26 Hours in Paris (10 page)

“I'm good with charcoal,” Marko offered, placing the phones on the table between them and folding her hand into his lap. “If you handle the salad, I'll handle the grill.”

His suggestion stole her voice and filled her mind with unexpected scenarios. She'd never thought of Marko with a spatula in his hand, but the idea of putting a family meal together really pleased her. So much so that it was scary. She smiled and sucked on her lower lip.

Keep it simple, Kat. Sweet and simple
, she thought.

“Your original question, and the start of the story was why I'm not in control of Château de M.” He rubbed the hand he held in his lap and settled against his seat. “I haven't turned my back on my family. I oversee and advise on a daily basis. Martine is in charge, though. She holds the title of CEO. Technically, I'm the CFO.”

Once again, he'd surprised away her ability to respond. She stared at the man before her, watched his lips move, heard him speak, but wasn't sure she truly comprehended his words. She retrieved her clammy hand and wiped it over her coat.

“After a difficult end to a bad relationship, Martine found solace and happiness in the work. At first, I think it was a way for her to cope with the insecurities that the jerk had planted in her mind. Proving to others, but primarily to herself, that she was strong and capable. That singular incentive kept her going. She needed it. Even more, she was good at it. As success after success rolled in, my beautiful cousin pieced her life back together and her confidence soared.”

“She means a lot to you.”

“A lot,” he confirmed. “Martine and I grew up together. She is the sister I always wanted. I'd do anything to make her happy, and I am sure she would do the same for me.”

He'd stepped away from the family legacy to give his cousin room. The aggressive do-anything-to-get-ahead student and cutthroat businessman had a heart. Kathryn's lips curved into a smile, and something peculiar tingled in the center of her chest. She leaned closer to him and returned her hand to his. Fitting it snug inside his hold, she let out a long breath.

“She's actually a very tough leader and an innovative thinker. We work together, but I have no desire to step into her spotlight,” Marko said. “I'm very proud of all she's overcome and achieved. Martine is incredibly strong.”

“Is that why you're in Paris?” Kat finally found her voice.

“Yes,” he admitted. “The week before I came to school was the first week Martine had come out of the house and surfaced from the massive depression that had taken her under. We feared she'd been damaged so bad that she wouldn't be able to climb out of it. When she did, it was like a true miracle. We didn't want to do anything to upset her or risk her slipping away again.”

“That must have been difficult for the whole family.”

“Devastating. She was always carefree as a child. So damn cheerful and sweet, her optimistic nature hurt my teeth. Her laughter was so loud and happy. Then, silence. Martine had closed herself off from the world.” He spread his free hand across his forehead and massaged his temples with his thumb and middle finger.

“We were all shocked when she went to my father and asked him to give her a job. She already knew how the vineyard operated on the soil, so she wanted to learn about the office. She wanted to be the best assistant she could be for me when I returned. But Martine wasn't assistant material. She analyzed and made decisions. She brokered deals. She was a powerhouse in the body of a five-foot-five-inch woman.”

His words added layers of respect to her perception of the man. He cared so much for his family. He would do anything for them. Kathryn inhaled and wondered what that level of love from Marko would mean to her. No man, outside her father, had ever cared for her so unconditionally.

“I understand,” she said. “Your cousin is as strong as you are. It'll work out.”

“No doubt,” Marko said, sitting taller and grinning at her. “As for me professionally, I decided to make my way outside the shelter of Château de M. I'm establishing my reputation, gaining invaluable experience, assisting Martine when she asks, and I'm near enough to the whole situation for when circumstances should change. My original goal is still intact.”

Kat didn't understand how the circumstances would change, but there was so much information to digest that she didn't ask. She looked at him, smiled at the intense dedication and force of his presence in Paris, and decided that she had to simply accept what he offered for the day. She needed to experience him fully. No reservations, in spite of the long-term consequences.

“I didn't know that you remained in France to stay close to the family and Château de M.” Her fingertip traced over his knuckles. “You had always said you wanted to live in a thriving city and keep a finger on the pulse of financial innovation.”

“True,” he replied, grinning slightly. “It wouldn't make me very marketable to big international firms if I said I wanted to return to my family land and expand our business from within. Most importantly, returning to Provence on my own didn't seem appealing. It's a place for family. I was a bachelor.”

“Hence, being in Paris provides the long line of beautiful models and socialites always on your arm,” Kat said, not happy with the photos she'd seen over the past few years. “You seem to enjoy the eligible bachelor lifestyle.”

“Hence, being in Paris,” he mimicked, “allowed me the opportunity to wait and prepare for what I truly want.” He skimmed his fingers down her face, and Kat shivered at the sense of possession that filled her body.

“Kat, how would you feel about making us a reality?”

Surprise filled her chest. She couldn't speak.

“As I've mentioned, I'm in the market for a new firm. I have the experience and clout to further my career, but I want nothing more that to have you in my life. I'd take a lesser position if I knew that to be the case. You are more important to me than any job could ever be. The meeting tomorrow gives me the opportunity to come to New York. Would that make you happy?”

Happy? Marko in New York? She nodded, then shook her head. She didn't know what to say. If the distance between them was no longer an issue, how could she justify keeping him at arm's length? How could she make him understand that she wasn't meant for his world?

“Marko, you need to take the position that will further your career. Any firm would be lucky to have you. I trust you'll pick the best one for you.” She met his gaze and gave him the sultriest smile she could manage. “As for us, we are who we are. I want to enjoy this time with you more than you could imagine. I am enjoying this time with you.”

“Enough to stay in Paris?”

Her heart beat against her ribs. She simply shrugged and held out her arm. “Look at this view. Who wouldn't want to see it on a regular basis?”

“I
t's time for us to enjoy this view from a higher elevation,” Marko announced, fitting a bill beneath the shot glass containing their receipt and motioning to the waiter. She may have avoided his questions, but he knew what she craved.

Ironically, Kat needed simultaneous limits, guidance, and freedom to grow. She needed her emotional and physical needs acknowledged and met. And even if she didn't know it, he was the man to give it all to her.

Impatience and anticipation were getting the best of him. He wanted Kat in his home. In his bed. Marko had not lacked for female company while he'd been apart from Kat. By no means was he a celibate or sexually deprived man, but what he'd always desired had only just arrived. He sensed Kat's hesitation to see the truth, but he was determined to make her understand exactly how much his personal goal had never changed.

He knew who he wanted on his arm, who he'd always wanted, and he was prepared to give her all that she needed.

Marko wanted Kat.

He stood and held Kat's coat. “The apartment is above the café.”

“Seriously? That is amazing.” She looked out over the river, fitting her arms through the sleeves and shrugging the heavy wool over her small shoulders. “You get to watch the sun set here every night?”

“When I'm home on time,” he replied, loving the starry-eyed gaze on her face. “Tonight, we can enjoy it together.”

Marko arranged the cashmere wrap to shield her chest from the wind and offered her the beret.

“I thought berets were démodé,” she said, pursing her lips in a tease as she angled it on her head. “Would a real Parisian wear a beret these days?”

“I haven't given it much thought,” he said. “Probably not. But this one is very soft, keeps you warm, and is adorable on you.” He dipped his head and touched the tip of his nose to hers. “You are adorable.”

She laughed and reached for him, lacing her hand through his arm.

“The entry is around the corner,” he said, stepping from the café's glass enclosure, and shielding her from the bitter chill that had returned while they'd been warm inside. He led her the few meters to the entry.

Entering a security code on the keypad, he unlocked the old wooden door to the townhome and steered her inside. They bypassed the elevator, and climbed the steep staircase to the first level. He was eager to see her reaction once she walked into the comfortable living space. She'd love the tall windows overlooking the river. The view had been his reason for buying the entire building. He had three stories of beautiful views . . . views he wanted her to find irresistible.

Reaching the first-floor landing, he opened the door and stepped back for her to enter. Instead, she looked up at him, placed her hands on her hips, and made a very animated and annoyed face.

“You don't lock the door?” Kat asked.

“No. No need,” he said, chuckling as she scrunched her nose. “There is no other resident in the building.”

“Oh,” she breathed, and turned toward the magnificent view. “Oh, wow.” She stepped inside the apartment and walked directly to the seating area by the windows. Clasping her hands to her chest, she stood before the grand windows and slowly shook her head. “This is gorgeous.”

Mais, oui,
he silently agreed.
Absolutely gorgeous.
His gut clenched and his feet remained glued to the entrance hall, immobilized by the vision and the desire that crashed over him. He'd arranged the furnishings to optimize the view, but he'd done a much better job than he'd originally thought. Kat was stunning in that space.

The grey light filtered through the glass panes and silhouetted Kat's frame to erotic perfection. The long coat draped over her slender shoulders, adding to the dark allure.

“Take off your coat and stay awhile,” he said, finally dropping her bags on the side table and managing to walk around the tall-backed white leather couch. She stood catty-corner to a love seat, her body angled so she could see the activity on the Right Bank. Her thighs pressed against the lucky arm of the love seat, and he wanted nothing more than to have her pressed completely against him.

He stepped behind her and lowered the coat off her back, then tossed it on a plush chair in a far corner. Aching to skim his fingers over her arms and brush his lips up the side of her neck, he closed his eyes and inhaled her sweet scent. Contentment swelled within his chest. The image was real. She was finally here . . . with him . . . His.

“
Bella
,
you
make these sights beautiful,” he said.

* * *

Kat closed her eyes and savored the warmth of his breath. Her skin heated, and with each glide of his tongue, tingles shot through her body. She pressed against his hard length, reveling in the feel of his erection against the upper swell of her buttocks. He wanted her as much as she needed him.

Weighted by desire, she forced her eyelids to remain open and leaned her head to the right to grant him complete access against her neck. His lips closed on the soft flesh of her earlobe, and his hands splayed across her rib cage. She couldn't get enough of him. Every inch of her body craved his touch.

“Only one thing could improve the view,” he said and stepped away.

“No,” she breathed. Every cell in her body protested the distance, displeasure coursing over her at the loss of physical contact. She turned and found him looking down at her with a smile on his lips. Kat wanted that mouth on hers. Her chest rose and fell with anticipation, and her breasts grew heavy with need.

“Patience,
bella
,” he said, cupping her face in his large hands and feathering his fingers across her cheeks. “I've waited a very long time for you to come back to me. Indulge me. Let me satisfy my curiosity on how the light from outside the window shadows the lines of your naked form.”

He lowered his mouth and took her lips, slowly coaxing her body to wait for his command and settle against him. Her palm pressed over his muscled chest, and she found the quick beat of his heart matched her own. Needing to feel his bare skin beneath her fingertips, she moved up to his neck and tangled her fingers in the dark hair at his collar. Somehow, between the passionate possessions of his tongue, she managed to break free to take a slight breath and taste the dark, shadowed temptation at his jaw.

She pushed his jacket off his broad shoulders, and as if on autopilot, she loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. It was her turn to step back. She met his dark gaze, and the passion embedded in those telling eyes inhibited her logic and captured her heart.

“This is perfect,” he said, his accent strong and defined. His fingers gripped her hips and he returned her body against his. “No more distance. No more denial,” he insisted. “
Finalement.”
He touched his lips to her mouth. “
Ici
.” His tongue swept over her lips and she opened to him. “
Avec moi . . . finalement
.”

“Yes. Finally,” she breathed and released her uncertainties. No matter the outcome of spending time with him, she loved this man. Being with him was not about the sexual gratification or physical need; he was everything she'd ever desired. She'd allow for the heartache, if necessary, to experience one day of that everything. Her fingertips moved over sculpted muscle and through the tempting dark trail to his belt buckle. In spite of his sharp inhale of breath, he kissed her, slow and tender, and additional pieces of her heart melted with each caress.

“You are mine,” he said, closing one hand on her fingers and stilling her actions. With the other hand, he cupped her cheek and his eyes held her gaze.

Waves of need rolled over her as she read the promise of determination in his eyes. He rested a thumb on her trembling chin and caressed down the side of her neck with sure fingers. She nodded her head in agreement.

“I need to hear you say it.” His mouth remained a mere inch from hers, teasing her lips, but not satisfying them with a touch.

“I'm yours,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes from the verbal acknowledgement. She'd always been his, but she'd never dared ask for him to be hers. “I am yours, Marko.”

One hand curved on her nape, he claimed her mouth with a guttural groan that thrilled and empowered her. Her lips instantly yielded to his strength and demand to open. She swept her tongue over his, tasting the hunger in his kiss and feeling the burn of his possession.

“Mine.” He grasped the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head.

Eager nipples peaked, rubbing against abrasive lace. The once dainty bra was laid to rest with the dress. Indoor heating in Paris was not like it was in New York. Her skin prickled from the cold, but it was a race for skin to feel skin, and Kat sucked in a breath as she pressed against him and the chill in the air disappeared.

Marko wrapped his fingers on the thin straps at her hip and snapped the panties from her form. He stepped back and let his appreciative gaze travel down her body.

“Now this is a beautiful sight,” he said, motioning for her to spin on her heels.

She did, but playfully jutted her chin forward and noted the inequality in their situation as she turned. Still wearing her boots, and dressed in only her stockings and garter, all the pertinent parts of Kat's body were exposed to his view. Her nipples grew harder under his visual exploration, and the moisture pooling between her legs heated her thighs, in direct contrast to the cool air.

Marko stood before her, barefoot but clothed. His straining erection was sheltered inside his dark slacks and tucked secure beneath the buckle of an expensive leather belt.

Shoes were scattered across the floor. Clothing draped on every surface. But he was not available to her. Pouting, she cocked her head and she made an obvious show of reviewing his disappointing state of dress.

Grinning, he crooked his finger for her to return, and she stepped into his embrace. Beneath the urgent exploration of his hands, her pulse raced, pressure built between her thighs, and she ached with the need to give all of herself. As if she'd never known a man's touch, each caress awakened new sensations and she silently begged to feel him more.

His kiss simmered from her lips to her very core, blazing a trail over her nerves and stealing the oxygen from her lungs. With impatience, she broke the kiss, and falling to her knees, she unbuckled his belt and pushed the last pertinent barrier between them down his thighs. Exquisitely tailored slacks fell to his ankles, and his large erection sprang free. Her mouth watered at the sight and she leaned forward, grasping the rigid shaft and kissing the smooth tip. Her fingers wrapped around his base and stroked. She curved her lips around the head, taking him deep into her mouth.

“
Arrêter
,” he rasped, pulling away and urging her up on her feet. “
J'ai envie de toi. Maintenant.
”

He gathered her in his arms, lifted her off the ground, and fit her to his chest. Once she was snug against him, the strong beat of his heart soothed her spirit, the familiar fresh scent of his skin enticed her senses, and the possessive splay of his hands grounded her soul.

An electric charge passed between them. She didn't know what had happened, or why he'd stopped her. But in saying that he needed her, he'd fulfilled an aching need deep inside her soul. She welcomed the sense of belonging and settled against him as he wordlessly carried her up the staircase.

He pushed open the door with his shoulder and crossed the large space to stand her on her booted feet by the bed. Touching her cheek, he tilted her face and met her gaze, once again stealing her breath with a branding kiss.

With one muscled arm secured around her waist, he tipped her back onto the mattress, and, following her down, owned her will. She was in his bed, in his arms, and she embraced Marko into her heart and soul.

His long, hard body covered hers, as she arched to take all of him, and bask in the spell he wove around her. Large hands smoothed down her neck, over her shoulders, and to her ribs. Dipping his head, his mouth followed wicked fingers as they teased her taut nipples, beaded tight not from the cold, but from the anticipation of his touch.

With his thumb and forefinger, he rolled one hard bud, while his mouth claimed the other breast, sucking and nibbling the tender flesh until she bucked beneath him, unable to stand the teasing pleasure. “Please, Marko. I need you.”

His mouth trailed down her stomach until strong hands grasped her hips. He rose and fit her legs around him, entering her in one, smooth glide. She nearly came at the first touch of his cock. He filled her so completely that she fought to keep her orgasm from consuming her immediately and ending the heavenly action too fast. Her vaginal muscles quivered in excitement and clenched tight around him, taking him deeper with each delectable thrust.

Kat's stockings snagged on the heel of a boot, as she linked her ankles around his waist and angled her hips for total contact. He rounded and ground against her moist heat, stroking every bit of her and building the frenzy for release. When he caressed the bundle of nerves nestled at the tip of her heat, her passion liquefied to a hedonistic longing for submission. She quivered beneath him. Bit her lower lip. Inhaled with all her might.

“
Maintenant, mon cœur. Ensemble.”

A prism of pleasure splintered over her and the buildup of pressure devastated her control. With a low groan, Marko pushed through her clenched muscles to the top of her womb, rubbing hard against her clit. She cried out and shattered in his hands. Marko threw back his head and released deep inside her shuddering body. The haven of his strength blanketed her restless tremors. Her vision spotted and, secure in his hold, Kat surrendered to blissful darkness.