Chapter 16 #2
“Just close the door and I will. It’s right up here. I thought this would give you comfort.”
Comfort. I bit my lower lip and waited as the light turned green. “Okay. I’m trusting you and I don’t trust anyone lightly nor will I ever again.” I closed the door, keeping my eyes locked on the windshield.
I heard him grumbling under his breath as he pressed down on the accelerator.
He made another turn then a second into a nice neighborhood of beautiful cottages with well-manicured lawns.
Maybe there was some kind of plaque or statue at one of the parks.
A cold shiver remained and while I knew Travis would never do me any harm, that didn’t mean I wasn’t apprehensive.
I couldn’t stand any additional heartache.
As I felt the pull of the truck change as Travis slowed down, I shifted my attention to the passenger window.
While the street was well lit, a light on over the house he’d stopped in front of, I couldn’t tell if there was anything special about the yard or the surrounding area. He stopped the truck but said nothing.
“Am I supposed to know what the hell this is?” I demanded.
He remained quiet for a few seconds before turning in my direction. “Why don’t you go find out?”
In the shadowed light, I was able to catch an odd look on his face, a fight to contain a smile. “What is this?” I wasn’t certain my words were even audible. A strike of pain rushed into my heart and for a few seconds, I was certain he was playing a game with me. Then I heard a sound.
A dog barking. No, a puppy.
What. The. Fuck?
“Trust is exactly what you need, Chloe. Well, that and love. I think you have both in spades.”
Travis’ tone had deepened, a glitch in his voice. “Go.”
I was shaking all over as I attempted to open the door, almost falling onto the street. I took a deep breath as I heard another series of barks. Then I saw a beautiful puppy galloping toward the… white picket fence. What was going on? Did Travis purchase a house since I’d refused to take the money?
As if anticipating my question, he climbed out of the truck, moving beside me. “It’s all yours, the puppy included.”
“I don’t want a house, Travis. That can’t take the pain away. You of all people should know that.”
“What I know is that you need to walk in through that front door.” He pointed toward the lovely red door, forcing my attention to the front of the house.
I’d pictured the perfect little house in my mind. Potted plants on the front porch. Flowering shrubs lining the windows. A swing hanging from the rafters on the porch. A beautiful wreath on the front door. I refused to allow tears to form.
“Trust, Chloe. Remember?”
My legs were stiff as I moved toward the fence gate and as soon as I opened the door, the Golden Retriever puppy rushed to my legs, yapping as only baby puppies could do. My emotions were too raw, too close to the surface. There was no way in hell I could stop tears from trickling past my lashes.
I pulled the fur ball into my arms and walked very slowly toward the door. As the puppy kissed and licked my face, an actual giggle slipped past my lips. “You are a cutie. I’m keeping you.”
The little boy barked in happiness as he nuzzled against my neck.
I hated the stiffness I felt, the anxiety of entering the kind of house I’d always dreamed of. It wouldn’t be the same. I managed to find the courage, placing my hand on the latch then pressing it down. As I walked inside, the first thing my senses became aware of was the scent of vanilla.
And cinnamon.
The aroma was spectacular. I didn’t bother closing the door behind me before walking further inside, darting my head into the living room.
There was even a stone fireplace, a gorgeous mantel.
And there were several lit candles. My heart skipped several beats, my mouth suddenly dry.
I put the puppy down, swallowing hard before moving forward.
When the puppy scampered off, I trailed behind him, able to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a beautiful kitchen. I stood just outside the door, taking several deep breaths before walking inside.
There were no words to describe my feelings. There was no possibility of slowing my heartbeat. As stars floated in front of my eyes, I thought I was dreaming, but if so, I never wanted the incredible moment to end.
“Hi.”
Just hearing Nikolai’s sexy, raspy voice, the accent tickling my senses, was enough to push a whimper up from my throat.
“How? I thought you were… gone.”
Nikolai walked closer, still remaining a few inches away from me, his eyes searching mine.
“There is so much to tell you. That is, if you’ll allow me.
” In his arms he held the puppy, the retriever happily snuggling his new owner.
Nikolai’s eyes twinkled as he studied me, finally shaking his head back and forth.
“You’re beautiful. God, I’ve missed you. ”
“I hate you!” I spat off, gasping for air.
He grinned. “I suspected as much.”
As the tears continued to fall, I was able to accept that this was no dream. I flew into Nikolai’s arms, crushing the puppy against his chest. Nothing had ever felt so good or so right in my life. “I thought you were dead.”
“Shush, little pet. I’m right here and I’m not planning on going anywhere.” He managed to ease the puppy to the floor, laughing as the young dog yapped his disapproval. “And I’m never going to let you go.” He slid one hand down my back, cupping my buttocks then lifting me off the floor.
When he crushed his mouth over mine, the world went into slow motion.
There was nothing else that mattered, no amount of danger that could ever take away this moment.
He was my rock, my hero. My love. The taste of him was even sweeter than I remembered and as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, his actions gentler than I was used to, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
The kiss was everything I needed, becoming more passionate by the minute.
Nikolai tenderly pushed me against the island counter, allowing my toes to touch the floor.
He dominated my tongue, swirling it back and forth across mine.
I could feel our combined heartbeats, could hear the scattered sounds of our breathing. I never wanted to let him go.
“Ahem,” Travis grunted from behind us. “You’re right. She’s a little spitfire. I didn’t think I was getting her here.”
While Nikolai broke the kiss for a few seconds, he muttered something in Russian then resumed the intimate hold. He pulled me away from the counter, turning me in a full circle. I was lightheaded, almost dizzy from happiness. The moment couldn’t have been any more special.
I heard Travis tapping his fingers on something and pushed my hand against Nikolai’s chest, laughing softly. “I think he needs something.”
“He always needs something,” Nikolai teased. “But he’s the one responsible for finding the house, so I guess I should give him some credit.”
“Don’t forget about the pup. I was the one who managed to find the little guy. Took me awhile too.” Travis had a huge grin on his face. “I’m just glad it all worked out.”
After squeezing my arm, Nikolai walked closer to his friend, holding out his arm. “Thank you for everything.”
“What are friends for?” Travis shook his hand roughly then winked in my direction.
“I think you have everything you need for the night, including wine. Whiskey. Some food in the fridge, although I wasn’t certain what you’d like.
Oh, and there’s some puppy food in the cabinet. I did what I could, my friend.”
“You don’t have any idea how much I appreciate it,” Nikolai said as he shook his head. “It’s good to be home.”
“We’re damn glad to have you here. I think I’ll just let myself out.” Travis cocked his head in my direction. “Unless you need me to stay.”
“Leave,” I barked. Then I moved closer, wrapping my arms around him. “Thank you, but if you ever scare me like that again, I’ll kick your ass.”
Travis burst into laughter. “I have no doubt you would.”
I watched as he walked toward the door, a spring in his step. The man was even whistling. When I finally turned around to face the man I loved, I shook my head. Although I wasn’t certain I could stay miffed at a man who was getting dozens of puppy licks.
“What happened?”
“I did what was necessary, bringing peace at least for now.”
“I’m so glad.” I could see relief in his eyes. “So, what is this place?”
Nikolai laughed like I’d never seen him do before. There was such light in his eyes as he played with the puppy that I became mesmerized.
“This,” he said as he continued to nuzzle the dog, “is hopefully the kind of house you were talking about in your fairytale.”
“This is beautiful. Who does it belong to?”
“For an intelligent woman, there are times you can be so dense. The house belongs to you. Now, I’m not going to lie; I hope you’ll allow me to spend some time here.”
I tapped my finger across my lips, the hard hammering of my heart giving me palpitations. “I have to think about it.”
“Oh, you do, huh?” He lifted a single eyebrow before placing the puppy on the floor. His swagger as he inched closer was unlike any move that I’d seen him perform before. “Then I guess you’ll need some convincing.”
“I’m not sure you have it in you.”
“Woman, you infuriate the hell out of me. You refused to obey me on any level, remaining in the same city where you were placed in danger. And you wouldn’t accept any assistance. I assure you that I heard all about what you’ve been doing.”
“So Travis is a spy,” I teased.
“Absolutely.” He closed the distance, placing his hands on my arms. “You’re one disobedient woman.”
“And you flew away to a country where everyone wanted you dead.”
He gently brushed hair from my eyes. “Maybe not everyone.” As he lowered his head, he took a deep breath. “God, I missed you.”
An intense shiver skated down my spine. “You have no idea how much I missed you. I never thought I’d see you again. That almost broke me into little pieces.”