Cold War: Figure Skating Gay Romance

by Keira Andrews

  “I hope so too. I’m sorry you have to deal with this and be so far away from your family.” Dev kissed him softly. “I meant to tell you that I was thinking…”

  “Were you? That only leads to no good.”

  Dev smiled and ignored him. “I was thinking I can get to know Kisa more this time. And you and Bailey too. On tour, we avoided each other so much in public that the four of us never really hung out.”

  Misha raised an eyebrow. “Are we sure this is such good idea?”

  “Bailey and Kisa will get along great. Once they get to know each other. Probably. Maybe.”

  “I suppose we will hope for the best, yes?”

  “Yes.” Dev kissed him lightly. “Now let’s make dinner and watch the next disc of Buffy. We’re getting close to the end of season two, and it’s awesome.”

  “Is there more Spike? He’s delicious.”

  “He’ll be back, don’t worry. I’m more of an Angel guy myself. Hey, why don’t we grill that zucchini and a couple of steaks?”

  Misha nodded, smiling as Dev pulled the meat from the freezer, humming. There was a plaintive scratching at the door in the living room, and he went to open it for Zoloto, who greeted him as a father long lost.

  In the barest glimmer of a crescent moon, the dark waves broke and rolled to shore. Misha leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the floor-to-ceiling window. He could watch the ocean for days and never tire of it. Behind him, Dev stirred with a snort and mumble.

  Dev’s voice was sleep slurred. “You okay?”

  “Yes. Only thinking.”

  There was a smile in Dev’s voice. “That only leads to no good.”

  After the whisper of sheets and creak of the mattress, he was there, lips soft on the nape of Misha’s neck. They were both naked, and Misha shivered as Dev caressed his ass while his other hand stole around to stroke Misha’s chest and he pressed close.

  “What’s up? Aside from you at three fifteen in the morning.”

  Leaning back into Dev’s warmth and the security of his arms, Misha closed his eyes to the sea. “It feels like such a dream sometimes. Being here. Being with you. Some nights I think when next I open my eyes, it will all have vanished and I’ll be back in Moscow in that tiny apartment. With only practice, practice, practice. Nothing but ice forever.”

  Dev’s hands were gentle. “It’s over now. You’re here. You’re safe.”

  Misha sighed. “Da.”

  After a silence, Dev spoke softly. “It’s still strange sometimes. After all those years, the same routine every season. Right now we’d be exhausted from the Grand Prix circuit, and you’d have Russian Nationals next week while I’d try to squeeze Christmas into my training schedule. Sometimes I wake up and for a moment I panic because I think I must have slept in and my coach is going to kill me.”

  Misha chuckled. “Yes. Very strange at times. As though we are playing make-believe. Hiding from our true lives.” Misha shuddered as the vestige of a dream whipped through his head. “Sometimes I fear a bang on the door. That they will come to take me away.”

  “But you kept up your end of the bargain. The KGB or whatever the hell they’re calling themselves these days don’t have any power over you. Not since you won the gold.”

  Opening his eyes, Misha tried to see Dev’s face in their moonlit reflection on the glass, but there were only the waves. He caught Dev’s fingers in his own and raised his hand for a kiss. They’d barely spoken of it since the Games, but he knew the silver medal would always be a disappointment for Dev. He had a passion for skating that had died in Misha years ago when officials had forced him back to train in Russia. “I wish you could have won.”

  Dev’s laugh was a harsh burst of warmth on the back of Misha’s neck, and his body tensed. “No you don’t.”

  He held onto Dev’s hand and sighed. “Perhaps not. But part of me wishes it. Truly.”

  “And part of me is glad you won.” He wrapped his arms around Misha’s waist, the tension dissipating as quickly as it came. “And a big part of me still can’t believe we’re here together. A year ago I would have said the odds of me living with Mikhail Reznikov in a beach house in Santa Monica were about a bazillion to one.”

  “Is that more than a billion?”

  “Clearly.” Dev nipped Misha’s shoulder.

  “Will I meet your parents in Boston?” Misha blurted out the question before he could stop himself.

  Dev went still, his arms around Misha’s middle. “Do you want to meet them?”

  “Yes. Perhaps. I don’t know.”

  “I thought we agreed. We both said it was better this way. At least at first.” His hands dropped away as he stepped back.

  Misha faced him and reached out to brush a wayward curl from Dev’s forehead. “It’s getting long again.”

  “I’m getting it cut next week before the show. Misha, don’t change the subject.” Dev frowned. “Am I wrong? We said we’d keep this private until…until I don’t know when. I just don’t know if my parents are ready for this yet.”

  “My parents know about you.”

  “I know.” Dev blew out a long breath. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell them. I just want to make sure it’s the right time. Which I realize sounds incredibly lame. But it’s…complicated.” He rubbed his face. “There’s so much to learn at work, and we have the show coming up. It makes me nauseous to think about telling my family right now.”

  “It’s all right. It’s your choice.” Misha petted Dev’s hair. “Don’t be upset.”

  “It feels so safe here with you. I don’t want everyone else and their bullshit to ruin it. Not while we’re still figuring everything out. You’re not even sure what you want to do.”

  “I thought I might…” He shook his head. “It is silly, really.”

  “What is it?” Dev ran his hands over Misha’s sides. “Tell me. Please?”

  “The other week I started writing. I brought my laptop outside to answer e-mail, and I found myself with words to say. A story about a boy in a castle with dragons and giants. See? It’s foolishness. I have always made up these stories in my mind, but who would want to read about such things?”

  “Me, for starters. And lots of people. If you want to be a writer—write. Go for it. What do you have to lose? I think it would be amazing.”

  “Yes?” Excitement sang in Misha’s veins. “Although I will have to write in Russian. My English spelling is not so good. You really think this would be a worthy thing?”

  “Absolutely.” Dev kissed him. “And about my parents…I do want you to meet my family. Once my mom gets over the fact that she’s resented you for years, she’s totally going to love you.”

  He chuckled. “Hmm. Yes, perhaps we wait. It is as you said—complicated.”

  “They’ll be at the show on Christmas Eve. You could meet them then. Show them what a nice guy you are, so when I do tell them, it won’t be such a shock. So that means you have to be the real you. Not skating you.”

  He frowned. “I am real as a skater.”

  Dev rolled his eyes. “You’re aloof and cold and perfect as a skater. There’s a reason we called you Robot Reznikov.” He ran his hands over Misha’s ass. “If people only knew what you’re really like.” He nipped Misha’s neck, his breath hot. “How you are when we’re together. I love being here with you. It’s better than I ever dreamed.”

  “Truly?” Misha’s chest felt so full of his heart he could hardly breathe.

  “Of course.” Dev kissed Misha gently. “I love it here. I love my new job.” He huffed out a laugh. “It’s funny, you know. Only Bailey knows about you, but I’ve never been so committed to someone. We live together. We don’t see anyone else. I don’t even know why we use condoms anymore.”

  Excitement bolted through Misha, everything else forgotten. “You want this too? Sex with…only us? No rubber?”

  Dev nodded, his breath coming shallowly. “I know I’m clean. Had all the tests for the tour insurance. You did
too, right?”

  “Yes. It is safe.” Misha’s fingers tingled and he licked his lips. “I want this very much. I wasn’t sure if you…if you would…” It had been part of their fantasies when they’d had phone sex, but the real thing was different.

  Dev brushed back Misha’s short hair where it swooped over his forehead. “I’ve never trusted anyone the way I trust you.”

  “Ya tozhe,” Misha murmured. “Me either. How I would love to feel you come.” He grazed his teeth over Dev’s earlobe. “Love to have you fill me with nothing between us. Love…”

  Yet, he hesitated to say the words properly. He loved Dev. This he knew without doubt. He thought Dev loved him as well, but neither of them spoke it.

  Then Dev was kissing him, and Misha stopped thinking. They stumbled to the bed, lips and tongues and hands exploring as if their bodies were new. Dev’s stubble scraped over Misha’s heated skin, and the thought that he was going to have Dev inside him with no barrier between them set his blood rushing.

  He rolled away to fumble for the plastic tube they kept in the small table next to the bed and slicked his fingers. Pushing onto his knees, he reached back to open himself and get ready.

  Dev groaned beside him, stroking himself to full hardness as he watched. “Just like the first time. God, you’re amazing. You have no idea how much I’ve wanted this. How much I’ve wanted to fuck you raw. Spread you open and fill you up until it’s dripping out of you, down your thighs and—”

  “Da, da! Now. Fuck me now.” Misha flipped over and lifted his knees to his shoulders, opening himself.

  Dev moved over him, holding his weight on his arms. “I wish you could see yourself like this. So perfect.” He licked into Misha’s mouth. “You’re going to make me come just thinking about being inside you,” he muttered.

  Gripping Dev’s curls, Misha tugged. “Do it. Fuck me. Voydi v menya. Inside me.”

  Their eyes met as Dev pushed at Misha’s hole, the stretch sweet as the head nudged inside. Without a condom, Misha felt Dev’s cock like a brand, and he moaned over and over. “Da. Ya goryu dlya tebya. Burning for you, Vassenka. More, more.”

  With a powerful thrust of his hips, Dev was inside him, pushing so deep that Misha was sure he’d break in two—and die happy. He raised his legs onto Dev’s shoulders, squeezing around his cock.

  Panting, Dev grabbed Misha’s hips, heavy on top of him. “You feel so good. Jesus, it’s so good. I can feel every inch of you. Fuck, Misha.”

  It was hard to breathe, being bent in half as he was, and Misha gasped, his mouth open as he rocked with Dev’s thrusts. “Fuck me forever. I love your cock. Fill me until there’s nothing left.”

  Their flesh slapped together as Dev drove into him, and Misha reveled in the hot pleasure spiking through his body as Dev hit the perfect place and in the freedom to be truly himself, open and bare.

  Sweat beaded on Dev’s face, and Misha licked it, their teeth clashing as they rutted together, trying to kiss. Everywhere Dev’s body touched him, Misha was on fire, but nowhere more than in his core, Dev’s cock like the most exquisite hot iron, scorching him and making him whole at the same time.

  “I’m so close,” Dev muttered. “Jesus. So good.”

  Misha teased Dev’s nipples, knowing it would send him over the edge.

  Groaning, Dev batted his hand away. “You first.” He reached between them and jerked Misha’s dick, his hips still hammering Misha’s ass. “Come for me, Misha. Just me.”

  “Only you, Vassenka,” he agreed, shaking as his balls drew up. When Dev rubbed against the right spot inside him again, Misha came apart, his ankles by his ears as he cried out. He was flying, grounded only by Dev’s cock deep inside him. He clamped down as he splashed between them, and Dev gasped.

  “Oh God!” He threw his head back, muscles straining as he came.

  Deep within, Misha could feel Dev’s release as though it marked him like ink, and he squeezed hard, milking out every drop until it did drip from his ass. He had never felt anything like it before. It was messy and wet and entirely wonderful. He dragged Dev’s head down for a kiss, both of them panting and trembling.

  When Dev slowly pulled out, Misha whimpered at the loss, his legs still bent back. Sitting back on his heels, lips parted, Dev dipped his fingers into Misha’s stretched hole, mesmerized. Misha took hold of Dev’s wrist and brought up his hand to suck his sticky fingers clean.

  Exhaling noisily, Dev shook his head. “So good,” he whispered. “We should have done this months ago.” He gently lowered Misha’s legs, kissing his knees gently as he did. “You’re incredible.”

  “You fuck me like I’ve always dreamed of.”

  His dark eyes fiercely intent, Dev kissed him deeply. “Always.” Sighing, he nuzzled Misha’s neck. “About before…are we good?”

  Everything they’d talked about seemed so distant and unimportant. “We are better than good, Vassenka.”

  They fell asleep sated and sprawled, and Misha’s last thought was of how soon they could do it again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “So.”

  Misha smiled awkwardly. “Yes. Here we are.”

  He gazed at the people crowding around the arrivals gate. In the twenty seconds since Dev had left to go to the bathroom, Misha had tried to think of something to say and had come up empty. Bailey smiled back up at him. Like most female pairs skaters, she was very petite, not even reaching Misha’s shoulder. As a family pushing an overloaded luggage cart shoved through the crowd, she stepped closer.

  “We are indeed.”

  “It was very kind of you to come and for Dev to borrow his father’s car. The producers were surprised when I told them Kisa wouldn’t need transportation.”

  “I bet. Guess you didn’t tell them who was picking her up.”

  “No. I omitted that part.” Looking up at the arrivals board, Misha pointed. “Should be any minute. Probably a line at customs.”

  “Yeah, the airport’s really busy this time of year.”

  Another silence. Then Misha asked, “Your parents will be in California for Christmas? Your brother lives in San Francisco?”

  “Yep. His wife just had another baby, and they’re all super excited. It sucks I can’t be there, but this show on Christmas Eve should be cool. NBC’s all into live specials these days. If the ratings are good, maybe skating can make it back into prime time on a regular basis.”

  He wasn’t sure what prime time meant but nodded. “That would be good, yes.”

  “How’s the dog? Where’s she staying while you guys are here?”

  “The neighbor next door. She has a pug who plays with Zoloto often. At least while we are gone Zoloto can still run on the sand and feel at home. I do not like leaving her, but it’s only a week or so.”

  They watched the arrivals and delays flash on the board.

  Bailey unbuttoned her dark pea coat and put it over her arm. She wore jeans and a green turtleneck sweater that contrasted well with the red in her hair. She clapped her hands decisively. “Okay, so let’s just power through this awkwardness.”

  Misha braced himself. “Okay.”

  “Since we avoided each other on tour because you and Dev have a hard time being in the same room without looking like you want to suck each other’s faces, you and I have never really, you know…talked. And Dev’ll be back any minute, so I just want to say that you make him really happy, and I’m glad.” She rocked on her heels, her boots clacking. “That’s all, I guess. I think it would be cool to be friends, because Dev’s my boy and I don’t want it to be weird with us.”

  “I would like very much to be friends. I…” He tried to find the words. “Dev makes me very happy as well.”

  Eyes gleaming, Bailey grinned. “He does, doesn’t he? You’re crazy about him. You have good taste, Mikhail. I approve.”

  “Misha. Please call me this. We are friends, yes?”

  “Okay. Misha.” She smiled again. “Sounds good.”

  He cast
about for something else to say. For a moment they were quiet in the din of the crowd and the crackle of announcements over the loudspeaker. “Dev said you will visit in February.”

  “Yeah, if it’s cool with you. I’ll be dying for some sunshine by then. Pittsburgh in the winter? Not my favorite place.”

  “I have never been. But I am used to Moscow winters, so I can imagine.”

  “Do you miss it? Russia, I mean. Not the winters. Your family and everything. The government really sucks these days. Not that ours is much better. But the anti-gay stuff is crazy over there. It’s like they really went back in time.”

  “I do miss it, but the last years it felt more like prison than true home.” He tried to ignore the pang of sadness at the thought of his family in St. Petersburg. “There is talk of a new party to rival the government. But it might come to nothing.”

  Bailey grimaced. “That guy is a total dictator. He sucks.”

  “Yes. We hope he can be voted out, but there is so much corruption. The situation for homosexuals becomes worse and worse. So much violence and hatred.”

  She squeezed his arm. “I’m so glad you were able to come here.”

  “I am glad also. And glad you are here. Thank you for coming to the airport.”

  “Of course.” She shrugged. “It’s weird, huh? You, Kisa, me, and Dev—we’ve known each other for years but not really at all until now. I mean, you and Dev certainly have been getting to know each other extremely well the past year. But it’s funny how you can be around people for years and never really know them. It’s cool to talk to you about real stuff.”

  “I feel the same.” He touched her shoulder.

  “Hey, Dev said your family’s visiting next year?”

  “Yes, my parents and sister are coming next March. My niece and nephews as well. It will be wonderful.”

  “That’s awesome. So…they know about Dev?”

  Misha nodded. “They are excited to meet him.” He was nervous and eager. He wanted it all to be perfect. “It will be a very full house, but I hope a happy one. I want to visit them, but my father tells me I should not.”