Page 41 of About Love and Revenge

“I would like to see.”

“What?”

“That delicious body dressed only in tiny bits of cloth.”

“I think psychologists have a name for that.”

To my surprise, he laughs. “At first, I would just look. I'd like to see you undress for me, but do not doubt that I wouldn't keep my distance for long. I would never miss the chance to feel you with my mouth, tongue, and fingers.”

I swallow hard, excited by his descriptive words. “You weren't kidding when you said you liked to talk while making love.”

“No. And do you remember the other thing I said? I also like to listen.”

My body feels like it's on fire, but I know I have to put an end to this. “I need to go. It's late.”

He doesn't say anything for a while, and I think he'll insist, but then he says: “Okay. Tomorrow night we have an appointment. We need to take care of business. I'll pick you up at eight.”

“Are we going somewhere?”

“Yes, we'll have dinner and talk about your first job.”His voice now sounds completely nonchalant, and as crazy as it is, I want his warmth back. “Good night, Elina.”

“Good night, Odin.”

Odin

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Sitting at my desk,I look at all the open screens displayed on my computers. I don't usually let my emotions get out of control, but right now, I'm pissed as hell. How could I have been so careless as to not have someone watching Leandros right after the party?

The conversation I overheard between him and the sheik should have alerted me that the bastard was planning to run away. Perhaps it was catching Naim with Elina that turned my focus away from my main objective: destroying him. I don't regret having interfered either that day or the next. I couldn't allow that sick man to hurt her because of a business deal with that bastard who dared to call himself her father.

I even considered whether or not Elina was involved with Leandros in that plot to get money from the sheik. Trusting people isn't something I'm used to, but after seeing her be attacked twice and recognizing how scared she actually was, I had no doubt that she was kept fully in the dark by Leandros.

I know what it's like to be afraid, and her fear was real.

In any case, these possibilities no longer matter. She's now under my protection.

The job I offered wasn't an excuse. I really did intend to hire someone who would provide a personalized service to organize myreceptions, especially the charity ones, but I would probably have assigned one of the secretaries or assistants to interview potential candidates.

It's been a long time since I hired someone myself to work in any area of my life. I was merely being practical by choosing her for the job, solving two problems at once.

Even with all the changes, she looked as happy as a little girl when she arrived here in New York. Of course, it wasn't anything she said or even showed, but I paid close attention to her every reaction. Elina is managing to deconstruct the image I had of her in my head.

The arrogant and cold woman now shows herself more and more as an inexperienced girl who is desperate to live.

No longer the hotvampI thought she was, all that's left is her beauty and the fact that she's naturally sexy.

She doesn't have to try hard to be delicious.

I've never felt so horny for a woman. Maybe it's the fact that she never fully gives in. She shows that she wants me with the same intensity, but she doesn't give up easily.

My hunch is that she's not playing but rather she's even more reluctant than I am to let her guard down. My resistance, unfortunately, only works relatively well when I walk away from her, because all we need to do is be in the same room—no, in fact, all I need is to hear her voice—and any determination to let her go runs down the drain.

I spent most of yesterday with an uncomfortable erection. From the moment we kissed on the plane to when we arrived at the apartment, my body screamed for her. I'm not one to deny myself carnal pleasures and could have solved the problem with a simple phone call, but I didn't want to. No other woman will satisfy me. It can only be her.

What will Leandros think when he finds out that I took her from Greece?

I don't believe he already knows. The only person who could tell him that would be Naim, and I'm sure they haven't spoken.

---