Page 60 of Beyond Enemy Vows

My body shudders around him, legs locking. I come so hard I nearly fall.

He follows immediately after, his body tensing against mine, his groan of release warm against my neck as his hot seed fills me so perfectly.

For a second, neither of us move, just the sound of our breathing and the world ignoring our secret.

His hand slides off my mouth and down to my necklace. He touches it, acknowledging my commitment to him. To us.

Then, slowly, reality begins to filter back in. The distant sounds of traffic, laughter from passersby, the ticking clock of how long I can be away before someone comes looking.

We laugh breathlessly as we fix our clothes, both slightly dazed by what just happened.

I just had sex in a side street. In Athens. Behind a five-star restaurant where my brother is sipping a $300 glass of wine.

And I've never felt more alive.

"Oh my God, Niko. We just had sex in a Greek alley. You've corrupted me," I say, smoothing down my dress with shaking hands.

His smile is dark, satisfied. "And I don't plan on stopping orea mou.”

I laugh as I attempt to fix my hair, running my fingers through the tangled strands. "I was perfectly well-behaved before you came along and now I can't get enough of this."

He laughs, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch lingers on my cheek. "I enjoyed this. You know, I should take you like this every day until you can't walk."

I hit his chest playfully. "Niko Petrou, you're ridiculous."

He captures my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing my palm with surprising tenderness. "You bring it out in me."

I finish adjusting my dress and smooth my hands over my hair one final time. "Do I look okay?"

His eyes travel over me slowly. "There's no situation where you could ever look anything less than perfect. Like my goddess."

"Not true," I say with a smile, "but thank you. I mean, does it look like I just had a little rendezvous with a lover, or..."

Niko pulls me close, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Lover, huh?"

Shit.

That came out too easily.

I freeze, suddenly unsure, afraid of what he'll say if I don't clarify. What if I mean it more than he does?

I mean, my feelings for him are growing, deepening into something that terrifies me. But I can't bring myself to name it, to put it out there yet. It's too big, too dangerous.

Before I can respond, a couple walks by the entrance to the alley, laughing as they pass.

"I have to go," I say, reality crashing back in. "They'll be wondering where I am."

I pull away, but Niko grabs my arm one last time. "Come back to me soon, Calli."

I nod and smile, my voice shaky with emotion. "I always do."

With one last lingering look, I turn and hurry back toward the restaurant, my body still humming from his touch, my mind a whirlwind of desire and fear.

I walk back inside and when I reach our table, Ares looks up, his brows furrowing slightly. "You okay?"

"Just hot," I say, sliding back into my seat, avoiding his gaze. "Keira made me laugh at something too. You know how she is." I lie, still feeling Niko inside me.

I reach for my water glass, needing something to occupy my hands and cool my burning face.