Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chloe

I press my nose against the glass and mimic a fish opening and closing its mouth. Sushi is not impressed. In fact, she swims away from me, a corner of her bright turquoise tail the only thing visible outside the underwater castle where she hides.

"Oh, you like the construction workers better now? So much for female...what's the word?" My breath fogs the glass and I stand up, stretching my back and hoping the word will come to me before I grow another gray hair. "Oh! Solidarity! Believe me. I saved your life not bringing you into the house with Paul. He would have had you for a snack on day one."

I've only been home one night in my duplex and already everything feels wrong. My mattress isn't as comfortable as Nikolai's. My fish seems pissed off I left her with someone else for a few weeks, even though I came over every day to feed her. My plants have been rearranged in the wrong spots. My refrigerator is pristine instead of covered with dirty fingerprints and colored drawings from Ayana.

Pacing my living space, I think about what those two might have been up to today. Nikolai was able to negotiate another afternoon with Ayana before their parenting plan schedule kicks in. Paul must be in heaven with that little girl home and joining him in straight chaos. I rub my chest bone and realize I'm jealous of a grown man having time with his own daughter.

"Ugh!" I flop down on the sofa in an overly dramatic fashion.

My stomach rumbles but I ignore it. Who can eat dinner when they're in the middle of an existential breakdown? I came to Tampa to get away from all the people who looked at me with pity in their eyes. I came to start a new life, one that's formed with my truth at the center and fun holding up the edges. And what did I do? Fall in love with an unavailable single dad who refuses to even consider that we could have a relationship, so here I am pretending I'm not feeling what I'm actually feeling. Again. This is basically my old marriage on repeat.

Disgusted with myself, I roll off the sofa and head for my bedroom. I'd rather go to sleep at nine at night than sit here and feel sorry for myself. Come tomorrow, I'm turning over a new leaf. No more sad sack moping and gazing over at Nikolai like he might be my knight in shining armor. Nope. No siree. I'm saving my own goddamn self this time. I'll throw myself into my league and build a life just for me. Surely there are other hot men in this city that can get me over Nikolai. Right?

The doorbell rings right after I slide into my favorite pair of sweats. The kind you wear for maximal moping and ice cream binging. Pretty sure that brown stain on one thigh is from a night of rocky road rage eating. The look on Nikolai's face yesterday when he said goodbye tells me he meant more than just goodbye for that day. I'll need more than a tiny pint, so I'm hoping the gallon I vaguely recall buying before the flood is still in the freezer.

I swing open the door and stagger back a step when my knight stands before me, a brown paper grocery bag in hand.

"Hallo, Chloe. I thought you might need a house heating gift."

"House warming?" I murmur, then swing the door open farther. Because right now? I have zero defenses against this man. If he's here, I'm letting him in.

He steps inside and looks me up and down. I don't even feel self-conscious in my drab attire. Not when his eyes flare like that. Like he has x-ray vision and doesn't even see the stained cotton.

"What did you bring?" I ask after I close the door, trying to appear unaffected by his late-night visit.

He reaches into the bag with a smile tugging on his stoic lips and pulls out a gallon of chocolate ice cream. "I also bought the whipped cream you spray from a can." His smile takes on a wicked slant. "I thought I could feed you and then you can return the favor."

Images of naked bodies, sticky with whipped cream and melted ice cream instantly come to mind. Good thing I already decided to wait until tomorrow to turn over a new leaf.

Because tonight I'm going to allow myself to indulge.

The man is diabolical. And sweet. A deadly combination.

First, he strips me naked right there in my living room, then backs me into the bedroom where he pushes me onto the bed and whips off his belt to tie my wrists to my bedpost. My lungs are heaving before he's even touched me.

"Hey. What about that ice cream?" I pant, not actually giving a damn about it.

Nikolai holds up one thick finger. "I give you what you want when I hear a please."

Oh, so that's how it's going to go tonight. Nervous energy and the carnal knowledge of this man's ability to please me beyond my wildest dreams have my heart beating wildly. "May I please have some ice cream from my naked server?"

His answering grin makes that stupid organ in my chest beat out a rhythm of love and affection. A rhythm I know he won't allow himself to feel in return. I shush the beat and focus on each inch of tan skin that slowly emerges as Nikolai strips for me. He's hard already, his cock standing proudly. My mouth waters as I think of how it can gag me with its girth and length.

"Nah ah, malish . You do not get this cock yet. First, you eat."

He bends down and grabs the tub of ice cream, a silver spoon also emerging from that brown bag of his. He pops the top off, puts one knee on the side of the bed, and spoon feeds me chocolate ice cream, bite after decadent bite. The dessert is cold, a relief from the heat streaking across my skin and in my core from just looking at him. When I can't take another bite, mostly due to the restlessness between my legs and not from actually being full, Nikolai sets the ice cream on my bedside table and sits back to look his fill, taking in the length of me from my red painted toes to the dark curls on my head.

"I have more for you in this bag. Would you like to see?"

Expecting whipped cream, I nod, shifting my wrists to keep feeling in my hands as they're suspended above my head. Nikolai reaches down and comes back up with something clutched in his palm.

"Do you trust me, malish ?"

I nod without thought. I do trust Nikolai. I trust him to take exquisite care of me while also breaking my heart. His fingers unfurl and a small silver knob of some sort lays in his palm. The end of it is a beautiful ruby gem. Nervousness replaces a portion of the eagerness.

"What is that?" My voice is a whisper.

"It is for you to wear. I want to fill all your holes and see a ruby the shade of your lips winking at me. Will you let me?"

I have too good of an imagination to be left wondering which hole he intends to fill with that steel plug. I've never done anything like that. Then again, isn't that what I intend for my life now? To try new things? I lick my lips and nod.

Nikolai pounces, positioning himself between my thighs and burying his face. His tongue laves my clit while his teeth graze it next. His chin gets in on the action and pretty soon I'm a quivering, wet mess. I'm chanting his name and begging for release, but he won't give it to me. He backs off every time I get close. The third time he drives me right to the edge, the cool touch of steel hits my flesh. I gasp.

"Relax, malish ," he whispers, gliding it up and around the wetness left from his tongue and my desire. Then he slides it to the knot of muscle no one has breached before, and it slips inside me. The feeling is foreign, bizarre. And oh, so hot.

"Nikolai," I cry, hips squirming for more of him, but he evades me. He sits back on his haunches between my thighs, hands now holding my knees out to the side, baring me completely.

" Izyskannyy ," he breathes, voice breaking.

"Please."

Just one word. One plea in the form of a moan and the man moves, positioning himself at my entrance and slowly sliding his thick cock inside of me. His elbows land on either side of my head and he gazes down at me, our noses touching.

"If I hurt you, just say stop and I will stop."

I feel impossibly full and he's not even halfway in. My eyes want to cross but I hold my gaze on him, watching the wonder in his face as he slides forward another inch. I dip my chin in a nod to continue and he gives me another inch. He shudders, eyes closing and forehead touching mine for a moment. Then he lifts his head and slides all the way home, scanning me for discomfort. He won't find it, however. I feel stretched. Full. Tight as a bow. Ready to shatter if he so much as breathes too deeply.

"Good?"

So, so good. So fucking good the pleasure feels a bit like pain. I'm poised on the edge of something so big I'm sure it'll take me under when it sweeps me away and I don't fucking care if I die. Nikolai doesn't move. He just stares deep into my eyes until I give him another affirmative nod. Sweat dots his skin and that vein on his temple pulses wildly, yet he doesn't let himself unleash. He pulls his hips back ever so gently and stars dance across my vision. I had no idea sex could feel like this, could overwhelm one's senses and reduce them to a lump of nerve endings pulsing with the need for more.

"Please, Nikolai."

Finally he unleashes, slamming home over and over again until everything explodes in a pleasure so great I'm not sure I'm still a fully formed human. My mouth starts chanting his name and cursing gods I never knew existed. He slams his lips to mine, tongue in my mouth, stealing my breath. I'm somewhere else, floating in a plane where only pleasure exists and silly things like oxygen don't matter. He barks a Russian word into my mouth and I'm aware he's shaking above me, but I'm still free falling.

Long moments later, Nikolai rolls to his side, twisting me with him, the two of us still connected. My eyes are closed and I briefly wonder if I'm still here on this earth. He huffs a laugh and the vibration sets off another orgasm. A small one this time. My eyes fly open and I whimper as I shake. He stares down at me in wonder before stealing another kiss. Every bit of energy flees my body as the waves recede, leaving me a limp noodle of pleased female.

"I take it you liked my housewarming present?" Nikolai's rumble of a voice holds a note of humor.

Without opening my eyes, I respond. "Please tell me you don't take butt plugs to everyone's housewarming parties."

His laughter stirs my eyes back open. He's handsome every second of every day, but his face in laughter is something I can't miss. He unties my wrists and massages my arms before stroking strands of hair off my face as we settle into cuddling. I can feel him debating whether to leave or stay. I close my eyes and hope for both. Staying would make my stupid heart fall harder, but I can't wish him gone. If I had my way, he'd never leave my side. I'm on the verge of sleep when the doorbell rings again.

Nikolai jolts his head up, muscles tensing. "Are you expecting someone?"

I shake my head and pull him back down. "No. Ignore it. Probably a door-to-door salesman."

"At midnight?"

I frown. He has a point. That would be quite odd. The doorbell rings again and I groan. "I should probably get that before they wake up my neighbor."

Nikolai lets me go and I roll out of bed, shifting awkwardly with the toy still wedged tightly in my ass and legs that don't seem to want to hold me upright. "Can I walk with this thing?"

A full-of-himself-and-his-sexual-prowess smile is the only answer I get. I roll my eyes as I pull on a robe and tie it tightly around my waist. My hair probably looks like I got struck by lightning, but there's nothing I can do about it and it's the least of my problems right now. Hopefully I can get rid of my midnight visitor quickly.

I pop the door open an inch with a remark about going away on my lips. Instead, I gape at the person on my welcome mat.

"Dad?"

He gives me a sheepish smile. "Do you mind if we chat, pumpkin?"

Kill me now. I swallow hard, trying to remain calm even as my cheeks flame bright. "Now?"

He shrugs and sends that easygoing lopsided smile my way. "I really need to get something off my chest."

So I do what any daughter would do when faced with her contrite father. I let him in and walk over to the couch, acutely aware of the steel toy still in place and the man hiding from his coach in my bedroom.