When he walks in, he picks up a book he’s clearly been busy with and sits on the one armchair while I search the shelves for a paranormal romance to indulge in. Once I find one I haven’t heard of before, I slide it off the shelf and sit in the armchair opposite him, kicking my shoes off and curling my legs under me.
“Paranormal romance? That’s rather girly,” he comments, although to me is his say he’s amused.
“What are you reading?”
“Brandon Sanderson,” he holds the cover up. “I do love fantasy a lot. My favorite would have to, of course, be the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tolkien was an absolute genius. They just don’t make authors like that anymore,” he sighs and meets my eyes.
I look at the book I’m holding. “I chose this one because I’ve never read it before. I like paranormal romance, shifters, and fantasy, but I also enjoy psychological thrillers and true crime books.”
“Thought you’d be sick of true crime with the families we have,” Ivan comments.
I smile. “You learn so much from other people's mistakes.”
“That’s fair.” He chuckles.
We fall into a comfortable conversation about the books we enjoy for hours until there’s a knock at the door, and a maid announces, “Sir, dinner is ready.”
He looks at his watch. “Lord, it’s six thirty already.”
I get up, setting my book down, and we head to the dining room.
“What about Anastasia?” I ask curiously as we sit down to steak, egg, and chips.
“She switched to lunch because she wanted to go out tonight,” he explains.
Time passes quickly as we eat and talk, and finally, it’s time to go to the bedroom. He lets me wash up and change first, and I climb into bed after rubbing cream into my skin. I curl up on my side sleepily and full, and I feel like today has been busy even though it wasn’tthatbusy.
I feel Ivan get into bed next to me, and I shut my eyes. They shoot wide open again when I feel his arm slide around my waist, he traces a line along my thigh but decides to spoon me. Probably because I clenched my whole body even though the movement apparently had a direct connection with my libido. His body is warm against mine, and at first, I feel awkward, but we fit well together. I relax and close my eyes again. I wonder when he wants to… consummate our marriage. It would be my first time, and I wouldn’t ever admit it to anyone, but I’m excited it’s with him.
Chapter 9 - Ivan
My phone buzzes on the bedside table, where it’s charging. I open my eyes slowly and immediately notice how Tori is curled up with her back against me. Whoever is phoning had better be nearly dead because to leave this comfortable position is going to be irritating. I turn over and grab my phone and look at the number. I don’t recognize it, so I kill the call. I was hoping not to disturb Tori, but she is waking anyway.
I lean over and kiss her shoulder. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” she mumbles sleepily. She gives me a cute smile with bleary eyes before she slowly sits up and stretches. I admire the curve of her breasts under her top as she stretches out, tempted to take them in my hands and give them a solid squeeze.
Instead, I sit back and check the business messages on my phone while she gets up to use the bathroom. I get up and go to the guest bathroom to relieve myself, and when I come back in, I hear the shower going. A small smirk spreads across my lips as I imagine what she must look like under the spray of the water—her olive skin glistening and moisturizing. I could moisturize her.
I can’t help myself.
I walk into the bathroom and undress. Tori has her back to me, so she doesn’t notice me until I step into the shower and almost touch her. She shrieks, and I catch her as she almost slips.
“Come now, surely that wasn’t enough to spook you,” I tease her.
Her cheeks redden as she holds an arm across her breasts and turns slightly away from me.
“I need to shower, too. This way, we save water,” I comment.
I try not to stare at her naked form as I start to wash my body. She doesn’t immediately get out, so that has to count for something. She just stands there, and although she’s tense, I feel her eyes admire my body.
“Relax,” I murmur, turning to her. “Don’t be so tense.”
“I…” She’s blushing again, and I smile, coming closer to her. “We can take this slowly. Why don’t we start small.”
“Small?” she asks. “You’re nothing close to small.”
I laugh heartedly, then step away. “Do you ever pleasure yourself? I mean, it’s completely natural.”