Page 19 of The Tsar's Obsession
Her apartment was both minimal and eclectic. Pops of her personality showed up in small design details like the artwork on the walls or her pink couch, which I spotted when I first brought her in.
But I turned my attention back to the woman I crossed the ocean for, picking her up from the bathtub ledge and carrying her to bed. “I think you have to marry me first, Kirill, to carry me to bed like this.” I almost fucking dropped her at her words, but shelaughed it off, not having any clue how many times I had fantasized about it.
Gently, as if she were the most precious diamond, I placed her in bed, turning the bedside lamp on and pulling the duvet over her. “I can’t sleep in clothes, let me just stay like this.” She uncovered herself with a wild motion and plopped back on the pillow with a sigh.
“What happens when you drink vodka or tequila?” I crouched beside the bed and caught her gaze, my dick straining against my jeans at the mere thought of being in her bedroom.
Her eyes on mine, she paused, and I waited, not daring to upset the silence. “Fuck around and find out,” she finally blurted and burst out into careless giggles again. Oh, fucking hell, I would. “What happens to you?”
“Nothing,” I admitted, unable to hide my smile. “May I sit?” I motioned to the foot of the bed, and she happily nodded.
“Nothing? What, you’re just always composed and perfect? A robot? A model human being who doesn’t get drunk? Makes no bad choices?” Mia perked up, her eyes shining bright in the soft shadows of the bedside lamp.
Ugh, I wasn’t myself with her. I was powerless, hypnotized, and timid. With all other women in my life in the past, I took control, I did what I wanted—fuck, any other chick would have been holding on to the headboard for dear life at this point. But not her.
I wanted all the magic, all the romance, all the flirting. I never had the time or interest for anything like that before.
“I’ve made plenty of bad choices in my life, Mia. I only want to make the right ones going forward.” I did. I only wanted to make thebestchoices for us. It was suddenly silent as we sat on her bed, so close to each other, seconds ticking by.
“I think about you, you know?” Mia said the words, and it took me a second to understand them. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. My heartbeat abused the inside of my ribs at this confession. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she bit her lip, like she regretted saying it.
Ileaned in slightly, gaze locked onto hers. “Yeah?” My voice was barely above a murmur. “What do you think about?”
“Just you,” she shrugged uncertainly. “Your eyes. Why they look so familiar. And why you’re here, in my life…giving me a foot rub.” She sat up and whispered her last words and looked down into my lap.
I hadn’t even fucking realized I had her foot in my lap! Fuck, I had to get out of here before I did something stupid! The consecutive chime of her phone broke the moment between us, and I was thankful for the distraction.
Her eyes still on mine, the phone appeared in her hand from her back pocket. Whatever text she read set her whole face on fire; that much was obvious as she tried to hide her smile.
“Who’s texting you so late?”
“Viv. She’s texted a thousand times, checking that I made it home alright.”
“Yeah? Is that why you’re blushing so hard?” At my words, her eyes jumped to mine again. “What’s in that text?”
“Just girl stuff.”
“Share.” I wasn’t sure why I was asking for it. Maybe because I hoped it was about me.
“It’s a secret,” she whispered, leaning in even closer. I was only going to make the right choices going forward, I told myself. Mia had a lot to drink; no way was I going to kiss her in this moment, a moment she might think I took advantage of, so I kept my distance, fighting with all my desires.
“It’s about me, isn’t it?” I pushed carefully.
“Are you in high school? Asking a girl you like if she’s texting about you?” Damn, Mia threw caution to the wind.
“I never went to high school. And who said I liked you?” Clearly, no one had to say it. It was written all over my face.
“You never went to high school?” Mia zoned into reality, lifting the flirtatious energy.
“Forget about that; tell me what the text says.” Like a desperate and stupid idiot, I demanded to know. Mia turned the phone around.
VivIf you’re not riding that big dick right now, we can’t be friends.
Viv:He will corrupt your innocent little soul, and you should fucking let him.
I reread it. And then again. A slow and dark satisfaction melted through me.
“Don’t flatter yourself. Viv’s been trying to get me on a dick for a long time. After tonight, she’ll be encouraging yours.” Mia fell back into her pillows, her eyes closed and her smile wide, but those words were seared into my brain.
