“Yeah, I learned how to cook when I was very young, but I’ve never had a place to cook in like this. My dad wasn’t so hot at the domestic stuff.” It’s my turn to shrug my shoulders before saying, “It was either learn to cook or live off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“I’m sorry. That must’ve been really hard for you.”
“It is what it is, no use crying about it, and I shouldn’t complain. I know it was an easier childhood than yours.”
He studies me for a second before saying, “I’m not so sure about that.”
I let the comment go and instead walk across the kitchen to his large stainless steel fridge and lift a brow at him with my hand on his fridge door. “You mind?”
He laughs and waves his hand for me to go on. “You won’t like what you find, though,” he warns.
He’s right. It’s practically empty. There’s a few bottles of water and some sports drinks and some wrapped-up leftovers.
“Nikolai, what the hell?”
“I’m sorry to disappoint.”
I smile and shut the door. “You don’t disappoint. It’s nice to see you’re actually human and not unbelievably perfect in every way.”
He laughs softly and looks at me like I’m crazy. “Unbelievably perfect in every way, huh?”
“Well, I guess that remains to be seen.” I walk over to him, letting him wrap me in his arms.
“Oh yeah? You’re waiting to see how I look in the morning?”
“Something like that,” I say, grabbing onto the back of his neck and pulling him close. Right as our lips are about to touch, the doorbell rings. I give a startled jump, and Nikolai smiles and tightens his grip on me. He kisses me gently, groaning when Sergei starts crying.
“At least they’re early,” he says, giving me a wink.
We walk back to the living room, and I watch as Nikolai reaches in and picks Sergei up, immediately bringing him to his chest and kissing his head. He whispers something to him in Russian, and when Sergei smiles, it makes my heart clench painfully. In that moment, I realize how empty my life is and how much I crave a family, a real one, not the shit both of us grew up with, but an honest-to-God loving family.
“Are you okay?” he asks, watching me with a soft smile playing at his lips. “Here,” he says, handing Sergei over to me so he can run and get the door. I take him, not quite sure what to do and fearing he’s going to start screaming, but he doesn’t. He just looks up at me with big, blue eyes and kicks his feet in excitement.
“Hey there, buddy,” I say, gently bouncing him in my arms.
He laughs right as Gina and Dmitri walk into the room, both of them trying hard to hide their shock at seeing me and failing miserably.
“Nikolai, why didn’t you tell us you had plans tonight? I could’ve gotten my brother and Stacy to babysit,” Gina says as she walks over, smiling at me and her happily squealing son.
“No, it’s fine,” I quickly say. “It was kind of a last-minute thing. Plus, I just got here a few minutes ago.”
Sergei practically lunges into her arms when she reaches for him, and I give her a big smile, even though I feel awkward as fuck. She must sense my distress because she quickly turns to Dmitri and says, “We should be going, babe. Sergei’s going to want to nurse again before bed, and I’m exhausted.”
Dmitri smiles and says something to Nikolai in Russian that has Gina blushing and Nikolai saying, “Okay, see you both later,” while ushering them to the door.
Dmitri laughs and pats him on the back before waving to me over his shoulder. “Have fun, Moira!”
Gina whisper shouts a, “Oh my God, Dima, could you be any more obvious?”
He’s still laughing when Gina shouts out a bye and Nikolai waves at Sergei before shutting the door and turning to me. I’m not sure what to expect. I’ve never done this before, and I’m not sure if I should even tell him that. If feels weird to just bring it up now, and I sure as fuck don’t want to freak him out or make him change his mind. The last thing I want is for him to treat me like some fragile woman who’s going to break if he fucks me too hard. I just want to experience something normal. It’ll be special to me no matter what, and I can always confess everything later.
I’ve just made up my mind when he stalks toward me like a damn wolf, making me forget about everything except how badly I want him. His eyes are so dark they look black, and he’s staring at me like no one’s ever stared at me before, like a man barely hanging on, and when he wraps his arms around me and picks me up, I melt into his arms.
Cupping his face in my hands, I kiss him hard, wanting and needing him so badly I can barely stand it. He meets my hunger with his own, and when he snakes a hand up my dress to cup my pussy from behind, he groans against my lips.
“God, you’re so fucking wet, baby.” His fingers tease me, running over my wet slit, keeping the thin fabric of my thong between us and making me nearly dizzy with need.
“Nikolai,” I plead, rocking my hips against him. “Take me to bed.”