Page 26 of Tattooed Vow

“What is that word you keep calling me?” I ask, trying to redirect my thoughts.

His expression softens almost imperceptibly. “Malyshka. It means ‘baby’ or ‘little one.’”

“I’m not little,” I counter.

“No,” he agrees, eyes traveling the length of me in a way that makes my skin flush. “You’re not.”

I take another sip of whiskey, letting it burn away my nervousness. “Tell me something true, Dimitri. Something you haven’t told anyone else.”

His eyes narrow slightly, assessing me. I think he might refuse, might retreat behind that wall he keeps so carefully constructed.

“Before all of this,” he replies, voice low and deliberate, “I wanted to be a doctor.”

That surprises me. I can’t hide it from my expression.

“Hard to imagine?”

“No,” I say honestly. “You have the hands for it.” My eyes drop to his fingers wrapped around the glass. They’re strong, steady, and capable.

Something shifts in his gaze. “Why are you here, Sandy? In this kitchen, in the middle of the night?”

The question hits me like a punch to the gut.Why am I here?Because I can’t sleep? Because my thoughts are driving me mad? Or because some part of me has been drawn to him from the moment he stormed into my life, even knowing what he is?

He pushes off the counter slowly, closing the distance between us. I should move. I should step away. But I don’t.

The space between us vanishes, and my pulse kicks into overdrive.

“Why areyouhere?” I whisper, breath catching.

His coffee-colored eyes turn stormy in an instant. “To keep you alive.”

His hand reaches up, fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“And maybe,” he adds, voice rougher, tighter, like he’s barely holding himself back, “because I can’t seem to stay away.”

The tension snaps tight between us, pulling me closer without moving. I stand there, caught between fear and want, unsure which scares me more.

His thumb traces the curve of my lips, lingering until my gaze locks onto his, and then his mouth crashes down on mine, hard and unforgiving.

The kiss is ravenous. Our tongues tangle, our heartbeats pound and his fingers twist in the hair at the nape of my neck. By the time I pull away from him, I’m panting and breathless. I take two steps back to put distance between us.

Is this happening? Do I want this to happen?

I look into his blazing eyes, and my pulse surges wildly, completely out of control. I’m not thinking about what happens after. There is no after. There’s only now. Onlyhim.

“Don’t stop,” I whisper, reaching for him.

His control snaps, and he crosses the space between us in one fluid motion.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” he growls against my neck, the vibration of his voice sending shivers down my spine.

“Show me,” I challenge, meeting his gaze without flinching.

His eyes darken with desire. “Are you sure?”

I’ve never been more certain of anything. “Yes.”

That single word unleashes something primal in him. His hands frame my face as he kisses me deeply, thoroughly, leaving no doubt about his intentions. My fingers trace the hard planes of his chest, memorizing each scar, each ridge of muscle.

---