22. Nina

22

NINA

As first dates go, Anton has set the bar incredibly high. I’m grateful that he wasn’t put off by the fact that I had so little experience in the dating department.

If anything, I think it turned him on more that he got to be the only one to spoil me.

And spoil me he did.

I had a feeling when I saw the box on my bed after I came home from school that Anton had planned something. What I didn’t expect to find was the most beautiful dress and for him to come and pick me up from his own house wearing a tux and carrying a bouquet of flowers.

The moment he smiled, he stole the breath from me.

Anton Koslov is like a knight in shining armor, and I sure as hell don’t know what I did to deserve him.

As he takes my hand and leads me out of the theater, I feel like my heart is going to explode.

Glancing up at him and catching sight of the dimple in his cheek and the soft lines at the corner of his eyes as he smiles, my own well with tears.

For the first time in my life, I feel seen. No one has ever put so much thought and effort into creating a night filled with all of my favorite things.

“Anton,” I whisper, and he turns to look down at me.

I reach up to cup his cheek, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. As I gaze into his brown eyes, it hits me.

I’m falling in love with this man, and that realization is both terrifying and thrilling.

He smiles at me before turning his head and kissing my palm.

In a moment like this, it’s hard to believe that this relationship is doomed to fail.

On the outside, we appear so blissfully happy, but the reality is we can never have the happy ending which we both deserve.

And I have my father to blame for that.

I don’t want to face that reality. It’s why I keep finding excuses to put off telling Anton the truth. It’s out of selfishness that I cling to the love and affection he shows me, not wanting to let him go.

I almost tell Anton right then. Not about my father, but how I feel about him.

There is no other way to express how much tonight has meant to me.

“I—”

“Nina!” a female voice calls.

I pause, the three words on the tip of my tongue vanishing in an instant.

“Nina!”

I glance around, wondering if someone from my class is here, but I don’t see anyone I recognize.

A soft tap of my shoulder has me whirling around, and I almost lose my balance when I come face to face with a woman who I have no business running into, especially not with Anton.

“Valerija.” I take in the jet-black, bobbed hair, now streaked with gray, and angular features of my mother’s best friend.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” Valerija laughs, showing all of her teeth. “Oh, it’s wonderful to see you, Nina!”

“You, too.” My stomach tightens as I glance at Anton.

Valerija follows my gaze and blinks as she takes in Anton’s towering frame.

“I’m Valerija,” she says a little breathlessly, holding out her hand for Anton to take.

“Anton.”

I breathe a sigh of relief when he purposefully leaves off his last name, likely from habit. Koslov is not a name you throw around lightly.

I have no doubt that Valerija is aware of who the Koslovs are, and I could really do without answering those sorts of questions tonight. “How do you know Nina?”

“I was best friends with her mother. Nina was always like a daughter to me.” She reaches out to pinch my cheek, and I try not to recoil at the touch. “You look so much like her.”

I nod, forcing a smile.

“I didn’t realize you were in New York, otherwise I would have reached out. But knowing your father, he was always very controlling?—”

“How long have you been here?” I prefer not talking about my father.

Anton looks at me curiously, but I purposefully avoid his gaze.

“A few years now. Ever since the divorce, I craved a fresh start, and New York seemed like the perfect place.”

“You seem happy.”

“Oh, I am, truly. Leaving Sergei was the best thing I ever did. No offense, dear, but men are sometimes more hassle than they’re worth.”

“None taken.” Anton chuckles.

“Though if my husband looked anything like you, I would have been more inclined to keep him around.” She strokes his arm.

I find myself moving closer to Anton. “We really should be going. I have an early start in the morning.”

“It was just lovely seeing you.” Valerija kisses me once on each cheek. “You have my number, darling. Call me, and we’ll go for a drink.”

“I’d love that,” I lie.

She smiles again at Anton, barely listening to me as she squeezes his arm. “And you can definitely call me any time.”

She flashes me a wink as if to say I’m happy to share if you are .

I tighten my hold on Anton’s arm as I look over my shoulder and watch Valerija disappear into the crowd of people streaming out of the theater.

When I’m certain she’s definitely gone, I quickly lead us toward the line of cars being driven around the front of the theater.

“She’s like a vulture when it comes to men.”

“Don’t worry, I only have eyes for one woman tonight.” Anton pinches my waist.

It takes the entire car ride back to Anton’s place for my heart to stop pounding in my chest.

I can’t seem to stop playing out all the potential conversations we could have ended up having on the front steps of the Lincoln Center.

Valerija could have blurted out my father’s name, and it would have all been over in an instant.

That realization has my blood turning cold.

I need to tell Anton. He has to hear the truth from me.

The gravel crunches beneath the tires as Anton pulls up outside the house, and I force myself back to the present, determined not to let the run in with Valerija ruin this perfect evening.

Anton walks around to my door and helps me out of the car.

This dress is incredible, but it does make it hard to get in and out of a car as low to the ground as Anton’s.

I take his hand, and we walk toward the front door together.

“Is this the part of the evening where you kiss me goodnight?” I bite my lower lip.

Anton smiles, his eyes flicking to my lips. He looks incredible in his tux, the jacket highlighting his broad shoulders and thick arms, and I’m desperate to get my hands on him.

“I didn’t want to presume.” His gaze heats as he glances lower to where my hard nipples are peeking through my dress.

I hold my breath as he steps closer to me and takes my face in his hands.

He tilts my head up before bending down to kiss me softly.

At the first touch of his lips against mine, my body seems to melt.

I sink my fingers into his shirt, pulling him closer against me as I part my lips.

He moans as his tongue slides against mine, sending a shiver down my spine.

He forces me backward until I’m pressed up against the door, and his powerful thigh pushes between mine.

“Nina,” he groans before dipping down to kiss my neck.

I gasp at his warm mouth on my skin. I cling to his shirt, arching into his touch as he licks along the column of my neck.

“Is this what you had in mind?” His voice is rough.

I moan, my body trembling with need as Anton rubs against me.

He’s rock hard, and I whimper as my pussy clenches.

The need I have for him is insatiable.

“I don’t normally sleep with guys on the first date… But I think I can make an exception.”

“I’m a lucky man.” He laughs, reaching around me to open the front door. “Now let’s go upstairs before we give one of my guards a show.”

By the time we reach Anton’s room, the straps of my dress are hanging off my shoulders, and my breasts are on full display as Anton backs me over to the bed.

“Look at you,” he practically growls, bending down to take my right nipple into his mouth.

I cry out at the touch, my fingers gripping his hair to hold him in place.

“I’m tempted to keep this dress on. You look incredible in it.”

I moan, arching my back more as he moves to suck on my other breast.

“Whatever you want.”

His teeth graze the sensitive bud.

“What do you want, Nina?” His breath tickles my nipple.

He straightens, his eyes molten as he stares down at me.

I have to arch my neck to look up at him and move my hand to cup his erection.

“This.” I squeeze his length.

Anton grits his teeth as I run my palm along the outline of his cock, and I have to press my thighs together as my pussy starts to throb.

“I love how much you crave my cock.”

I rub him harder, smiling, my breasts growing heavy as I feel how big he is.

“It feels so good.” I reach for his belt buckle.

But Anton grips my wrist and shakes his head.

“There’s something I need to do first. Turn around, Nina.” His voice is thick with need, his throat bobbing.

I reluctantly drop my hand and turn around.

Anton gently brushes my hair over my shoulder, the soft brush of his calloused fingertips against my skin making me shiver in anticipation.

He takes his time unzipping my dress, and soon the material is in a pool at my feet, and Anton is on his knees, biting and licking up the backs of my thighs.

I gasp as his stubble grazes my skin.

“Bend over, Nina.”

I screw my eyes shut, trying to calm the growing need that is pulsing between my thighs as I bend over the end of the bed, and Anton gets to work removing my panties.

“I was so fucking desperate to taste you tonight,” he growls, sinking his tongue inside me. “I almost got on my knees for you in that box and feasted on you like my own personal dessert.”

“Oh god,” I moan, my head falling forward as I rock back against Anton’s face.

“So fucking wet and sweet.” He laps at my arousal.

I cling to the comforter as my legs start to shake.

The feeling of his warm tongue inside me mixed with his rough stubble against my inner thighs has my eyes rolling.

“Oh fuck, yes !” I rock my hips.

His hands roughly kneed my ass as he continues to fuck me with his tongue, so deliciously slowly that I can feel my arousal drip down my thighs.

“Anton,” I whimper.

He moves his fingers to start rubbing my swollen clit to send me over the edge, and I’m desperately gasping for air as my release hits.

My body shudders, and I cry out as I come on his tongue, but Anton doesn’t stop.

He continues to lick and suck at my pussy until I’m so sensitive that I have to pull away.

I crawl onto the bed, my ass still high in the air as I try to catch my breath.

Anton chuckles as he removes his clothes, and then his weight is pressed against my back, and his cock is brushing my entrance.

“You’re incredible,” he whispers before kissing between my shoulder blades. “My beautiful Nina.”

A strangled sound escapes me at his words, and I flip over onto my back and pull him against me, wrapping my legs around his waist.

My eyes sting as I cling to him, wanting to feel the weight of him on top of me.

It’s as if my body knows it might not ever get the chance to experience pleasure like this again, and I want to make the most of it.

“Nina?” He strokes my cheek as he gazes down at me. “What is it?”

I reach out to cup the back of his neck and bring his mouth down to mine in a soft kiss.

“Like this,” I whisper against his mouth.

He gently strokes my cheek as we kiss, wiping away a stray tear that falls.

He says nothing, but from the way he gently guides himself inside me, filling me so completely, I know he understands what I need.

He buries his face in the crook of my neck as he slowly pumps his hips, his breathing coming in heavy pants as he stretches me so perfectly.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders, breathing in the musky scent of him as we move together.

Neither one of us speaks, the sound of our bodies coming together filling the silence. It’s more intimate than any other time we’ve been together, and I close my eyes, focusing on the feeling of Anton moving inside me.

He takes it slow as he kisses along my jaw and then my neck.

I arch into him, my nipples brushing against his chest, and I moan as I rub against him.

“So sensitive,” he murmurs as he bends down to suck on the hard buds.

I tighten my legs around him. I need to feel his hands on my body, his breath on my skin. I can’t get close enough, and Anton can sense my desperation from how he tightens his arms around me and captures my mouth once more.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs against my lips as he pumps his cock inside me harder.

We keep our eyes locked on each other as we chase our pleasure.

Anton’s eyes go wide as I clench around him, and his brows pull together in a look of pure agony as he fights the urge to come.

He’s breathtaking in every sense, and I want to see him come undone.

“Please,” I beg. “Come with me, Anton.”

He rests his forehead against mine as he pumps his hips faster, grunting with each thrust of his cock inside me.

He’s hitting me so deep that my eyes roll, and I can barely breathe, “Oh yes, Anton, ” as my orgasm hits.

“Oh fuck.” His body shudders.

I bring his lips to mine as my pussy pulses around him, taking every last drop he gives me until he eventually collapses on top of me, completely spent and satisfied.

“That was…” he gasps, gazing down at me. “Fuck, that was…”

“I know.” I push his slightly damp hair back from his face.

“Let me clean you up.” He kisses the tip of my nose.

I whimper as he slides out of me, my pussy so slick and swollen that I know I’ll be able to feel him for days to come.

I lay back and let him clean up the evidence of our shared pleasure from between my thighs, and then he settles himself in the bed beside me, pulling me into his side and gently stroking my hair.

He kisses the top of my head. “Are you tired?”

“Not even a little,”

He laughs. “I’m happy to go again, but you’ll need to give me a minute, lapochka .”

I laugh, burying my face against him as I press my thighs together.

“Thank you for tonight,” I whisper. “It was perfect.”

“You’re more than welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I haven’t gone to the ballet in so long. Dancing it is one thing, but getting to watch it is just…” I don’t have the words to describe how it makes me feel.

“I can see why it’s your dream.”

“Do you have any dreams, Anton?”

“Well, I own my own bar. I guess that was a dream at one point…”

“What about now? Do you have a new one?”

Anton is silent for a moment, his fingers gently tracing circles on my arms as he thinks.

“I’ve always wanted to travel.”

“Anywhere in particular?”

“Everywhere. I’m jealous of my brother in that sense. He’s gotten to see the world and I… Well, I’ve been here.”

I don’t miss the hint of resentment in his voice as he talks about Nikolai.

“From the pictures downstairs, you seemed like you were close.”

“We were inseparable. But after my father died, Nikolai was never the same. It was like he was scared of ever feeling that kind of loss again, so he pushed everyone away rather than feel the pain. And then, when my mother got sick, he withdrew from everyone completely.”

I snuggle closer to Anton, wrapping my leg around his waist as I stroke my fingers over his chest.

“Your mom is lucky to have you. In fact, any girl would be lucky to call you theirs.”

“What about you?” He strokes my arm.

“What about me?”

“Are you happy to call me yours?”

I swallow the lump in my throat as I fight the urge to tell him yes. I want nothing more than to call him mine.

Instead, I maneuver myself on top of him and kiss him.

Anton groans as he moves his hands to my hips, his cock already hard beneath me, and I rub against him, my pussy already slick with need.

Right now, this is the only answer I can give him.