Chapter 22 - Artur
Joseph took Maria out this afternoon to distract her so that the rest of us could arrange a little surprise for her. It’s our last night here at Whale Cove, and we wanted to make it special, so we’re cooking dinner for her.
Slow-cooked stew with vegetables and lamb so soft that it falls off the bone. We’ve been stewing it on low for hours, and it smells incredible.
“Is the rice done?” I ask when I hear their car arriving outside.
“Yes, I’m busy putting it in a dish now to put it on the table,” Benedikt calls from the kitchen.
“Because they’re here,” I shout back.
“Shit, Kaz, hurry up and grab the wine glasses,” Ben shouts.
I jog toward the kitchen to help them with the last-second touches so that everything looks perfect when she walks in.
I’ve made a massive fire in the living room, which opens up to the dining room, so the entire space is cozy and warm.
I’ve turned the lights really low and placed candles around the room for a romantic and intimate vibe.
The table looks great. I’m rather proud of what we pulled together. It looks like a luxurious restaurant with top chefs cooking top-quality menu items.
My eyes trace over the table to do one last check.
“Where are the rolls?” I ask, just as Kazimir walks in with the freshly baked rolls that we got from the bakery this afternoon.
“Butter is on the table. Rolls are here. We’re good to go,” he says.
I hear Joe and Maria laughing as they walk into the villa.
“Brrrr,” Maria says, shivering when she shrugs off her jacket. “I’m so happy you guys made a fire. It’s freezing outside! … Oh my word, what smells so amazing?” she says loudly.
Joe takes her hand, a grin on his face as he leads her to the table.
“Oh my goodness!” Maria exclaims, seeing us all standing there and the setup around us.
“Did you guys—who did all of this?” she blurts out.
“We thought we should prove that your husbands aren’t entirely useless and between us we can cook a decent meal,” Benedikt chuckles.
“This seems more than just a decent meal,” she grins, taking in the spread of food.
Kazimir grabs a spoon and dips it into the stew, then holds it out for her to taste.
She opens her mouth, and he slips it between her lips, and we all wait tensely for her verdict.
Maria closes her eyes and moans softly.
“Oh. My. Goodness. That is honestly incredible,” she gasps, brushing her finger over her lips to wipe away a little bit of stew.
“Who did the cooking?” she asks as Joseph pulls her chair out for her and Kazimir places a napkin over her lap.
“We all did a bit of it together. It was a team effort,” I say, pouring her a glass of red wine.
She smiles at me, and my heart tenses. It’s difficult not to feel all the things I felt for her in the past. After this trip and spending so much time with her… it reminded me of how close we were and how easy it is to be myself around her.
It terrifies me, but I can’t deny it’s still there.
Maybe it never left. Maybe I always had those feelings toward her, and that’s what made everything hurt even more.
I pour wine for everyone, needing to open a second bottle to fill all the glasses. Then I pick mine up, and as everyone settles into their seats, I remain standing.
“To everyone…” I say, waiting for their attention.
They all turn to look at me and pick up their wine as well.
“To everyone at this table tonight, I wanted to say thank you for a great trip. I’ve enjoyed myself far more than I expected to.” This prompts laughter, and I grin, pausing.
“Honestly, though…this has been amazing. Thanks for coming up here and sharing this time with me,” I say, suddenly uncomfortable with the heartfelt emotions washing over me.
Benedikt stands next.
“To the most beautiful woman in the world. We are all honored to have you as our wife, as the thread that holds us together in a lot of ways. You are the reason we have an alliance, and you are the reason we’ve all had this chance to get to know each other better.
We’re lucky to have you, Maria,” he says, then sits down again.
Joe doesn’t stand up, but he lifts his glass.
“Maria, guys, I’m grateful for the chance to get to know each of you. I really feel we can accomplish incredible things together. Through thick and thin, let’s keep communication open and keep growing stronger,” he says, his eyes on Maria and a smile on his face.
Lastly, Kaz stands and grins, “To the hottest girl on the planet, I hope you like our cooking!”
Everyone laughs. What more could you expect from Kazimir but to break the ice with his never-failing sense of humor?
I stand again to dish up for Maria.
The guys are chatting enthusiastically, and the burble of conversation and laughter sinks over me like a warm blanket of comfort.
I want this all to be real. I wish I had the balls to just let go of what happened in the past and not be as distrusting as I am.
Fuck, if I could forget Misha ever existed and look at what is right in front of me right now…
But it wouldn’t be in front of me if it weren’t for what Misha did. I would never have kidnapped her and sought revenge.
How do I balance the two?
He needs to pay for what he did.
***
The evening moves forward with slow leisure.
The food is almost entirely finished by the time dinner ends.
Everyone is enjoying themselves, and Kaz is flirting relentlessly with Maria.
But he isn’t the only one. Ben is in on it, too, and Joe is enjoying the entire scene, throwing in one or two well-placed remarks that make her blush.
After dinner, Joe and Ben stand and start gathering the empty plates.
“Come on, baby bird, let me escort you to the living room where you will be served your dessert,” Kaz says, offering his hand to Maria.
“I’ll go get the dessert ready,” I say, standing too and heading toward the kitchen.
My head is filled with so many thoughts. I want to relax. I want to enjoy all of this. And I am enjoying it. But in the back of my mind, there are so many worries.
In the kitchen, I pull out the peppermint crisp tart and chocolate sauce.
I place the sauce in the microwave to warm it up and stare at the glowing box while the jug spins slowly, being nuked.
Behind me, Ben and Joe are in and out of the kitchen, unloading the dishes and other things into the pantry.
The microwave beeps, and I remove the jug and carry it and the tart into the dining room to dish up on the now-clear table.
But behind me, I hear a gasp and a sweet little moan.
Turning, I find Kaz. He has Maria pinned to the sofa, her legs spread as he pushes his hand up her skirt.
Immediately, my cock stirs as I watch her writhe beneath him, seeking his touch.
Abandoning the dessert, I walk into the living room and sit on the sofa opposite them to watch.
Kazimir tugs her panties aside and slips his fingers into her, and Maria makes the most beautiful sound as her eyelids flicker closed. She tilts her head back and sighs, her lips parted and her cheeks glowing pink.
Kazimir leans over her and locks his mouth over hers. My cock gets harder and presses uncomfortably against my pants, so I tug them open and pull it out, holding the swollen shaft in my hand. I begin to stroke it.
Kaz pulls Maria up into a sitting position so that he can pull her dress off over her head. She’s wearing a red lace bra to match her lace panties, and I groan at the sight of it.
He reaches behind her to unclip her bra, and I say, “Leave it on, she looks so fucking sexy.”
Kaz brushes his finger over her nipple and she shivers, biting her lower lip and pushing her chest forward as she tilts her head back. Her hair flows loose down her back, wavy strawberry-blonde silk.
“You are fucking sexy, baby bird,” Kaz growls, pushing her down onto her back again.
I watch as he spreads her legs wide and tugs his pants open.
“Is this what you meant by dessert?” she giggles as he brushes his cock over her lace panties.
“It isn’t. But I think this is a thousand times better,” he muses, watching her expression change as her desire grows.
“Don’t let her come,” I demand. “Let’s push her to the edge and pull her back again until the end and see if she can survive it,” I grin.
“Mm. I like the idea of that. Do you mind if we tease you until you scream, baby bird?” Kaz asks in a husky whisper. He pulls her panties to the side and positions himself between her legs so that his cock is pressing against her entrance.
“I-I…oh,” she cries out as he thrusts into her.
I watch his cock push her pussy open and slide inside her. My cock throbs and pulses with pleasure, imaging with it feels like and desperately wanting the same thing. I stand up and walk over to the sofa, standing over her to get a better view.
Behind us, Ben and Joseph arrive, and I hear Ben groaning in pleasure.
“Fuck, yes, that is exactly the kind of dessert I want, too,” he declares.
Joe sits on the sofa where I was a moment ago and tugs his pants open.
Maria opens her mouth and tilts her head up toward me.
“Let me suck you,” she whispers as Kaz slowly fucks her.
Her eyes are half-closed from the pleasure of it.
She reaches up and takes my cock in her hand.
The moment her soft fingers wrap around me, I groan, my legs feeling like jelly as her touch shoots lightning through me.
Kaz moves faster, cupping his hand over her clit and applying pressure without rubbing her.
She tries to rock herself against his hand, and he pushes his other hand against her hip to hold her down. “No, baby bird, we decide when you get to come,” he commands her.
“I’ve changed my mind,” she murmurs, “I don’t want to wait until the end,” she pleads.
I chuckle. “All the more reason to make you wait, baby bird. We’re in control of you. We’re in control of that tight, gorgeous little pussy of yours,” I growl.
Ben stands on the other side of the couch, his eyes on her mouth as she sucks my cock between her lips. She runs her tongue down the underside of my shaft, and I lose my mind for a moment.