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Chapter Seven
Raina
I roll over in bed,surrounded by an island of snow-white pillows, tangled up in soft, luxurious sheets. No detail has been spared in the room, from the cheerfully burning gas fire in the marble fireplace, to the expensive blinds that have been drawn open to reveal early morning views of the stunning lakeshore, to the beautiful paintings that adorn the walls. Everything about this condo is insanely over the top, up to and including its owner. Alek barely let my feet touch the floor last night, and I’ve never, ever had anyone treat me that way. It reminds me of all the hopeful brides-to-be who float into Donatelli Jewelers, with stars in their eyes and the dashing young men at their sides.
That reminds me…
I frown, looking around for my bag. It’s the day after a wedding, so I need to check my phone and make sure my boss hasn’t followed up with me. He’s thorough like that and I usually love to gush about the bride’s reaction to my work, so it’s a win-win.
I flop back onto the pillows, I can’t remember bringing my delicate briefcase into the condo, but I’m sure it’s downstairs. Or, at least I’m pretty sure. I’d had a fair amount to drink last night so—no, it has to be downstairs. I totally wouldn’t have left it behind at the reception. I’ll just get cleaned up, get some coffee, find Alek…and eventually call Mr. Donatelli. But there’s no rush, after all. It’s Sunday.
Crawling to the edge of the bed, I throw off the covers and settle my feet to the luxurious carpeting. My clothes are…also apparently somewhere downstairs, so I wrap a sheet around me and spend a few more minutes than necessary exploring the large, ridiculously swanky master bathroom. The shower alone nearly takes my breath away. It has a dozen spigots lining the wall at varying heights, and I can only imagine how amazing it must feel. I should ask Alek before I use it, of course, but—what if he’s downstairs doing whatever millionaire Russians do on Sunday mornings? I mean, surely he won’t care if I tidy up, right?
I drop the sheet before I can change my mind, and step into the stone-tiled room. I reach for the controls, giving a little yip of surprise as the shower immediately blasts on. It drenches me in icy cold water, but the heat kicks in almost immediately, and I sag with relief. There’s a waterproof keypad on the wall and, biting my lip, I lift my hand to try the first variation—
“I wouldn’t try that one, if I were you.”
I whirl around, my eyes rounding as I see Alek’s impressive naked form lounging against the opening to the shower. Behind him on the counter, he’s already folded up the sheet I so cavalierly left on the floor, but he seems to have his mind on more than housekeeping.
“Oh! I’m so sorry, I hope you don’t mind me trying out…” My words die in my throat as he steps forward into the rain shower of water tumbling down on me, becoming equally drenched. He reaches past me with his left hand, planting it against the wall, and leans into me. Then he extends his right hand to the panel, tapping it as my gaze follows his movement.
“I planned on showing you this shower anyway, but once again, sweet Raina, you rush in without paying attention. You should be more careful.” His words are an admonition, but his voice is low, seductive, almost teasing, and I don’t know how to react. I nervously lift my gaze to his, and blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind.
“But I trust you. There’s nothing in the world that can hurt me, not if you’re around.” Alek’s face darkens with sudden intensity and I rush to add, “certainly not in a shower, anyway.”
As quickly as his mood changed, it shifts again, and he chuckles. “I think that depends entirely on the shower.”
He hits a button on the keypad, and water shoots out from all directions, making me squeal. Instantly, Alek’s arms wrap around me, lifting me off my feet until my face is even with his. I slide my hands up his water-slickened skin, laughing as we’re pummeled with deliciously warm spray. My legs naturally move to encircle him, and as I ride his hips, he takes advantage of my position and slides his thick, ready shaft into me, the feel of it so right and true that I sigh with absolute happiness.
“Oh, Alek,” I moan, and his hands firm on my waist, his cock twitching inside me.
“You like it?”
“I love it,” I say, my eyes flickering open. I stare at his beautiful face, and say the next impossible thing that comes into my brain. “And I love you. I know I shouldn’t, I know it’s way too fast—like insanely too fast to say anything like that, I know—”
He cuts off my words with a kiss, and suddenly I don’t know anything except Alek’s hands roaming all over my body, his mouth practically devouring me, and his stiff, rigid shaft swelling to fill me as he thrusts inside me, again and again, my own need spiraling upward as he slips a hand between us to help time my release. It’s as if he knows my body better than I do. When we both climax simultaneously, Alek throws his head back and howls, and I join him with an exultant shout.
I love everything about this moment, this hour, this day! I love it.
And—I wasn’t lying either, I realize as I sag against him. I love Aleksei Ivanov, too. It’s stupid and impossible and impossibly stupid, but I can’t help it. I do.
I do. Nothing like a wedding to make fairy tales come true.
A few minutes later, we step out of the shower, and Alek pulls down white terrycloth robes and towels, handing me a set before beginning to vigorously rub himself down. I could watch him do that every morning, I think dreamily as I wander back into the bedroom. I glance out at the stunning lakefront view, the sunshine streaming down over the glittering water. As close as I work to the lake at Donatelli’s, I rarely get the chance…
Donatelli! I shake myself back to awareness. I really should call my boss to check in. I turn, toweling off my hair. “Hey, Alek? Is my phone downstairs?”
“I’m sure,” comes the offhanded reply, and a second later Alek emerges from the bathroom. “Why?”
“Well, I just wanted to check into work.”
“You are scheduled today?” Alek asks, surprised. “It’s Sunday.”
“Well—no,” I admit, because of course he’s right. There’s no reason for me to be worried about work. “But it’s just our habit, to check in after a wedding, and I haven’t done it yet.”
“To check in, why? So Donatelli can take the credit for all your hard work?”
I blink, my mind drawing a complete blank as I scour my faulty memory from last night’s reception. How does Alek know about my work on Natasha’s rings? “What do you mean?” I ask guardedly.
