30. Chapter 30
Chapter thirty
For our last full day with just the two of us, Dimitri takes me to Marathounda Beach. While it is accessible by taxi boat, it’s also one of the few beaches on the island that you can reach by vehicle, so we take his scooter instead. That way we can come and go as we please without having to worry about following a schedule.
Like many of the other beaches on Symi, Marathounda is a pebble beach. There is a taverna off to one side and a number of beach chairs facing the sea. The water is that perfect crystalline blue that I should be used to by now but still takes my breath away every time I see it. Several other beachgoers can be found lounging on the chairs or already in the sea along with a few other curious creatures.
“GOATS!” I squeal excitedly as we make our way to the taverna to pay for our chairs.
Dimitri chuckles at my excitement.
“Yes, lots of goats here. Always looking for food so make sure to close your bag when you go in the water.” He points out a small brown goat sneaking up to a claimed but unoccupied lounge chair likely belonging to one of the people in the water. They’ve left their beach bag wide open, and the little brown goat is now happily nosing through it in search of a snack or two.
I snap a quick photo as Dimitri chats to a worker at the taverna and passes over a few euros in exchange for the use of two beach chairs.
Beach chairs procured, I lay out my towel and strip down to my swimsuit. I decided on my one piece today as I don’t want a repeat burn incident like Nanou. Of course, I still put on plenty of sunscreen.
I catch Dimitri watching me out of the corner of my eye as I rub my SPF 50 onto my legs.
“What?”
He shakes his head “Nothing.”
I give him a look to show him I don’t believe him and he starts to laugh.
“You’re just beautiful. That’s all. Now come here, I’ll do your back.”
I sit on the side of his beach chair as he slowly sunscreens my back. The corset style lacing makes it tricky and I can feel him struggling as he tries to get the sunscreen on me rather than my swimsuit.
“Sorry,” I cringe, thinking maybe I should have just worn my green bikini again.
“Don’t apologize.” I feel his fingers sweep across my skin, snapping on the strings lightly against my lower back. “I like this.”
He leans in, kissing me softly on the shoulder before pressing his lips against my ear “You’re like a present,” he tells me, voice low so only I can hear, “and I can’t wait to unwrap you later.”
My breath hitches in my throat and he chuckles, pulling me back against his chest, one hand looped around my waist and the other lightly skimming down the side of my body. To anyone else on the beach, it looks like a hug but his feather-light touch is anything but innocent.
“Tease,” I hiss at him, making myself pull away and move to my own chair before we end up putting on a show. Dimitri flashes me a devilish smile, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he settles back comfortably in his own chair. Tilting his head back to the sun, he stretches out and closes his eyes, looking perfectly relaxed and unruffled. Meanwhile, I’m hot and flushed, counting down the fifteen minutes until my sunscreen dries so I can get in the ocean and cool off.
The day is peaceful and relaxing as Dimitri and I alternate between chatting, napping in the sun, and of course swimming. We stay for lunch in the taverna and as I scan the menu, I notice something different that I don’t recognize. I point it out to Dimitri who looks me dead in the eye before telling me that it is goat in a tomato sauce. I gape a little bit, looking back to the beach where the funny little goats wait off to the side in the hopes that a visitor will share a snack and I can’t help but wonder if these are the goats that end up on the menu. While I’m all for trying new things, there’s no way I want to eat the adorable goats I’ve been watching all morning. When the server comes back to take our order, I quickly ask for a Greek salad.
It’s a beautiful, hot day and beach enthusiasts come and go but it never gets truly busy in the time that we are there. Feeling the warmth of the sun, I glance over to Dimitri to see if he wants to go for a swim, only to discover that he has fallen asleep in his chair. One arm stretched behind his head, face tilted towards me. His thick hair tumbles gently across his forehead, the ends partly covering his closed eyes, and his lips are open ever so slightly . He looks so serene and relaxed and I feel a jarring pang of sadness knowing that I have less than forty-eight hours left with him.
Leaving Dimitri asleep in his chair, I head down to the water on my own. Slipping into the gentle waves I swim out a little further until I can barely touch the bottom and float on my back. Letting myself think of everything that Arthur and I discussed yesterday about love.
“The feeling that you’ve found your home.” Arthur’s words swirl through my mind as I stare into the cloudless blue sky above.
Home to me has always been my family. Warm and welcoming. A place where I can be myself without fear of being judged. Where I can relax. Where I feel safe. Over the past two weeks, I’ve felt all of those things with Dimitri. I’m constantly surprising myself with how comfortable I am with him. How he makes me feel confident and secure. How easy it is to just be myself when he’s around. I’ve never felt like that around someone else other than Mel and my parents.
I’m not ready to admit that I’m in love with Dimitri. Even though we’ve spent all this time together, it still seems too soon. Too fast. But I can’t deny my feelings for him and how they get stronger every day. How happy he makes me, just by being around. I know it’s all shiny and new but everything about him, about us, just feels right. If I’m honest with myself, while it may not be love quite yet, it’s absolutely headed in that direction.
As I float in the sun, I feel rather than see Dimitri in the water behind me, as if he knew I had spent the last little while thinking of him and came in to investigate.
I straighten myself up to stand, not realizing I floated just a little too deep to be able to touch the bottom here. I go under and end up sputtering with laughter as I bob back up to the surface. Dimitri laughs as he pulls me to him. Instinctively, I loop my arms around his neck and wrap my legs over his waist as he holds me up in the water. Of course, he’s tall enough to stand at this depth.
“Are you ok?” he asks me, an amused look on his face.
I nod, pressing my cheek to his chest. Dimitri’s arms tighten around me and he drops his head so it rests on mine, as if holding me like this is the most natural thing in the world. The warmth of his chest seeps into my skin and I relax completely in his arms. Safe. Comfortable. Home? A tiny voice in my mind questions.
I think back to Arthur again, telling me if I don’t try I’ll never know, and then I might always end up wondering what if. I know he’s right.
Taking a deep breath, I lift my head to look Dimitri in the eyes.
“I don’t want this to end.”
Dimitri’s eyes crinkle slightly at the corners.
“Me neither.”
“I mean us,” I clarify. “You and me. This. I don’t want it to end.”
My heart flutters nervously in my chest but I keep my eyes on his, waiting for a reaction. His arms pull me closer as he gazes back at me.
“I know what you mean, Calla. You make me happier than I’ve been in a long time and I don’t want to lose you.”
The nervous flutters dissipate, replaced by a happy warm feeling as I hear what he says. That he feels the same. Hope surges in my chest.
“So…” I trail off, trying to collect my thoughts. “We’ll try this? Long distance? See if we can figure it out?”
Dimitri stares at me. His gold-flecked eyes searching mine as a wide smile spreads across his face. The look isn’t arrogant or cocky. Instead, he looks at me in awe. Like he can’t believe that this is happening. That I’m choosing him.
It’s the first time I’ve seen a glimpse of the shy, withdrawn boy he claims to have been and my heart melts. I realize that I haven’t been the only one thinking about us and what comes next. I haven’t been the only one hoping for more. Wondering if this could really be something special.
“Is that a yes?” I ask softly.
He bends his forehead down to touch mine. “That’s a yes, Calla.”
I beam.
He feels the same. He wants this too. He’s choosing me.
I tilt my mouth and press a soft kiss to his lips. One that he returns. A million emotions are flooding through my body but every single one of them is good, happy, and hopeful.
“Dimitri?”
“Yes, Calla?”
Biting my lip, I look him in the eyes.
“Can you take me home and unwrap me now?”
Dimitri’s eyes change from warm and soft to hot and hungry in a split second. I laugh aloud as he spins me around and pulls me towards the shoreline. Too happy to care if anyone around us is watching and what they may think.
Dimitri drives faster than I’ve ever seen as we speed back to his house. We’re barely inside the front door before we collide. Our hands, mouths, and bodies crashing together. My body is pulsating with happiness and based on the smile on his face and look in his eyes, Dimitri feels the same. The chemistry between us has been almost tangible since the start, but this right now? This is electric . No more questioning, wondering, or worrying about what will happen later. This isn’t just a vacation fling. He knows I want all of him. I know he wants all of me. No holds barred.
As his tongue pushes hungrily against mine, I begin to wonder if we should have had this conversation earlier but all of my thoughts disappear when he backs me up against the hard edge of his kitchen counter.
“Turn around,” he growls, as he pulls my t-shirt over my head.
A thrill of excitement races through me as I do what he says. His hands come around me from behind, flicking open the button of my shorts and undoing the zipper before yanking them down my legs. I step out of them, kicking them out of the way before looking over my shoulder at him.
His eyes roam over my body and I tense up in anticipation of what he will do next. Dimitri steps closer, until he’s right behind me, and runs his hands slowly down my arms.
“Stay right there.” His voice is husky, but firm “I’ve been wanting to do this all day."
His hands find the ties of the corset at the base of my back and I feel him tug the bow to unravel the strings. Deft fingers pull slowly at the laces at the top, loosening them as he makes his way down. Tilting my head back I revel in the gentle tickle of his fingers on my bare skin. His hands return to my shoulders as he kisses my neck, finding that sensitive place behind my ear.
Dimitri’s fingers pull at the straps of my swimsuit, dragging them down over my arms as he kisses my neck and shoulder. I let him undress me, nipples puckering in the cool air as he releases them from the cover of the thin material. Arms freed, I brace myself against the counter, closing my eyes as I feel him tug the swimsuit a little harder to get it over my wide hips, then down my legs where it joins my shorts on the ground, leaving me completely naked and exposed in front of him.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” Dimitri breathes, stroking his hand down my spine as the other cups my waist. I shudder at his brief touch, needing to feel more. Needing to feel him.
I try to push myself back against him but he pulls his body away, keeping his hands on my hips to hold me in place. I gasp in annoyance and he responds with a low chuckle.
“Let me take my time. I want to make you feel amazing.”
“Then touch me!” I demand hotly, turning my head to glare back at him.
His dark eyes blaze and suddenly I’m pulled tight up against his chest. I moan in pleasure as his mouth seizes mine and his hands slide over me. One up to play with my breasts, the other down my body.
“Spread your legs, Calla,” he orders me.
His rough voice thrills me and I do as I’m told. He groans as he touches me, feeling how much I want him. I raise my hands over my head, reaching for him. Running my fingers through his hair as he kisses my neck and plays with my body; stroking and teasing me until the pressure builds between my legs. I push myself against his fingers, searching for release.
“That’s it,” he murmurs as I cry out, holding me tight as I shudder against him. “That’s a good girl.”
I allow myself a moment to recover before I spin in his arms, claiming his mouth with mine. I tug his t-shirt up, letting him help pull it over his head. Kissing him with everything I have as my hands explore his chest, sweeping down his toned stomach to the v-shaped dip above his shorts. My fingers pull hungrily at the drawstring, anxious for him to be as naked as I am. Finally, his shorts slip free and I reach down between us, taking the hard length of him in my hand.
He bucks against me and I can’t help but giggle.
“My turn,” I purr.
He breathes heavily, watching as I stroke him. Keeping eye contact I slide down to my knees in front of him, hearing the sharp intake of breath as I swap my hand for my mouth. He winds his fist in my hair but doesn’t thrust. Letting me take control of the pace and decide how deep I can take him.
“Fuck, Calla.” He groans above me, both hands threaded in my hair as he holds it back from my face. The heat between my legs flares again as I hear my name on his lips. I love how in control and powerful he makes me feel. Part of me wants to stay like this on my knees and let him finish in my mouth, but he doesn’t give me the option. Dimitri pulls me up to stand in front of him. Leaning down he kisses me again, his mouth hot against mine.
Dimitri moves us in the direction of the stairs and the bed at the top but it’s too far. I’m too impatient. Instead, I steer him to the couch, pushing him down on the cushions.
He looks up at me as I climb on his lap, raising a hand to tuck my hair gently behind my ear.
“You are perfect,” he tells me, as he cups my face. I know he means it. Not just because we’re mid-sex and I’m naked on top of him but because he genuinely believes it. And I believe him.
I kiss him softly at first, then deeper. Pouring my feelings for him into my kiss. He matches my hunger, moving his hands to my hips to help me adjust myself on top of him. We find our rhythm and when the time comes, we explode together.
Hours later I lie beside Dimitri in bed. My body is exhausted from three rounds of incredible sex but my mind is too excited for sleep. Dimitri lies asleep beside me, his face pressed against the pillow, his breathing low and steady. A sudden wave of protectiveness washes through me as I fight the urge to sweep back his hair and kiss his forehead. Instead, I snuggle in a little closer beside him.
“Dimitri,” I whisper gently, “you make me happy, too.”
His eyes remain closed but he reaches out to pull me close. Twining my body with his, I shut my eyes and let sleep claim me.