Alexandr's Cherished Submissive (10 page)

His princess had a dirty mouth.

“I said, get your motherfucking hands off of me, you big, perverted bastard. You don’t want me. I get that loud and clear so let me go. I’ll be damned if I’ll be any man’s pity fuck.”

He wasn’t sure what a pity fuck was, but he knew he didn’t like the pain in her voice. Instead of fighting with her, he merely stood then held her close and gently stroked her back with long, soothing sweeps of his hand. She fought his hold for a few more moments, token wiggles that did nothing to dislodge him, before she melted against him. Good, she needed to know his touch, to become comfortable with him. It was going to be a long, slow seduction to win Jessica’s heart, but he was known for his patience. If he could wait three days in a tree to get the perfect shot on a mark, he could wait for Jessica to become more comfortable with him.

“Shhh,
dorogoya
. Let me hold you.”

Her entire body seemed to conform to his, and her lighter weight easily settled against his much taller, solid frame. When her arms went around his waist, he sighed against the top of her head before placing a gentle kiss there. She smelled sweet, edible, almost like an apple pie. It was such an unusual scent to him. The women he was intimate with usually wore expensive perfumes and lotions, but he found the crisp, spicy scent highly erotic on her.

After standing there for several long minutes, cuddling with each other, Jessica stiffened in his arms, then leaned back and softened slightly. “I’m not usually like this.”

“I know.” He understood her pride, the need to appear strong.

She met his gaze, and some of the shame left her expression. “Thanks…for tonight…for everything.”

“Is honor,” he murmured, then brushed a strand of her brilliant hair back from her cheek.

She searched his face before she spoke. “Would you sleep with me tonight?”

Oh, how she tempted him. “Jessica, I told you I would not take advantage.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not talking about sex. Calm down, Casanova. Your virtue is safe. I know I’ll have a hard time falling asleep tonight and...and I’m lonely. Really, really lonely. When you hold me like this, I don’t feel alone anymore. So just for tonight, can you help me not be lonely?”

His heart ached as he stared down at her, wanting to tell her he finally felt at peace with her in his arms, but he couldn’t, so instead he took her hand and nodded.

Her bedroom was surprisingly feminine compared to the rest of the apartment, pale peach walls and a brass canopy bed with a jade floral silk comforter. A small fireplace with a large, grey-colored marble hearth took up the far wall, and framed photographs of people he recognized as different members of her family took up every inch of mantle space. There were some clothes scattered on the floor, but for the most part, Jessica kept her room clean. She turned off the light next to her bed before he could get a good look at the rest of the space.

“Take your shoes off,” she whispered, then with a bit of her usual spirit returning, she added in a leering voice that ended up sounding like a giggle, “or anything else you want.”

He laughed and shook his head. “Behave.”

Normally, he slept nude, but he kept everything on except his shoes. He turned his back while Jessica put on a thick, green flannel nightgown that fell to her knees. The fact she chose that dowdy thing instead of some silky piece of lingerie let him know he’d made the right choice, that regardless of her words, she was not ready for him yet.

The sheets rustled as she scooted beneath them then wiggled around until she was comfortable. Instead of joining her, he lay down atop the sheets, needing that barrier between them. He had no intention of spending the night. The temptation of waking next to her and touching her would be too much for his sleep-softened brain to absorb, but he could be with her until she went to sleep.

So when she laid her head on his chest and cuddled against him, he gladly gathered her into his arms and lightly rubbed her slender back. He soaked into his dark soul her light and marveled at how right and perfect she felt against him, how she seemed to energize and renew him somehow. There was no more fighting the fact that she was meant for him. It would take time for his still-forming plans to work, but when he was ready, he was going to take Jessica Venture and make her his wife.

And there wasn’t a man in the world who would be able to stop him.

Five weeks later, Jessica found herself cleaning the bar in the slow time between lunch and dinner while looking forward to her chess game that evening with Alex and his men. Maks, Oleg, and Luka seemed to have adopted her as their little sister, and she didn’t mind one bit. They were always around, and she had to admit, as odd as it was, a group of older, scary bodyguards were her best friends in Ireland. Even when they weren’t on duty, they would stop by to check on her and hang out. She’d also discovered that big, burly Oleg had a rather odd and secret fondness for the American dance shows featuring celebrities past their prime, and they’d spent many a night watching the shows while Oleg yelled at the judges.

Since the night of the anniversary of her mother’s death, she’d rarely been alone with Alex, almost like he was avoiding it. Not that she could blame him after the way she’d drunkenly thrown herself at him. Those memories still made her burn with embarrassment when she thought about him repeatedly turning down her request for a kiss, but luckily, Alex pretended it never happened. For that, she was eternally grateful.

Disappointed, but grateful.

After that night, she knew she was firmly in the ‘friend zone’ box with Alex, a fact that was emphasized when she overheard one of the other bartenders talking about how good Alex had been in bed the night before. The woman, a big breasted brunette named Millie, had gone on and on about it, bragging to her friend about how many times she’d come. The only consolation Jessica had was that, when Alex was at the pub, he ignored Millie so she must not have been that great in the sack.

Oh, but the knowledge that Millie had sex with Alex burned like acid, knowing he’d fucked another woman when he could have easily had Jessica, but she managed to swallow back her pain. It wasn’t his fault she’d developed a stupid crush on him. Since that night, he’d been nothing but kind to her. Once he let his guard down, she’d found that he had a great sense of humor, if a bit dry, and they shared many things in common. Like their love of chess. Their matches had become a regular thing, and she looked forward to pitting herself against him. Sometimes he won, most of the time she won, but it was always a challenge.

Whoever hosted the match that night would also prepare some food, and she thoroughly enjoyed having people over. Alex never came alone, always bringing a friend or two with him. She’d enjoyed getting to know them and loved the fact that these scary, stoic men relaxed enough around her in private to laugh and joke with her. Maks was a very handsome man with thick reddish-blond hair, and on the rare occasions when he did allow himself to smile, it was full of warmth. She’d learned that he was Alex’s right-hand man and had grown up with Alex in Minsk. Then there was Oleg, a big, bald giant with a crocked nose who rarely smiled and spoke only the most rudimentary English, but had a wry sense of humor that always made her laugh. He was patient with her, and once she found out that he had two young daughters, she knew why he put up with her. Even when Alex wasn’t around, Oleg would stop by to see if she wanted to go walk around the town or go to a pub.

Oleg would seek her out at work, and during slow times, she’d discuss philosophy and politics with him, fascinated by how different his Eastern European mindset was from her American one. Sometimes his practical view of life was almost brutal, but she could see his point in many ways, even if she found it odd. Then again, he found her unflinching optimism weird, and they would often descend into glass-half-full/half-empty discussions.

Then there was Luka with his golden brown hair and seductive gaze, the flirt of the bunch. He was a few years younger than Alex, closer to her age, and his eyes always seemed to twinkle with mischief. Luka wasn’t around as much as the other two, but when it was his turn to guard her, he made sure she had fun. A couple times, she thought she’d caught him checking her out, but he never hit on her, so she just dismissed it as her imagination. To the men, she was nothing more than a friend, a client, and she sometimes wondered if they even noticed she was female. Not that she wanted them trying to make a move on her—none of them appealed to her like Alex—but she had to admit, now that she was comfortable in Ireland, it would be nice to have someone special to share her life with. Someone who would hold her hand, take her dancing, and kiss her until she couldn’t breathe.

Someone to love.

“Hey, beautiful,” a man said from behind her in a rich Irish brogue.

A happy smile already tugged at her mouth as she turned around to find John, one her uncle’s men, leaning against the bar in his battered leather jacket, drops of rain gleaming in his light brown hair beneath the warm lights of the pub. He was a couple years older than she, good-looking in a boy-next-door way with warm, dark eyes. John worked for Peter as pretty much an errand boy, so he was always at the pub or with her uncle, and she saw him in passing a lot. His parents were both into politics like Peter, and they’d been at a dinner party her uncle had thrown one night. Nice people, friendly, if a little intimidating at first with their obviously top-of-the-line designer clothes and upper crust manners.

Wiping her hands on the clean bar towel before setting it aside, she did a quick glance up and down the bar to make sure no one needed anything before leaning against it and smiling at John. She was glad she’d taken a little extra time with her appearance tonight, curling her hair and going heavier on the makeup than usual in an effort to feel attractive. When his gaze warmed as it roamed her face, she fought a flush. “Hello, handsome.”

They always greeted each other like this, and she enjoyed flirting with him. It was nice to have the attention of a man who was clearly into her, even if he didn’t set her body aflame like Alex. As much fun as it was to hang out with Alex and his crew, she missed having someone to go on dates with. And if she was being honest, she was sexually starved as well. She’d never been without for this long since she started having sex when she was seventeen, and John looked like he’d know how to show a girl a good time. Still, a small part of her had held back from John in the stupid hope that maybe Alex would see her as something more than a friend, but after the last six weeks, she didn’t think that was going to happen. That realization hurt, but not as much as having a crush on a man she knew was sleeping with other women.

That shit burned, hurt so badly that even thinking about it made the smile fall from her lips.

It was time to let her fantasies of Alex go and focus on reality.

John, ever attentive to her mood, reached across the counter and brushed a strand of hair back from her cheek that had escaped her silver barrette. “Why the sad eyes,
a mhuirnín
?”

She felt a soft, warm tingle where his fingertips brushed over the shell of her ear and down her jaw. Then the tingle settled into the neglected space between her legs. It wasn’t the bone-clenching desire she felt whenever Alex touched her, but still, it was a nice sensation. Not wanting to discuss Alex with John, she looked away from John’s steady gaze and out the mullioned windows facing the street. “I wish it would snow. It doesn’t feel like Christmas without the snow.”

“We may not have snow, but give it a few days, and everyone’ll have their decorations up. That should lift your spirits. Dublin really is beautiful during the holidays, but probably different from the States.” His gaze went gentle. “Must be hard being in a new place at Christmas.”

“It is.”

“Well, we’re glad to have you here, and I know your aunt and uncle are overjoyed to have you with them. I hope you’ll give us a chance to show you how good it can be here for you, Jessica.”

The sincerity in his gaze touched her, and she patted his hand while she tried to not think about the fact that, if her parents were still alive, they’d be getting ready for their annual trip to the Milson’s tree farm. Her extended relatives had invited her back to the States, but Uncle Peter and Aunt Mary were going all out for her this year, and she knew it would hurt their feelings if she left. They were having a big Christmas party next week and made sure to include her in the planning, doing their best to show her how pleased they were that she was spending the holidays with them instead of going home.

She wondered what Alex was going to do for Christmas and which lucky woman he was going to celebrate the holidays with.

Angry at herself for caring, she forced a smile at John. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Nah.” He studied her with enough intensity that she had to fight the urge to squirm. “I wanted to ask you something, though.”

There was something in his intent expression that made her nervous. “What’s that?”

“Would you like to come to the tree lighting with me?” When she didn’t respond right away, his cheeks grew pink, and he said in a hurried torrent, “It’s a big affair with music, and food, and all kinds of things to do and see. I figured since it was your first year here, you should see it right, like a local and not a tourist. That is if you want. Me and some of my friends are gonna go pub-hopping afterward, and I’d like you to come with us.”

A bit of warmth traveled through her as he blathered on, and she couldn’t help but smile at how tense he was beneath his usual cockiness. “I’d love to.”

The way his tight shoulders dropped and the happy light in his eyes made her smile as he said in obvious surprise, “Really?”

“Sure, when is it?”

“Tomorrow. I already asked your Uncle Peter, and he said you could go.”

“Umm, what? I didn’t realize that I needed my uncle’s permission to go anywhere.”

He must have caught her peeved expression, because he grabbed one of her hands in his and ran his thumb over her knuckles in a soothing manner. “Easy there, Jessica. He’s just tryin’ to look out for you. Being who he is and all that, he has to be careful.”