Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chloe

I have exactly two-point-five seconds to feel relief that I let Tanner down gently tonight, insisting he would remain in the friendzone. He took it well, making me doubt myself for telling him no. On paper, he had all the things to make for a perfect date, and yet I felt nothing sitting across the table from him at dinner. I refuse to settle for anything less than fucking fireworks. Which is exactly what happens when Nikolai pounces.

His kiss is nothing like that night in Toronto. It blows that one right out of the water, like a tiny peck from a schoolboy compared to the hot, raging man now consuming me like I might be the key to his survival. His hands tilt my head where he wants me, his tongue and lips taking control of the kiss without even a hint of seeking permission. Thing is, I gave him permission months ago. He just hadn't acted on it. Until now.

My hands fly to his muscled waist, fisting the material there while I try to keep up. His teeth nip at my bottom lip before his tongue drags across the abused skin. The hands that held me in place and probably made an absolute wreck of my hair now slide down to my hips and hoist me up. I gasp and go to wrap my legs around his waist, but the dress hinders me. His growl of frustration rumbles my own chest. He sets me back down on my feet and doesn't hesitate.

"I apologize," he barks before grabbing both sides of the slit that shows off my left thigh every time I take a step. The man rips the material, a renting noise filling the silence between us. A draft hits the skin above my hip as I gape down at my dress, now exposing my matching red satin panties. He fucking ripped my dress apart.

Why is that so fucking hot?

He lunges again, his mouth coming down on mine while he hoists me up, my back sliding easily against the wall. This time, I get my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. My high heels fall off and I can't be bothered. He presses me into the wall, an impressive erection digging into my core and making me light-headed. His hand leaves my hip to cup my breast through my dress. He wrenches his mouth away from me to stare down at the white flesh.

"Fucking hell, Chloe. How are you so beautiful?"

The question must be rhetorical because he doesn't wait for an answer. Roughly pulling down the top of my dress and bra in one tug, he exposes my breast and hisses. The same devastating combo of teeth, lips, and tongue are now on my breast, teasing my nipple and leaving red marks along the pale globe. I toss my head back—breathing so heavily I feel like I've been running—and promptly hit it against the wall.

Nikolai's face comes up, his eyes burning hot as he takes me in, hair a disaster, breast exposed, and my dress ripped to hell. He lets out a feral growl and pulls me off the wall. I tighten my arms around his neck and let him carry me through the house. Stalking is more like it. The man can move fast, something I've seen out on the ice, but never in this capacity. He carries me as if I weigh nothing. A mental image of Josh refusing to pick me up and carry me over the threshold of our house when we got married flashes through my brain and I push it away. He has no place here in this thing with me and Nikolai.

Nikolai stops short of his bed and runs his hand through my hair, looking at me with something I've never seen before. Gone is the familiar aggression from earlier, replaced by a look of caring so strong it makes my eyes water. He lowers me down gently to the edge of the bed. I'm so focused on keeping eye contact and memorizing this new expression, I can't take in the details of his bedroom. He kneels on the floor between my legs, his face now even with mine. His hands never leave my skin, just swooping up and over and around, like he can't stop touching me. It's enough to make me mewl like a cat.

"Chloe," he breathes, "I cannot deny you any longer. I should. I should push you away and keep you far from me." He bows his head over my lap.

I used to be a silent partner, letting my husband lead and stuffing down my concerns. I vowed after Josh's death not to live that way any longer. So I run both hands through Nikolai's hair and pull his head up sharply. His eyes hold a note of regret in those ocean blue depths, and I refuse to have any of that enter whatever this is between us.

"You and I both want this. Doesn't that matter more than everyone else? Why are we denying ourselves some fun?" I tug on his hair harder, hoping it'll make him listen. "I haven't had fun in a long time and I'd like to have it with you."

His eyes briefly shut, and he turns his head to kiss the inside of my wrist. "I cannot offer you a relationship, which is most certainly what you deserve."

I let out the saddest laugh I've ever heard. "I don't want a relationship. Had one of those and it ended horrifically." I lean in and place a kiss on both sides of his mouth, letting his whiskers scrape against my skin. "Can you just make me feel good, Nikolai? Just for tonight?"

We both still, my question hanging there between us. Then he lunges, his mouth fusing to mine, a promise of pleasure and nothing more between two people who care about each other but have no future. It's exactly what I set out to do when I moved to Tampa. Exactly what I wished for. Exactly what I need. All those feelings I thought I had for Nikolai? Misplaced sexual longing, clearly. Nothing in my past could prepare me for how badly I want Nikolai. This is new territory for me and it's clear I was confused.

Nikolai gets to his feet, the kiss going on and on until he breaks away, chest heaving. The room could be on fire and I wouldn't notice. He lets me go and takes a step back, his gaze burning into my skin. He lifts his shirt over his head and tosses it aside. That physique I got a glimpse of the other night is right in front of me. Except this time, his hands go to the buttons of his jeans as he works them open. My mouth goes dry, and my gaze tracks his progress. He shoves the material down and out springs the most perfect cock—long, thick, and perfectly veined. Instinctively, I reach for it.

"No," he commands and I freeze, greedy hand in the air. "I have been waiting months for this, and I have very specific things in mind. I hope you do not intend to sleep tonight, Chloe Cooper."

I swallow hard and gaze up at him, taking in the finest physique I've ever seen in person. The man should retire from hockey and become an underwear model. Pose nude for artists. Be the next inspiration for a sculpture. Hell, an Only Fans account would make him more money than hockey.

"Look now while you can," he threatens, holding perfectly still. My heart's beating so hard I'm not sure this is healthy. Goddamn, he's even hotter when he's bossy. "Stand up and turn around."

I obey, though my legs are quaking so badly, I'm not sure I'll be able to stay on my feet for long if that's what he has planned for me. His hands gently glide the zipper down the back of my ruined dress, leaving a line of goosebumps in their wake. Rough fingers slide the straps off my shoulders and the dress falls to the ground. I've never been so thankful for my obsession with beautiful and expensive lingerie. It went unappreciated by Josh, but based on the deep growl coming from behind me, Nikolai is a man who appreciates the finer things.

He unclasps the bra and assists its fall to the floor. And then his touch is gone.

"You have tempted me every day," he mutters menacingly.

I'm trembling, just seconds away from begging him to touch me again. I look over my shoulder to gauge his next move. He has one giant hand wrapped around his cock, stroking it as he zeros his attention in on my backside. I'm about to turn, but he barks out another command.

"Get on the bed on all fours."

I swallow hard, not sure about putting myself into that type of compromising position. Maybe I could ask to turn off the bedside lamp first? I'm realizing quickly that everything I've participated in before could be classified as very, very vanilla.

"Now, Chloe."

I jump, realizing that Nikolai is in control here and I, for one, want to see what he does with it. I scramble onto the bed exactly as he instructed, but he barks at me to back up until my toes are hanging over the bed. He steps up right behind me, the heat of him searing my skin. My breaths are now audible gasps. His hand grips the material between my cheeks and rubs it ruthlessly back and forth over my wet flesh. It's vulgar and rough and so damn amazing I have to bite my lip to keep from crying out.

"How many times can you come in one night?" Another slide of that material across my aching clit. I release my lip to utter an incomprehensible I don ' t know . "Let us find out, yes?"

"Yes!" I gasp, proud of myself for getting a single word out of my mouth.

His chuckle is deep and low. The sound of material ripping has me squeezing my eyes shut. My pretty panties are gone, and I can't even be sad they met their demise. Not when Nikolai's knees hit the carpet behind me and his hands slide up my cheeks. He parts me, making me gasp and then nearly swallow my own tongue when he boldly licks me front to back. My arms buckle and it's my face jammed in the bed that's supporting my upper body now.

"Yes, malish , just like that." His tongue takes the same trip again, this time focusing on either end before a long, thick finger slides inside of me. His finger glides in and out, stretching me when he adds another digit. His tongue finds the puckered knot of muscle no one has entertained before, teasing a series of uncoordinated gasps out of me as my whole body begins to shake.

My heart is about to explode right out of my chest. I'm barely dragging air in and out and I can't seem to focus on anything but his tongue, his fingers, those hands holding me ruthlessly open for him. Every ribbon of desire in my gut turns to flames licking across my insides in an inferno that finally decimates.

I scream his name into the mattress and tremble so badly I lose all control over my muscles. His tongue and fingers keep going, torturing me, not giving me one second to ride the wave and come down gently. My guttural whimpers turn to a maniacal laugh. Here I wanted to turn off the lamp and now I'm face down, ass up, spread out for Nikolai's tongue to explore every nook and cranny.

The world flips around as I'm turned onto my back. Nikolai crawls up my body, his hard whiskered jaw wet, and his beautiful eyes a steely gray. He settles between my thighs, his erection wedged between us. I reach one arm up, barely able to feel the limb, and dive my fingers into his hair.

"Are you trying to kill me?" I ask in all seriousness. A bubble of insane laughter escapes my throat yet again.

His answering smile is that of a wolf, about to eat his prey. "The night has just begun, malish, " He rolls to his back beside me, leaving me without the blanket of his heat. "Come sit on me so I can look at your beautiful body while I'm inside you."

I look up at the ceiling and have an out-of-body experience. Here it is, everything I wanted when I moved to Tampa to start my life over again. A hot, gorgeous man who wants nothing from me but my body. And yet.. .I'm scared.

Rolling over, I nestle into Nikolai's side, not on top of him like he firmly suggested. "Are you sure about that? I mean, wouldn't a little missionary be fun instead?"

He lifts his head, looking so pissed off I shrink back. "Are you fucking with me?"

"Umm." Is this a trick question? A language barrier issue? "I'm trying to fuck you, yes. But not fuck with you."

Nikolai grinds his teeth together, reaches for me, and sprawls me on top of him before cupping my face and forcing me to look at him. "You have the most gorgeous body I have ever seen and you do not want me to look at it? Why are you so cruel, Chloe?"

My jaw drops open and I have no words. Which is fine, because he's not done.

"Ride my cock right now or I will get a belt."

Now I'm truly gaping, which I'm sure is very attractive. "A belt?" I squeak. "To tie me to the bed?" I'm so out of my comfort zone it's not even funny. That phrase about being careful what you wish for floats through my addled brain.

Nikolai only frowns harder. "No. So I can use it on your beautiful ass for talking badly about the body I desire."

"Hey!" I sputter, though the idea of me draped across his lap receiving my punishment forms like an X-rated movie in my brain, and I find I like it.

He lifts an eyebrow in challenge. I narrow my eyes at him, push off his chest, and shift backward until I feel that cock digging into my backside. "Fuck your belt, Nikolai Drugov."

It's time to put my money where my mouth is and live my life to the fullest. I have a hot, willing man in bed with me, a man millions of women would do shady things to be with. If he wants me to ride him like a Russian stallion, I'm going to fucking do it. Because if I don't, I'll be so disappointed with myself. And life's too short for regrets.

I hold out my hand, happy to note it's no longer trembling. "Hand me a condom, cowboy."