“Yeah, of course.” I winced. “You’ve got the day off tomorrow, right?”
“I do.”
“Let’s talk then. We can have coffee together in the morning.”
Molly wasn’t stupid. She knew I was avoiding her. After all, it wasn’t like I routinely went for evening walks by myself at Central Park, and I didn’t have any other friends I could believably be with. Still, she didn’t sound angry. If anything, she seemed apologetic.
“Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll see you then.”
“See you then.”
I hung up and looked at Nik, still sitting on the bench. His hard, black eyes met mine and I gulped. Did he have to be so goddamn good looking? How was it fair that the best kiss I’d ever had came from a guy soon to have a fiancée? He might say they weren’t engaged yet, but they were as good as hitched in my opinion, and even though he’d never met Valentina, I still felt guilty.
We stared at each other silently and I could tell we were both thinking the same thing. The kiss was amazing but it shouldn’t have happened. Where did we go from here?
Nik made the first move. He rose to his feet, adjusting his shirt and jacket, and cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”
At his full height, Nik towered over me. My big, Russian giant. I found myself wondering if there was room for two in that coat, rather than thinking about going home as I should have been.
“It’s okay. It takes two to tango,” I said lamely. “Or, to make out on a park bench, as it were.”
His lip tugged up into a crooked smile and my core blazed with heat.
Now I was the one who couldn’t help myself.
I stepped up to him and grabbed his face in my hands, pulling him down so I could kiss him again. His mouth smashed into mine and his arms wound around me, pulling me flush to his chest. He was solid, like an old-growth tree. I clung to him with every ounce of strength I had, like I was trying to melt into him. Hell, maybe I was. All I knew was that this kiss was something special. It was new but old, as ancient as the dirt beneath our feet. And I needed it.
Nik squeezed me to him and kissed me ferociously. His stubble scraped my lip and it sent sparks of lust skittering over my skin. I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anything, and all logic and reason flew out the window like escaped doves.
“Gemma,” he breathed against my lips.
I opened my eyes to find him staring at me. He pulled back a little and a whine fell from my lips, which made Nik chuckle.
“I can’t offer you forever,” he said, regret lacing his words. “But what I can give you is now. And fuck, Gemma, I want you now.”
I didn’t even need to think.
“Forever’s overrated.”
Nik’s eyes burst into flame and he devoured my mouth again, kissing me with agonizing sweetness as his hands stroked down my hips to rest just above my ass.
He pulled back a moment later. “Let’s get a cab.”
I nodded dumbly. I wasn’t sure if I could make words come from my mouth if I wanted them to.
He clasped my hand with his and began to lead me to the edge of the park. It was a wonder I didn’t stumble. My legs didn’t feel like legs anymore. They were composed entirely of gelatin. I was sure of it.
The second we reached the street Nik hailed a cab and one slid up to the curb. He held the door open for me with a sultry smile.
This was it. Last chance to back out. Did I want to back out?
Sure, it wasn’t ideal that Nik’s future was already mapped out and there wasn’t even a slice of room in it for me, but this hunger in my chest didn’t care. And hell, maybe this was the perfect way for me to break my ‘fast’ and get back into the dating world. One whirlwind fling before I started over, started fresh.
Decision made, I slid into the cab. My heart pounded in my ears and I hoped his place was close.
Nik sat next to me and gave the driver directions, threading his fingers through mine again. It barely registered that we’d started driving because the second the cab was in motion, Nik buried his face in my neck. He inhaled, breathing me in, and a growl of satisfaction rippled through my throat.
“You smell amazing, Gemma,” he said just low enough for me to hear. He nipped my earlobe and, to my great distress, sat back coolly in his seat like we were on our way to the opera and not to his place to have explosive sex.
An ache pulsed between my thighs and I squeezed them together to find even the tiniest release. This was nothing like any of the solo-sessions I’d had over the years. It wasn’t even comparable. The lust tasted sweet on my tongue, and the promise of pleasure lulled me into a heady trance. I was desperate for him to touch me. Practically shaking for it. But Nik was the perfect gentleman throughout the cab ride, and by the time we pulled up next to a regal looking building, I was about to explode.
Nik paid the driver and we got out. I followed him through the front door like a sex-starved zombie. He guided me to the elevator, saying hello to the doorman on the way past, and pressed the top button.
“The penthouse, huh?” I said, trying to distract myself. “Must be a great view.”
Nik gave me a small smile as the doors slid closed, like he knew exactly what was going through my mind.
“Not as good as the view I’m about to get.”
He pushed me back against the elevator wall and crowded me with his body, staring down with that sultry, mischievous expression. My lips parted. I licked them, waiting for him to bend to kiss me, reveling in the feeling of his bulge against my hip. But he didn’t kiss me, and I got the feeling he liked me like that.
Waiting. Wanting. Just at the edge of losing my sanity for need of his kiss.
“You’ve got the most beautiful eyes,” Nik said. A sweet, innocent comment—much more innocent than the hand creeping up to cup my breast through my shirt and squeezing lightly.
“Thanks,” I breathed.
His lip twitched up a little further. The elevator chimed and mercifully opened. Nik grabbed my hand again and led me to one of the two doors. He unlocked it deftly and stepped in, flicking on the lights and holding open the door for me.
It was a nice place, nicer than any I’d seen in years. It was modern and clean, but with cozy touches like a worn oak bookshelf stuffed to the brim with old, hard backed books. I limited my inspection to less than five seconds before it was back to business.
“Where’s your bedroom?” I asked.
Nik drew his thumb down my cheek to my chin, holding my face up. And, rather than answering my question, he bent forward and captured my lips.
This answer was more than acceptable.
I wound my arms around his neck and went up on my tiptoes. He held me up by my ass, squeezing his fingers into my flesh and groaning with satisfaction. I liked my ass a lot, even though Niles had commented on its size a few too many times for my liking. He believed in a small, pert ass. My reality was a big one.
Nik bent lower and swept my legs up. I giggled in surprise, moving my kisses to his neck and collarbone as he carried me in the direction of what I hoped was his bedroom.
We stepped into a gray room and Nik muttered, “Thank God.”
“What?”
He looked down at me and smiled. “Nothing. Just glad its empty.”
I squirmed until he put me down and folded my arms, lifting a questioning brow. “Did you leave someone in it this morning?”
Not that it mattered, I supposed. We weren’t a couple and would never—could never—be one. Who was I to get jealous about who Nik may or may not have had in his bed?
“You met Dex,” he replied. “He’s a pain in my ass.”
Made sense. Now I felt silly, but Nik seemed anything but bothered. He unzipped my sweater and pulled it down my arms, holding my gaze with intensity.
“Trust me, my diamond, the only woman I’ve even thought about fucking lately is standing in front of me.”
I swallowed. “Really?”
He nodded. “Really.”
I practically threw myself at him and he laughed, staggering backward toward the bed. Whether he was telling the truth or not didn’t matter—in that moment I felt wanted. Needed. And I hadn’t felt like that for a long damn time. Fuck, maybe ever.
Nik swung us around and gave me a gentle push. I fell back on the bed, bouncing, and he wasted no more time. He undressed me like he was unwrapping a present—equal parts eager and reverent. He kissed the parts that he exposed as he went, hands making quick work of my bra and panties while his mouth carved a path of fire along my bare skin.
When he was finished, he stood back to admire me. And it was admiration. If it were anyone else, I might’ve felt self-conscious, as I had so many times before. But Nik…Nik didn’t just look at me, he saw me. And he liked what he saw.
I stood from the bed, eyes on his as I started to work on his shirt buttons.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, hands coming up to my hips.
I smiled. I couldn’t help myself. My hands shook as I undressed him, but Nik was patient. His hands wandered over my body, lips cascading down my neck, my shoulder, then back again, keeping the fire in my core burning brightly. I hummed with each caress, and when his fingers skimmed my sex I practically purred.
His chest was bare by the time he slipped the first finger inside, and I barely had time to comprehend how physically perfect he was before my legs turned to jelly again. He banded an arm around my waist to hold me up but I had to give up on his pants, leaving them hanging half open.
“You’re so wet, my diamond,” he purred into the sensitive skin of my throat. “All for me.”
I moaned. “Yes. All for you.”
Nik’s thumb swirled over my clit and he nipped my neck. “I want you to cum harder than you ever have before. I want you to remember this.”
I opened my mouth to tell him he was on the right track, but all that came out was a moan. I rarely orgasmed during sex with Niles, or any of my other previous partners, so the only person on the scoreboard he had to contend with was my right hand.
Nik circled my sensitive nub, twisting the finger inside of me until I squirmed.
“I need more,” I panted.
“Patience.” He chuckled and kissed me, drinking in my moans like nectar.
Nik backed me up until I hit the bed, then pushed me down onto my back. He stood above me, unbuttoning his pants and looking like a Greek god, and I wondered how the hell I’d gotten there. It was surreal. Wonderful, yes, but bonkers.
The sight of his naked body wiped my mind clean. He was all muscle and cock—no other way to describe him. Lean muscle banded his arms, thighs, and chest, and his cock jutted proudly to attention. It was thick and long, with a bulbous red head and a pulsing vein that made my mouth water.
Rather than get a condom and get down to business, however, Nik climbed over top of me and scooted both of us up until my head lay on the pillows. He kissed me then, with all the ferocity of a tiger just released from its cage. I kissed him back and reached for his shaft, desperate to feel its weight in my palm. He twitched when I touched him and moaned.
“Gemma...”
I loved hearing him moan my name. I squeezed his cock and he released a guttural growl.
Nik kissed down my neck, moving to my breasts, until his cock was out of my reach. I grabbed at his shoulders instead, feeling them flex and move under my fingers as his mouth latched onto one aching nipple. I gasped and arched, baring myself to him.
Nik palmed one breast as he sucked on the other, moving between them with lavishing attention. When he dipped a hand between my legs, I cried out.
How could I already be so close when he hadn’t even put his dick in me yet? Was it all the build up? Or was it just something about Nik that made me like a dog in heat?
He inserted another finger and licked my nipple in time with his thrusts. I panted and moaned, pleasure building until the sound of my heart in my ears was deafening. Electricity sizzled down my spine and I screwed my eyes shut.
The tension built. And built. And built. And finally, just as I thought I was going to die, it snapped.
I screamed. Nik silenced me with a bruising kiss, slowly easing his fingers in and out until the spasming stopped, until I could breathe again.
“Oh my gawd,” I managed a moment later, meeting his eye. “Well, mission accomplished, I guess.”
He grinned. “Oh, Gemma. My mission is far from accomplished.”
He rolled to the side, grabbed a foil packet from the dresser, and sat back to sheathe his massive rod. I watched in feverish anticipation. If he was that good with his hands, how good was he with his dick? I couldn’t wait to find out.
Nik sat between my legs on his heels and pulled my legs over his shoulders, holding my ass up. I watched a shiver go through him as his cock pushed through my folds, and when the head stretched my entrance that same shiver worked through me too.
“Gemma...”
Oh, fuck. I could cum just from hearing that. He entered me slowly, muscles tense, and it felt like being split in two. It had been a long time since I’d had sex, and though his handiwork had left me a little more pliable, it still hurt a little. Nik, sensing this, worked slow and gentle until he was in to the hilt.
Without moving, he leaned down to kiss me. It was the softest kiss we’d shared yet, one of gentle exploration and almost loving tenderness. I’d never felt so connected to another human being. The kiss spoke words I’d never said aloud, ones I’d never even thought, and Nik answered with words of his own.
I barely knew this guy and it was our first time having sex. How could it be like making love?
This was unexplored territory for me. If I had time to think, maybe I would question whether this whole thing was a good idea after all. But I didn’t have time to think. I didn’t even have the capacity to think. All I could do was feel, and it felt so good.
Nik began to withdraw, and when he pushed in again my whole body trembled. He sat back and held me by the hips, guiding his cock with expert skill. I clung onto the sheets for dear life. It felt like if I didn’t, I’d end up in another dimension.
Nik watched my face, pleasure twisting over his features. A dark curl of hair fell over his eyes, only adding to the gorgeousness of his face. I burned under his gaze. He seemed to know exactly what speed, what depth, what timing to use to ratchet up the intensity with every stroke.
My body sang. Sensation tickled at every nerve ending and bubbled in my core, building with each thrust, and I cried out in ecstasy.
Nik let my hips down and pressed his chest to mine. His hot breath cascaded down my throat and he kissed my pulse, hips swiveling perfectly in time with my breathing. I tried to run my hands down his back but he grabbed my wrists and held them on either side of my head, growling into my throat. It nearly pushed me over the edge.
Nik’s thrusts grew more intense. He panted hard, moaning as his orgasm approached. I couldn’t wait. I wanted to feel his release, wanted to see him lose control. I’d never seen him not in control.
Nik kissed me hard on the mouth and let go of my hands, burying one of his fists in my hair as he slammed his way home. Pleasure ripped through me and I burst, whimpering against his mouth as the world around me splintered into millions of pieces of glass.
And then, the most beautiful thing. Nik lost control.
He groaned, released a string of words I didn’t understand, and his body seized up, collapsing against me. I felt him pulse inside of me and savored the sensation.
He pulled his head up a few seconds later, tracing feverish kisses up my jaw to my lips.
“You don’t have anywhere to be tonight, do you?” he asked.
“No. Why?”
He smiled and pecked my lips. “I like to cuddle.”
I snorted.
Nik pushed himself up on his forearms and gave me a hard look. “What?”
“Nothing,” I said, giggling. “I never thought I’d hear a gig
antic Russian businessman say he’d like to cuddle.”
He cocked a brow. “And you think that’s funny?”
I nodded.
A dark smile curled Nik’s lip and he leaned down, biting my earlobe. “Yes, I like to cuddle,” he whispered. “I also like to fuck, and you’re going to be too tired to laugh by the time I’m finished with you.”
I made a point of laughing, just to see what he’d do.
I wasn’t disappointed.
Chapter 11
Dominik
Quiet snores woke me. I’d always been a light sleeper, which was one of the reasons I normally didn’t invite women to stay the night. But none of the normal rules applied to the woman in my arms.
Besides, I’d slept well all night and the snoring was cute.
I was on my side, with Gemma’s back snuggled up against my chest and my arms holding her close. She snored again and I smiled, tightening my arms and enjoying the feeling of her body heat mingling with mine. She was naked, soft and warm, like the perfect little teddy bear. I nuzzled my nose in her hair and inhaled. She smelled sweet. Vanilla and lilacs.
I wanted to do this every day—wake up to Gemma’s snores, listen to her breathing, slowly prepare for the day to come. I spent a good ten minutes thinking about my day before I remembered.
I met Gemma ring shopping. For the woman I was supposed to marry in a little over a year.
Reality slapped me in the face and I squeezed my eyes shut, willing it to leave me alone for just a few more minutes. I didn’t want to think about the future. I wanted to savor the moment.
Unfortunately, the moment had passed.
Gemma stirred, lifting her head from the pillow and looking around the room.
“What time is it?” she murmured sleepily.
I glanced at the clock next to the bed. “Just after eight.”
I needed to be at work in an hour, but as the CEO it wasn’t like anybody would call me out on it if I was a little late. And with Gemma here, I could see myself being very late.
Gemma shot up, pulling free from my embrace. “Shit! Molly’s probably waiting for me.”
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