Turbulent Sea (39 page)

Ilya collapsed over her, laying his head over her shoulder, fighting for air for a few moments, and then he rolled, taking her with him so that she blanketed his body with hers.

Joley lay as limp as a rag doll over the top of him, her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "I'm exhausted."

"How's your head feeling?"

"I forgot about it. It must be better."

"No nagging headache."

She laughed, she couldn't help it. "That's funny." She kissed his chest and throat, nibbled on his chin and then lay back down again, as if that was all the strength she could muster.

"Why's that funny?"

Joley lifted her head again and studied his face. "Poor baby, you really don't know, do you? Supposedly men say women use headaches as an excuse not to have sex. I personally don't know any women who do that, but it's a standard joke."

"I've never had that happen."

She bit him.

"Ouch!"

His hand came down on her buttocks, but it didn't have the desired effect. Joley just wiggled and gave him a sassy grin. "Feed me. I'm starving. I haven't had anything to eat for days. We can call for takeout or something."

"The reason to have a house is to have a kitchen."

She wrinkled her nose and slowly sat up, straddling him. The movement caused a delicious aftershock. She waited for it to subside before sliding off of him. "I thought a house was for privacy and lots of places to make love."

"I see your point. Your idea is better than mine."

"Only if there's no food in the kitchen. I really am starving."

"Go take a shower and I'll whip something up."

She sat on the edge of the bed. "You mean it? You can cook?"

"You'll see."

Joley didn't wait to hear any more. She was really hungry, and a shower would help to revive her. Now that he'd mentioned her head, it was hurting a little, but she'd never admit it, not when he might toss her on the floor, or against the wall, or maybe the kitchen table. It all sounded good to her.

It didn't take long to shower and find every bruise and sore spot on her body from the explosion, but none of it seemed to matter. She was happy. She was with Ilya and he said he loved her. He made her feel loved. He made her feel so beautiful and sexy she didn't mind wrapping herself in a robe and finding her way to the kitchen.

He'd pulled on a pair of jeans. They were only partially buttoned, leaving his body, so defined with muscle, for her to enjoy. She sank into a chair at the table, drew her knees up and watched him as he moved around the kitchen with sure, purposeful movements. This side of him fascinated her.

"Ilya Prakenskii, all domestic."

"One of us has to be," he pointed out, flicking her a small grin.

The flash of his white teeth sent a small, thrilling somersault sliding through her stomach. She loved making him happy. And he was happy. His melody was joyful, bright colors shining occasionally through that dark shield he always wore. She saw it for what it was now, a cover to keep him safe.

"Fine. I'll admit I'm not great in the kitchen. Hannah loves to cook and bake, and she totally rocks at it. I can make tea though."

"Tea?" His eyebrow shot up. "We're going to have sons, Joley, lots of them. I don't think tea is going to be a big hit on the menu."

She rubbed her chin on her knees and eyed him warily. "Now it's sons. Are you obsessed with having children or something? Because this isn't the first time you've brought the subject up. And I don't like the sound of that word 'lots.' "

He stirred the spaghetti sauce. "In the interests of disclosure, I'm just warning you so you can't ever say you weren't prepared."

She put on her fiercest scowl. "I've disclosed to you that I haven't a clue how to take care of a baby. I'm an artist. I sing onstage and travel around the world. I can hold them, but the entire baby thing is just plain scary. Do you have any idea what it takes to be responsible for a child? I made myself read parenting books, and no way am I trying that."

"I haven't a clue what it takes, Joley. I'll be relying solely on you and your experience." He blew on a spoonful of sauce and tasted it.

"What experience, you crazy man? I have no experience."

He added oregano. "Sure you do. You were raised in a family. You have good parents, a pattern to follow, and we'll just go by what they did."

"You make it sound so easy. Do you really want children, Ilya? Is it that important to you?" She sighed. "If it is, give me a few years and I'll give it a try."

He glanced at her over his shoulder, and his smile had turned into a knowing smirk. "A few years? You think we should wait a few years?"

She shrugged. "We haven't even got to the marriage part. We're at the getting to know you part."

He stirred the sauce again, and she could see from his profile that he was still smiling. "We're past the getting to know you part. That was this past year. Now we're at the we'd better get married fast part."

Joley wrinkled her nose. "You aren't making any sense. We don't want to rush into anything. We have plenty of time to work everything out."

"You said you'd marry me."

She nodded, biting down on her lip. She had said it—and she'd meant it—but that had been in the heat of the moment. Now she wanted to be a little more cautious. "I did say I would, but I was thinking of a long engagement while you got to know my family and maybe figured out what kind of work you wanted to do. Because you're not going to be working undercover anymore, right? Not with a wife and family. You have a lot to think about." That sounded very well thought out and intelligent.

"As long as you're touring and making appearances, I'll be working your security."

He flashed one look at her—the kind that sent tremors down her spine and made her all too aware of the dangerous man she'd committed herself to. He didn't really argue. She'd realized that about him. He would try a short discussion and then he did things his way, expecting everyone to fall in line with his orders. Joley didn't mind that in the bedroom, but he wasn't going to just dictate the rest of her life to her.

"Has it ever occurred to you that I might worry about you, Ilya? That I don't want to take chances with your life? Most of the time I need security for normal reasons, just to get through a crowd, but once in a while there's a real threat. The last person I want in jeopardy is you."

He turned and faced her, looking so incredibly sexy he took her breath away.

"I have no experience with anyone wanting to look out for me. Not even as a small boy." He flashed a small grin at her. "This will be interesting, learning how best to react when you talk this way to me."

She held her breath. "How do you feel like reacting?"

"Honestly?" He put pasta onto two plates, added the spaghetti sauce and two pieces of warm bread. He put one dish in front of her and the other on the side of the table facing her. "I want to sweep the counter clean and put you on it and feast on you in thanks."

The low, wicked voice sent a flood of damp heat between her legs. "That's a good reaction." She tried to keep her voice steady as she twirled pasta onto her fork. "I do need a little fuel and then you can do whatever you want."

The blue eyes glittered at her and her heart jumped.

"Why don't you untie that robe for me?" he suggested.

"It wouldn't be very sexy if I dropped spaghetti down the front of me," she pointed out. "And you're making me so nervous I just might."

His white teeth flashed again, and this time he looked like a wolf. "If you dropped spaghetti down the front of you, Joley, I'd be more than happy to use you for a dinner plate."

She laughed, happiness warming her. "Okay, just stop right there and behave yourself. I'm getting this image that just is so wrong."

"Really?" His eyebrow shot up. "I've got a very erotic one. Want to try it?"

Chapter 16

"WOO hoo, Joley!" Rick said as they entered the suite. "You were on fire tonight. We were all so worried about you after the bus blew up; we thought for certain we'd have to cancel, but no, you just keep rockin', girl!" He picked her up around the waist, lifting her into the air, and swung her around.

Joley caught a glimpse of Ilya's face before she lost sight of him in the mad spinning. A secret grin tugged at her deep inside. He definitely didn't share well with others.

Keep smiling
, lubov moya,
you think this is funny having another man touch you?
The edge to his voice held a warning.

It's not another man, it's Rick
. She felt sassy, ecstatic! She had given another great performance in spite of every threat. Only two more shows and she would be home.

Precisely
. There was a bite in his voice.

Just like that her body stirred to life. She put her hands on Rick's shoulders and stepped back. "Crazy man, but seriously we all rocked. I wasn't the only one out there exposed, we all were, and I'm so glad we made the decision to go on tonight together."

"No one is going to dictate to us whether or not we perform," Denny said.

"Damn straight," Logan agreed.

She couldn't help herself, she glanced at Ilya standing by the door. He didn't look uncomfortable, he never did. Just—hot. Sexy. His eyes shifted around the room, but she knew he saw her. Watched her. The thought was arousing.

Leo ruffled her hair. "Well the lights caught that bandage just right and highlighted the bruises and we're going to get so much publicity—all good—because you are the ultimate pro, baby. No one can touch you."

Joley laughed. "Well, I'm hoping not. I felt a lot safer with all the heightened security. I noticed everyone has to have a picture on their IDs."

Jerry nodded as he handed her an ice-cold bottle of water. After a grueling two-and-half-hour performance under hot lights, she was tired and sweaty and coming down from an adrenaline high. "We made sure you were totally protected, Joley. And it's going to stay that way. You don't go anywhere without a bodyguard, and when you're getting through a crowd, I want security lining that rope to ensure your safety."

"You've been talking to Jonas, haven't you?" she said accusingly, and flung herself onto the couch beside Tish. She leaned over to kiss the baby's hand. "Hello, little angel. You're so perfect. She's so beautiful, Tish."

"Jonas called me," Jerry said hastily. "And you okayed keeping him in the loop."

Joley laughed again. "Jonas out of the loop would be Jonas sitting on top of me. There's no such thing as keeping him out of it. He sort of steamrolls his way wherever he wants to be."

All the while she was rubbing her palm up and down her thigh. He was only a few feet away, the crowd separating them, but they could have been alone the way her body felt. Ilya. Her Ilya. Wickedly she brought her palm to her mouth, breathing warm air on the center. Her lips brushed back and forth, feather-light. There was something very sensual about sex in a roomful of people when no one else had a clue. It was wicked and exciting and very naughty.

She felt him jump in her mind.
Knock it off
. The voice was a growl. A rasp. She found it sexy and too hot to resist.