When he lifted his head, the haze of passion in Mairi’s eyes only brought him a small dose of satisfaction. How could he be happy when behind the passion lurked the tears that always seemed in danger of spilling?
Damen knew had a long way to go to making things right between them, and it didn’t fucking help that Mairi wanted her ex-lover tailing them every second. He thought about Whitney Houston falling for Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard. He thought about Princess Diana once being linked to her security detail. Wasn’t there a supermodel who also started dating her bodyguard, someone who had been in her employ when she was still married to someone else?
Over Mairi’s head, his gold-flecked gaze met the ex-sniper’s eyes, Damen not bothering to hide his thoughts from the other man. If Drake Morrison thought being his wife’s bodyguard would give him the chance to steal Mairi away for good, then he should know now that Damen was ready to die just to keep Mairi at his side.
The other man’s face remained expressionless, even though it was clear Drake understood Damen’s silent message.
In his arms, Mairi tried to wriggle away and Damen cupped her chin, leaving her with no choice but to look at him again.
“Why did you kiss me?” Her voice was strained as she asked the question, Mairi still shaken by the ease in which Damen was able to make her forget everything with just one kiss.
“Because I wanted you to remember that you’re mine.” His voice became hard. “It was also my way of letting you know that it’s not going to work.”
Mairi paled, but still she tried to lie, mumbling, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you do, matakia mou,” he murmured. “And again I tell you, it will not work. If you want Morrison to be your bodyguard, so be it. But if you think it’s going to stop me from fucking you whenever and wherever I want—”
“Damen!” Mairi’s cheeks flushed red.
“If you think it’s going to stop me from making you fall in love with me again—” Damen shook his head and said simply, “You might as well ask me to stop breathing. That’s how much your love means to me.” Without warning, he swept her up in his arms, causing Mairi to gasp anew.
Looking at Drake, he drawled, “Now if you could excuse us? You won’t need to guard Mairi for now since it’s our wedding night and it’s my sole intention to have her come for several nights.”
Chapter Five
She said: To wed a Greek billionaire, one must expect the most romantic wedding night—
He said: It was so fucking romantic you couldn’t even make yourself say you love me.
She said: I…I did. I said I…I…I love making love to you?
Tension was palpable in Damen’s lean hard body as he carried Mairi all the way up the stairs. She had hurt him. Her heart ached at the knowledge even though deep inside her she knew her choice had been the only choice she could make. Damen cared for her. She could even go as far as say that Damen had never cared for any other woman as much as he cared for her, but…it was not enough.
Damen was everything to her.
But to him, she was…not.
Even so, Mairi tried to think of something to say that would ease the hurt, but nothing came to mind. Lifting her head and turning to look at her husband, Mairi’s throat clogged at the stoic look on his face. It was as if he was keeping himself from feeling because if he did, he wouldn’t have been able to take it.
The thought distressed Mairi, and she ended up blurting out, “D-do you realize you’re practically carrying me over the threshold?”
Damen stilled halfway to the bedroom. The question had him looking down at his wife, who looked like she wanted to take the words back. He asked gruffly, “Shouldn’t I have?”
That he had to ask made her swallow, and Mairi said tremulously, “It’s not that. I…like it.” That was the most she could allow herself to admit. “But…I never thought this whole traditional groom thing was you, you know?”
Damen only continued to gaze at her, long enough to make Mairi squirm. Had she said the wrong thing? When he finally spoke, she could have expired in relief—
“Would you rather I just fuck you here?”
—until she realized what he was suggesting and Mairi laughingly choked out, “No! Drake’s downstairs—”
His tone cooled. “You’re only giving me another reason to do it.”
“I’m serious.” Her voice and laughter were muffled as she hid her face in the crook of his neck while tightening her arms around his neck.
Her laughter was a sweet sound, and he treasured it because for a very long time, Damen had thought he would never have the ability to make Mairi laugh again. Having reached their room, he balanced his wife in his arms so he could open the door. After kicking it shut, he slowly lowered Mairi to her feet. When she looked up at him, a smile was still playing on her lips.
Mairi’s eyes squeezed shut as her mind was suddenly filled with visions of a naked Damen on top of her, his smooth muscled back arching just before pushing his cock inside her, his buttocks flexing as her hands dug into his behind—
Beautiful.
The word played over and over in his mind, for it was truly the only thing Damen could think about as he slowly and thoroughly took in the sight of his resplendently naked bride. She had her arms crossed over her breasts, but they were ample enough for a hint of pinkness to show up on top. That tiny glimpse of her nipples was more than enough to have Damen’s cock jutting up even more insistently, and his desire became more and more uncontrollable as he took in her long bare legs and that sweet little pussy.