A man as dangerous as him has no business looking so handsome.
I take a sip of water and clear my throat. “This is a nice place.”
“It is,” he agrees easily, oblivious to the way I’m hardly able to tear my eyes away from his face.
“Seems like the type of place that would typically have reservations booked out months in advance.”
“Usually, that’d be the case.”
“Then how’d you get us in?”
“I know the owner.” He shrugs. “And he owed me a few favors.” I dread to think what those favors entail, but I don’t ask. I don’t want to cross any sort of unspoken line and bring the night to an early end. “And being here with you, especially while you look like that”—he pointedly looks me up and down—“is more than worth cashing in a couple of them.”
I’m mercifully spared from having to reply by a waiter delivering our food.
Truth is, I’m not used to getting compliments anymore. And I’m definitely not used to going on dates. Even when Daniil and I weren’t dancing around the issue of his infidelity, it got harder and harder to spend quality time together after Nikolai was born.
Andrei’s foot knocks against the inside of my ankle, pulling my attention back to him. He reaches out, holding my hand loosely and running his thumb against the delicate skin of my inner wrist.
“Where’re you at,zolotse?”
I half expect him to look offended that I’m already distracted, but he looks calm and collected, maybe even curious. I take a deep breath and squeeze my hand around his before I answer him as honestly as I can.
“I’m here. With you.”
As he chuckles, shaking his head while he smiles at me, it doesn’t feel like a lie at all.
Chapter 17
Blair
Andrei kisses me with a tenderness that is completely at odds with the ferocity he’s using to pin my body against the door while his thumbs stroke against my temples, smoothing back the stray hairs that have fallen free from my ponytail.
When I decided to ignore everything else and focus on our date, I realized that it is really easy to spend time with Andrei. When he asks questions, he genuinely seems to want to hear my answers. He’s engaging and charming and funny. I never would’ve guessed that he could make me laugh more than I have in ages, all while stoking the fire between us with gentle touches and sly looks.
I couldn’t figure out if my face felt warm because I was blushing or because I wanted him.
Until he leaned across the table, looking at me with a starved expression that had nothing to do with our dinner and told me to text Mila to let her know we’d pick up Niko in the morning. Then I decided the why didn’t matter.
“I don’t want her to worry,” he told me. “As soon as we get home, you’re going to be busy with my cock stretching those pretty lips until you’re choking on me.”
Now, Andrei’s being gentle, but it’s a tease that only has me wanting more. So, I nip at his lip as I tug against his tie, wanting absolutely nothing between us. As soon as the knot’s loose, I drop it to the floor, moving to the buttons of his shirt, hoping to pry his control away, but he holds firm.
I’m one moment of weakness from begging him to give me what I want, but he’s just as collected as he always is, taking charge and refusing to give an inch.
In a fit of desperation, I grip him through his pants, a silent plea for him to end this slow tease. In a flash, he removes the space between us, licking against my lips before he pulls away. I whimper, because the couple inches between our faces are far from what I want.
“Do you like this dress,zolotse?”
Eyes glazed, I nod. I’ll answer anything he asks right now, as long as he justtouches me.
“Do you want me to tear it off you? Because if you keep touching me like that, it’ll be nothing but pretty scraps, and I’ll have to buy you a new one.”
Reluctantly, I pull my hand back, moving it back to his chest and stroking my thumb over the fabric, imagining the designs inked hidden underneath.
His pupils are dilated, and I feel drunk on how powerful his blatant desire makes me. With a strong grip, he moves my hand down to his belt, smirking as I tug at it until I’m able to shove his pants down enough to free his length and stroke it with onehand. When he nods, I sink to my knees. I look up at him from under my lashes, his cock twitching when he meets my eyes.
“Fuck,” he breathes, head falling backward as I run my lips against his head, tongue darting out to taste the precum that smears against my thumb on my next stroke. I want his cock in my mouth so badly I ache with the desire burning through me. I press my lips against his length, teasing him with chaste kisses before he growls, hips twitching when I finally put us both out of our misery, parting my lips enough for him to press between them.
