Dimitri (33 page)

Even though I was burning up with need, I eyed
Dimitri with some concern. "Are you sure we should tempt fate? I
know your stomach still hurts and your arms are bothering
you."

"Sweetheart," he grinned devilishly, "what I
have planned doesn't require much physical effort on my
part."

"Oh?" My nipples drew taut as the dirtiest
images filled my head. Yesterday, I'd caught Dimitri flipping
through my bookshelves. He'd zeroed in on my stash of fetish
erotica and super sexy romance. I could only imagine what scenes
he'd read and stored away as inspiration for our trysts.

He tossed pillows off the bed and reclined
slowly. I slid my hand behind his back to guide him down. He didn't
flinch or wince with discomfort but I knew he felt it. That stoic
expression of his face didn't fool me.

Flat on his back, Dimitri reached for me. I
found myself in the position he normally occupied, propped up on
one elbow and kissing him. Those rough palms of his glided over my
naked skin. Shivering with desire, I whimpered as he petted and
caressed me.

"I love it when you make those sounds," Dimitri
murmured before capturing my mouth. "You make my dick so fucking
hard."

His dirty talk left me throbbing and so
incredibly wet—and he knew it. I saw the wicked glint in his
eyes.

He slid a hand between our bodies and pushed my
thighs apart. "Are you wet for me, Benny?"

I gasped as he probed my tender folds. His
fingertips circled my clit before slipping lower and pressing into
my slick sheath. Moaning with pleasure, I widened my thighs and let
him slowly fuck me with his thick digits. He nipped at my neck and
drove me crazy by whispering all the dirty things he was going to
do to me once he was fully recovered.

Our tongues tangled in a duel for supremacy. As
always, he won and dominated me even with his kisses. He cupped the
back of my neck but broke away from the kiss. "I want you to kneel
over my face."

My eyes widened at his frank request.
"You…what?"

He flattened his shoulders to the mattress and
gave my butt a sharp smack. "Come here. Put your knees on either
side of my head."

I formed a mental picture of what he
was instructing. "But then my…
you
know
…would be right over you."

He laughed and gave my butt another good whack.
"That's the point, Benny. I'm dying for a taste of your sweet
pussy. Now get up here!"

Trembling with excitement and anxiety, I did
exactly as he commanded. It occurred to me as I wiggled into place
that this was probably the only comfortable way for him to do this.
I had a feeling I was in for a wild ride.

"Oh!" I tipped my head back as the pointed tip
of his tongue swiped me. Careful not to move for fear of hitting
his sutured bicep or jostling his sore elbow, I held as still as
possible while his searching tongue flicked and fluttered over the
most intimate part of me.

He groaned hungrily, showing me just how much
he loved going down on me, and gripped my waist in his big hands. I
nearly died when his tongue dipped inside my pussy. He fucked me
with it, the sensation unlike any other I'd ever felt. Panting and
aching, I squeezed my thigh muscles and tried to maintain some
semblance of control.

That skilled tongue of his moved to my clit. He
lapped at my swollen bud and suckled it gently. The tugging pull
drove me closer and closer to the edge. With a strangled cry, I
climaxed against his wonderfully talented mouth.

But he wasn't done with me.

Holding tight to my hips, Dimitri went wild
between my thighs. He used that sinful mouth of his to torment me
until I shrieked his name and came so hard I felt certain I would
black out from the sheer pleasure of it.

Still shaking, I tumbled off him onto the bed.
Rolled onto my side, I tried to catch my breath and stared at him
with such awe. "You're going to kill me one of these
nights."

Chuckling, he snatched me by the waist. "We're
not done yet. I only heard my name once."

"Oh God!" I didn't try to fight him when he
urged me to straddle his waist but first I decided to return the
favor. Once I had him out of his pajama bottoms, I lavished his big
cock with oral attention.

"Benny!" He groaned my name while I painted his
shaft with my tongue. Sucking the tip of him, I stroked his hard
length and cupped his taut sac. He let loose a string of Russian
when I swallowed most of him. Loving the taste and feel of him in
my mouth, I took my time and enjoyed every moment of it.

"Fuck me," he practically begged.
"Ride me, Benny.
Now
."

When he used that tone, there was no denying
him. I crawled over his hips and grasped the base of his erection.
Dragging the ruddy crown of him through my wet folds, I pushed him
against my entrance. He thrust up into me, burying himself to the
hilt. We both groaned with delight.

Gazes locked, we found a rhythm that left us
panting and gasping. I did most of the work, swaying back and forth
like a belly dancer on his lap. Dimitri relaxed on the bed and
swept his hands up and down my body. When he toyed with my nipples,
I inhaled a sharp breath. He pinched and rolled the dusky peaks,
causing delicious little shocks to travel right to my pulsing
clit.

Licking his thumb, he brought it
down to the spot where our bodies were joined. He flicked the rough
pad side to side over my clit. My lower belly clenched as need
pooled hot and heavy between my thighs. His other hand squeezed my
breast and tormented my poor nipple. I gripped his wrist as the
first panicked flutter shuddered deep in my core. "Dimitri!
I—
ah
!
Dimitri
!"

I could hear him laughing as I climaxed hard.
Snapping my hips, I rode his cock as the pleasurable ripples
exploded in my belly and arced through my chest.

"That was two," he said and thrust up into me.
"Let's see how fast I can get you scream again."

"No!
Wait
! Oh!" I wasn’t ready to try to
come again but he had that wickedly sexy grin on his face. I hissed
when he brushed his thumb across my super sensitive clit. His thumb
moved just to the side of the pulsing bud. The slow up and down
strokes left me panting and shaking as that coil of ecstasy screwed
tighter and tighter in my core.

This time, when I shattered atop him, I threw
back my head and shrieked his name. My pussy fluttered around his
cock. I could feel him growing harder and thicker inside me. With a
growl, he thrust up inside me and joined me in an intense, shared
orgasm. His fingertips bit into the fleshy softness of my ass so
sharply I was sure there would be tiny bruises there by morning but
I didn't care.

Slumped against his chest, I buried my face in
the crook of his neck and inhaled the familiar scent of his cologne
and sweat. His body heat soothed and relaxed me. Tucked against his
steely body and safe in his arms, there was no place else I wanted
to be.

Chapter
Nineteen

Five Weeks Later

"Congratulations!" Erin engulfed me in her
embrace and did a little happy dance with me.

Laughing, I hugged her back. "You already
congratulated me when we broke the news a few weeks
ago."

"I know." Grinning, she released me. "But
what's an engagement party without another round of
congrats?"

She had a point. I glanced around the Samovar
and couldn't believe how many people were packed inside the
restaurant. Nikolai had taken it upon himself to host a huge
engagement bash. With Lena, Erin and Vivian's help, he'd organized
the entire thing. So far everyone seemed to be having a great time.
Of course, all the amazing food and free booze probably
helped.

"Ivan and I bought you two a couple's gift but
I got you a little something extra." Erin handed me a wrapped
rectangle.

"Erin, you didn't have to get me
anything."

"Take it." Smiling, she pushed it into my
hands.

I peeled back the pretty pink wrapping paper
and started giggling when I realized what it was. "A Russian
workbook!"

Giggling, she explained, "I know how annoying
it is to be unable to understand a dang thing that comes out of
your man's mouth." She glanced over at Ivan who was laughing and
telling an animated story with Yuri to a small group of men. Love
burned brightly in her eyes for that giant bare-knuckle fighter of
hers. Looking back at me, she added, "Ivan was seriously touched
when I started learning his language. It meant a lot to
him."

"I'm sure Dimitri will appreciate the gesture."
With a self-deprecating smile, I said, "I'll probably have to hire
Vivian as my tutor."

"Definitely," Erin agreed. Looking around, she
asked, "Where the heck is she?"

"Um…" I rose on tiptoes to scan the crowd. My
gaze landed on Lena first. She chatted with a couple of women and a
man I didn't know. When she reached into her purse and withdrew
business cards, I realized she was networking. Did that girl ever
take a break?

"Oh, there she is!" Erin pointed Vivian out
near the front of the restaurant. Her brows knitted together. "Did
you invite Detective Santos?"

Surprised by the mention of my old friend's
name, I shook my head. "I don't know. Lena handled all the invites.
He's a friend from way back so maybe he got put on my guest
list."

"Hmm," Erin hummed softly. "No, I think he's
here for Vivian. He's still wearing his gun and badge."

"Why would he be here for Vivian?" I scooted
over just enough to see the pair huddled together. Whatever they
were talking about, it wasn't good. Vivian looked really upset and
Santos wore an expression of displeasure.

"They're cousins. Maybe it's a family
thing."

I reared back in shock. "Vivian and Eric Santos
are cousins?"

She nodded. "I didn't know either until after
we had that run-in with the Hermanos gang at Ivan's place. Santos
was the detective on our case. Later, Vivian told me they were
cousins. Her dad and his mom are brother and sister. Apparently,
Santos' side of the family doesn't speak to her dad. They basically
shunned him because he was a criminal."

I remembered the sordid tale Dimitri had told
me. Vivian's family situation seemed even bleaker now. Movement off
to Vivian's right caught my attention. Nikolai stepped away from a
group of partygoers to watch the intense discussion.

Dressed in all black with that bright white
shirt he preferred, the imposing Russian crossed his arms and
seemed to be fighting the urge to get involved. His demeanor
relaxed suddenly. I glanced at Vivian and Santos. They were hugging
and seemed to have resolved their spat. Santos handed her a wrapped
gift and quickly left the restaurant.

Without even trying to hide her nosiness, Erin
waved at Vivian. She crossed the room, winding in and out of the
crowd to clear a path to us. Along the way, Lena joined her,
looping their arms together at the elbow. When they arrived in our
secluded little corner, Erin pounced. "What the hell was that,
Vivi?"

Stiff and obviously uneasy, she radiated
anxiety. "It's my dad. He's getting early release from the federal
pen."

"What?" Lena's harsh tone made me flinch. "How?
When?"

Vivian shook her head. "I don't know how he got
early release. Neither did Eric. It will be sometime around the New
Year when they let him go."

Erin reached out and patted Vivian's arm. "What
are you going to do?"

She shrugged. "What can I do? I'll probably
have Eric help me put a restraining order against him but I doubt
he'll let a piece of paper stop him from trying to talk to
me."

Lena glanced over her shoulder before
reluctantly asking, "Maybe you could ask Nikolai to do something
about it."

Vivian looked back at her protector. Voice
soft, she said, "I don't think I'll have to ask. Something tells me
he already knew."

When she turned back to us, we exchanged
uncertain glances. I, for one, had no idea what to say about any of
this. We were all friends but I wasn't aware off all the dynamics
involved in this Charlie-Foxtrot of a situation.

Lena sought to lighten the somber
mood. She snatched my left hand. "Girl, you better be careful
working in that kitchen of yours. You lose this in a batch
of
pan dulce
or a
tray of cupcakes and you're going to have to put up a big reward to
get it back!"

Gazing at the gorgeous emerald-cut solitaire
Dimitri had chosen, I confessed, "He made me swear I wouldn't wear
it in the kitchen. I told him no problem."

"It really is a beautiful ring,"
Vivian said and tugged my hand closer for a better look. "It's so
perfectly
you
. He
did really well."

"Yes, he did." I found Dimitri across the
restaurant. He sipped a beer and laughed with Ivan and
Yuri.

"So how is the bakery setup going?" Erin
snatched a champagne flute from one of the passing waiters. "Ivan
said you guys are getting close."