Indulgence (4 page)

Lesandros burst out in peals of laughter. “You are stuck on this girl. Plan on wearing her shoes too?”

“If you hadn’t brought me coffee, I’d break your ass in half right here. Don’t forget who’s the older bro.”

Lesandros rolled his eyes and flexed. “Don’t forget who’s ripped, here. While you slave away here, I delegate what needs to be done and hit the gym every day. So, what’s Dareia think of Zoey?”

“Not sure. It’s more of what does Zoey think, and right now she sees Dareia as a competitive threat.” Khristos stepped into his bathroom with his coffee, leaving his brother on the other side.

“You always did like doing shit the hard way. How do you plan on having the girl and disassociating her business from our sister’s, since you own the building?”

He heard his brother’s question and turned on the shower, since he had no answer to give. Once Zoey found out he’d omitted the fact that he owned the building, and the woman she saw as a threat was in fact his sister, he knew all hell would break loose. The woman who gave him sunshine could also bring on a severe rainstorm. The mess he’d brought on might have cost him the thing he wanted most before really having it.

Washing away the exhaustion with a quick shower did little to appease his inner turmoil. A loud clattering in his office garnered his attention. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he pushed open the door and stepped out, expecting his brother. A young brunette struggled to gather the items she’d knocked from his desk. He looked at the cluttered mess and the shocked woman’s look when she noticed him. A deep flush stole across her face as she gaped open-mouthed.

“Can I help you?” He didn’t mean to scare her, yet she jumped nearly out of her skin. She looked down then back up.

“I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to knock your things over. I broke my heel. Promise to have this cleaned up right away.” She stumbled over herself, falling back.

In long strides he crossed the room, grasping her before she tumbled and hurt herself by bringing the rest of the contents of his desktop down on her fool head. Women and their insane need to wear the highest heels possible—it was a freak accident waiting to happen. “Josie, I take it.” His towel slipped free, giving her a way too close and personal view of his junk. He swore under his breath and scooped it up, wrapping himself back up as he stood, bringing her up with him. Her face came into direct contact with his dick.

“Well, this is not something I expected to find.”

The new voice swept over him, full of angst and, dare he think, jealousy? The thought brought a smile to his face. “Iliahtida.”

“Don’t you Sunshine, me. You were naked with her, and you haven’t even been naked with me yet. Yet, your thingy hit her in the face.”

“My thingy? Iliahtida, it’s called a dick or a cock, and it didn’t hit her. My towel slipped as I reached to keep her from tumbling. Her shoe is broken. Look at the mess she made of my work.” He growled in exasperation.

“To think, I climbed all these stairs to bring you this piece of baklava, I made by drizzling my chocolate and spice mix, just for you to have a piece of Greece this morning.”

The scatterbrained assistant edged away from him, her face still fully red. “Mr. Trakis, sir. Your suit is hanging up in your closet. I’ll um, leave you two alone. Ring me when you’re ready for me to clean up the mess. I’m sorry, again, and it kinda tapped my face, but don’t worry, we can pretend it never happened. Like, never, ever, speak of it again. Don’t even tell your brother, my boss, that it happened. Please. I’d be mortified, and he’d never stop teasing me relentlessly about it. You were only trying to help keep me from breaking my ankle. No harm, no foul. ” Head down, she ambled past the angry woman, limping along with her broken heel.

“I’ll be leaving, myself.” Zoey sighed, dropped the box of goodies on his monsoon of a desk.

“Zoey, don’t go. Let me dry off and get dressed. Then we can discuss ‘my thingy’.” He dropped the towel from his body, but kept it in his hand as he crossed over to his closet for his pressed suit. He moved slowly to give her a direct view of his cock and watched the byplay of jealousy, arousal, and need flashing across her expressive face, before he turned his back on her to dry his body and get dressed, sans boxer briefs.

A smile crossed his face.

“Not funny.”

How could she tell he smiled when he wasn’t facing her?

The telltale signs of her heels clickity-clacking down the hall didn’t greet his ears after her curt tone. The sound of her uneasy breathing filled the dead air behind him. After shrugging into dress socks and shoes, he turned to face her, buttoning up his dress shirt while facing off with her closed-off expression. Someone had done a number on her, and he wanted blood for it. While she silently stood by, he began dealing with the destruction, placing things in their proper place. Scooping up his files, he dropped them on his desk and then took a seat. She had to speak again at some point, he figured, so he bided his time, while doing up his top button, donning his tie, and smoothing it into place.

“It’s crooked.” Zoey sauntered over to him with that sway of hips designed to make him lose his ever-loving mind. With a tsk, she undid his favorite tie and went about fixing it. Khristos placed his hands over her shaky ones to halt her. She loomed over him with her sexy-as-all-get-out heels on, and knew it. He wrapped a hand around her waist. “I’m sorry you had to see that unfortunate happenstance. Trust me, the only woman I want to get naked with, is you. Deep down you have to admit, it’s hilarious that shit like that even happens.”

“Hmph. My mama didn’t suffer no fools.”

“Really? You want to categorize me in some lump sum pile of assholes? It seems to me, you fail to realize I’m drawn to women with curves and pretty, brown skin, dark brown eyes, and sass. But if you really think I orchestrated that train wreck to take place to hurt your feelings after ruthlessly pursuing you for weeks, then don’t let the door hit you on your way out.” He gave one last lingering pass over her luscious ass and dropped his hand in his lap. She dropped his tie from her grasp and sucked in a deep breath. In all reality, he hoped dropping the ball of what to do or not do in her hands didn’t backfire.

“I have meetings starting in five minutes, which is why I had to take a shower here, after waking up right here a little under an hour ago. No time to run home, no time for my favorite trip for coffee, just to see your pretty face.” He glanced at his watch. “You have five minutes to decide where you categorize me.”

“Mr. Trakis. You cannot order me around like I’m one of your employees on your time. We’re not even a couple, and this is ridiculous. I didn’t do anything but walk into a compromising situation.”

“Miss Gray.” He shoved her patronizing tone back down her throat with cold detachment. “In my building, in my office, during working hours, you are on my time. Make a decision before I make one for us.”

Her face flushed, and a veritable storm brewed in her lovely, brown eyes. “Enjoy your treat. I’m going back to work where my customers appreciate me, and don’t snap at me. I do not like this side of you, Mr. Trakis and you can take it to the bank that I won’t be climbing any more stairs to see you anytime soon.”

A slow chuckle left his mouth. “I almost forgot to dish out your punishment for disobeying. What was my order about you climbing those stairs?”

“I wasn’t paying attention.” Zoey shrugged and crossed her arms over her breasts.

“I think I said I’d spank that sexy ass. Might as well get it over with now. Lay over my lap.”

“Like hell.” She snapped back at him.

Khristos stood from his chair, strode over to his door and engaged the lock. She fidgeted as he returned, to tower over her. “I think you wanted to provoke me just now, why else bring up walking up the stairs if you weren’t intrigued about the feel of my hand striking the firm globes of your ass,” he whispered in her ear. “Lean over my desk and you will find out how good it feels to be spanked.”

How he loved a good argument to bring out the beast, to allow him to show the lovely contradiction in front of him what she so desperately needed. The war of decisions weighed heavily on her. He expected her to run, not to lean over his mahogany desk and present her luscious ass in sexy boy shorts.

Khristos lifted up her polka dot dress, peeling the barrier down to glimpse and ghost his fingers over her bare skin, drooling over the sight before him. His dick lurched in his pants from her reaction to his feather-light touch. Her legs trembled slightly, in anticipation, a bit of unease of the unknown, tensing now and then as he smoothed his palm over the firm half-globes, gripping the dip where her ass met thick as sin thighs. “So sexy.” He withdrew his touch and delivered a stinging crack across her satin smooth skin.

Faint sobs tumbled from her luscious mouth, but a torrent gushed between her legs, gifting him with the scent of her intense arousal. He rubbed the burn away, and delivered the same staccato blow to her other side, then dipped his finger into her dripping cunt. Whimpers turned him on. She pressed back against him, searching for more.

Aiming to please, he gave her alternating slaps, then bent over and nipped the reddened expanse of skin with his teeth, just grazing the sensitive area. His hand still worked inside her to bring her off. “Come for me, now,” he ordered in her ear on a guttural rasp, his fingers shoved up in her. Zoey crumbled, and he pressed his free arm over her waist to keep her from sliding to the floor while he wrestled the orgasm from her body, working her through the aftershocks, flicking her clit to bring her over the edge again. When he was done, he slid his digits from her soaking wet core, pulled her underwear back up, and smoothed down her dress. “Don’t you dare move an inch.” He rounded the desk to peer down at her. “Look at me.”

Zoey obeyed.

Khristos licked his fingers. “Thank you for the baklava. I will make sure to enjoy it almost as much as the taste of you. I think we’re clear on the issue of you walking up twenty-three flights of stairs, unless you’d like to test me again.”

“I don’t know. I mean no.”

He quirked a brow at her confused response.

“We’re good. I’m good. I need to get back to work, and you have meetings,” she stammered as she pushed herself off his desk, latching her gaze on him.

Khristos smiled. “Good. We’ve survived our first of probably many arguments. Enjoy your day, I’ll pick you up tonight for dinner at seven. Wear something sexy and behave.” He leaned over and kissed her breathless. She didn’t slap him or shove him away, she melted for him, into him; breathed him in as he breathed her in. When she reached to reciprocate, he stalled her hand and kissed her fingertips one by one. “There’s time for that later, Iliahtida.” He tunneled his fingers through her hair, breathing in her scent.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered in his ear, her hands still roving over his body.

“Know this, I’m not a man who plays games, Iliahtida. I adore you, and would never intentionally hurt your feelings. I don’t know who hurt you before, but I’m not him. Now, I really have to get going, so I need you to go before I cancel another day of important meetings. My restraint suffers when you’re near.” He kissed her nape. “Think of me every time you sit down, Sunshine.”

Zoey nodded, her arousal-flushed face imprinting in his memory, as she slipped out of his office with a wave. He’d allow her to regroup and gather her thoughts. Tonight at dinner, he’d broach the subject of their relationship.

Chapter Four

“I feel it necessary, as both your best friend and employee, to tell you when you’re acting stupid. And you’re way beyond that right now. In fact, I don’t even know who this new you is…” Marie planted a hip on the counter, carrying a tray of fresh white mocha and raspberry frosted cupcakes.

“You weren’t there, to see what went down,” Zoey hissed. “His thang hit the poor girl’s face. I mean, like right near her mouth. I don’t know which of us were more shocked. Them or me?”

“You didn’t even give the poor man a chance. I called it, when I said you wouldn’t let him get his wick dipped. You’ve completely shut him out, and now our place looks like a cross between a floral shop and chocolate-covered fruit stand. It’s been a full week. You like him a lot, and you’re scared he might wreck your perfectly planned-out future. You’re a list maker. We’ve spent many nights together, and I’ve heard you making them in your sleep.”

Zoey popped a triple chocolate death truffle in her mouth and moaned in ecstasy. She closed her eyes and opened them to see if her insufferable best friend had left her in peace. Not at all. The chick didn’t budge an inch. “Okay, so maybe you’re right. But it’s not like I can just randomly call up and say maybe…just maybe, I overreacted. That would’ve worked ten flower deliveries ago, I doubt it would do much now. He’s only sending an arrangement once a day now, and his calls are less frequent.”

“Here’s a novel idea. Don’t duck out of the front when you see him stroll his fine ass in this shop to get his coffee. Take your lady balls out of your vagina, serve the man with a smile, and whisper, ‘I’m sorry’.”

“Or, you can serve him and I can watch from afar. Safer that way.”

“Gah. Okay, you know what? While you waste away in spinsterhood, I’m going after his hot brother, and I don’t want to hear a peep from you. Why don’t you just go ahead and ruin the chance of us being actual sisters, dating the hottest brothers in existence. Did I mention baby brother is fine as sin?”

“Don’t tell me you have the double wedding planned out already, Marie.”

“I will neither confirm or deny my new subscription to Bride’s magazine and surfing the net for the top places to get married.”

“Really? You didn’t…where?” Zoey covered her mouth in silent outrage, “Here?” she hissed. “In the shop? Do you know what kind of health code violation that is?”

“Don’t worry. We did the nasty away from any and all cooking areas, this time. There’s plenty of wall space.”

Marie didn’t even have the decency to look repentant. Zoey bet she’d do it over and over again if she had the chance. “I haven’t even—”

“You could if—”

“Don’t you dare finish that statement.” Zoey grabbed the tray of cupcakes from Marie, stormed into the front room, and began placing each in their designated place. The previous day, she had hidden herself away like a coward, when Khristos came in the building. Thankfully, he didn’t have her number, so he couldn’t contact her after work hours.

Across the street, she saw the doors at the Greek Bakery open. Dareia lifted her blinds and although Zoey hated to admit it, the smells of the competition made her stomach grumble. Deciding to do some recon, she grabbed her cup of coffee and a cream cheese Danish dipped in her chocolate and took a seat just out of sight. In the background, Marie bickered about her stubbornness while setting up the daily product on shelves.

A sleek, black car pulled up and parked. She watched as the man she couldn’t get out of her mind stepped out and headed inside. Dariea’s face sported a massive smile, and she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Khristos. Jealousy surged through Zoey. She took a bite of her Danish and sipped on her coffee while watching their body language.

“Marie,” Zoey whispered loudly, as if he’d hear her calling for her backup and look in her direction.

“What? And why are you whispering? We’re not open yet, and there are no customers.”

“Look at him over there with the enemy. She hugged him, and it was an ‘I’ve known you forever’ type of hug.

“Well, dare I say they know each other, being Greek and all? It’s a small, small world, here.”

“But I told him how I felt about that shop. Why would he even go over there? And look, she handed him something to drink.” The two girls watched Khristos hug the owner as a second car pulled up. The so-called temporary assistant and another male, who Zoey assumed was his brother, stepped out of the car and strode inside. Dariea hugged the dick-in-the-face-slapped woman and thumped Khristos’s brother on the ear. Zoey couldn’t hear words, but an obviously heated conversation began taking place. Marie even abandoned her post to get her own look-see of what was going down.

“I bet it’s nothing, girl. They have to know each other. Look, he’s not even paying that woman a bit of attention, nor is she trying to grab his. Lysandros looks good enough to eat, if I may.”

“Shut it. There is no talk about going over there to grab him. Then they’ll know we’re watching them.”

“You seriously need to get laid, Zoey girl. Might loosen up your oh-so-charming disposition. Besides, Lysandros has been watching us watching them, from under his shades. He’s on to us, and big brother is too. See? He just turned to look our way. So, what now, stalker boss?”

Zoey grabbed her cup of coffee and stood up. “We get back to work, that’s what. Our customers will be in soon.”

“So we’re going to ‘pretend’,” her friend used air quotes, “that we haven’t been watching them for the past fifteen minutes and don’t have questions?” Marie joined her behind the counter.

“We’re going to go on like everything is normal. We don’t have questions. What they’re doing over there is irrelevant. We’re not a couple, neither of us. Well, you may be a fuck-buddy with delusions of grandeur of a big, splashy wedding to the Greek God’s little brother. I don’t give a solitary fuck.”

“Is that really how you feel?”

The crack of his baritone voice froze her, halted her venomous barbs at Marie. In that instant, not only did she feel bad for unleashing on her friend, she also felt like the biggest bitch. Zoey turned to face Khristos. “Welcome to Indulgence, what can I get you?” She pasted a fake smile on her face. Fake it ’til you make it. Cry on the inside like a winner, and all. Marie glared at her and stomped off to the back, leaving her in the hands of the very devil. Only the devil would tempt her so, make her stomach flutter, make her mind crazy. Make her irrational.

He raked a gaze over her, leaving nothing to the imagination. Zoey glanced down to make sure she had a bra on and was fully dressed, as he stripped her naked with his hawkish, unrelenting regard.

“Good morning Iliahtida, I’d like my usual black coffee.” He pulled out his wallet and slid a five-dollar bill onto her counter top.

Zoey waited for the punchline, as she poured his large cup of coffee, slid a heat protective sleeve on, then the lid, before turning to face him. Did he have to be so beautiful, it hurt to stay mad? “I don’t want your money.” She pushed the bill back at him.

“Iliahtida, if I pay for my things at my sister Dariea’s shop, do you really think I’d not do the same here or anywhere else?”

“Your sister? I thought, well, I don’t know what I thought.”

“I remember the word irrelevant coming out of your gorgeous mouth. Being that you said what I was doing there was none of your business, you don’t get to be mad at me.”

Zoey crossed her arms. “I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me she was your sister, when I accused her of stealing my customers.” Thinking before speaking prevented her from accusing him of spying on her to help his sister’s business. He wouldn’t need to do that, considering what he did for a living. Still, omissions were a type of lie.

“It’s killing you, isn’t it? That brain of yours is going a mile a minute while you process in your pretty head what you don’t want to think about. The fact that the incident in my office took place, how you don’t want to want me, but can’t help the driving force pulling us together. I knew the moment you saw me with my sister without even looking in your direction. I’ll be brutally honest with you. I feel the same way. You’re one big-ass complication I don’t need, but damned if I can get you out of my head.”

Zoey made change in the register and slid it over to him, avoiding physically touching him. Khristos’s thumb grazed the side of her hand. Tiny electric frissons tingled up her arm, giving her the chills. Her world teetered upside down and inside out. The scent of his cologne washed over her every time he leaned into her, making her want to burrow her face in his neck and inhale, saying “fuck the complications.” Deep down they felt right, he probably knew it, and she did too, but fought tooth and nail, using any excuse to keep him at arm’s length.

“The beauty of feeling like I’ve known you forever is knowing when to back off instead of push. My family is having a brunch this week, and my mother has requested that I bring the woman who’s been on my mind.” He pulled out a business card. “Take my number and call me any time, any day, any hour. I’ll answer or call back if I’m unavailable. Have a good day, Sunshine of mine. This week has been stressful without your pretty face.” He leaned over, brushed his lips over hers, trailed a hand down her jawline, stepped back, and with one hand holding his coffee, his other in his pocket, he strolled out of her shop. He used his back to push open the door, his gaze never leaving hers. After a brief nod her way, he headed for his sleek, black sports car.

When he pulled away, she gripped the counter and took a deep breath. The business card taunted her on the burgundy countertop. She picked up the card stock paper and flipped it over to glance at his scrawl. His personal number, and the address for the brunch faced her.

Marie reappeared and silently moved up to stand behind the counter with her to fill orders as customers streamed in. They worked in companionable silence until the rush passed. With a few straggling customers conversing or perusing the newspapers she kept on hand daily, Zoey turned to her friend. “I’m sorry. What I said was rude and just plain bitchzilla. You’re right about me punking out. Friends, still?” she held out her pinkie finger.

“Always.” Marie hooked her finger around Zoey’s in their standard after-fight make-up, friendship pinkie swear.

“Your man looked good enough to eat with those black slacks on, and that crisp dress shirt, and olive-green tie. Who knew olive looked better on anything other than the outside of a house? Are you going to the brunch? Lysandros called and invited me to go. Personally, I really think he only did it because if I go, most likely you’ll go.”

“Nah. He’d be crazy not to want you there with him. Just don’t bring the wedding scrapbook examples just yet,” Zoey teased.

“Puh-lease. I’ve been updating that book since I was like ten. No one sees it but me. Ever.”

“You should go. He’s a decent sort. If you don’t, and someone else snatches him up, you’re going to be devastated. You can’t even function with a miscommunication between you. Do you think you can handle not having him in your life at all? Hell, his brother left a double whammy on me, which I’m not sure I’ll ever recover from. He gives me the silly, stupid giggles and a blank mind.”

Zoey took her cell phone out of her apron pocket and called Khristos, who answered on the second ring.

“Sunshine.”

“I’ll be there, and Khristos, I’m sorry for the past week. I just don’t know how to meet you halfway.”

“This works, even if it’s later than I wished. I don’t give up easily. Nothing easy is worth having, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Gotta get back to work. I look forward to seeing you and Marie, who I’ve warned my brother to not be his usual self with.”

Zoey laughed. “I think Marie can handle your brother just fine. But thank you for looking out for her. I thought he only asked her to force my hand in going.”

“We’re not like that. He’s into your friend. Listen. I’d be all ears just to have you on the phone, but I have to run. You have my number and address. Call me later, or come by if you want to, before I traumatize you with my overly intrusive mother and sister.”

“I’ll think about it. Bye, Khristos.” Zoey powered off her phone and slipped it into her apron pocket. If she kept it on, she’d be tempted to text or call, probably both. Mr. Simms stood at the counter, waiting for a refill of his coffee.

“Darlin’ you got bit by the love bug on me? Why you wanna go do that? Now I wont’ be able to flirt with you as I get my coffee.”

Mr. Simms tickled her fancy. The older man, with his cane and bright blue eyes, always had a story to tell. His flirting never went beyond appropriate. All harmless and he made her smile. “Now, why would you wanna quit flirting and all? You know I live for your cheesy one-liners.” A blush crept up his face as he took his coffee from her and dropped her fifty-cent tip on the counter. He, along with five other men who frequented her shop, always had at least four cups of coffee, and each insisted on paying for refills and giving her a fifty cent tip per refill. They liked to call her their favorite bartender of caffeine.

“We see that young man moonin’ over you. Want us to ask him his intentions? We will, ya know. We may be old, but we’re all ex-military, we know how to shake a man down.”

Zoey grinned. “I’m touched and all, but I think I can handle Khristos on my own. I promise I’ll whisper if I need a hand, though. Deal?”