Page 22

I stretch my feet out and wiggle my toes as I wake up. I slept perfectly. Gosh, I didn’t even know how tired I was until I set my head down on Oleg’s pillow. It smelled like him and the bed was so comfortable. I meant to wait for him to get out of the shower last night, but I guess I passed out before that happened.

I woke up a few times in the night and Oleg was holding me. It felt so amazing. I just snuggled close and fell asleep again quickly. Feeling safe and warm.

Still drifting in between sleep and waking up fully, I roll over in his bed, not feeling his arm around me and wondering where he is. I reach out beneath the covers and find nothing, so I open my eyes and realize that the bed is empty. Stretching my hand out to his side, I can feel it is still a little warm so he didn’t get up too long ago. I can’t believe I slept through it. I’m not usually such a deep sleeper, but I guess I had so much fun yesterday I wore myself out. All of that amazing food, the laughter, the conversations—it was the perfect day.

I’m so happy we managed to sort out the issues between us and I came to understand who he really is. It helped me so much to go to his warehouse and have him share that part of his life with me as well.

I am still nervous about falling too deeply for him, but I don’t think I am actually in control of that. My heart is on its own mission but I am still being as cautious as I can be.

I throw the cozy blankets off my body and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. The carpet is soft beneath my feet.

I stand up and stretch like a lazy cat then get dressed in my crop top and black tights. I have to study today so I may as well be comfortable. I’ll go for a run just before lunch if Oleg will let me, or send someone with me.

I wander down to the kitchen to make coffee and find Oleg, but he isn’t there.

I peak into the living room and see that the patio doors are open. He must be outside. Walking out into the bright morning sunshine, I have to squint my eyes against the glare.

But I find the garden empty.

I walk over the pool and stand next to it, trying to decide if I feel like swimming. The water looks really fresh and I’m definitely tempted right now but that is when I see him in the glass house on the other side of the garden.

His home gym.

Oleg is lifting weights and each time he pulls the weight up, his arm flexes tightly, making the muscles over his shoulders and back bulge out.

I can’t stop staring. I should look away. I’m basically spying on the guy, but I can’t stop watching him. Dammit, he is so freaking sexy.

It’s so crazy that I am actually married to him.

Without realizing it, I find myself walking closer to the glass house, hoping to get a better view.

I am practically drooling against the glass when he looks up and sees me.

I freeze, knowing how this must look.

He tilts his head to the side, a sly grin on his face, then he gestures for me to come inside.

I walk around the glass house to the entrance and walk in, trying to look innocent and casual. But I think my cheeks are glowing pink with embarrassment.

“Were you perving?” he asks straight away.

“What? Of course not.” I say defensively.

“Are you sure, because there is still a little drool—“

I quickly reach up and touch my hand against my lips, instantly realizing that it makes me look even more guilty.

He backs up, laughing.

I grin and shake my head. “So, is it a problem if I want to admire something I like looking at? “

“Mm. Why don’t you come and admire the view from close up instead?”

An idea strikes me. It’s been a long time since I attended my self-defense classes with my brothers—but what better time to practice than now. So, I walk closer to him and try my best to look innocent. But the naughty thoughts are making me grin a little bit.

He sets the weights down and walks towards me as well. I sidestep onto the gym mats just as he reaches out to wrap his arm around me.

Without any warning at all, I grab his arm, twist my body and kick my leg out backwards, knocking him off his feet. He lands with a loud huff as the air is knocked out of him.

Then I drop my weight down onto him, pinning him down, while I crack up laughing in triumph.

He looks shocked to his core, completely taken by surprise. His brows are raised and his eyes are wide as he stares at me.

It takes him a few seconds to realize what has happened—and when he does, he can’t stop laughing.

“Jeez, woman. Where did that come from?” he asks, lifting me off him.

“I wanted to admire the view—from really close.” I grin.

“It looks to me like you want to play?” his voice darkens with mischief.

I nod.

He stands up, holding his hand out to pull me to my feet—then he steps further onto the mat and gestures for me to follow him. “Alright. Try again.” He dares me.

I walk a full circle around him, deciding on my approach, then I come at him from behind and put him in a head lock.

I do really well for a while, but this time he was definitely ready for me and he ends up throwing me over his shoulder onto my back on the mat.

I squeal with fright.

He plays as rough as my brothers.

I guess I can play rough, too, then.

As he reaches down to offer me a hand up, I grab his wrist, wrap both of my legs around his arm and tug him down into a kneeling position. Once he is there, I move quickly, wrapping my thighs around his neck and twisting him onto his back as I kneel over him, locking him in place with his head between my legs.

Again, he looks surprised that I got the upper hand, but then another mischievous grin steals its way onto his face as he runs his hands up my thighs.

“ This —I could definitely get used to. This doesn’t seem like a bad place to be at all.” He chuckles, grabbing my ass and squeezing it.

I feel my cheeks flushing pink and quickly roll off him, getting to my feet as fast I can, ready for the next round.

For over an hour we are on the gym mats, tackling, trying to take each other down, and having a good laugh about it. He teaches me some moves I didn’t know and I show him most of the moves my brothers taught me.

I am surprised that despite his obvious advantage in size, there are one or two moves where I really manage to lock him down—even if only for a little while.

At least it shows me that everything my brothers taught me in the self-defense classes wasn’t a waste of time. Besides that—it is an incredibly good workout. We are both sitting on the mat, leaning back on our arms and breathing heavily.

“Damn. I’m hungry now,” he says, wiping his hand across his brow. We’ve worked up a good sweat.

He pushes himself onto his knees, then stands up and stretches his shoulders back. I watch as the muscles ripple across his biceps, my eyes taking him in.

“I’m hungry and feeling hot and sweaty,” I complain, trying to think about something other than how fucking sexy he is.

I roll onto my side, then push myself up to stand as well. My stomach growls in protest. I didn’t even have coffee yet.

“Where did you learn all of those moves? I have to admit, I am really impressed.”

“I do have six brothers. I think it’s kind of obvious where I learned the moves,” I laugh.

Oleg chuckles. “I guess it is.”

“I think they were worried about me—I mean, with the lifestyle they live. Even if I avoided becoming a part of it—there was always a chance things could go wrong and they wanted me to be able to protect myself.”

“You mean in the event of some tall, good-looking guy kidnapping you and forcing you to marry him?” Oleg smirks at me with mischief in his eyes.

“Yes— exactly that.” I tilt my head to the side and narrow my eyes at him with a sly grin across my face.

Then I turn towards the big glass wall looking out into the garden.

“That pool is still looking very inviting,” I say to myself, staring at the bright blue water.

“It is, isn’t it,” Oleg agrees, standing close to me. My body shudders at the sound of his voice. Just being this close to him for so long has been a constant tease.

The last hour of contact with him has left me feeling hot and bothered in more than one way. I need to jump into that pool to cool my mind off as much as my body otherwise, I won’t get any studying done.

“Are you going to—“ I am about to ask him to join me for a swim, but from behind he lifts me up, throws me over his shoulder and marches out into the garden while I scream and laugh loudly.

He walks straight to the edge of the pool and tosses me in without any hesitation whatsoever.

My body hits the cold water with a splash and I gasp at how icy it is. I did not expect that. It’s such a beautifully sunny day I thought the water would be warmed by the sun.

I swim to the surface. Ready to give Oleg a piece of my mind, but as I come up and gasp a breath of air—he is diving into the water next to me.

He swims towards me and pulls me into his arms as he surfaces.

His hair is slick against his head, dark and glistening.

Water drops fall from his thick lashes as he eyes me and grins. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” he says with amusement.

“I’m sure you just couldn’t control those urges.” I roll my eyes.

“There are actually a number of urges I struggle to control when I am around you.”

“Is that so? What are you going to do about it?” I wrap my legs around his waist beneath the water and pull myself up against him. My arms draped around his thick muscular neck. Every cell in my body screaming to feel him.

His hands explore my back, roaming down over my ass.

“This—“ he growls against my ear as he slips his hand inside my pants and presses his fingers into my pussy.

I gasp softly, digging my fingers into his skin.

He leans forward and locks his lips against mine, kissing me deeply, as we hurriedly tug at each other’s clothes beneath the water.

The gym session was an hour-long foreplay and both of us are clearly feeling the heated urgency of the moment. Water is splashing around us as he tugs my pants down and then pulls me back towards him, wrapping my legs around his waist again.

I feel his cock, hard and pressing against me.

With his hands gripped tightly around my hips, he pushes himself inside me. His cock stretching my pussy open and filling me up.

I gasp as he slides into me, turning me so that my back is against the side of the pool. Pleasure shoots through me.

A deep moan escapes his lips as he buries himself all the way into me.

He closes his eyes for a moment and I stare at how gorgeous his face is. When he opens his eyes, they are locked with mine and he begins to thrust in and out of me, pushing me hard against the edge of the pool. I tilt my head back and moan and he thrusts faster. Fucking me while he stares at me as though I am the most beautiful girl in the world. That is how he makes me feel when he looks at me that way.

It sends shivers down my spine and causes my heart to race. My mind full of thoughts that worry me. Because as pleasure surges through my body I finally have to admit to myself—

—that I am in love with this man.

I’ve completely fallen for him and even though I’ve been trying to deny it—I finally have to accept the truth.

“Oleg—“ I whisper breathlessly.

His dark eyes pierce into me, waiting for me to say more—but I don’t dare.

His cock slam into me and I cry out as my legs begin to shake, still locked around his waist.

He wraps his hand around the back of my neck and presses his lips against mine,—kissing me passionately and fucking me until the pleasure becomes all I can feel or think about, my orgasm slamming through me like a bolt of lightning.

I feel Oleg stiffen as his cock pulses inside me, groaning with pleasure as he finds his release.

We get dressed beneath the water. Grinning at each other as we pull our clothes back on before climbing out and running back towards the gym to find some towels.

Oleg wraps the towel around me before taking another for himself.

I watch him as he dries off, stripping his shorts off beneath his towel.

I do the same, stripping down and leaving my wet clothes outside.

“Come shower with me,” he says, holding his hand out. I wrap my fingers through his and follow him into the house.

My heart is thundering a thousand warnings.

But it’s too late.

I am in love.

There is no going back now.