Red Rocket

by Raine Miller

  When Fiona shows me the new pay scale for this job, my decision is made. I can quit my second job at the casino. I’ll be able to do more varied assignments as the social media director. Maybe I can continue to move up within the Crush organization. Maybe I can eventually be something more than what I am today.

  “Yes,” I finally say. “Yes, I’m interested.”

  “Great!” Holly says, clapping her hands. “We’ll start your training today.”

  For a week straight, I work with Holly. She’s got a whole folder full of ideas for how to engage the team and fans through social media. She shows me how she budgets the content and how she makes choices about timing. I knew a lot of this from filling in during her maternity leave, but it’s good to have a refresher.

  We work together on some junior league stuff. There are some hockey clinics and games that we cover together right off the bat. I finally feel as though I’m being stretched to my full potential. This job…fits me.

  I really miss Viktor, though. I think about him all the time.

  All. The. Time.

  I don’t want to annoy him, and I don’t even know if he would get my texts overseas, but he’s on my mind every freaking day. Especially when I’m alone at home like right now. I have no idea how or if my phone plan even works in Russia, and just when I’m about to look that up, a request to FaceTime comes in. Thank God. I need to hear his voice.

  “Hey!” I answer, waving like a maniac at his image on my phone. Moscow is ten hours ahead of Las Vegas, so even though it’s evening for me, his day is just starting. Weird.

  “Hello, Red Rocket.” Just the sound of his voice makes my body ache with want.

  “How is Russia?”

  “Russia is fine,” he says with a shrug. “Much time in practice. Little time for much else.”

  “Sounds exhausting but guess what happened here?”

  “What?” he asks.

  “I got a promotion!”

  “That is good, yes?”

  “I think so. Holly is leaving to start her own business. She wants to work from home now that she has a second baby coming. So, I got her job.”

  “Oh,” he says, frowning slightly.

  “What’s that frown all about?”

  “I am not expert, but it seems she does a good job.”

  “She does, and she’s got a great reputation with the organization. That’s why she can start her own business at, what, like twenty-six? She’s getting new job offers every day. This is a really smart move for her. And they seem to think I’ll do well at it, too, so…it’s an easy decision for me really. I can finally quit my hideous job at the casino.”

  At this news Viktor nods encouragingly, knowing how much I disliked working there. “I am sure you will be good in your new position. You are very good at many things.”

  “What many things are you referring to?” My voice suddenly sounds noticeably huskier.

  “Filthy, sexy, pleasurable things.” I am rewarded with a lustful-Viktor smile as he answers me. His whole face changes when he smiles and knowing he only does it for me makes it all the better. It’s like a secret that only we share.

  I laugh. “No need to beat around the bush.”

  “I do not understand this. What do you mean?”

  Still giggling, I shake my head. “No worries. Are you hoping to just jump right into the phone sex, then? No small talk needed?”

  “If you require small talk, then we will talk,” he answers. “However, I would like to talk while watching you touch yourself.”

  For whatever reason, this cracks me up. Viktor looks totally confounded by my laughter. Still, I pull my T-shirt over my head and my pajama bottoms off. This gets a smile out of him.

  “Yes,” he cheers. “I have been dreaming of those tits, Red Rocket. I dream of putting them in my mouth, of rolling those hard nipples under my tongue. I’ve dreamed of touching the soft skin underneath, of smelling your sweet skin.”

  Boy, he does own the market on dirty talk. I tweak my already-hard nipples between my thumb and forefinger, making sure to show Viktor. He groans and shows me how he’s stroking himself. This turns me on. So much.

  I pull my vibrator from my nightstand and switch it on, making sure that Viktor sees how I hold it against my aching clit. I sit the phone on the nightstand, propped up against the lamp, and use both hands, spreading myself wide and flexing my hip muscles forward.

  “Yes,” Viktor urges. “Yes, Scarlett. Focus. Think of me, hard and hot in you. Think of my cock buried deep, my tongue assaulting your sweet clit. Take all I have to give you, Red Rocket. Take it.”

  “I’m coming.” I manage to breathe as an orgasm takes me. It’s not as strong as the ones I’ve had when he’s really been inside of me, but it still feels good, still floods my body with lovely tingling endorphins.

  “Look at me, Scarlett,” he orders.

  I do, and he’s widened the shot, so I can see him finish, so I can see his face when he comes. It’s as hot and intense as only Viktor can make it.

  After, I lie in bed while we talk, which is something else I’ve missed. Viktor and I had a lot of sex, but the post-coital chats are what made our friendship grow. And in many respects, I can see why he asked for physical release before we talked. We’re both relaxed. Sated. Calm. I like this man. He talks about his team and their grueling practices. I talk about some of the work I’m doing. It’s idle chatter. Normal conversation. The first we’ve really had, I suppose, and I want more of it. I wonder if he does too.

  He says he’ll call again soon. And then, “I miss you, Scarlett. More than I expected.”

  My breath catches. “I…I miss you too, Viktor.”

  We hang up and then I’m smiling and crying at the same time. I fall asleep like that.

  He surprises me again by calling the very next night. And the next. This becomes a normal occurrence for us, and while we don’t always have phone sex, I do send him plenty of naughty pictures. He reciprocates, though his pictures are often more funny than sexy, because he’s slightly technologically inept. I think it’s adorable though.

  One night, he casually suggests I visit him in Russia.

  “But I don’t even have a passport. Doesn’t that take a long time to get?”

  “Everyone should have passport. Go get one. Then we will plan a visit.”

  “I don’t even know if I can take vacation,” I tell him. “I’d have to clear it with Fiona and—”

  “Just go get it started, Scarlett. Call Saul and he will get it done for you.” He cutely rolls his eyes at me. “No excuses.”

  I must admit Viktor’s proposal that I go to Russia this summer got me excited enough to get the process started the very next day. When I call the number on the card Viktor left with me to set up an appointment, I’m greeted with, “Miss Woods, we’ve been expecting your call, good morning. You’ll need to come to the office with your birth certificate—today if possible.”

  Oh-kay then. I guess I’ll be heading downtown during my lunch break today. I take down the directions, thank the secretary, and hang up, thinking it’s super weird that they addressed me by name when I called.

  But the weirdness didn’t end there.

  Turns out Saul Heisenberg’s office is inside the old Golden Gate Hotel on Fremont Street behind a nail salon within the casino shops. Bizarre. But then his line of work is kind of bizarre so I guess it shouldn’t be such a surprise to me where he keeps his office.

  Aaaand in unconventional style I’m met out front by a truly enormous tree trunk of a man sporting a burgundy plaid shirt and the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen. He introduces himself as Huell and tells me to follow him back. If Huell wasn’t so kindly, I don’t think I would follow him anywhere, let alone into some weird office in the back of a casino on Fremont Street where I might never be seen or heard of again.

  But there you have it. We all do things we might not think we’d ever do because the desire outweighs the risk. Sometimes you have to take a chance
. So here I am meeting Saul-the-Fixer at his weird office location to help me get a passport…because Viktor asked me to. I guess at some point in this freaky experience I decided that I wish to visit Viktor more than I care to worry about what exactly a fixer in Las Vegas has among his job description.

  I wouldn’t even want to guess at this point…

  Saul is forty-ish with thinning hair, wearing a suit I would place firmly in the purple category, and throwing out a I-can-handle-anything attitude. What did I expect from a guy who has a personal assistant in the form of a giant bodyguard with no neck? I’d be super confident too if I had a Huell guarding me all the time.

  But I will say that he gets shit done. And fast.

  Within fifteen minutes, Saul has my passport pictures taken and the information filled out on the forms awaiting my signature. He tells me he’ll have the process expedited and my passport in ten days or less. When I ask him how much for the expediting services, he tells me it’s already been taken care of. How in the hell did Viktor meet this guy? The extra help is quite nice.

  No less than one minute after being escorted back through to the casino by the kindly Huell, my phone pings with a text from Pam. The Kolochevs have returned from their island honeymoon all tanned and in full newlywed glory. It’s sweet…kind of.

  Pam: Lunch today? I’ve got news.

  Scarlett: Can’t. I already used my lunch break applying for a passport.

  Pam: Why?

  Scarlett: Viktor wants me to visit him in Russia.

  Pam: Whoa. That’s big news.

  Scarlett: I know. It’s not for sure yet though.

  Scarlett: What’s your news?

  Pam: Well…maybe we can visit Russia together…

  Scarlett: Why?!

  Pam: Because Georg was asked to play summer league, too.

  Scarlett: Whoa! How do you feel about that?

  Pam: Not sure yet. But we’ll work it out!

  Scarlett: Okay. Well, drinks soon?

  Pam: Yes. ASAP!!

  Damn. Just married and he’s off to Russia for the rest of the summer. Now I can’t feel too badly for myself. Viktor and I barely know each other.

  So why do I feel so crazy excited at the very remote prospect of seeing him again soon?

  One week later.

  “So that will be your main assignment this summer,” Fiona says with her usual sharpness laced with a totally fake smile. “You must have some big friends in high places to get such a long assignment so soon after starting in a brand-new position, but I suppose social media coverage of our European players and their summer programs is good for building the Crush brand worldwide. We have Georg and Viktor and the guys from our minor league affiliate there as well, so I want you to focus on them first. I also want anything and everything that can be promoted to elevate our team and their place in the sport of hockey. Revisiting historical places and events are always popular, so keep an eye out for any possible series you could put together. Photos, lots and lots of photos, Scarlett. We’ve got your disclaimer filled out for restrictions on taking shots of any government buildings, police, etc. Just sign and date it. And I’ll be interfacing with you on anything that needs attention here locally. You can post from Russia as well as Vegas so the summer feeds can still go out as normal. It’s light in the off-season anyway…”

  Fiona babbles on and on as I sit stunned in her office—yet again—at how unbelievably crazy it is that she’s called me in here to inform me I’ll be heading off to Russia for a month-long PR assignment representing the team. Oh, and I’m leaving in just under a week. Jesus. I have quickly learned that stepping into Fiona’s office can be a helluva dangerous operation, so tread fucking carefully.

  It’s a good thing Saul’s office left me a voice mail earlier that my passport arrived.

  I’m going to need it a lot sooner than I ever expected because this travel thing is happening soon, and I have eleventy-million things to do to get ready.

  And Viktor has been a busy, busy boy with all the secret plans and not telling me. I’m going to have to show him just how annoyed and appreciative I am when we FaceTime tonight.

  The big, sexy, adorable, jerk.

  Twenty-One

  We Need Two Cars

  Scarlett

  Federal Centre of Sport Training

  Novogorsk, Russia

  My belly is flip-flopping like crazy as we make our way off the plane. Pam is jabbering on the phone to Georg and my eyes are darting around the place, taking in the total strangeness of being in a country halfway around the world.

  “The guys are down in baggage claim,” Pam announces as she finishes her call. “They have two cars waiting.”

  “Why do we need two cars?”

  Pam’s eyebrow goes up in response, her expression telling me precisely why we’ll be needing two separate cars.

  “Oh.” How could I forget those two are still in honeymoon mode? They won’t be delayed for the time it takes to ride from the airport to the athlete’s village before they start banging. It’s cute, really it is.

  “It’s interesting how much this looks like every other airport while also looking completely different,” Pam comments. “There’s a McDonalds. Weird, right?”

  “I guess? I’m not very well traveled.”

  We walk and walk, following the signs until we find the escalator to take us down to the baggage claim level. And there, finally, is my Viktor. He’s wearing a black leather jacket and jeans and damn, he’s delicious. He’s also wearing something of a grin on his handsome face. Not a full-on smile in public (obviously) but he wears it well. Especially because that grin is directed right at me. God, I’ve missed him so much more than I ever imagined.

  Pam runs for Georg, practically knocking him over as she jumps into his arms, her legs around his waist, her mouth on his. No matter that there are hundreds of other people around to see their show. They’re in their own personal PDA bubble and one hundred percent oblivious to the rest of the world.

  Viktor holds out a hand, which I take, feeling suddenly shy. He pulls me close, his strong arms suddenly around me, my head on his chest. We just hug for a moment. It feels like home and that realization makes my heart take on an erratic beat. I don’t know what I expected when I saw Viktor again, but this feeling inside me surprises me greatly. I do care about him…a lot. But could it be more than that?

  “See you back at the ranch,” Georg says in our general direction, taking Pam’s hand and walking off toward the baggage carousel. Our luggage seems to be offloading, so Viktor motions that we should go that way, as well.

  Baggage collected; Viktor holds my hand as we walk outside to a waiting town car. He says something in Russian to the driver who nods and pushes a button to give us privacy. I’m too amped up, too nervous to feel sexy right now. Viktor must sense it, too. He takes his seat, shuts the door and we take off, driving for a few minutes in silence before he says anything.

  “I am glad you are here,” he finally says, taking my hand again.

  “Me too. How has it been so far?”

  “It has been good. I do a charity thing each summer while I am in Russia. I hope to show you.”

  “A charity thing?”

  “Yes, I don’t know if I have told you that I lost my father when I was fifteen. He was my coach and when he died in an automobile accident, a local charity reached out to my mother to offer additional coaching for me. They were a feeder to the Russian Junior Hockey League and I very desperately wanted to play there. It changed my life, of course. So, I like to come back and work with the kids in the program each summer.”

  My heart melts a little at this. “That is really sweet. I had no idea you were helping kids like that.”

  “I know it might be hard to believe. Many people think I am asshole and incapable of being kind.”

  “Well, I can personally attest that you can be very kind, but this is more than that. Not everyone would think to go back and pay forward the opportunities they’ve h
ad. Can I take some pictures of you working with the kids while I’m here? Do a little side story on your charity work?”

  “I think it would be okay but will have to clear with the charity.”

  “Of course.”

  It’s quiet between us again. Viktor’s thumb rubs against my hand as I bite my cheek, trying to think of what to talk about. I finally settle on, “I’ve really missed you, Viktor. A lot more than I thought I would.”

  I turn and he looks at me with a softness that I’m not sure I’ve seen from him before. “I feel the same, Red Rocket.”

  “You know what I thought when I hugged you back at the airport?”

  “That it was very awkward to have Georg and Pamela making out right beside us?”

  This makes me laugh out loud. “You got jokes, boy?”

  Viktor’s lips twitch and his eyes twinkle. He’s clearly delighted to have made me laugh. That’s his delighted face.

  “I do agree. That was awkward for sure, but actually, my thoughts were more along the lines of feeling like I was at home. You make me feel like I’m home. Is that weird?”

  “Is not weird. I feel it, as well.”

  I sigh happily as Viktor leans in for a soft kiss. That familiar desire blooms easily as I lean into him. Suddenly, I’m very thankful for the partition between us and the driver. Very thankful indeed.

  * * *

  Viktor

  * * *

  We pull into the athlete’s village at the Federal Centre of Sport Training in Novogorsk, just outside of Moscow. The driver helps us to unload Scarlett’s bags while she looks around the simple little “town square,” perplexed.

  “I think I’m supposed to stay in an apartment with two other women. They work in the cafeteria or something?” She pulls out her phone to confirm.