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Now, this was the honeymoon I wanted. Perfect harmony, and best of all, Olivia acted more like her true self. No more robotic perfection, or acting the way she thought she needed to. I didn’t want it to end, but by the next evening, Ivan called to give me the all clear.

He found the person in charge of the gang that was threatening us and took care of it. No one was going to be testing our new authority in the area again. Olivia and I were free to go home, but there was still so much to do with the project that I knew I’d get caught up in work again if we did.

“I’ll let you know when we’re coming back,” I said to Ivan. “Keep things under control until then.”

When I returned to the breakfast table, Olivia looked up from the spread we ordered from room service. “Good news?” she asked.

“No news.” I felt bad about lying, but it was such a tiny one, and for a good reason. “We can’t go home yet.”

She shrugged. “One place is as good as another, I guess.”

I was a little bit taken aback, and disappointed, too. It was one thing if she was pleased to get to stay here because we were having such a great time, but she honestly didn’t seem to care one way or the other.

“I was kind of starting to think of our place as home,” I said. It looked like she wanted to say something, even opened her mouth, but then shut it again, like she didn’t want an argument. “Aren’t you happy there?”

Another shrug. “I’m as happy there as anywhere else you tell me to be.”

Was this about making her leave to come here without even a minute’s notice? And was she slipping back into her professional facade? I didn’t return to my seat. The big breakfast no longer seemed that appetizing when she was on the verge of slipping away from me again.

“That’s not happiness,” I argued. If she shrugged one more time, I was going to lose it. “Olivia,” I all but pleaded. “What will make you happy? Really happy?”

Her eyes met mine. “You already know.”

I put my face in my hands, swiping my palms over my hair in frustration. “I still have no idea where your father or Rurik Kuzmin is. They’re doing a remarkable job of hiding from my best investigators. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

“It tells me you’re paranoid,” she said, putting down her fork and standing to square off with me. Good. Mad was better than nothing at all. “My father paid his debts, so why should it matter where either of them are?”

“Because you matter to me, damn it. And I don’t trust either of those men as far as I can throw them. Rurik’s had it out for my family for years. He’d do anything to bring us down. And you’re one of us now.”

She strode forward and grabbed my shirt, trying to shake me, but I stood unwavering. “Do you know what I really want to do?” she demanded. “I want to take a surfing lesson.”

My mouth fell open, shocked to hell and unable to answer right away. What was this curveball?

She slapped her hands against my chest. “And if you don’t join me,” she continued. “You should watch your back.”

I took her shoulders, giving her a little shake in return as I laughed with relief. “I will never understand you in a million years, but I can’t wait to keep trying.”

“I guess that’s kind of sweet,” she admitted. “And this place is probably top tier as far as hideouts go.” She dipped her head before looking up at me through her long lashes. “I like it better when we’re not fighting. Maybe we should get a little bit drunk again.”

“I’m already drunk on your beauty,” I said.

She groaned at the cheesy, but honest line, and then I tipped up her chin and brought my mouth down to hers. Her fingers curled in my shirt, and she tugged me closer as our lips met. She tasted like strawberry jam and smelled like the fresh sea air that wafted through the open balcony door.

“Dima,” she whispered when I broke away to kiss the tender spot by her ear that drove her wild. Hearing her say my name is what did it for me. Every time. That and everything else she did.

I began to back her toward the terrace, and she clasped her arms around my neck, letting me lift her feet off the ground. Her soft curves melted against me, and my cock stood at attention at the merest brush of her belly. What was air, water, and food when I only needed Olivia?

She tugged at my hair as I pulled the zipper down on her light sweatshirt. To my pleasure, there was nothing underneath, and her head fell back as I sank lower to lick each pink nipple.

“Perfect,” I said. “Just perfect.”

Inside, I was a powder keg, about to go off, but wanted to take my time, not give into the frenzy that always overtook us. I wanted to savor her.

Kissing and licking my way down to her pajama bottoms, I nipped at the waistband, my hands gripping her soft ass, kneading that glorious flesh as she moaned above me. Her hands tangled in my hair, and she pushed me lower.

“Tell me what you want,” I urged.

“This,” she said urgently, shoving my head down.

With my teeth gripping her pants, they dragged down her smooth skin, revealing my destination. I lifted her the last few steps to the lounge chair. She fell onto it, pulling me with her. Her legs spread wide as I plunged between them, giving in to the fierce hunger I had for her body.

Damn it, she tasted good. And those noises as I slurped at her swollen clit, and pushed my tongue deep into her tight pussy. Her back arched, and she cried out, making me chuckle against her slick folds. I wasn’t ready to stop. My cock ached to be inside her, filling her up and stretching her, but I couldn’t get enough of her juices on my tongue.

“Fuck, what do you do to me?” I asked, going right back in for more. “I’ll never get my fill.”

Her legs clamped around my shoulders, and I gripped the inside of her thighs, pushing them up to her chest. She writhed beneath my onslaught, begging for more even as she told me she couldn’t take it.

“You can,” I promised.

“It’s too much,” she said, screaming as I slid my tongue up her slit to press against her clit.

Her body went slack, and I could feel every tremor as I plunged my tongue deep and hard. My muscles were stiff from holding back my own need, and I kept licking her pussy until she screamed again. Reaching weakly for a cushion, she covered her face, probably worried about neighbors wondering about the noise. I took it from her and tossed it aside.

“I like making you scream like that,” I told her.

She clamped her lips together, eyes wild as she grabbed my hair and made me look at her from between her slick thighs. “I won’t make another sound until your cock is ramming inside me,” she swore.

I wanted to dispute that claim, but her demand was too much. I was done teasing her, and torturing myself by holding back so long.

“You need me to fuck you?” I asked, shoving my sweatpants down and rubbing my cock against her opening.

My fierce bride grabbed my shoulders and wrapped her legs tight around my hips, forcing our bodies to collide. “You need to fuck me,” she said, biting her lush lower lip.

I gripped a handful of hair and brought her mouth to mine, invading it with the tongue that had just been inside her hot little cunt.

“You’re absolutely right,” I agreed, pulling back to watch her eyes as I rammed deep and hard, exactly what we both needed.

A feral sound tore from one of us, maybe both of us, as I fucked her hard and fast. So much for restraint. I had none. Not where Olivia was concerned. And she was just as unfettered, clawing at my shoulders and arms as I gave her every inch. Yep, this was a real honeymoon.

“I love—” I stopped, no amount of lust and fevered passion able to stop the unbearable vulnerability that flooded me at the idea of telling her how I felt. She had to know, anyway. “God, I love this,” I said instead, forgetting everything but the way her legs felt wrapped around me, her harsh gasps as she tore at my hair.

“Me too. So much. Oh God, Dima.” She stopped, squeezing her eyes shut and holding on tight as another orgasm built. “Deeper, more,” she moaned.

I took in every bit of her body on display as her back arched, her hot, heavy tits bounced as I pounded into her, and I was done. Finding her clit, I circled as I drove home, spilling into her as she screamed one more time.

“Amazing,” I panted, dropping my head to her shoulder as she fell backward onto the lounge chair. “Every. Single. Time.”

She nodded, her chest rising and falling under my weight. After a moment, I found the strength to roll aside, keeping her close. Nuzzling her silky neck, I finally caught my breath enough to chuckle.

Leaning back, I looked at her face. Eyes closed, kiss-swollen mouth parted, cheeks rosy from exertion. Yes, she was truly the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. The only one for me.

Her eyes flew open. “What’s that noise?” Her arms tightened around me, and she frowned. “It’s your phone. Just ignore it.”

“Done,” I said, thinking about the surfing lessons they offered down on the beach. Then dinner, then maybe dancing at the resort’s club. Then more of this. A lot more of this.

But the phone buzzed again, and again. Whoever it was, it had to be important to not just leave a message and give up.

“It’s probably Ivan,” I said. “I’ll get rid of him. Just relax, or get ready for surfing. Your choice.”

I jumped up, grabbed my sweatpants, and pulled the phone out of the pocket. I managed to get the pants back on one leg at a time as I jogged into the suite to rip my brother a new one.

“What?” I asked, going into the second bedroom for privacy.

“Where are you?” he asked, sounding as annoyed as I felt. “It’s been hours, and you’re still not back. I set up a meeting with the farmer since everything’s copacetic now.”

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that I was glad that Ivan was just as invested in my new resort as I was, and throwing all his energy into our new territory.

“I already told you I was staying longer,” I snapped. “I told Olivia the threat hasn’t been settled yet, so just chill out for another day or two.”

I hung up on him, not caring about his argument when I had a surf lesson to get to. I turned to find Olivia standing in the doorway and froze. The look on her face told me instantly that she had overheard enough of my conversation with Ivan to know I had lied to her. And she was pissed about it.

“We were having such a nice time,” I said, trying to cajole my way out of a fight. More than anything, I wanted peace with Olivia. I wanted to continue this fantastic honeymoon we were finally having. Just like a normal couple, just like she wanted. “Tell me you’re not having a good time,” I said.

She shook her head, refusing to admit any such thing. “It’s just one more thing you have control over. Where I go, how long I have to stay there. If you wanted to go to Russia or the North Pole, I’d have no choice in the matter.”

“Olivia,” I said calmly, still not giving up hope. “You’re mine. Of course, we stay together when there’s trouble. But you do have a choice. What do you want to do? Stay or go?”

Her eyes narrowed, and she looked around as if she wanted to find something to throw at me. Then, she turned and stormed out of the room. I found her in our bedroom, throwing her things into her bag.

I guess that was my answer. The honeymoon was over.