Page 18

I watch Natalia flit around her boutique, a spring in her step and a smile lighting up her face as she finishes up her closing chores. She's practically glowing today, radiating an infectious joy that doesn’t seem to dull since the moment I walked in.

I watch as her eyes suddenly light up like she’s thinking of something. She darts over to one of the clothing racks, rifling through the hangers until she pulls out a Hawaiian shirt covered in bright pink flamingos.

She turns to me with a grin, "By the way, I think I've found the perfect outfit for that vacation to Italy you still owe me."

I eye the shirt warily. "You can't be serious. Come on, Nat. I’m never going to wear that. Close up and let’s head home."

"Oh, but I am serious." She holds it up against my chest, her tongue poking out in concentration. "Yep, it's definitely your color. Come on, tough guy. Live a little!"

I'm torn between amusement and exasperation. Part of me wants to get her back home, but the playful gleam in Natalia's eyes makes it hard to resist. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

She beams up at me. "That's why you love me."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, even though I know she doesn't mean them the way I wish she did. I cover my reaction with a roll of my eyes.

Natalia's not deterred. She shoves the shirt into my hands. "Go on, try it on. I promise not to laugh… much."

I heave a dramatic sigh. "The things I do for you, Natalia." But as I head toward the dressing room, I can't quite hide my smile. I’m putty in her hands.

When I come back donning the shirt, she claps her hands in glee, literally jumping off her toes. “It’s perfect!”

"This shirt can’t be all that exciting. Someone's really in a good mood today," I tease, walking closer to her. "The sales apart, did you win the lottery or something?"

Natalia bends down to reach into a small wicker basket and I hold back a groan at the sight of that perfectly curved ass jutting out in my line of sight. When she stands, her eyes sparkle with mischief and I notice a measuring tape in her hand. "I only gamble on fast cars now. Didn’t you know?" She gives me a wink.

I raise an eyebrow, amused by the memories that rush back from her birthday. “Whoa. I’ve created a monster.”

“Yes, but a monster you can't resist,” Natalia retorts with a wink, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger as she saunters closer. She moves with a grace that mesmerizes, her curves accentuated by the way her dress hugs her frame.

I try to maintain my composure, a smirk playing on my lips as she circles me like a predator closing in on prey. “What are you up to, Firecracker?” I ask, my voice coming out in a low growl.

With a sly grin, Natalia leans in close, her breath warm against my ear as she whispers, “Just taking some measurements so I can make this in your size.” Her fingers dance over my chest and down to my waist, sending shivers down my spine.

Her tone becomes softer, near-maddening with lust. “We want to make sure it fits perfectly, don't we?"

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued by this sudden shift. "I thought you said it was perfect already."

"Trust me," she murmurs, reaching for her measuring tape. Her fingers brush my arm as she positions herself in front of me, and I feel a jolt of electricity at the contact.

She begins with my shoulders, the tape sliding across my body with a whisper. I watch her face, mere inches from mine, as she concentrates on her task. Or rather, pretends to.

I know exactly what she’s doing, and I’m all for it. The air between us is charged with current, and this game she’s playing is weakening my control.

"Arms up," she instructs softly, and I comply without thinking. As she measures my chest, her hands linger longer than necessary, and I can feel the heat of her palms through my shirt.

My breath catches as she crouches lower to the ground in a slow, seductive pace, her hips bucking out to one side so sexily as she proceeds to measure my waist. Her curvy figure presses against me slightly as she reaches around, and I'm acutely aware of every point of contact between us.

"Natalia," I warn, my voice rougher than I intended. But she just looks up at me through her lashes, a mischievous glint in those chocolate eyes.

"Almost done," she whispers and bites her lower lip, but her movements are deliberate, teasing. As she measures my inseam, her fingers trail along my thigh, and I have to stifle a groan.

I'm torn between my growing desire and the need to maintain control. This woman—has no idea the effect she has on me. Or maybe she does, and that's even more dangerous.

"You're playing with fire, Sweetheart," I murmur, running my hands through her hair.

She meets my gaze, challenge clear in her eyes. "Maybe I like the heat."

Her boldness ignites something primal within me. The playful atmosphere crackles with tension, and I can't hold back any longer. In one swift motion, I grasp Natalia's wrist and pull her up, my hands shifting instantly to her hips. I walk her backward, near-feral in speed and delirious with longing, toward the nearest dressing room.

"Denis, what are you—" she starts, but her words are cut off as I kick the door close behind us.

The small space is filled with her scent—all floral and sweet. My senses are overwhelmed, and I struggle to form coherent thoughts.

"You've been teasing me all evening," I growl, backing her against the wall. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

Natalia's eyes widen, reflecting my own desire. "Maybe I wanted to see what you'd do about it," she whispers, her voice husky.

I lean in, my lips barely brushing her ear. "Be careful what you wish for, Nat."

Her breath hitches, and I feel her shiver against me. "Oh, fuck being careful,” she challenges me, her fingers slowly rising until they toy with the top button of her blouse.

My eyes follow her movements, and taking it slow is no longer a part of the plan. With a growl, I slide my hand behind her neck, my fingers twisting into her hair and bend my mouth to hers.

“I’m in actual, physical pain looking at all these clothes you have on,” I say each word between kisses.

She mewls and arches her back, her body pressing into me. I feel her knuckles against my chest as she begins to unbutton. Fuck. She’s too slow.

I pull back and my eyes go straight to her chest. The two buttons she’s undone so far give me a tantalizing view of her cleavage.

“Jesus,” I bite my first, eyes flickering to her. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

She lowers her gaze, and it falls straight to my cock. This energy between us is electrifying and for a second, we both just pause. And then, like a torrential downpour, all self-control bursts open through the seams, like a full-blown meltdown.

I reach for her buttons, and she for my belt. Riiiip —I tear her shirt off straight down the middle.

Cluunk . She throws my belt to the corner of the dressing room.

She fiddles with my zip, and I slide off her shirt. My trousers fall to the ground and she’s standing in front of me in nothing but a bra and skirt.

I slam my hands on the wall behind her and kick off the pants pooled around my ankles. She looks up at me, all wide-eyed, her chest heaving and breaths coming out in small little gasps.

God. She’s driving me wild. From the corner of my eye, I catch a reflection of us in the mirror of the changing room. I reach for her chin and turn her head to her right, following the same direction, until we are both looking at ourselves.

My eyes meet hers in the mirror, the fire and lust brewing in them taking my breath away. "You're mine," I growl, gripping her waist with one hand while the other trails a finger down the arches of her neckline, right between the swell of her breasts, over the thin joining of her bra. My fingertips brush over her belly button, causing her to shiver beneath my touch and down I go until I reach for the waist of her skirt.

Natalia's eyes flicker back to mine, her pupils dark and dilated with desire. "Yours," she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper.

I tug at the waist of her skirt until she bucks off the wall and leans forward simultaneously, our bodies pressing together as I nip at her neck and whisper against her skin. "I’m going to make you mine so hard and so deep that every fiber of your being will scream my name."

Her heart thunders in her chest, and I feel it against my mouth as I move down her neck to give it a soft kiss. My hands slide under her skirt and cup her ass cheeks, pulling her even closer to me. The fire between us rages on, each other's body the fuel for the blaze.

"Denis," she gasps, my name a plea as I grip her closer, never wanting to let go.

"I won't stop until you're screaming my name in passion and in pain," I whisper into her ear, my breath hot against the sensitive skin. "Until you can't think of anyone else but me."

She shudders in my arms. “I could never think of anyone else,” she confesses, her voice strained with emotion.

A wave of possession washes over me at her words and I squeeze her ass, tight. She near trembles. I claim her lips once more in a fierce kiss. She moans into it, and I push myself against her until she’s all flat up against the wall. I jerk my hips forward until she can feel the bulge in my boxers between her thighs.

Her eyes widen. Our pace picks up, a feverish need overtaking all senses. I quickly do away with her skirt, twist my fingers into the elastic of her panties, and pull it taut against her skin before letting it snap free. She jumps when it hits her skin.

"Tease," I growl, dragging her panties down her thighs and exposing her to me. I bend down to my knees and my eyes lock onto her core, already swollen and wet for me. "You're so ready for me."

My eyes flicker up to catch hers. She bites her lower lip, a shy smile playing on her lips. "You know I am."

The lust in her eyes hangs heavy between us, prodding me forward. "God, you're killing me," I groan, my cock straining against my jeans as I slide a finger across her slit.

She’s so wet. I gently slide a finger inside her, my tongue now sucking on her clit. She moans and I hear her head hit the wall. I can literally feel her eyes roll to the back of her head as I pick up the pace.

With my finger inside her, I feel a possession over her that turns me near carnal. Her body reacts to each little touch and every move I make, as if she was created solely for me to unravel. I thrust my finger in and out of her in a rhythm that perfectly matches the way she rotates her hips. She bends her knees, taking my finger deeper.

Her eyes lock onto mine in the mirror, her passion mirrored in their depths. She doesn't say anything, but the way she claws at the dressing room walls and moans my name says it all—she's ready for more. I pull out, sucking the juices off.

"Fuck, I want you," she urges, pulling at my hair until I’m back on my feet. She’s now pulling at the waistband of my boxers, demanding my attention to the task at hand.

A love-hungry roar fills the air as I tear off my boxers and grip her hips, positioning myself at the entrance to her pussy. Our eyes meet in the mirror once more. This time, they don't breed fire—they are now filled with pure, unadulterated lust. I can feel her hands trembling against my hips as I slowly push forward, stretching her out.

"Denis," she moans, her voice echoing in the small space, bouncing off the mirrors. "Please," she begs, the need radiating from every pore of her body. It's intoxicating, and I want to give her exactly what she desires.

With a final surge of power, I thrust into her, our bodies colliding with an explosive force. Her eyes widen at the sensation, and her lips part in a silent gasp. I pull out almost as quickly as I entered, only to thrust back in harder and deeper. Our bodies move together with a wild rhythm, every slap of skin against skin driving us further into the frenzy.

Natalia moans loudly, her fingernails biting into my hips as I pound her deeper, harder, faster, creating a sweet friction between us.

“Oh!” she moans, her eyes closing momentarily before she opens them again, wild and needy. I find myself right on the edge, holding back just for her. All for her.

She makes me powerless and doesn’t even know the half of it.

I pull out, my hands on her hips and in one swift move, have her back to me. I glide my hand up her back, watching her throw her head back toward me, as her cheek rests against the wall.

And then, I grip her hips and slam into her again. I pull out, and slam again, and again, and again.

Her ass swings back to meet me until I’m nestled deep within her. She claws at the wall, nails digging into the wallpaper as a primal cry escapes her lips. Her eyes roll back before she closes them.

The way her pleasure offers itself to me just fuels my own, making me realize how much I love this woman—how much I need her.

“That’s it, Baby,” I moan, fingers digging into her skin as my cock hits the deepest corners of her walls. “Let go for me.”

I know she’s close from how she trembles, how her muscles contract against my walls.

And then it happens. A wave of energy crashes over her, eyes widening in shock and lips parting in a silent scream of bliss and she trembles so hard one might think it’s the ground breaking open beneath her. She feels tighter around me, tightening and releasing, and that’s when I go right over the brink.

I grunt and bury my face in the back of her neck with a final thrust. The world goes dark for a moment as my orgasm courses through me, the intensity of it wracking my entire being. My body shudders against hers until finally my strength gives out and I slump against her back, panting and spent.

Slowly, I pull out of Natalia and turn her around to face me. Her cheeks are flushed, her pupils dilated and her hair is a messy tangle around her shoulders. She smiles up at me, her eyes soft with happiness and love.

“What are we going to do with you?” she asks playfully, pulling me against her for a tight hug. She giggles and wraps her arms around me.

"Anything you want," I respond just as softly, tilting her face up to mine and giving her a soft peck on her lips.

And then, I pull her down to the floor of the dressing room, not wanting this moment to end. I cradle her against my chest, our backs to the wall, our legs stretched out between us.

I’m so terribly tired, and so goddamn happy. She looks up at me with sleepy brown eyes, while tracing circles on my chest.

“Denis,” she says, softly.

“Mm-hmm?” I kiss her on her forehead.

“There’s something else that happened today. I wasn’t planning on telling you until I was certain it’s a sure thing, but it’s hard to keep a good thing secret.”

My heart feels fuzzy. This, to me, is the hallmark of us being strong. To be able to share the good, and the bad, is what makes us strong.

“Tell me, Firecracker,” I urge.

“You know the huge sales I made today?”

I nod.

“Well, a majority was from one customer. I was initially surprised and taken aback. He was showing extraordinary, near-insane interest in my designs. But after he placed the order, he gave me a card.”

I sit up straighter now, frowning. Something about this is already making me nervous. “A card?” I ask.

“Yeah,” she says, extracting herself from my hands to reach for her coat. She produces a shiny business card from her pocket and hands it to me. I inspect it carefully. It's made of shimmering metal with engraved text that reads: Sergei Petrov—Investor.

My chest constricts, the anxiety pooling inside me. "This is problematic," I mutter, my hand shaking slightly as I give the card back to her.

"Why?" she asks, frowning. "I thought you wanted me to be successful on my own."

Her words sting me. She misunderstands. “I do,” I say softly, reaching out to cup her cheek in my hand. "But Natalia, you have no idea what this family has been through. The amount of betrayal we've faced over generations is overwhelming. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to bring in an investor from outside the family."

She suddenly looks deflated, her eyes dimming as she stares at the floor. "You don't trust me," she says softly, pulling away from my touch.

It hurts to see her like this, but I know it had to be said. With a heavy heart, I nod. "I trust you more than anything, Natalia. But this is about more than just about this business.”

Her eyes flash with anger. “No!” she says, defiantly. “You’re saying I’m not good enough to garner the interest of an outside investor. Because, Denis, god forbid someone offers me money for my skills! If there’s an investor knocking, it must be only because they want something to do with our family. Tell me I’m wrong, Denis.”

I can't help but feel a surge of protectiveness and I curse myself for hurting her feelings. The truth is, I get so damn worried about keeping her safe, that sometimes it interferes with her happiness. "I'm not saying that. I just want to make sure everything's above board. Maybe I could look into them for you, run a background check—"

"Absolutely not," Natalia cuts me off, her voice sharp. She sits up, pulling the sheet around her curves. "I don't need you to vet my business associates."

I prop myself up on an elbow, surprised by her vehemence. "Natalia, I'm just trying to help. There are a lot of sharks out there—"

"And you think I can't spot them?" Her eyes flash with anger and something else—hurt? "Do you really have so little faith in me?"

"That's not what I meant," I backpedal, realizing I've hit a nerve. "I know you're capable. I just worry—"

"Well, don't," she snaps, swinging her legs away from mine and jumping to her feet. "I've been taking care of myself long before you came along, Denis. I don't need a protector."

I watch as she starts gathering her clothes, her movements jerky with frustration. The fierce, independent woman I fell for is on full display, and while part of me admires her spirit, another part aches to shield her from the world's dangers.

"Natalia," I say softly, reaching for her hand. "I didn't mean to upset you. I care about you, that's all."

She pauses, her shoulders sagging slightly. "I know," she whispers, not meeting my eyes. "But you have to trust me, Denis. I'm not some fragile doll that needs constant guarding."

I swallow hard, recognizing that there’s nothing I can say right now to convince her otherwise.

She doesn’t say more. She simply shoves her clothes at me and mutters. “Get dressed. We should head back. It’s getting late.”

And she walks out, slamming the door of the dressing room shut behind her.