There was that word again. Girl. It gave her chills. Shouldn’t it be demeaning? It wasn’t. It made her feel cherished. And she knew he was happy with her when she did his bidding like this. He’d never spoken to her that way before. Was this his dominant-in-the-bedroom language?
She liked it. Why? No idea. But it was arousing when he spoke to her in that tone with those words of encouragement.
“So you didn’t try this one, huh?” he asked, picking up the purple vibrator and twisting it around as if he needed to see how it worked. “Thought you might go for this one first.”
“I didn’t really choose. I just grabbed one. In the dark.”
He chuckled. And then he climbed between her legs, pushing her feet wider to accommodate his size.
She glanced down at his torso. He wore nothing but a pair of loose boxers, but it was more than she had on. His bare chest nearly made her drool by itself. Not that she hadn’t seen it a thousand times, but it had that effect on her every time. Even the first time.
In fact, the first day she met him, he whipped his shirt off in front of her to change into another T-shirt. She nearly swallowed her tongue. And the tattoo running across his back… Mesmerizing. The intricate detail of an eagle with wings spread wide. It seemed to actually come alive as if to fly away when he moved or flexed. She’d been lost to him ever since.
He turned on the vibrator and played with the settings, making it go higher and lower and then alternating between obvious varieties of pulsing.
The wetness between her legs grew by the second. She lifted her knees and squeezed them against his thighs. The way he was situated kept her open to his gaze, however. It made her vulnerable.
And she didn’t have her arms. Every time she tried to move she was reminded.
Ivan adjusted the vibrations to low and startled her when he tapped her nipple with the flat end. She flinched, not expecting him to use the vibrator on her there.
But damn… Her nipple jumped to attention. If it hadn’t been fully erect before, it was now.
He circled the areola several times and switched to the other one.
Her breasts swelled. They felt tighter. She lifted her hips off the bed, pleading with him to use the toy on her pussy instead. If he was going to do it, why was he taking his time?
He took the toy away. “Hips down. Don’t move them. I don’t respond well to your silent suggestions.”
“I’m not—”
She stopped herself when he lifted an eyebrow.
He danced the vibrator down her belly when she set her hips on the bed. “That’s my girl…”
Jesus. Shit.
He lowered his gaze to her pussy and used his free hand to stroke through her curls. “Love these sweet blonde curls. So sexy.”
She swallowed. Did he have to talk about her body parts while he ravaged her? Seemed unnecessary, and it only served to make her nervous.
Or maybe more aroused was the real answer.
He pulled back the hood of her clit and held it while he pressed the vibrator against her opening.
Please push it into me…
She arched her neck. Surely that was accepted. He didn’t say anything.
Her eyes fluttered back as he teased her mercilessly, swirling the toy around her opening and then around her clit. Back and forth. Over and over. He knew. God, he knew exactly what he was doing.
And he didn’t stop.
She needed to come. Now. But the relief was just out of reach. Until he pressed on her clit, she would remain in this stage of intense arousal.
“Please…” She wasn’t sure how he would respond to her plea, but it slipped out anyway.
“So sexy, baby…” he whispered. “So freaking sexy…”
She was so close.
Ivan finally relented and pressed the vibrator to her clit.
She moaned loudly around the pressure.
And then it disappeared and he resumed teasing her.
“Ivan… Oh, God.” He was right. He could do a better job than her. The toy wasn’t much different, but the experience was drastically different than when she did it herself, anticipating every move, and he did it, keeping her guessing.
Her last words seemed to be enough for him to let her crest that peak. He returned the vibrator to her clit and tilted it just right.
Her mouth fell open as she cried out, the sound unidentifiable. An orgasm more powerful than last night’s rocked her body, the pulses jolting her until her entire frame shook.
It wasn’t until the waves subsided that he eased the vibrator off her clit and leaned over her to kiss her nipples one at a time. “That’s my girl.”
She couldn’t respond yet. But he won. Hands down. She would consent to that the second she had the opportunity.
Why argue? If the man could make her feel that good, she would let him.
Lord, what would it be like when he entered her with his cock?
Chapter Twelve
She was late to work Tuesday.
Not late by Katie’s standards. She still got there before the first clients arrived and the doors were officially open. But Alena didn’t like to rush into work at the last second. It left her flustered.
Ivan chuckled when he dropped her off.
Katie shot her a weird look but said nothing.
Alena made eye contact with no one. Not Katie. Not even her receptionist, Mandy.
“You okay?” Mandy asked. The woman understood the majority of what was happening with all of them, enough to keep a keen eye out and always pay attention to her surroundings. Katie didn’t like Mandy being in a position that might be a threat to her, but Mandy brushed her off every time she mentioned it. She said she liked the excitement. Working for Katie was the most entertaining her life had ever been.
She’d been Katie’s receptionist for several years. She wasn’t about to quit now just because “some Russian assholes wanted to bother her doctor.”
Alena loved her. Everyone loved her.
“I’m fine,” Alena responded as she tucked her purse in a drawer in Katie’s office and locked it.
“Okaaay,” Mandy responded, her tone indicating she didn’t believe a word of it. “You need something, you’ll let us know, right?”
“Yes.” Alena pasted on a smile and stood tall. “Of course. What’s on the agenda for today?”
Sure. She was flustered from her constant new dance with Ivan, but was it that noticeable to other people?
Katie wandered in, pointing over her shoulder. “I swear there is a new car out there watching us. I’m not making this shit up. Either the FBI has hired new people or Yenin has.”
“Anything’s possible with Yenin. After those two idiots he employed were killed, maybe he hired two more idiots.”
“Maybe.” Katie didn’t look convinced, but she left the room muttering something about unlocking the front door.
Alena totally agreed. Ever since she’d noticed the newcomers yesterday, she’d been uneasy. Something about them made her skin crawl.
When Ivan picked her up that evening, she again stood at the front window staring out at the strange car. Did he notice it too?
“You okay?” he asked on the way back to the apartment. He was the fourth person to ask her that by the end of the day, so she knew she was off, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, and she was fairly certain her weird mood had more to do with the eerie car than amazing orgasms and new toys.
Honestly, it wasn’t really the car. It wasn’t even the fact that two new people were watching them. That wasn’t unusual. What bothered her was the niggling sensation crawling up her spine.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” she responded as he pulled into the parking garage.
“You’re quiet. More reserved than usual. And glancing around as if we’re being followed.” He chuckled.
She turned her gaze toward him. “We are being followed.”
He parked the car and twisted to look at her. “Babe, I know that. I was k
idding.”
She exhaled. “Of course.” What was the matter with her?
He cocked his head to one side and then exited the car to round the trunk. When he opened her door and took her hand, she realized she was shaking.
He pulled her into his embrace as soon as she stood and threaded his fingers into her hair to hold her cheek against his chest. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
She knew that. And she appreciated it. Ivan was probably the only person keeping her sane. And he’d been doing so for months, way before she confronted him and forced him to see her differently.
When they got inside, Ivan pointed at the hallway. “Go change.” He smirked as he spoke, rolling his eyes. “I’ll make dinner.”
“You’ll make dinner?” She wearily stared at his retreating back.
“Of course. I don’t want you to think you have to cook and clean for me constantly as if it’s in exchange for sex. I’m going to cook tonight.”
“Sex?” she repeated as she inched toward the hallway. “Who’s been having sex?” She smiled to herself as she left him.
An hour later, when the grilled cheese and canned chicken noodle soup were gone, they settled onto the couch to watch a movie. The best invention of all was internet connections that allowed them to watch Russian television.
She was fine with American-made films. And her English was fantastic, but an evening with a Russian film was so relaxing.
She didn’t want it to end, enjoying the way she sat curled up on her side next to Ivan with her head on his thigh and his fingers stroking haphazardly through her hair as if he wasn’t even aware he did it.
“You still awake?” he whispered as the film ended, his fingers trailing down to her shoulder and giving her a brief squeeze.
“Yeah.” She pulled herself reluctantly off his lap and met his gaze. She didn’t want to go to her room alone. And she fully intended to convince him to join her. Their current arrangement needed changing. She tipped her head to one side and licked her lips, building up the courage to speak her mind.
It wasn’t so much that she didn’t have the gumption to do so. She’d proven to herself several times in the last few days that she could meet or beat him in a battle of wills. It was that she didn’t want to start a fight about this issue.
She wanted him to stop treating her with kid gloves and get his ass in her bed. Naked. With her. No barriers. No holding back.
“I’m not going to sleep with you, Alena,” he stated firmly before she got a single word out.
She stiffened. Dammit. Why did this need to be a fight? Why couldn’t he see that she was way past ready and put an end to her torment? “Can we at least discuss it?”
“No.”
“Why not? Why do you get to dictate whether or not I have sex? You’re treating me like a child. You even called me your girl as if I were a child when you came into my room to drive my body mad this morning.”
He flinched. “It’s not like that. I don’t mean to insinuate you’re a child. It’s a dominance thing. It’s that I want you to feel cherished and encouraged when you’re in my bed.”
“Fine. Then let’s move to the ‘in your bed’ part and stop dancing around the edge. What difference does it make? A day. Another day. Three days. It’s not like you’re waiting for my eighteenth birthday or something. That date passed ten years ago.”
He reached for her hand and wrapped his larger one around it.
She let him, even though she wanted to jerk hers back and force him to see reason.
It hurt. She was starting to ache, both with needing him and feeling rejected by him. Why couldn’t he understand?
“Alena, I’m clear on your age. That’s not my issue, and you know it.” He sighed. “I want you to take more time. We only acknowledged we were going somewhere with this two days ago. There’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere. You’re not going anywhere. We actually can’t.”
“Is that it? You think things between us will go bad, and then you’ll have to face me every day anyway? Unable to escape me?”
He smiled. “Things between us will never go bad.”
“Really? What if I’m not good at sex? What if I can’t live up to your standards? What if I bore you to death and you want more from someone with more experience?”
His eyes widened, and he tucked his lips into his teeth, obviously fighting a smile.
That infuriated her, and she did jerk her hand out of his grip. She jumped to standing next to the couch.
He reached out and grabbed her around the waist before she could turn around and escape. As he hauled her into his lap, she shoved at him.
No way could she compete with his strength, but surely he wouldn’t use force on her when she wanted to leave the room. “Let me go, Ivan. I’m done talking.”
He held her around the waist, trapping her arms at her sides, setting his chin on her shoulder. “That’s fine. But I’m not done talking. So just sit here and listen to me. Your misconception about how things will be between us is the entire reason we’re waiting.”
She closed her eyes and ducked her head so her hair fell around her face like a curtain.
He continued as she gave up the struggle. “I don’t have standards. And certainly not with you. Did you learn nothing from what we did this morning?”
What was he talking about? She’d learned something all right. She’d learned that teasing her naked body until she came left her frustrated for more. She should have been extremely satisfied after the fantastic orgasm she had, but her body disagreed and pleaded for more. That’s what she’d learned.
“Did it feel good, Alena? Did you like my hands on you? Did you enjoy being restrained while I stroked your sweet clit with that vibrator?”
She didn’t answer.
“I was there. I know you did. And, baby, I loved it at least twice as much as you. Watching you come undone brings me to my knees. Your ability to let go and turn yourself over to me is humbling.
“I need you to know that you can’t disappoint me. It’s not possible. It won’t happen. You’ve already exceeded any expectations I’ve ever had. You’ve given me something I only dreamed of having from you. Your trust. When my hands are on you, you slip into a special place where you relax and let yourself go. It’s gorgeous to watch. I almost feel like I’m inside your head experiencing everything with you for the first time.
“I’ll cherish that gift for a lifetime. And I intend to remind you how much I cherish it every single day for the rest of our lives.
“Let it go. Whatever fears you have of displeasing me are unwarranted. You can’t be bad at sex. You’re already amazing at it. You can’t bore me. You already don’t. And I never in my life will want someone with more experience. The joy of teaching you everything makes me so hard I can’t breathe.
“It’s a gift. It’s a gift you’re giving me. You’re like a blank slate with so much to experience and learn. And I get to stare into your eyes and go there with you every day.” He lowered his voice. “At least on the days when you let me see those deep blue pools.” He eased his grip and let his hand trail up her body until he reached her chin and lifted her face to meet her gaze.
She stared into his eyes. He was serious. He meant every word. “You’re like a flower blooming for the first time. It’s so sexy. Gorgeous. Amazing to watch. And the show is all mine. Forgive me for taking my time to enjoy this stage. Stop trying to rush things. Let me love you my way.”
He was so patient. Even though she’d provoked this argument with him several times, he wasn’t angry. He didn’t even raise his voice or reprimand her or sigh or show any level of exasperation.
“Okay.”
He smiled. “Finally.”
She forced a small smile in return. “But please sleep in my bed. At least give me that. Don’t feed me some line of shit that you can’t handle being close to me without having sex. I’m not buying it. You’ve managed to strip both my clothes and layers of my soul twice now. It’s obvious you
’re immune. I don’t want you across the hall. I want you next to me.”
Shocking her, he nodded. “Okay. But for the record, I’m immune to nothing.” His voice was low, deep. It brought goose bumps to her skin. He set his forehead against hers and then closed the space to kiss her lips.
»»•««
Alena bolted awake, sweat pouring off her body as she sat up and squeezed her eyes shut against the burning dryness. She’d been dreaming. A horrible dream. The same one she always had. As she took in her surroundings—drab, gray cell—she remembered the vivid details of the end of her nightmare.
A man grabbed her from the street. He put something over her mouth before she knew what was happening. A cloth. It was wet. She couldn’t breathe. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she stared frantically at the two children in her charge standing on the sidewalk screaming and reaching for her.
A second man shoved them away one at a time. And then he turned and told his partner to hurry.
She twisted frantically to see her assailant. He was too big. Too strong. She would never be able to fight him. But she would try. Anything. Everything.
His eyes were dark. Angry. Determined. Penetrating. His hair was dirty brown and in need of a cut. It hung over his eyes. And he smelled of cigarette smoke.
He jerked her body with him as he backed into a van, forcing her gaze to face the other way. She grabbed at his forearms with her own, fighting to free herself. Don’t let them take you. Don’t let them take you from this location to another.
But it wasn’t possible. He was too strong. She kicked, but she was no match for him.
The second guy smirked as he shut the back of the van, his blue eyes dancing with mirth. He was taller. Leaner, maybe. His hair was blond and also too long, scraggly. He tapped the side of the door three times before he shut her in the darkness of the back of the windowless van as true darkness also descended.
They’d drugged her.
No. No no no.
Those were her last thoughts before she succumbed to the drug.
Shaking the nightmare from her mind and fighting for oxygen, she opened her eyes. She twisted around to take in the dim lighting of the room.
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