by Terry Towers
Grabbing my phone from my Gucci knockoff clutch, I sent a text to Ryker letting him know that I’d arrived and was sitting in the front lobby. After sending the text, I felt the immediate need to pee. Damn. I had a nervous bladder. It wasn’t exactly sexy, but a fact. But I didn’t want to not be here when he came off the elevator.
I sat there, legs crossed, the need to pee becoming more and more urgent with each second that passed. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. My heart stopped within my chest and I waited with bated breath to see if it would be the man who was going to make my dreams come true.
I didn’t breathe again until I saw him step out of the elevator and scan the small lobby. The breath I’d been holding came out in a loud huff as our eyes locked. Oh God, he had the most incredible, yet odd, blue eyes; Almost gray.
He smiled and broke eye contact. Oh Lord, he had dimples when he smiled. I stood as he began to approach me, my eyes doing a sweep of his body. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans with a blue button-down shirt left open, covering a black t-shirt. You could tell there was muscle under the clothing, but it wasn’t over the top, which I loved. God, he was sexy. Why in the hell he didn’t have dozens of women falling all over themselves to be with him was beyond me.
Maybe my mother was right. Maybe there was something wrong with him?
I met him halfway across the room. There was a moment of awkwardness as we reached each other. In my mind’s eye, I’d envisioned running into his arms and having him spin me around, like you see in the movies. That’s not how it went down.
We stood looking at each other a moment before he took the final step, closing the distance between us. He slipped his arms around my waist and pulled me into his embrace. I sighed, slipping my arms around his neck, enjoying the feeling of his strong, hard body pressed against mine. As we embraced, the smell of his aftershave enveloped me, enticing me to stay within the circle of his arms.
It was Ryker that pulled away first, way too quickly for my liking; though as soon as he did, I remembered one very important thing. I needed to pee.
“It’s nice to finally meet you.” He smiled at me again and I felt like melting.
“I gotta go.”
His smile quickly faded. “Ummm.”
“I mean, the bathroom. I have to use the bathroom.”
Laughing, he placed a hand on my shoulder and pointed to my left. “There’s one just to the left of the reception desk, unless you want to use the one in my room.”
I shook my head, there was no time, I needed the bathroom — now. Without another word, I raced across the lobby.
~*~ TT ~*~
Ryker
I chuckled as I watched her scurry across the lobby and disappear into the washroom. When she’d said she had to go, a little part of me panicked thinking she’d perhaps changed her mind and that what my brother had said was correct; the whole thing had been a foolish waste of time and money.
It didn’t take long before she returned and I stood my ground, taking the opportunity to examine her as she took long, graceful strides towards me. The dress she was wearing was very pretty. It was green and alluring without being too revealing. I liked that it left something to the imagination. Her dark smoky cat eye make-up was perfectly applied. She was so stunning to look at that it was as though she’d stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
I’d been sharing some of the concerns that Calvin was having about her moving from a big city like Moscow to live with a couple of brothers in a little town. The ranch was a half an hour away from the nearest town, which only had a population of five thousand people. Could she become the wife I was looking for? I guess that was what this weekend was for, to ensure that she’d be able to fit what my brother and I needed in our lives.
“Feeling better?” I asked as she came within arm’s reach.
“Yes. Much.” Her cheeks took on an appealing rosy glow and she lowered her eyes a moment. “Thank you.” When she looked back up at me, I could see the nervousness in her green eyes. I wanted to pull her into my arms again; her body was so dainty, and she smelled of strawberries. I fucking loved strawberries. I settled with taking her hand in mine and giving it a squeeze as we proceeded to exit the hotel.
“So where are we going, Miss Tour Guide?” I really didn’t have anything planned. I’d told her in advance if there was anything she wanted to see or do while I was there to get it in order.
“I was thinking you would want supper. I didn’t eat,” she said as we exited the hotel.
Fuck, I loved her accent. Her voice was so soft, I could spend all day talking to her and never get tired of it. It also amazed me how incredibly good her English was. Had it not been for the fact that she had an accent, I would never have guessed English wasn’t her first language.
“Something to eat would be great. Lead the way.”
“I know a place, not far from here. We can walk.”
“Sure.” I kept her dainty hand in mine as we walked and I took in the sights around me. I’d traveled throughout North America but had never ventured to Europe before now so the sights kept me busy. We’d talk at the restaurant.
She seemed fine with the silence of the walk, which I appreciated, answering my questions whenever I had one about a structure or if I needed a sign translated.
“We’re here.” She motioned to a building which had a western look to it. I cocked a brow up at her as we entered. She shrugged in response.
“Welcome to the Corral Restaurant,” the waiter said as we entered the establishment.
Corral Restaurant? I’ll be honest, I’d been hoping for some traditional Russian cuisine while here. What better place to eat Russian food than in Russia, right? Instead, it appeared she’d taken me to an American steakhouse — in Russia. Chuckling to myself, I looked down at Nina, who seemed thrilled to be here. If she was happy then how could I not? Besides, I was here to bring home a wife; did it matter where we ate in the grand scheme of things? The answer was a resounding NO.
Once we were seated with menus in hand, the waiter took off and left us to mull over the selections. It quite literally had everything I would expect from an American steakhouse; steak, ribs, burgers, fries, mashed potatoes and so on and so forth. Typical foods. Once I decided on ribs and she chose steak, I pinned her with a stare, knowing exactly where I wanted to start.
“How did you come to learn English so well? Lessons? It’s very impressive.”
She smiled, the smile reaching up and reflecting in her eyes while a hint of color spread across her cheeks. “Thank you. From the time I was a little girl I loved everything about America. I used to watch movies but did not know what was being said unless they had subtitles. I wanted to learn. I watched more and more movies. I bought books and learned each word. In high school, I took English too, but I’d learned most by then.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Thank you. I didn’t mention it until now but I have a request.”
“Sure.” I’d been warned this would be about the time the women would ask for money if that’s why they were doing this, so I waited, expecting the worst and hoping for the best.
“My mother wants to meet you. She will not allow me to leave without meeting you first.”
“She doesn’t want you to leave?”
“I’m all she has now. My father died when I was still a child and she never had any more children.”
A felt a tinge of guilt over this. I hated to know I was removing her from her mother’s life. I’d been so focused on what I wanted that I hadn’t considered what she was going to be leaving behind due to this process. But she was the one who signed up for the mail-order bride site; no one was forcing her, not to my knowledge anyhow.
“Then why are you leaving?” We’d been through this before; going to America was her dream, but I wasn’t aware that she was leaving her mother behind with no one.
“America is my dream and my mother wants me to be happy. She doesn’t want to move though. She loves Ru
ssia and is happy here; it’s home for her.” Nina gave me a rueful smile. “Besides, she doesn’t think this will work. She’s scared for me.”
“Why?” I knew why but asked anyhow. Any mother would be terrified for their daughter who was traveling across the world to marry a stranger.
“She thinks you might hurt me.”
I reached across the table and gave her hand a squeeze. “That would never happen.”
“Would you admit to being a bad man if you were?” Her eyes narrowed at me but the smile on her lips told me she was just teasing.
“I suppose not.”
“It’s worth the risk. And I’d like to go to school. I didn’t get further than high school but I love school and I love to learn.”
Okay, she hadn’t told me about her hopes of attending college. There were no colleges or universities in our area. Lots of horse and cow pastures, but higher education establishments, there were not. But there was always online learning. We’d figure something out.
Chapter 3
Nina
To go upstairs with him or not tonight? That had been one of the many questions and concerns racing through my head over the course of the evening which we spent sightseeing while getting to know each other on a more intimate level.
One thing I did know was the man walking beside me, holding onto my hand, was extremely sexy. There were numerous times over the course of the night I hoped he’d kiss me or initiate a more intimate contact beyond hand-holding but he hadn’t. There was a small part of me that wondered if maybe he was disappointed in me; Russia was jam-packed with stunning, sexy women. What if I wasn’t the only woman he was visiting here?
I shook my head. I was being silly and paranoid second-guessing myself. There was only me.
In addition to that, he seemed genuinely nice and interested in getting to know who I am and what I wanted for my life. The way he described where he lived sounded like a dream come true, a place to settle and call home.
As the night came to an end, we found ourselves in front of his hotel.
He looked around and frowned. “Maybe I should take the train back to your place with you to make sure you get home safely. It’s rather late.”
It was a few minutes before midnight.
I smiled, but my smile was forced. He wasn’t even going to offer for me to stay. Not saying I was ready to have sex with him tonight but we didn’t have to have sex to spend the night together. “I’ve been riding the train by myself since I was twelve; I’ll be fine. Moscow isn’t as bad as everyone thinks it is.”
“Okay.” He nodded towards the front doors. “Unless you wanted to spend the night. Would your mother be okay with that? Would you want to?”
My heart rate began to accelerate at the offer. He wanted me. At the same time, I was feeling a little embarrassed that I was living with my mother still. It wasn’t unheard of here, but I was pretty sure that in America only people who were considered losers still lived with their parents when they were twenty.
Chewing at my bottom lip, I nodded. “I would like that.”
He hesitated a moment and I could have sworn I saw a flash of desire in his captivating eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “Come then.”
~*~ TT ~*~
Ryker
I planned on being a gentleman.
Normally, taking a woman up to my room would be a no-brainer. Easy-peasy. Hell, it would pretty much be expected. But this was different; she was going to be my wife, not just some flavor of the week. I potentially had the rest of my life to indulge in every part of her stunning body. As much as my dick wanted a taste of her, I could wait. I could be a gentleman.
However, the look of disappointment in her eyes made me have a change of heart. It was almost as if I’d hurt her feelings by not inviting her up. Maybe it was expected in these types of arrangements? Try out the merchandise before buying it? Had she been through this before? I never did ask her that.
Did it matter?
Swiping my card key in the reader, the lock beeped and I opened the door, motioning for Nina to enter before I did. “It’s not much of a room. Just a place to lay my head at night.”
As she entered, she looked around the room, making a slow circle in the middle of the floor. There wasn’t much to see: a bed, night side table, a small table with two chairs and a 32-inch television mounted on the wall. Nothing all too spectacular.
“It’s nice.” She kicked off her sandals and sat down on the bed, smiling up at me as she brushed a lock of auburn hair over her shoulder. “The place I share with Mom isn’t all that spectacular. It’s just a place.”
“It’s going to be quite a culture shock when you get to my place.” I needed a drink. Going to the mini fridge, I opened it up and peered inside. The bottom row was all wines. “What type of wine do you like?” I wasn’t much of a wine drinker — beer was my poison — but for her I’d make due.
“Anything. Red preferably.”
Selecting a red wine, I opened the top while closing the cooler with my heel. “Then red it shall be.” There weren’t any wine glasses, so a couple of water glasses would have to do.
As I poured the wine, she slid from the bed to stand next to me, accepting the glass as I passed it to her. “Thank you.”
I poured one for myself and set down the bottle. “How about we make a toast?”
“All right.”
Holding up my glass to her, I said, “To us and to our future together. It may have been an unorthodox situation that has brought us together but it could be this very situation that makes our marriage a successful one.”
“That’s so nice.” She smiled, peering up at me through her long, thick lashes. “To us.” With that, we clinked our glasses together and I could see her hand shaking, ever so slightly, as she brought it to her red painted lips and took a not so dainty swig.
After taking a drink, downing the contents in one gulp, I placed my empty glass on the table; she followed suit. I couldn’t resist anymore, even if I wanted to, which I didn’t. Slipping a hand into her hair, I grasped the back of her head as I lowered my lips to hers. Not wanting to scare her, I forced myself to remain gentle, grazing my lips over hers and feeling a sense of satisfaction when I heard her sigh against my lips.
But the sigh from her did more than give me satisfaction; it sent my cock into overdrive. I went from flaccid to hard in the matter of seconds; it was almost fucking embarrassing how easily she could get me riled up and readied for her.
My hand fisted her hair as I deepened the kiss, tasting the wine on her lips and then deeper still, my tongue seeking out hers. As our tongues met, it felt like a jolt of electric pleasure shot through me. Slipping my free hand around her waist, I pulled her tight to me before lowering my hand to her amazing, toned ass. Fuck, I couldn’t wait to see her ass bounce as I rode her hard from behind.
Would she like it if I pulled her hair as I rode her and slapped her ass? Some women loved it, others not so much. The deviant within me hoped it was the former, not that I was into anything all that kinky — with the exception of sharing a woman with my brother. For some perverse reason, doubling up on a woman with Calvin turned me on something fierce. Maybe it was due to the fact that there was something wicked about being with a woman wild enough to take on a set of brothers at once? I really didn’t know.
She moaned against my lips as she rubbed up against my erection, sliding her hands up my chest and caressing the muscle as she went. Sweet Jesus, I may still be tired from my lack of sleep, but for her I had no doubt that I could manage to go all night.
~*~ TT ~*~
Nina
Oh God, he was such an amazing kisser. From experience no doubt. I didn’t want to spend time thinking about his past lovers; they had nothing to do with me. I was his future, not them.
I allowed myself to let go to the moment, grinding against his dick, which was impressive if the large bulge was to be believed. An ache began to develop between my legs and I gripped onto h
is shoulders as his hands slipped down my ass and to my thighs, slowly pulling my skirt up until they were up and under my skirt, cupping my ass cheeks with just my thin satin panties separating my flesh from his palms.
Ryker began massaging my buttocks in his hands. With each caress his fingers came closer to the apex between my legs. The closer he went, the higher I got, becoming intoxicated with my need for him. Just when he got to the point where he was going to be able to slip his fingers under my panties and touch the growing wetness between my legs, he pulled away, sliding his hands down the length of my legs to grasp my upper thighs. In one mighty motion, he hoisted me up onto his hips.
I squealed, wrapping my legs around his hips, surprised as he twirled me around and proceeded to walk towards the bed with me clinging to him. The walk took a grand total of five steps before we went tumbling onto the bed, him over me. For a split second, I was scared that he was going to crush me with his weight. I would reckon that he was close to double my slender one-hundred five pounds. But he didn’t. At the last moment, his hands shot out and settled on either side of my head, stopping his full weight from falling onto me.
Staring up at him, deep into his eyes, I shivered, sending a spasm through my entire body as I saw the depth of his desire for me in his eyes. I was both excited, my body demanding he take me, and terrified.
There was something that I needed to tell him if this was going to go any further, something perhaps I should have told him already but hadn’t.
Chapter 4
Ryker
I wanted this woman. The way she moved against me, tempting my cock. The way she moaned, ever so softly, challenging me to make her scream out in pleasure. Holy sweet mother of fuck, I really wanted this woman. All thoughts of being a gentleman were now out the window as my lips began to make their way across her jaw and to her neck.
“Ryker.”
“Yes, baby,” I murmured in her ear just before nibbling at her lobe.