Mary Hughes - The Bite of Silence

Too late. The door cracked open.

And slammed shut. A smack was followed by scuffling. By female feet running, and a squeak. A woman said, “Gentlemen, please! The captain has not taken the seatbelt sign off. Return to your seats at once.”

“I’m going to the bathroom.” Klaus.

“No. You. Are. Not.” To my utter shock the deep growl answering him was Nikos . His clipped words told me he was furious.

“She’s not yours, Greek boy.”

“Nor yours, Aryan.”

Hands clapped for attention. “Gentlemen. I insist you take your seats, now.”

Silence.

I waited, all arousal gone, for signs that it was okay to come out. I waited until the soft ding and the captain’s soothing voice told me it was safe to take off my seat belt. For me it would probably have been safer to put it on.

I crept out of the bathroom and crawled back to my seat. Klaus faced the shaded window. As I slid into 36D, leaving the space of a seat between us, I felt eyes on me, hot and angry. I jerked around.

In 36B, heavy arms crossed over jutting chest, taking up the space of two seats, was Nikos. He watched us like a chaperone the rest of the trip. No, like a babysitter.

He didn’t say one word but his eyes said plenty. Ice-cold anger. Rebuke. Disappointment in me. Damn, that man-probably not man-could communicate more condemnation in a single glare than most people could with a whip and a chair. Although thinking of Nikos with a whip, in nothing but black leather-his nostrils flared and he cleared his throat, quite pointedly. I tugged a magazine from the seatback and occupied myself flipping pages.

When we landed, Nikos still didn’t say any words. But his lethal glare at Klaus, the way he yanked my carry-on out before we’d come to a full and complete stop, the way he tugged me one-handed out of my seat when I unbuckled my belt, shouted possession. Odd, considering he usually ignored me. But it also gave me a primitive thrill.

Klaus rose and, ignoring Nikos, offered me his arm. “Share a ride with me, pretty lady?”

Before I could speak Nikos tucked me into his side. “No.”

Klaus and Nikos locked eyes. Klaus wavered slightly. Maybe Nikos was drawing lines again. Whatever Klaus saw made him step back, jaw working. “You may try to claim her. But you cannot stop her from choosing elsewhere.”

There were times I felt trivial. This was one. “Hey. I’m right here.”

“I see you, beautiful.” Klaus touched slim fingertips to my cheek. “It’s this barbarian-”

Nikos growled. He palmed my head away from Klaus, tucking it between truly spectacular pectorals, the silk of his tie whispering against my cheek.

Klaus made a primitive sound. “She’s not-”

“She is .” Nikos’s rumble vibrated my whole head. Before I could even try to figure out what that exchange meant, hot fingers tilted my head back. I saw Nikos’s face, all severe beauty, zooming in-

He kissed me.

There was nothing tentative or gentle about Nikos’s kiss. His mouth took mine in full, virile possession. His tongue drove between my teeth, forcing me to open. Thrusting masculine fire filled me. I had time to think sweet Lord, this is passion when he jerked and pushed me away.

I stumbled for balance, grabbed the nearest seatback. My thudding heart fanned arousal into anger. “What was that macho bullshit?”

Nikos seized my elbow, hustled me past a stunned Klaus down the mostly deserted aisle. While the boys had been doing their little dominance dance, the plane had emptied. Nikos dragged me out, down the ramp, his heavy tread making it shudder. “Twyla. You’re not riding with him .”

“That’s my say, isn’t it?” Despite my anger I was amazed. Six whole words. Must be really overcome with emotion. “It’s up to me if I want to go with Klaus.”

“You don’t know what he is.” His jaw worked. “You can’t know.”

“For pity’s sake. What Klaus is? Is he a male prostitute or something? Because, gotta tell you Nikos, a hot time is exactly what I’m looking for.” In the waiting area now, I tried to shake loose but Nikos’s fingers held like steel. “So unless you’re gonna follow up on that admittedly hot kiss, I’m picking Modelboy.” I started to stomp back.

And swung around like a bola when he didn’t let go. Looked like I’d have to be a bit trickier. I feinted forward. When he moved with me, I twisted back. The element of surprise would pop me loose…his grip shifted, held.

Damn. No time to be subtle. Strong as Nikos was, subtle would get me loose late next year.

I pivoted and kicked him in the danglies.

He blocked. Instead of privates I kicked solid bone and muscle. His reaction was so fast, so smooth, I knew he was trained even better than I was. In fact I got the distinct impression he could have caught my leg and done me some damage rather than the other way around.

Which meant using a super-secret girl-move. I grabbed his ear to lever his head down and smacked a big smoochie square on his lips. While he was momentarily distracted I twisted out of his grip and ran.

He caught me in two steps, seized me by my shoulders and spun me to him. He bent so we were nose to nose. “Violent thing, aren’t you?”

“No.” My breath was coming in gasps, and not because of the fighting. A lot of male muscle surrounded me, and a perfect burnt umber mouth moved scant inches from mine. “It’s just that you aren’t built for negotiating.” I licked my lips. “Not real chatty.”

People streamed around us, intent on their destination. If anything shouted I wasn’t in the Midwest it was the rapid rush of texture. I registered it all as a blur around the focal point of Nikos’s uncompromising face.

This male had been painted with a palette of strong colors. Jet hair. Ochre skin with undertones of midnight, shading at rugged cheekbones and lips to mahogany and burnt umber (a misleading name, since it evokes images of blackened toast instead of a rich, rose-infused brown). Eyes the seal brown of soft sable brushes focused on my mouth.

Which was throbbing. My lips, hell, my whole body was throbbing. Under the hot scrutiny of those bedroom eyes my heart started pounding so hard my ears rang.

“All right.” The sound of his voice was a faraway hiss. But the feel of his rumble against my breast, the blazing promise in his eyes shook my bones.

“All right?” I echoed. I didn’t know what the question was.

“Hot time. Limo.” His tongue slid provocatively from between his lips. Made a yum-yum motion while his eyes told me exactly where he’d yum-yum.

I choked. “Limo. Right.” I took off for the front door.

He caught my elbow, swung me around. “This way.”

He led me through a space marked “Private” into an underground parking area. A stretch limo with mirrored windows was waiting. He shoveled me in.

And promptly positioned himself on the other side, barricading himself with crossed arms.

“Hey. Hot time?” The limo moved out.

“Sorry. No.”

I sputtered. “You lied ? Led me on?” I was upset, most of it disappointment in not getting any with Nikos. I lashed out. “If you don’t want me, just say so.”

“I want you.” The flat, angry look in his eyes contradicted him.

“Sure you want me. You’re so all over me. Been practically my second skin since day one because you want me so much. Oh, no wait. You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I have my reasons.” The limo started crawling through Queens traffic.

“Which are? Not going to say? Then let me guess. You don’t like black chicks. Or a mere secretary isn’t good enough for you. Or-”

“Stop that.”