Chapter 11

Every morning for the past week, I make breakfast while Cillian and Nessa talk about the past, telling stories and reliving good memories while sitting at the island. She has been so happy lately; the fog of the lingering mission hasn't seemed to wear on her as much as before. Which is good because up until yesterday, we had no new information.

Nessa struggled with an intense hangover in bed the day after her girl's night with Evie. But she was back to herself last night when Evie called. Nessa said they would be coming over tomorrow to talk about the next step.

Apparently, one of the guys she placed at the port made a connection, and now we have a possible drop or stopping point.

Either way, it has made today easier somehow to know we will be making a move soon. Cillian seems more relaxed, and Nessa does not appear as flustered as when he first arrived. As much as she tried to reassure me that he was of no threat to us, I could see she did it just as much for herself too, but not now.

I look in the foyer mirror, tying my tie again to make sure it is straight but get frustrated when it still feels off. When I hear the click of heels heading down the stairs, I turn, only to lose all thought beyond the woman in front of me as she floats down the steps like the striking goddess she is.

Soft, elegant fabric highlights every inch of her beautiful frame, shimmering in the light as she makes her way down the stairs. My mouth is most likely hanging open, but all I can seem to focus on is her. The smile she flashes me when my eyes finally reach her face is breathtaking, and I drink in my stunning Irish princess. Her blood-red hair is fashioned into a low bun at the base of her neck. I have the sudden urge to wrap my hands around it and tug, hard.

No, that will be for later.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare all night?" she asks me, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"Perhaps," I confess, my eyes still unable to leave her.

"Stop it." Nessa swats at me with her hand and I finally blink. "You're freaking me out a bit."

"You nearly gave yer oul fella a heart attack," Cillian says from behind me, startling us both.

It was not said in a rude manner though, more humorous. Every time his Irish accent comes out, it makes me want to chuckle. He walks up to me while watching Nessa, then leans in and takes my tie in his hands, adjusting the knot.

When he releases me, I double check it in the mirror. To my surprise, it's perfect.

"Thank you," I say as I hold my arm out for Nessa.

It is clear neither of us know how to respond to that. While he has grown on me a bit this past week, I still do not know how to act around him at times.

"You look beautiful, Sweetheart." Cillian traces a finger down her cheek, much like I normally do. For once, I do not find his presence threatening. With her, he is always soft and gentle.

Nessa takes my arm and that blush creeps even further, making me grin. This girl is not one to seek attention, but when she receives it, she glows brighter than a flame.

"Thank you," she says, grabbing her purse from the table in the center of the entryway. "Shall we?"

"Of course." We step to the door together, but I pause and turn to Cillian. "Our chef, Kevin, said he will make you anything you wish tonight."

It is not a big offer, but I want him to know I do not forget about my company while I have my girl on my arm.

"Oh, I have a feeling that what I want isn't on the menu."

He shrugs and turns, walking away before either of us has the chance to process what he said. In fact, I'm not sure I am processing it. Or maybe I simply do not want to.

Instead of saying anything, Nessa pulls me out the front door. I had my favorite car brought around. It is a heavily modified Lamborghini Huracan that is as red as my girl's hair. Nessa parts her legs to step in, flashing me her very thin and very see through panties.

My jaw tenses as I force myself to swallow and not haul her out of this car and take what I want on the hood of it. We did that nearly a month ago and it hardly settled the craving in me to have her on every surface imaginable.

Just in case, I was sure to bring her to the garage and try it out on every car we own.

Taking a deep breath, I close the door. Nessa watches me with great satisfaction, knowing exactly where my thoughts wandered. As I get into the driver's seat, I realize I must have miscalculated her thoughts. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her breaths coming in almost a pant.

Ghosting my fingers over her dress, I slide them up the slit that ends only an inch from her core. She inhales sharply as I get close, and then I pull away to shift the car into gear.

"Tease," she mocks me.

"You're one to talk," I say as I glance over at her. The blush has fully taken over her face, making every inch nearly as red as her hair. I adore it.

As we drive, our fingers stay intertwined. She is so full of anticipation about the ballet, I can tell she has forgotten we are going to dinner first. Her head tilts to the side when we arrive at a restaurant which is only a short walk from the theater.

"Happy Birthday," I say, bringing her hand to my lips and kissing it softly.

"Thank you." She tightens her hold on me and brings my hand to her lap. Not in a tempting way, but one that shows me she is seeking comfort.

"Are you nervous?"

"A little." She glances at the floor and then back at me. "I dreamt of the ballet anytime I saw my sister practicing dance. She would move to the music so gracefully, as if it were a part of her."

She lets out a contented sigh. "What if I've built it up so much in my head that the real thing doesn't measure up?"

"It will," I promise her as we begin to pull up to the valet stand in front of the restaurant. One thing I loathe most about the city is having to park my car here, so I typically only dine at places that park it for me. "I will make sure of it."

A warm smile touches her lips as she bats her lashes at me. "I don't deserve you," she says.

"You're right," I say as I put the car in park and pinch her chin between my fingers, forcing her eyes to meet mine. "You deserve so much more, Lisichka . And I plan to give you the world if you let me."

Her lips meet mine, soft and gentle as emotion wells in her eyes. But we don't have time to focus on that as the valet walks around the side of my car, opening my door for me.

I hand him the key as Nessa lets herself out on her side. "I was coming to get that for you," I say, rounding the car quickly. She could have flashed the valet with her dress, and then I would have to kill a man on our date.

She laughs. "I can't let you do everything for me. You're not allowed to forget who I am just because I'm in a pretty dress."

I stomp towards her, crowding her by the door, our breaths mingling. "I could never forget a single thing about you."

"Good answer." Nessa leans in, placing another delicate kiss on my lips before pulling the door open.

After I give them my name, we are swiftly escorted to the private table in the back. Candles are lit and the ambiance is everything I could have hoped for. A small red box sits in the center of her plate, and she looks up at me as she sits while I push in her chair.

"I said no presents."

I chuckle as I take my seat across from her. Nessa beams at the gift even though she is pretending to be mad. "You will need to adjust to me buying you whatever I want, whenever I want."

She sighs but tears open the small box anyway, her breath hitching as she sees what's inside.

"Boris," she breathes, tears filling her eyes as she removes the necklace, a perfect gold fuchsia.

"I know this day is hard for you because it was the day you lost your sister, so I wanted to give you something that includes her, but only in good ways."

A tear breaks loose, but she quickly wipes it away, still staring at the necklace. Nessa has opened up to me about the death of her sister and even talked to Dr. K about it last year on her birthday when we were still living in my office suite.

"How did you know?" she asks, holding it out for me to fasten around her neck. She never told me about the flower, but after she had that talk with Dr. K, she came home with a large sternum tattoo from Lev. It was a Celtic knot interlaced with fuchsias, so I took an educated guess there.

"I know you. Every single inch of you." She shudders as my fingers gently graze her neck, placing the necklace around it. The gold matches the sequins that border the neckline, bringing the whole piece together exactly how I had envisioned.

Leaning down, I press a kiss to her neck where the necklace lays, holding her close for a minute as emotions cascade out of her.

By the time I am back in my seat, she is smiling although her eyes are still red.

"It's perfect," she says, reaching for my hand. I take it and squeeze.

"I am glad I guessed right."

She lets out a quiet laugh and I point at the menu. "The duck is great, but the steak is better."

She hums as she takes her time reading over the options. Nessa loves to try new foods and is always branching out with recipes in the kitchen with me. Alexi may have taught us the basics, but I think being in our large kitchen is one of our favorite things. That and the couch when we curl up to read or do other things.

Everything with Nessa feels so natural, like I never have to work to impress her, and in turn, she never has to hide who she is from me. We just fit. I think that's what drew me to her in the beginning.

She had this drive and this way of not being afraid, no matter the circumstance. She claims she spent most of her life being afraid, but that's not the woman I see now. Since meeting Evie, Nessa has become a fighter through and through.

The waiter comes back and I choose the wine when Nessa nods to me. She is the kind of woman who can have a cheap glass of cabernet and swear it is just as good as a Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, which is a seven thousand-dollar bottle. I decide I will order something in the middle since only one of us will be able to appreciate its depth.

When the waiter presents the wine to us, pouring us each a taste, her cheeks pinken as we both take a sip. She nods in a gesture for him to fill her glass but rolls her lips all the same. And I know exactly what my little brat is thinking.

The waiter leaves, so I ask what's on my mind. "What do you think?"

Turning her head to hide the blooming smile that's visible from a mile away, she answers, "Tastes great."

Lie.

"Can you taste the hint of lemon?"

"Definitely," she says, bringing the glass to her mouth.

" Lisichka , there is no lemon in here."

She snorts, taking a large gulp.

"I don't know why you do this to either of us," she says after swallowing. My eyes trace the movement of her throat, following its path until I am staring between her breasts.

I chuckle, swirling my glass, taking care to hold it by the stem so as to not heat up the contents more than room temperature. It causes a bitter aftertaste to the drink.

Glancing up at her, I realize at this moment how lucky of a man I am.

"Are you happy?"

The question falls from my lips without warning. It is rare for me to not filter my words, but with her, I find myself always speaking my mind.

Her brows pinch, and her head tilts to the side before she sits her glass down and reaches a hand out to me. I take it, securing it in mine.

"Boris, I have never in my life been so happy."

Now I want to ask if that is because of Cillian being around or me. Or maybe both of us. But I don't because I am not sure I can handle the answer.

"Are you happy?" she asks.

My smile grows quickly until my cheeks nearly hurt. Before her, it was so rare for me to lift my lips in the gesture unless it was during a meeting to placate others. Now, my face hurts at the end of the day with the amount of time I find myself smiling at her.

"I am happier than I ever believed was possible."

She beams at me, a blush rising. Our hands don't separate as she orders the steak and I order the duck, knowing she will want to try it too. Typically when we go out, we will split our dishes, each taking half of each other's meal in order to explore more flavors.

And that's exactly what happens tonight. I am grateful though because the steak here is some of the best. It is one of the only places I can get Alexi to actually eat food with me, which is saying something.

He thought I didn't pick up on how particular he was as a child, but I made note of it and was the one to make sure our chefs were always some of the best.

It paid off too, because now it is something we bond over, and I have the pleasure of turning around and teaching what I have learned to Nessa.

When we built the house, the kitchen was the only thing we really argued about. I wanted it bigger, a larger island to work on and more walking space between the cabinets so we could cook together.

Nessa talked me down though, bringing me back to the reality that we were not a five-star restaurant catering to the city's best every night. We settled on a large layout, but still one that made it easy to load the dishwashers as we worked.

That was one thing I am grateful she accepted, two dishwashers. I have no idea why the act of touching food in the sink bothers me, but it does. So she rinses all of the dishes, and I load them into the washers.

We still have a chef, but he is utilized more when we are both too busy to cook or wish to stay in bed for the weekend and have food delivered to our door.

Our jobs can be stressful, so two days locked in a room with each other is the best way we have found to recover. And it is a very cardio intensive recovery.

When our food arrives, she immediately cuts her steak in half and offers it to me. I do the same with the duck but watch as she has her first bites of each before digging in myself.

The steak is salty, and I love the way she savors it. The duck is on the sweeter side, having an orange glaze brushed along the crust. She closes her eyes, taking in each flavor.

Watching her eat is like a form of entertainment. I wish I could crawl into her brain sometimes just to know what she thinks of everything.

"I am so glad I get to have both of these," she says, grinning at me. "You were right that I would like the steak more though."

"I thought you might say that." I take a bite of each and try not to groan over how delicious it is. My mouth waters from flavor overload, and before I know it, both of our plates are nearly licked clean.

When the dessert menu arrives, Nessa looks up, mischievous eyes glinting at me.

"What?" I tilt my head to the side, so curious as to where her thoughts have gone.

"I was thinking," she leans forward, whispering as her hands disappear under the table, "maybe we could have a different kind of dessert."

The moment my brain catches on to her suggestion, those very sheer panties are placed in front of me on the table. My eyes go wide as she chuckles. This woman is every bit a temptress. She could lure men to jump off a cliff with her seduction. Like a siren bringing fishermen to their demise with her devastating beauty and bewitching song.

"Oh, Lisichka . I have so many plans for you, my sly little fox."

She grins from ear to ear, biting her lip so hard I worry it will break skin.

"But not here." This time her eyes widen, and I grab the panties before she can take them back, slipping them into my pocket.

Between paying for the bill and walking to the theater, Nessa has requested I return her undergarments at least fifteen times. Each time makes my smile grow wider. She even tried to sneak them from my pocket after gifting them to me.

Wily little fox.

But the moment we walk into the theater, she forgets everything else. In fact, I actually have to remind her to breathe a few times as she stands there taking everything in. She doesn't even know what ballet we are seeing yet. I kept that a surprise.

Walking up to our balcony seats, I nearly have to drag her with me because she cannot stop spinning to soak up the art and history that surrounds us.

"It's…breathtaking," Nessa says as we step into the box and the stage comes into view.

"Yes, you are."

I had the box fitted with a couch for the evening. Red plush fabric wraps around us as we sit together, my arm draped around her shoulders.

"So, what show is it?" She is practically bouncing in her seat. I had to have us taken through a private entrance to avoid all of the advertisement posters.

"Cinderella."

She wrinkles her nose, but I laugh.

"It is very different from the movie, I assure you."

"How?" Nessa is turned to face me, the slit of her dress parting more, tempting me further, but I won't give in. Yet .

"You know how in the movie the prince is searching for her and goes through the town having every woman try on the glass slipper?"

She nods her head.

"Well, the play is different. He does not simply go to a few houses. He transcends time and space, searching the entire world before finally finding her home. By the time she wakes, for her, it has only been a day. And instead of the glass slipper being a perfect fit, he only finds her because when she bends over to help her stepmother, the matching shoe falls from her pocket, revealing her as the woman he fell in love with."

"That's actually really beautiful." Nessa moves closer to me, snuggling into my side as I pull into my body. "Love transcends time. Disney definitely did not make that one clear."

I snort a laugh as I run my fingers down her arm and the lights dim. "Love transcends all ."

She hums in agreement as I soak in every second of life with her. I never thought I would get this lucky again. And yet, I've found myself a love that feels even stronger than any I have ever known.

???

I wait carefully for my moment. Nessa wanted to play at dinner, but I have other ideas. Our box seats are blocked off from most others, making this the perfect space to really ensure this experience is a once in a lifetime moment for my girl.

When Nessa's lips part in awe, and the final song of the act begins, I slide my hand up her leg and under the slit of her dress. Moving slowly, I allow my fingers to roam closer to her center, circling and teasing her flesh along the way.

At first, she doesn't pick up on my intentions, but when my pinky grazes over her core, she gasps and sits back suddenly.

"Eyes on the stage, Lisichka . I do not want you to miss anything important."

I nod toward the performance, and she shoots me a glare before her eyes flash with heated desire.

"It's almost intermission. All of the lights will come on."

A smile curls my lips as I press two fingers over her sex, finding her clit with ease.

"Sounds like you better come quickly then."

"Maybe you should make me, Old Man."

Nessa smirks, and I have half a mind to bend her over my knee to slap her ass, regardless of how much attention it would draw. But Alexi would kill me if I got us banned from the theater, so I behave. Mostly.

I have planned everything out, and I know this song will last two minutes. I take that as a personal challenge to rush against the clock and make my girl come as I slowly sink to my knees before her. Pushing her dress up her thighs until she is exposed, I inhale the scent of her arousal. It is intoxicating.

Leaning in, I swipe my tongue over her just enough to get a taste. Nessa's fingers fly to my hair, gripping tightly as I look up at her.

"Watch the performance."

Her eyes snap to the stage even as her legs part to make more room for me. Using my hands, I spread her thighs and pull her to the edge of the seat for the best access.

Her long legs are already shaking with anticipation. Knowing I have limited time, I decide not to toy with her and give her exactly what she needs.

My tongue swirls around her clit, sucking and grazing my teeth over the sensitive flesh. The hand in my hair begins to pull and push while she rolls her hips, forcing my head into the rhythm she needs as I push two fingers inside of her.

It's wet and messy. I hope like hell it leaves a mark on her dress so that she never forgets what I do to her. This woman makes me feral. I have never in my life thought of doing the things I want to do to her. With my late wife, there was desire, but never this same type of unsatiated hunger. I loved her unconditionally, but eventually, I came to terms with losing her.

But with Nessa, I would go mad without her. She is like the anchor to my soul, tethering me to this earth and forcing me to see all of the good it has.

She challenges me, but also kneels at my feet the same way I do hers. We are an even match, a perfect pair. My soul cannot exist without her.

Her taste explodes on my tongue and she whimpers. Flashes of how she teased me earlier ring through my mind. It took immense strength to hold back in the restaurant.

All I could picture was my hand around her throat, holding those panties she thought she could tease me with as I took her from behind, her nipples plastered to the window facing the city.

But for now, I will settle for this. Making her come undone on my tongue is only a small part of what I have planned for her tonight.

Curling my fingers, I suck on her clit while swirling my digits around, making sure to hit every nerve just the way she likes. I add a third, and fourth, stretching her and allowing her juices to flood the seat beneath her. The music picks up the moment the princess runs from the ball and back to her old life. A melody that is equal parts thrilling and sorrowful.

With one more twist of my fingers, I reach up and pinch her nipple through her dress. Her sweet pussy clenches around my fingers, attempting to suck me further into her. I give her every inch I have to offer, then tease the pressure of more with my thumb while my tongue laps at her clit. Her juices are dripping down my hand, so wet that I could almost slide my whole fist inside her.

Her back arches at the song's crescendo and her lips part, but I cover them with haste before she screams her orgasm. Nessa's legs shake and her body goes limp, falling back onto the couch. Her eyes close with a smile gracing those beautiful lips. The music fades and the lights slowly ascend to brightness as I pull her dress back down for her.

"That was…"

"Exhilarating?" I finish for her.

She pulls me up, and her hand latches around my neck, bringing me in for a kiss. Her tongue traces my lips, making me groan when she thrusts it into my mouth.

"Perfect. Absolutely perfect."

My heart warms, and a piece of me settles. Nessa is a part of me and everything I have ever wanted in a partner. She encourages me in ways I didn't know were possible. I am a new man around her, one I find myself growing to love more and more every day.