showing itself to her. “Go and change. Then meet me up on the top deck for coffee.”
Helen could only nod her head and walked down the stairs, eager to reach her stateroom in some ways, but unwilling to leave Dimitri and the wonderful things he made her feel. She reached the doorway to the parlor and turned back, looking at the awesome male that was watching her as well. She looked into his eyes and noted the sincerity, the determination and it made her shiver in both fear and excitement.
Almost running now, she hurried to her stateroom and closed the door behind her. Leaning against it, she tried to steady her racing heart and heavy breathing but it was no good. She was just too excited.
Putting a hand to her chest, she reached up and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes on fire. “Get hold of yourself, Helen. This is par for the course for him. Don’t look like a fool just because all of your dreams have come true.” Well, not all of them, she reminded herself. She wasn’t married and about to have the man’s children, delirious with happiness. But could she take the crumbs?
The expression on her face gave her the answer before her mind accepted it. Yes, she would do just about anything that man wanted her to do. She was madly in love with him, had been for months. And when it was all over, she would pick up the pieces and figure out how to deal with a life without him. She knew it would happen. Dimitri could not fall in love with a woman like her. It was impossible. But she could definitely love him until that lust died out of him.
Lust? Dimitri Theopolis lusted after her? She shook her head, still not sure she could accept what he’d just told her and showed her. She’d just never considered herself someone who could incite those kinds of feelings in a man.
Throwing open the closet doors, she fingered the bikinis that were hanging in the closet, having been returned to their places by an unnamed staff member. Could she do it? No, not yet. Maybe, in a few days, if these feelings persisted, she might be able to do it if she had the pool all to herself. But not yet. And definitely not in front of Dimitri.
Pulling out a pair of white shorts and a bright, pink tank top, she pulled them on, loving the way the white material hugged her bottom, making the curves look sexy instead of just skinny which she’d always considered was the way she appeared to others. The tank top was smaller than anything she’d ever worn before, hugging her breasts and ribs, making her look like something out of a fashion magazine. Smiling at her reflection, she had no idea that clothes could make such a difference.
Slipping on a pair of white sandals, she hurried out of the state room, eager to see Dimitri again and see what his reaction to her new image would be. Would he like it? Would he see the same things she did? She certainly hoped so. She felt pretty, feminine. Those were feelings she hadn’t felt in years.
She saw him sitting with the other four people as soon as she rounded the corner to the top deck. Her feet slowed as soon as she saw Marie and Aimee who looked incredibly stunning. Marie was wearing a bikini smaller than the two Dimitri had taken out yesterday, showing off all of her perfect curves to perfection. Aimee was wearing a lovely sundress with no straps, held up by her buxom figure that skimmed down to her slender, long legs. Next to them, Helen felt gauche and outclassed. She almost fell back, but Dimitri caught the look in her eyes and stood up, coming around the table to walk toward her.
Biting her lip in indecision, she waited for him to arrive. When he was less than a few inches away, he took her hands in his and pulled her close, settling a gentle kiss on her soft lips. “You look fabulous, Helen. Don’t doubt yourself. You can compete with them any day.”
Helen smiled tentatively and looked up, about to say something when his mouth covered hers for another long, mind-twirling kiss that left her dazed and breathless, as well as all the pins out of her hair with his hand tangled in the long, curling