t the girl her parents raised. She loved herself more than that voice claimed.

She stood and headed toward the stairs. Doubt and pity had occupied her brain long enough. Jennifer in the States would stay in her prayers, but Jenn in Greece would be happy.

***

Dorian scowled at the phone. Natalie intended to arrive early because of a plumbing problem in Turkey. He didn’t care for change, never had. More importantly, he wanted more time alone with Jenn.

He’d expressed disappointment and a few words about the inconvenience, but in the end relented. Jenn needed to be ready for her boss within three days. He might wish things were different, but he would make it work. Of course, he’d have to find a reason for her to stay after the troupe left. They hadn’t discussed the future at great length, but perhaps they would make their situation…permanent.

Matrimony had flitted across his mind around her third trip to Athens and become more present lately with Athena’s less than subtle hints. The possibility of adding to his family so late in life reminded him he had a lot of life left. He’d have a grandchild soon…watching the little one grow up with a child of his and Jenn’s appealed to him.

Rapid footfalls from the hall distracted him from an image of her pregnant with his child. He grinned as the woman so on his mind stepped in, wearing another one of the sundresses he’d picked. The tiny blue stars on the white fabric reminded him of her irises. It hugged her curves and brought out the sparkle in her eyes.

“Dorian, good. I hoped you’d be here. Are you busy?”

He began to stand, but she waved him down. “I am at your disposal.”

She stopped to close the door before easing onto his lap. Taken by surprise, he shifted until he found a comfortable spot. He thought the moment playful, but she wore a serious expression on her beautiful face.

Jenn blew out a breath and set her hands on his shoulders.

“Now what?” he asked, careful to keep his grasp on his chair and avoid giving her a reason to feel trapped. “I love having you but have no real desire to be slapped today.”

She finally relaxed, but tension lines wrinkled her forehead. “No slapping, I promise. I need to get past this ridiculous phobia.”

He liked her willingness to face problems, but didn’t want her to press too hard and cause a setback. From what he’d read online between meetings, timing could be everything when dealing with stress disorders.

She frowned, a little unhappy, but nestled against him, silent for several minutes. His body reacted to her lovely bottom so close, but he controlled himself. Mostly.

“Thank you for getting an erection,” she said. “It always does a girl good to know she affects her guy.”

“You affect me with your presence. How are you feeling?”

“Like I want to sit over there,” she said, her tone honest and annoyed. “Can you rub my arms, please?”

“Ah, love, I don’t want to make things worse.”

She frowned. “It’s not you, it’s all me. You’re sexy and amazing and…special to me. I’m trying to break this stinking mindset that makes me feel like I need to be alone. I don’t have to be.”

He didn’t like rejection any more than the next person, probably less. Still, he wanted to help, so he stroked her bare arms. He watched, ready to stop at the first sign of distress. She tightened, but didn’t shove him away.

“And now?” he asked.

“I would say mildly irritated. But I’m so happy to be here, so it’s not…as annoying as it would have been in the past. I’m getting better, but I’m spending too much time in my head.” She looked off through the window for a moment, before turning to him with a smile. “How can I help you? I’ve been selfish. Is there anything I can do to make things easier for you?”

He adjusted, moving her bottom away from direct contact with his crotch. “Now that you mention it, there has been a new development I could use assistance with.”

“I’m your girl.” She pointed to her chest and gave him a thumbs up motion—the playfulness exactly on par for the Jenn he knew so well.

He wondered if she noticed the difference in her demeanor from when she’d arrived, but didn’t mention it because he didn’t want her to tense again.

“I received a call from Natalie. They moved their schedule up, so they will be here at the end of the week.”

“Nuts.” She dug in her pocket and plucked out her phone. “I didn’t check my emails because of Dr. A. There it is. Oh, no. Turkey always has plumbing problems. I guess my break is over. What do you need me to do?”

He listed a few small tasks he could have Athena do, but thought Jenn would enjoy. Getting her involved in the things she liked with people she cared for seemed like a good idea.

“I can do that.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll have to buckle down on the paperwork, too. Do you think you can call the basketball group in early? Does that screw up their schedules?”

“They’ll make it work,” he said. “They look forward to this all year. I’m sure a few weeks won’t make much difference.”

She stood up and though he missed her, he respected her need for space. She’d sat with him a good ten minutes, the closest they’d been since making love in the pool. He hoped to revisit their watery intimacy soon, but he could wait.

As suddenly as before, she settled in his lap, but this time she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him tight, kissing him. Her tongue thrust inside his mouth, dueling with his. He met her touch for touch until she jumped up.

She licked her lips, looking like a cat that got into the cream.

“You’re the best kisser,” she said. “The very best. I’m going to get some work done, but I wanted you to have something to think about while you’re going about your day.”

Dorian leaned against his desk, enjoying her happiness. “Rest assured, darling, you’re on my mind. Get to work. I foresee us using the pool a few more times before we are inundated by coeds.”

She giggled and waved before hurrying out the door. He relaxed in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. Patience would get him where he wanted to be, but the journey, as much as he adored exploring with Jenn, might be the longest of his life.

Chapter Nine

Jenn surveyed the bunks with satisfaction. She’d liked Dorian’s idea for care packages for the women so far from home and had spent the afternoon putting them together with Athena. Local businesses had donated goodies for their stay, including a little something she’d put in her pocket to avoid another pool-related lapse in judgment.

Fifteen girls would spend a week in a place lovely enough to put any other dorm to shame. Before Dorian’s remodel, the rooms lacked charm and amenities. Switching to his suite had given her a taste of decadence, even if she’d had to cut back to the dorms by morning. She sighed as she tucked a quilt in place. She needed to get back into his bed, even if to cuddle and share space.

She had so many wonderful memories of teasing him about his chest fuzz and coming, shaking in his arms, begging for more. Her body tightened at the thought of being touched, but instead of with agitation, with bone deep arousal. She shocked herself, standing in broad daylight…she was frisky.

Jenn grabbed the clipboard, her constant companion the last two days, and searched out the man on her mind. She didn’t know how long it would last but wanted to strike while the fire in her lower belly burned hot.

She passed Athena cleaning in the hall and kept on, confident Dorian would be in his office. His assistant’s desk sat empty. She tiptoed to the open door, not wanting to disturb them if they were working. Her itches didn’t warrant immediate attention, but if he were doing a crossword puzzle, he’d have to put it aside.

Dorian lounged at the desk, a file in hand, the space devoid of his assistant. She stepped in and closed the door behind her.

He peered up from his papers. “You’ve come to save me from the monotony.”

She could tell him what she wanted, but she stripped away her T-shirt instead. His eyebrows flew toward his hairline as he leaned back in his chair. The sparkle of pleasure and appreciation in his gaze made shimmying out of her bra, shorts, and panties a task she couldn’t finish quickly enough.

He looked her up and down, the intensity of his stare blazing a trail over her skin. She needed high heels to execute a saunter, but she made do with bare feet, adding a sway to her hips with each step. He pushed back from his desk, and she straddled his lap.

“This is quite the salvation you’ve offered to me. The boredom between meetings can be brutal.”

She ran her fingers through his hair, loving the silky texture. He kept it black with a hint of gray, the style distinguished and sexy.

“You’re going to have to lose your pants.” She undid the middle button of his shirt, most of the top ones already freed for his comfort. It took only a moment to have his chest available to her touch.

She rubbed his pecs, strong from swimming. She moved to his shoulders, helping him out of his shirt along the way. His erection made itself more noticeable with every passing moment. She shifted to have him closer to where she ached. The thrill of wanting sex, of craving orgasm threw the encounter into something more. She was healing with the man she loved.

She crashed her lips against his, doing with her mouth what she craved for her body. She thrust her tongue deep, tussling with his. His hands tangled and tugged in her hair enough to pull her away. He stood, moving her to his table where her bare butt met the cold wood.

She shivered and held him closer, welcoming him deeper into the
V
of her legs. Her injured knee didn’t like to bend as much as it once had, but her right one worked fine. She used it to lock him in. He unlocked the clip of her hair band, freeing her hair. While he combed it with his fingers, Jenn worked on the zipper of his slacks, pushing them down his hips along with his boxers.

She nipped his bottom lip and licked it, swirling a light circle, thinking of other places she wanted to taste. Freeing his cock, she stroked it, the hot length in turns soft as silk and hard as stone.