Page 11 of Influence

Nikolas responded to Avra and Eli’s inquiries with calm, enchanting assurance, a presence that deepened the magnetic pull I felt. I watched him intently, studying every subtle nuance of his expressive face, and each flicker of his eyes created a spellbinding trance around me. His articulate words melted into the background, while his gestures spoke a languid, hypnotic language, each movement of his confident, graceful hands punctuating the air like forbidden incantations.

My gaze remained fixed on his full, inviting lips, a silent promise of forbidden pleasures.

I bit the inside of my cheek as a slow-burning desire unfurled deep within, coiling its way from my core. I lost myself in the tantalizing fantasy of sharing a bed with him under the muted twilight glow, where first touches could ignite an electric current of anticipation or drown us in delicious, chaotic yearning. The impending dark magnetism left me suspended in a swirling vortex of longing, with Nikolas at its center.

I shivered as I imagined how his cinnamon-hued eyes might react if they were to learn that no other man had ever touched me.

Would they widen in raw surprise or deepen with a secret, knowing fire?

The idea itself was a dangerous lure, a spark that could ignite his desire or unravel him completely—an intoxicating mystery that only intensified our attraction.

His captivating presence drew me in, and my eyes followed the graceful movements of his hands. I allowed my gaze to trace his sculpted forearms, where his fitted black shirt revealed a hint of olive skin sprinkled with dark hair—an unspoken invitationto discover the texture of his body. I yearned to explore and feel him against my skin.

Then, I felt a firm but subtle pressure that shattered my fantasy. Nikolas’s knee pressed against mine beneath the table.

My heart thundered as I met his gaze for a fleeting second before he returned to an animated conversation with Elias about a particularly brooding vineyard wine. His casual demeanor stood in stark contrast to the intimacy of his touch.

My breath quickened when his hand rested on his leg and his fingers brushed against mine, and a flush crept to my cheeks. Instinctively, I averted my gaze to my plate.

What was I experiencing?

The fluttering in my stomach became a silent companion to our hidden desire. Encouraged by his touch, I grazed his thigh with my fingertips, acknowledging our secret connection.

This was ridiculous. What was I doing? And why couldn’t I stop?

I never imagined I could be so bold.

The meal unfolded with a secret game playing out between us, and by the time dinner ended, an electric charge filled the space surrounding us. This dark, potent force left me both incredibly intrigued and outrageously aroused, ensnared in the promise of a passion as dangerous as it was irresistible.

It was clear that I’d lost this match.

I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t think clearly.

On the other hand, Nikolas effortlessly charmed my family and engaged them in conversations on various topics while finding ways to touch or brush against me.

Desire and anticipation simmered beneath my skin. I was certain that marrying a man like Nikolas Galanis would plunge my life into an endless world of raw passion, unquenchable need, and a promise of wicked discovery.

“Would you care to join me for a stroll outside?” Nikolas asked as everyone prepared to leave the dining room.

I glanced at Avra, but she gave me no indication of what to do. She merely lifted a brow and smirked.

Thanks for nothing, big sister.

“Yes, that would be nice.” I slid my palm over his outstretched hand, and once more, the fiery sizzle I had experienced earlier danced over my skin.

We left the others behind, and Nikolas guided me to a secluded study.

“I love it out here,” he murmured, swinging open a pair of doors at the far end of the room, which revealed a vast terrace.

It was the same one I had seen him standing on when we first arrived. Stepping onto the terrace, he stretched out his arms, welcoming the sun’s warm rays.

My heart skipped a beat, and I could only stare. Was this man even aware of his sex appeal? It felt like he expected others to accept him as he was and couldn’t care less if they didn’t.

His dark and magnetic eyes locked onto mine, promising hidden pleasures. Now that we were alone, each breath became a delicious struggle.

The electric bond that had briefly sparked during dinner immediately burst into a blazing fire between us. The depth of our chemistry was almost surreal, reminiscent of the passionate films I watched with my sisters or the enticing novels we secretly enjoyed away from Vik’s disapproving stares.

How could something so visceral and suddenly all-encompassing be real? How could I trust a passion that emerged so unpredictably from what was intended to be merely a business arrangement?

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