Chapter 23
I wait a thousand pounding heartbeats for Mischa to come through the door. He walks in timidly, looking around. I start my stopwatch.
“Kane said you were around here, and want to talk to me?”
I go to him and put my hands to his face.
“We don’t have long,” I say, and touch my lips lightly to his.
He looks at me wide-eyed. “Can I read into this?”
“Yes,” I smile.
He lets out all the tension he is carrying in his body, and meets my lips. We heat up fast. In a cubical he slams me against the wall and kisses me passionately. Our cold and rigid stalemate dissolves, and we breathe in relief.
“Hi,” Mischa says sweetly, and wipes away a tear.
We hug tightly.
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop saying that.”
He unzips my fly and moves his hand inside my pants, while I run my hand through his curls. I’m already hard, and he starts to stroke me slow.
“God I’ve missed you,” I say, between kisses.
He sucks my earlobe. “I can tell.”
“I looked everywhere for you,” I say.
“I’ve been here, working, really busy.”
“I guess this means I owe you a night out?”
“Or a night in,” he kisses me again.
“You wouldn’t like to spend it with Sebastian?”
“That’d be exchanging gold for brass. Besides, I’m not fucking Sebastian. He’s just trying to convince me to wear a tutu full-time. That’s all.”
I’m not convinced. “He hit on you right in front of me.”
He scoffs. “I’m a hot guy, Austen, and I’m approachable. Everybody hits on me. You could use the date with your girlfriend if you really want?”
“I can take Sabrina out anytime,” I tell him.
“Well, I guess it’s you and me then,” he says.
“Mmmmh,” I moan, as his hand gets faster. “Thanks for buying me.”
“Best hundred grand I ever spent. Also the only hundred grand I ever spent.”
“It’s a lot.”
“William gave it to me.”
“What?”
“To watch over you in Fiordland,” he says and kisses down my neck. “He’s crazy overprotective. Paranoid you’re in danger, even in a remote forest at the farthest edge of the world.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “We have to be stealthy or else...”
“He’ll kill me...” he scoffs, and gets down on his knees in front of me. “I know, I know.”
???
Kane knocks after five very short minutes. Mischa waits so nobody sees us together, but we cross paths again out front, where he’s with Natasha, talking to Billy.
“Hey man,” he pats me on the back as he passes me and Sabrina. “Come for a gym session with Will next week.”
I nod as he walks off without looking back.
“That was a very interesting young man,” Grandpa frowns, as we are saying goodbye. “What’s his name?”
“That’s our friend Mischa,” Sabrina says for me, “Mischa Abramov. He’s studying with William. They work out together sometimes, and he came with us to Australia, and Izzy and I asked him to tag along on your boat afterwards.”
“A relation of Victor Abramov, no doubt?”
We both shrug.
“Oh, I think he is actually, yeah,” I tell him, trying not to flush. “He sent some wine for us. He owns a football club or something. Is he a friend of yours?”
“No. We should talk about this later, in private.”
“He and William are not close,” I assure him. “I wouldn’t worry. Mischa missed his flight, and only came to New Zealand because the girls took pity on him.”
“How convenient. I’m glad you are more careful of the company you keep, dear boy,” he says, and leaves.