Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Daniil
When I got back to the stuffy confines of the indoor pool after taking Anya to the car, the sight that met my eyes filled my heart with a weird sort of dread.
It wasn’t the fact that Timothy and Lily were together as thick as thieves and seemed to be watching something on her phone and giggling away like the best of friends.
But it also went to prove how much he was missing a mother figure.
Anya did a good job with him, but she was young and had her whole life before her.
Timothy needed a mother who would love him. He deserved that. And I needed—
Again, my eyes looked over them.
I felt guilty even thinking of trying to replace Claudia. She was irreplaceable and always would be. Stuffing my hands in my clean pockets, I walked towards them, making my presence known.
Timothy noticed me first. “Papa.”
Slowly, Lily turned her head to watch me approach, and her eyes darkened with the same lust that always filled me when I saw her.
She smiled a little sadly, and I wanted to scream at her not to feel sorry for me.
It was one of the reasons I hadn’t told her about Claudia’s death.
I hated the pity that filled people’s faces when they found out.
I wasn’t the kind of man to be pitied—not ever.
What happened was sad, but I had had her for a long time, and I would be forever grateful for that.
“Did Anya—?” Lily began to say.
“Anya is fine. She never needs my help. She just likes to gossip. I think sometimes she just needs someone to talk to, and I’m here. She forgets who and what I am, but hopefully that will stop when she is married.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “She’s getting married? She seems so young. Doesn’t she want a career and adventures first?”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business. It’s the same as asking you why you dedicated your life to a man who used you to support him instead of providing,” I snapped.
The thoughts I was having about Lily were making me temperamental. They felt like a direct insult to my late wife. I expected her to look away, but she just steadily met my eyes. “I am a modern woman, Daniil. I don’t need to be kept like some precious trophy wife.”
The nerve under my eye twitched in shock. “Maybe that’s true,” I said in a much calmer voice. “But that still doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be looked after. Anya has always known her place in the world. She wants to be married.”
Lily opened her mouth to speak and shut it again. “It’s really not any of my business, sorry. I don’t know,” her eyes darted up to me, “anything about the way you live your life. So I shouldn’t pass judgment.”
“That’s right, you don’t, so you should—” I froze. I was being a serious dickhead. Timothy was right there, staring up at me with his wide eyes that were so much like his mother’s. If Claudia were alive, she would tell me off for being such a jerk as well.
Raggedly, I let out a breath, my hand ruffling my hair. “Sorry,” I mumbled. “I shouldn’t take my bad mood out on you.”
A lot of concern tightened her features. “Is there something I can do to help?”
I almost smiled. Almost but not quite. Oh, there were plenty of things she could do to calm the tension running through me, like drop to her knees and give me relief with that sweet, hot mouth of hers. I almost said it, but I didn’t because my son was sitting right there.
With him back home, I would have to be extra careful about my sexual relationship with Lily.
“No,” I said instead. “You’re off the clock for the evening. I’m going to get Timothy bathed and into bed, and then I’ll be in my office if you want me.”
The invitation was clear and open. If she wanted to spend the night with me, she would need to seek me out.
Anya thought I was being difficult for no reason. She had repeatedly told me so when I had taken her out to the car. It wasnt like I wasn’t attracted to Lily, but there had to be more than physical attraction if I was to bring a woman into my life permanently.
For starters, Timothy would have to absolutely idolize the woman.
“Want Lily,” Timofey said firmly.
“What?” I asked because what the hell? He had never in his short life ever asked for anyone else to put him to bed but Anya or me.
“Lily.” He wrapped his skinny arms around her neck, and she easily shifted him to her lap. Leaving me even more shocked.
I met her eyes. “Do you—”
I didn’t even get to finish before she smiled. ”I don’t mind. Timothy and I have become great friends, but he’s going to have to show me his room and where his things are. Can you do that?”
I’d never seen him look so enthusiastic. Climbing from her lap, he tugged at her hand until she had no choice but to follow him. Brushing past me, my senses were assaulted by the sweet smell of her perfume.
Reaching out, I caught her wrist in my hand, my thumb broke over her pulse point. “Thank you.”
She was so good with him, and she was good for me as well.
That’s all I kept thinking as I sat in my barely lit office two hours later.
The only light source was from an antique lamp and the roaring open fire.
At the office, everything was modern and sleek, but here?
In my home, I preferred a warmer feel, especially here, where I spent most of my time.
Pouring myself another vodka, I sank into the padded leather chair and took a sip.
Why did she have to be so good with him?
Watching Lily bathe and put my son to bed had been eye-opening, especially when she sang sweetly to him in her off-key voice, smoothing his hair back until he had fallen asleep.
Lily was made to be a mother. And Timothy liked her a lot. But that didn’t mean she was born to be his mother. He had a mother.
Again, guilt rippled through me. It felt like I was betraying Claudia, even though I knew that was stupid.
I’d had women in my life since she had died, usually women I paid to give me the release I needed and leave straight after.
I didn’t do relationships, and I never let women stay over, let alone meet my son.
Lily had changed all of that. The moment I had seen her video, I knew I had to have her and not just for one night either. A woman like her was—
The tiniest of sounds came from the door, and my hand snapped upwards. “Who is it?”
“It’s Lily.”
I glanced at the bank of monitors on the side of my desk. She was alone, dressed in a thick robe over her night clothes, and she was plucking at the belt secured around her waist nervously.
“Daniil?”
I sat up straighter. “Is something wrong, Lily?”
“No.” The door opened a crack even before I told her she could enter, and her face appeared around it.
“Then why—” The words died on my lips as she stepped into the room and closed the door softly behind her.
“I wanted to make sure you are ok.”
Leaning back, I steepled my hand under my chin and studied her. I liked every single thing I saw. “And why wouldn’t I be ok?”
She had the good grace to look away and not answer me.
“Is there anything I can do for you, Daniil?”
I continued to stare at her. “I think you have done enough for one night,” I sighed.
Honestly, I wanted her to do all the things I saw promised in her eyes, but my mood wasn’t the best. Memories of Claudia and the guilt I was feeling were making me even more unpredictable than normal. It would be safer all around if she went back to her room.
“You should go to bed, Lily,” I sighed again, and this time my shoulders dropped. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, she was standing to the side of the desk. She had crossed the room silently on her bare feet.
“Daniil,” Lily whispered. “Let me help you.”
“And how can you do that, Lily?” My voice came out rougher than I meant it to.
“Let me—” tentatively, she reached out, trailing her fingers up my shirt sleeve until she got to my shoulders. “You’re so tense, Daniil.” She moved behind my chair, and both her hands dropped to my shoulders.
I was instantly tense. Every muscle in my body was on alert.
Having someone behind you in my line of work was dangerous.
But Lily didn’t make a move to slit my throat or loop a garrote around my neck.
Instead, her fingers began to move across my rock-hard muscles, kneading them as hard as she could.
I groaned low in my throat. God, that felt good. Another few seconds passed, and I relaxed into her more than capable hands and closed my eyes.
“Is that better?” she whispered. Her voice was as soothing as her hands on me. What was it about this woman that drove me crazy in a million different ways? Turning my head, I pressed my lips to the side of her fingers. “Yes,” I breathed. “Yes, that feels nice.”
“Good.” This time, her breath floated across the side of my throat. Hot and a little breathless, my body reacted by trembling.
“You were so tense, and I wanted to do something to help you relax.”
I moaned again as her lips brushed just below my ear.
Trailing her hands on my shoulders, she moved to stand in front of me, pushing my chair an inch. “I’d like to help you relax, Daniil.” Her voice had turned husky
Lifting my eyes to her, I smiled, giving a slight nod of my head.
“I would like to.” She climbed on top of me, her knees on either side of my hips, and settled her weight against my thighs. The belt of her robe opened to reveal PJs that had little sushi pictures on them. I couldn’t help it. I laughed.
I hadn’t expected sexy lingerie, but she was completely adorable. My hands came up to curl around her hips.
“You would like to do what?” I met her eyes.
“I—” two pink spots appeared on her cheeks, and she looked away, guilty.
“No,” I ordered her eyes to meet mine. “Tell me what you would like to do, Lily, I commanded.
She stared at me for so long that it felt like minutes, but it was probably just seconds.
“I would like to,” she sucked in a breath, “do this.”
And then she kissed me.