by Lee, Leona
Bethany sat down to eat with him, but was surprised they weren’t eating in the dining room. Reading her expression, he responded, “The table out there tends to get used for work. I find that I enjoy having my meals in here.”
She swirled some pasta onto her fork before skewering some red peppers and a shrimp. Popping it into her mouth, she bit down and closed her eyes in delight. “Oh. This is good. This is really good,” she told him, as she licked her lips. “So, um, how are you with breakfast food?”
“Maybe you should stick around and find out,” he responded with a glint in his eyes. Blushing, she quickly dropped her gaze as she concentrated on eating. They continued to make small talk as they enjoyed their meal and wine.
When dinner was over, he took the plates to the sink and quickly rinsed them before placing them in the dishwasher. Rising to help him, he waved her back down as he added more wine to her glass. “This won’t take long,” he told her with a smile, and it didn’t. In a matter of minutes, he was done and taking her hand, they walked back into the living room where he turned on some music and they settled on the leather couch.
Tucking her feet under her, Bethany sat sideways facing him as they chatted and Vadim was continually impressed with her quick wit and intelligence. Not that he should be surprised, given the number of languages she spoke, but from the look on her face, she seemed to be always processing information, much like a computer. Although, he had to admit that he found her sexual naivety endearing. So many women her age were already far more experienced than him sexually, and he was more than ten years older than she was. Didn’t women understand that it wasn’t a badge of honor to have so many notches on the proverbial bedpost?
He didn’t realize that Bethany had stopped talking until he caught her looking at him with a smile on her face. “Penny for your thoughts?” she asked.
“Apologies,” he answered as he looked at her. “I was thinking about how beautiful I find you, and I got lost in my thoughts.” Bethany blushed and went to sip from her wine, but Vadim reached for her glass and set it on the table next to his. Taking her hands, he looked at them before turning them over and kissing her palms. “You are a beautiful woman, Bethany. All of you. I hope that someday you will come to see that for yourself, but until then, I will have to tell you.”
Bethany closed her eyes to the sensations he was creating on her hands as he kissed her palms and rubbed his thumbs along her wrists. When he says I’m beautiful, I almost believe it, she thought as she gasped. How was it that such an innocent touch could arouse her, she wondered, as she opened her eyes to his serious look. Sometimes, I feel like prey around him. I have to remember to be careful.
Bethany yelped as she was lifted off the couch and landed on Vadim’s lap as he wrapped his arms around her. “I meant what I said about your beauty.” Holding her face, he looked into her eyes as their lips met. Her hands slid around his neck as she pulled him closer and their tongues danced together. His hand found its way to her hair as he tangled his fingers in it. “It pleases me that you wore your hair down tonight. It looks good on you.”
Unable to handle any more compliments, Bethany nibbled on his lower lip before sucking at it gently. When he parted his mouth in surprise, it was her turn to kiss him as she tentatively explored his mouth. Groaning, he leaned back, holding her tightly to him as they continued to kiss. His free hand found the slit on her dress and he rubbed her thigh. Moving his way up, he rubbed her hip and ass as she pushed against his hand.
Sitting up, he stood up while still holding her in his arms. Startled Bethany broke the kiss as she realized that they were walking. He smiled as he kissed her nose. “What’s wrong?”
“Um, nothing, really. It’s just that I’ve always thought that I was too tall to carry like this.”
“Clearly, that isn’t the case,” he answered as he set her down in his bedroom. Walking to the bedside table, he grabbed a remote to adjust the lighting as she took a quick look around. Like the front room, the bedroom was surrounded by windows as the lights of Dallas blinked playfully outside.
Reaching for the buttons on his shirt, Bethany began to unbutton them one by one. As his shirt began to part, she would kiss the skin beneath. His hands roamed freely over her body before hooking his fingers on her dress and slowly drawing it up. When he had the hem in his hands, he lifted the dress over her head and smiled in appreciation at her mint green lace bra and matching panties.
While he fumbled for the clasp on her bra, Bethany had finished unbuttoning his shirt and pulled it out of his pants. He stepped back to remove his shirt before unclasping her bra. As it fell free, she resisted the urge to cover herself. His hands boldly fondled her breasts as her nipples stiffened to painful peaks, and she thought that her knees might give out. Spinning her around until her back was to the bed, he gave her a light push, and she fell backwards onto it. She leaned up on her elbows as she watched him pull his belt free and drop his pants.
She laughed as he playfully jumped on the bed, but then grew serious as he rolled on top of her. His insistent erection made her acutely aware of how much she turned him on, and she had never experienced anything like this before. Rubbing his chest, she began to touch him all over, mimicking the same thing he was doing to her earlier. Her thumb brushed over his nipple and she was surprised to see it tighten in response. Tilting her head, she lifted her head and licked it lightly as he sucked in a breath.
Emboldened, she began to lick and suck at his nipples as he closed his eyes in pleasure. Unable to handle much more, he stopped her by lavishing attention on her breasts as one hand found its way to her mound. Tangling his fingers in her curls, he rubbed her slit before easily sliding one finger inside. He couldn’t believe how wet she was as her muscles eagerly clutched at his finger.
Wanting to give her as much pleasure as possible, he continued to kiss and lick her as she began to pant. Remembering how sensitive her stomach was last time, he licked her navel as she sucked in her stomach, gasping.
Grabbing her leg, he lifted it over his hip, positioning himself to enter her. He slid in easily this time as her body welcomed him. Lifting her slightly, he adjusted the angle as he began to plunge in and out of her depths as they continued to kiss. Her hands continued to roam over his body before settling on his ass as she tried to pull him tightly against her. Taking her cue, he shifted to longer, deeper strokes as he moved rhythmically inside her. She moaned and scratched at his backside as he began to pick up the pace.
Alternating between short and long strokes quickly brought Bethany to her first orgasm as her body quivered with need. Not stopping, he continued to move in and out, as he felt her spasms increase. Unsure how much longer he could hold out, he quickened his pace, shortening his thrusts. Several more strokes and he slammed into her, groaning as her muscles milked him dry.
Rolling to his side, he pulled her with him as he held her. Snuggling against him, she pressed kisses to his chest before falling asleep in his arms.
Chapter 14
Bethany woke the next morning to bright sun streaming in the window. She was surprised to see the bed empty. Rising, she went to the bathroom and managed to clean herself up before coming back out. She put her dress back on and padded out to the other room to find Vadim reading from a tablet.
“You’re up early,” she commented as she leaned in to kiss him. When he tilted his head, she ended up kissing his cheek. Looking at him quizzically, she sat down across from him as he pushed the coffee press toward her. She poured a cup and sipped from it as she waited for him to speak.
“I had an early call this morning, which is why I was up. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I’ve been doing some research. I’m thinking of buying an absinthe fountain for the bar. What do you think?”
Looking at him over her cup, “I don’t know anything about it.”
“But you’ve had it?”
Sighing, “I don’t actually remember drinking it, no.”
“So, then, you don’t r
emember ‘Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder and the pants come off faster?’”
Looking at him with wide eyes. “It was you! How long have you known?”
“I just found out.”
“Oh Vadim, I am so sorry for my behavior that night. I had way too much to drink.”
Nodding his head politely, “Would you like to see pictures of what I found?”
Presuming he still meant the fountain, “I suppose,” Bethany replied as she reached out her hand to take the tablet from him. She gasped when she saw pictures of herself on campus, coming and going at her apartment, work, the grocery store. As she flipped through the photos, there were a couple shots of her in New York that looked like they were taken from a traffic camera. She also saw copies of police reports involving her stepfather and mother, along with photos of her at twelve. As she continued to flip through the file, she stopped when she saw the picture of her shaking Director Williams’ hand at her graduation. Oh crap, think Bethany!
“Normally, my first response when someone betrays me is to kill them, but given that I’ve grown fond of you, I’m going to give you one chance to explain yourself. How is it that a graduate of the FBI Academy is working in my club?”
Setting the tablet back down, she looked at him. “I’m not a graduate.”
“Is that you standing on stage accepting a diploma?”
“I’m accepting an empty diploma case. I didn’t graduate. Not that I wouldn’t have wanted to, because it was a dream of mine. That or to be able to work at the UN as a translator. But when your stepfather is in prison for killing his stepson, the woman who raised me is a known marijuana grower, and your body is riddled with scars from same stepfather’s drunken abuse, not only do you get a big fat no, they’re not even polite about it.”
“Then what were you doing onstage?”
“They have a translation program that’s better than the one at Barnard, and I was able to take it. It was the closest I ever got to the Academy,” she answered mournfully.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well, that’s easily fixed.” Going to her bag, she pulled out her phone and looked up the main number to the FBI. Clicking on it, she asked the operator to transfer her to Director Williams. When she reached his secretary, she explained who she was and that there was some question as to the translation program she participated in. Hoping that Williams would figure out what’s going on, she put the phone on speaker and held her breath.
“This is Director Williams.”
“Hi, sir, this is Bethany Michaels. I’m not sure if you remember me, but…”
“I remember you, Ms. Michaels, what can I do for you?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but there was some question about the translation program I participated in, and I was hoping to ask you how I would get copies of my transcripts.”
“In looking at your file, I see that you’re in graduate school at the University of Texas. The admissions office would have all that information as you would have had to provide it for admission.”
“Of course, sir, I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. Thank you…” before she could finish, he hung up. Disconnecting the call, she turned angry eyes toward Vadim. “Did you have any other questions?”
Vadim stared at her confused, unsure what to say. Standing up, she put her hands on her hips as she stared down at him, “I told you the first time that you had me followed that I didn’t appreciate it, and now you delve into my past when I specifically told you that I wanted it behind me. What kind of a person dredges up a person’s past?”
“Bethany, I’m sorry. You have to understand that in my line of work, I have to be careful.”
“And what exactly IS your line of work, Mr. Sannikoff, because as far as I know, you own a bar and a club.”
“It’s more than that, Malyutka. Much more. Please, sit down, let me explain.”
“I don’t think so. In fact, I’m leaving.” As she turned to retrieve her shoes, Vadim got up to follow her.
“My full name is Victor Vadimar Markman. My mother was Sannikoff, and I changed my name after my father died. And I own more than a couple clubs. Much more. Please, Malyutka. Stay.”
Shaking her head, Bethany shakily grabbed her bag, stalked to the elevator, and pushed the button. As the doors opened, she got on. Pushing the button for the lobby, she hoped to find a cab as there was no way she would use his driver again. As the doors closed, she sagged against the elevator wall.
She was sleeping with the head of the Drobilka cartel!
Part 2 coming soon!
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