Claimed by the Millionaire: The Wealthy Frenchman's Proposition. Michelle Celmer

her onto the bed. He slipped off his pants and underwear, then bent down to capture the tip of her breast in his mouth. He sucked her deep, his teeth lightly scraping against her sensitive flesh. His other hand played at her other breast arousing her, making her arch against him in need. Yes, he could.

      She reached between them and took his erection in her hand, bringing him closer to her, spreading her legs so that she was totally open to him. “I need you now.”

      He lifted his head. The tips of her breasts were damp from his mouth and very tight. He rubbed his chest over them as he slid deep into her body.

      She moved her hands down his back, cupping his butt as he thrust deeper into her. Their eyes met. Staring deep into his eyes made her feel as if their souls were meeting. She felt her body start to tighten around him, catching her by surprise. She climaxed before him. He gripped her hips, holding her down and thrusting into her two more times before he came with a loud groan of her name.

      He held her afterward, disposing of the condom but then pulling her into his arms and tucking her up against his side.

      She wrapped her arm around him and listened to the solid beating of his heart. She fought to remember that this was just for one night. Men leave, she reminded herself firmly. But, lying in his arms, she felt as if this could last forever. She burrowed closer to him, holding him tightly to her.

      She wished she could say that she understood him better now than she ever had before. But she had the feeling that she’d simply revealed her own weaknesses. Showed how little she felt she was worth.

      “Are you sleeping?” he asked.

      She felt the vibration of his words in his chest and under her ear. She shifted in his embrace, tipping her head so she could see the underside of his jaw.

      “No. Too much to think about.” This had been the most exciting day of her life. She felt as though, if she went to sleep, she might wake up and find none of it had happened. He traced his fingertips over her body, starting at her forehead and moving slowly down. She felt him linger on the birthmark, tracing over it again and again.

      He tipped her head up so that their gazes met. “Thank you for coming to Mykonos this week.”

      “You’re welcome. I enjoyed it.”

      “Was the vacation what you thought it would be?”

      She pushed herself up on one elbow, looking down at his dark features and tracing her finger over his brows. “I can safely say it wasn’t at all what I expected it to be.”

      “Better?”

      “Yes.” She paused. “Thank you for wearing a condom,” she said. “I’m not on the pill.”

      “No problem.”

      It bothered her that he’d had condoms on him. That spoke volumes about the differences in their attitudes toward sex and sex partners.

      “I don’t think either of us wanted to deal with an unexpected pregnancy.”

      “You’re right.” His words were a stark reminder to her that this was a one-night stand. No matter that he hadn’t said anything; she could read between the lines. Though his attitude toward pregnancy was one she shared. When she was eighteen, she’d vowed she’d never have children. She’d been too young to make that kind of decision, but the emotions behind it had been real.

      Sheri still slept in his arms. Tristan glanced at his watch. They were flying back to the States later this afternoon. Because he wanted to linger, he pushed himself out of bed. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her tightly to him so that he knew she’d stay right by his side. And he’d only ever wanted to stay in bed with Cecile.

      “Tristan?”

      “Right here,” he said. He sat on the side of the bed with his back to her, because if he saw her in his bed one more time he’d make love to her again. And he needed to start building a distance between them again. Last night was fine, but this morning he needed to get her dressed and out of his villa.

      “Is it morning already?” she asked, leaning up to kiss his shoulder blade.

      He shifted away from her on the bed, putting some distance between them.

      “Yes.”

      In the silence that followed, he sensed her confusion.

      Her stomach growled, breaking the tension, and he laughed. “Hungry?” He dared a glance at her.

      She buried her red face under the sheet. “Yes. I was too nervous to eat last night.”

      “Why nervous?”

      “Ava wanted her wedding to be perfect and I didn’t want to screw it up. And Augustina is gorgeous, as is Ava’s maid of honor, Laurette. I was the only weak link in the wedding party.”

      “You were gorgeous, too,” he said glancing over his shoulder at her again.

      She was this morning, too, with her thick hair hanging around her shoulders. She didn’t have a speck of makeup on, but the beauty that he’d somehow never noticed because of her ugly clothes now shone through.

      She shook her head. “I’m not, but thank you for saying that.”

      She wrapped the sheet around her torso and leaned up, embracing him from behind. She kissed the junction where his neck and shoulder met. “Thank you for last night.”

      To hell with restraint. He pulled her around on his lap. Felt her hips brush his morning erection. He kissed her forehead. “Thank you, Sheri.”

      She hugged him. Just put her arms around him and held him close. And he knew that no matter what happened he didn’t want to hurt her. He wanted to believe that he could find a way to make sure she didn’t regret being with him.

      “Have you thought about doing anything else at the magazine?”

      She pushed away from him, sitting on the bed next to him. “I can’t work for you anymore?”

      He got to his feet and found his pants, pulling them on quickly. “Of course you can continue to work for me. But I wondered if you’d ever considered an editorial job, or sales?”

      “Tristan?”

      “Hmm,” he said without turning to face her.

      “Look at me please.”

      He turned, hands on his hips. “Yes?”

      “I don’t expect anything from you after this. This was just two people who hooked up at a wedding reception.”

      He doubted she was aware of how transparent her face was, or how she’d flinched when she said hooked up. He scrubbed his hands over his face. The morning sunlight seeped in under the wooden blinds that covered the windows, painting the room in cheery colors. But instead of seeing the promise of a new day, all he felt were last night’s regrets.

      He knew better than to take Sheri to his bed. She wasn’t like the women he usually dated. “We were friends before this.”

      “We were acquaintances,” she amended. “And we’ll go back to being them again. Don’t worry about me. I might not be as used to this situation as you, but I can handle it.”

      He had no doubt that Sheri could handle anything that came her way. She was strong like that. “Very well. Would you like to take a shower while I see about breakfast?”

      “You can cook?” she said, with the cheeky grin he’d come to know so well.

      He flushed at the way she said it. “No, but my housekeeper can.”

      “What’s on the menu?”

      “Whatever you like,” he said. Mrs. Thonnopulus was very skilled in the kitchen and he had no doubt she’d be able to fix anything that Sheri asked for.

      “Raisin Bran and some coffee would be great.”