Modern Romance October 2019 Books 5-8. Annie West

her effortlessly, moving through the mansion with a determined gait.

      He shouldered the door to his room open—Hannah hadn’t been in here. She looked around, seeing the dark wood, the masculine touches, gathering a brief impression of a space that was huge and elegant before he laid her on the bed, his body coming over hers, his mouth seeking hers as his hands pushed at the waistband of her shorts, lowering them, his hands running over her body.

      A gentle breeze rustled in off the Mediterranean, bringing with it salt and warmth. Hannah lifted herself up, kissing him as her hands pushed at his shirt, guiding it over his chest, up to his head. He broke the kiss so she could remove it and then she lay back, breathless, her eyes running over his chest.

      The room was dark, but she could see enough. She drank in the sight of him as quickly as she could because he kissed her again, his tongue flicking hers, his hands worshipping her body.

      He brought his mouth lower, pushing at her shirt, lifting it to her throat so he could take one of her breasts into his mouth, his tongue swirling over a nipple until she bucked beneath him, stars flashing in her eyelids.

      ‘God,’ she moaned, digging her heels into the bed, arching her back, begging him to take her, to thrust inside her.

      His mouth moved to her other breast and his fingers took over, his palm feeling the weight of her breast, his thumb and forefinger teasing her nipple until she was a puddle of whimpering nerves.

      ‘Please,’ she husked, running her nails down his back.

      His arousal was hard between her legs; his knee nudged her thighs further apart and then he thrust into her, the ache unmistakable, the same urge overrunning them both. She felt his need and mirrored the depth of it.

      She lifted herself onto her elbows, finding his mouth, pulling his lower lip between her teeth and biting down on it, so he let out a sharp sound of shock and then a groan as he pushed her head back to the mattress, his kiss a complete domination and sublime pleasure.

      Only she wanted more, she wanted to be in control of this. She kissed him back, just as hard, needing him to understand her—this. Needing to reassure him in some way.

      She moved herself over his arousal, her breath pinched, her body screaming in relief.

      Hannah’s heart hammered against her ribs and pleasure burst, touching every single part of her, until she was all fire and flame, no room for thoughts and feelings, doubts and uncertainties.

      Concerns of security, the future, their relationship, his grief, her loss, they all disappeared. What room was there for anything when there was this pleasure in life?

      Her breathing was rhythmic and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

      Her vibrant red hair spread over his crisp white pillows, glowing like copper, and his gut throbbed painfully.

      Leonidas Stathakis had tormented himself for the four years after his wife’s death, staying celibate even when his body had begged him to relent, even when he’d wanted to lose himself in a willing woman’s arms.

      He hadn’t.

      He hadn’t given in, until he’d seen Hannah and something inside him had begun to beat, a drum he could no longer ignore.

      And it was still beating, but harder and faster now. With Hannah under his roof, it was impossible to ignore this; just as she’d said.

      Theirs wasn’t a normal marriage, but they did have this, and suddenly, Leonidas didn’t want to fight it any more.

      He watched her sleep, her beautiful, pregnant body naked to his hungry gaze, and he gave up fighting altogether. Perhaps in the morning he’d feel differently, but, for now, Leonidas allowed himself to curve his body behind hers, to place an arm possessively over her stomach and to fall asleep for the first time in a long time with a woman in his bed.

       CHAPTER TEN

      HANNAH WOKE, STRETCHING until her back connected with something hard and warm behind her. Her heart was racing, the meeting with Greg Hassan the day before having left a lingering sense of anxiety in her so that alarm was her first emotion, followed swiftly by something much warmer, much more tempting, when she corkscrewed in the bed and realised where she was, and who she was with.

      Leonidas.

      And he was awake.

      Staring at her.

      His naked body was not a mystery to her, and yet this was the first time she’d woken up beside him, or any man, and a hint of self-consciousness made her cheeks blush.

      ‘I fell asleep,’ she said quietly, her eyes dropping to his chest. ‘I’m sorry.’

      She didn’t see the way his brows curved reflexively into a frown.

      ‘Why are you apologising?’

      Hannah lifted her gaze to his. ‘I don’t know. I guess I would have thought you’d want your space. Or to not have me here.’

      His frown deepened and there was silence for several beats. ‘I would have thought so, too.’

      More silence.

      ‘You were right, on the beach, Hannah. There is something between us. This chemistry.’ His eyes were hollow when they met hers. ‘I don’t want to fight it any more.’

      Her blood hammered inside her, hope was rolling inside her but she stayed completely still, watching him, listening.

      ‘I have been single a long time. Single by choice. I have no idea how to do this. And I don’t want to hurt you.’ His expression showed his doubts on that score.

      ‘Why do you think you’re going to?’

      His face bore a mask of wariness.

      ‘I don’t want you to think that great sex is more meaningful than that.’

      Hannah swallowed, her brain turning his words over, making sense of them. He was afraid—afraid to risk falling in love, afraid to risk getting close to anyone. She understood that. He’d loved and lost. He was gun-shy now. But opening himself up to their intimacy was one thing—it was a definite step, and for now that was enough.

      Hannah smiled slowly, her eyes sparkling in a way that made Leonidas draw in an audible breath.

      ‘Don’t worry, Leonidas Stathakis,’ she said, pushing at his shoulder so he fell back on the mattress and straddling him at the same time, surprising him so his eyes flared. ‘I’m very happy to just use you for sex for now.’

      His laugh was throaty, his expression shifting into one of complete fascination.

      ‘Is that right?’ She took his erection in her hands, feeling his strength, running her fingertips over his length, her smile pure sensual heat.

      ‘Oh, yes.’ She pushed up on her haunches, then brought herself over his arousal, taking him deep inside her but so slowly that he dug his fingertips into her hips and pulled her the rest of the way, his eyes holding hers.

      She bit down on her lip and arched her back and he pulled up then, sitting, wrapping his arms around her, sucking one of her nipples in his mouth, flicking it with his tongue. Her breasts were so sensitive that his touch was like an arrow firing right into her central nervous system. She cried out, his name heavy on her lips, her nails on his shoulders, and he held her tighter, thrusting into her. With her on top, he reached different places, and she felt a different kind of explosion building, more intense somehow, taking over her body.

      ‘Leonidas.’ She ran her fingers through his hair and then cupped his face, pulling him away from her chest so she could kiss his mouth, and he kissed her back, hard, their tongues duelling,