Chapter 36 #2
But I wanted to talk with him more. I didn’t want him to leave me alone.
Was it too much to ask?
I tightened my thighs, trying to push down the arousal that had been lingering in my body for a long time. It would be smarter to just take care of this in the shower. Like he was probably doing now.
Because no way was he taking a simple shower for so long.
I patted my cheeks once again, then reached for the cover, holding onto it as if it were Viktor’s arm, which I’d clung to earlier. It was soft and light. Not what I wanted! But it was what it was.
By the time Viktor came out of the bathroom, I was already lying on the decorative pillow, not daring to go back and pick a normal one from the bed.
“What are you doing?” His voice was measured.
“Trying to sleep,” I said. “You wanted to go down?”
“Hmm.” He came closer, but didn’t sit. “I was.”
Korolyov was his cousin, after all. It would be too egocentric of me to expect Viktor to spend every second here with me. Especially since this was a business trip.
“Then go. Just switch off the light.” I gestured to the lamp. This was probably for the best. I might even sneak back into the bath.
“Sophie.” His voice was rough.
“Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
Didn’t I tell him already? “Going to sleep.”
“On the sofa?”
I looked around. “Yes, this is a sofa. What’s wrong with it?”
“Go to bed.” The calm in his voice made my skin crawl.
“I like it here. It’s comfortable.”
“It’s not!”
He crossed his arms, and I—weak that I was—couldn’t help but glance at his tensed muscles.
“Then why do you want to sleep here?”
I moved, leaning on my elbow, noticing too late how the cover slipped from my thigh.
He poked his cheek. “Because…” Then looked up at the ceiling.
“It was my request to share the room. If one of us needs to sleep on the sofa, then it’s me.”
He licked his lips, biting them at the end, when his eyes met mine again. “You have five seconds to get off the sofa and go to bed.”
“Or what?” I didn’t move my thigh intentionally. It was just a reflex whenever I was getting excited!
“Five.”
I raised a brow, unable to hide my smile.
“Four.”
What did he think he could possibly do to scare me off?
“Three.”
He gestured toward the bed, and I shook my head.
“Two…”
My tongue acted on its own, licking my lips.
“Sophie, this isn’t funny.”
“It isn’t.”
It was exciting!
“Two…” he repeated.
“Two…” I mocked.
When his gaze turned toward the door, I hurried to add, “If you’re going to run away, put something over your tank top.” I clicked my tongue.
He wet his lips, letting out a deep breath. “I’m trying to give you space!”
“Can’t remember asking for space.” I lay back on my pillow, closing my eyes. “One! Have a nice evening. Now let me sleep on my sofa.”
“Sophie.”
He could do whatever he wished. I didn’t care.
“Sophie. Please. Go to your bed.”
I stayed silent. What was the point of this conversation? I turned over, facing the back of the sofa, and couldn’t help swiping at the velvet, tracing circles on it. When I heard steps, I was sure he was going to his closet to put something more on before leaving the room.
Not him coming closer and picking me up as if I weighed nothing.
I squeaked, holding onto my cover and hiding my face in his shoulder. Within a few steps he reached the bed, but before he could lower me onto it, I put my hands on his neck. That made him lean closer while putting me on the sheets.
I looked into his eyes when his hand left my body. Mine, though, were still holding his back as I ran my fingers on his nape. His eyelashes twitched at each of my touches.
He tried to move back, but I didn’t let him.
“Sophie.”
“You sure like my name,” I said, loosening my grip and letting him sit. I followed him, without breaking our contact.
“Very much.” He closed his eyes, turning his head.
Wrong move, mister.
Folding my legs, I miscalculated the speed, and instead of the gentle kiss I was planning to put on his ear, my mouth met the top of his head.
Not perfect, but it still made him shiver.
The next second I did what I’d intended—brushing my fingers on the soft bottom of his ear while my lips touched the tip.
It was nice to feel human warmth under my lips.
“We need to stop,” he said. His voice was shaking.
“You don’t want to?” I threw one of my legs over his thighs, touching his nose with mine.
Viktor let out a deep moan. “Does it seem like I don’t?” he asked, moving his hands to my waist in slow, soft movements as if afraid one wrong move would break me.
But when I moved, trying to adjust myself, his grip tightened. Now, that made me shiver.
“Then why should we stop?” I traced down to his cheek. One slight move and I would kiss him.
“We had unfinished things to discuss.” He breathed heavily.
“Unfinished…” I whispered, moving my lips toward his. When they met, touching each other on the surface, he froze.
I brushed mine against his, then again. And again. Begging for him to kiss me. But only his breath and mine were colliding with each other.
It was hard to keep my eyes open. Even harder to hold his gaze. Not when my insides were burning. And a throb was building between my legs. So when I couldn’t hold my hips from friction that landed directly on his erection, I closed them.
Just in time—his lips finally met mine. Soft and wet, tasting of toothpaste. I ran my fingers through his hair. Again, so soft.
Was he all soft? And warm. And mine!
He brushed his tongue through my lips. “Strawberry…” he murmured.
“I was eating them.” I pointed blindly at the counter.
He hurried to grab my hand and put it back in his hair while his hips went up. And mine down.
I repeated the action more steadily while his lips went down my chin, then neck, putting small kisses on my skin. He brushed one of my straps to the side, then went down to my chest, kissing my nipple through silk.
With each press of his lips, the ache between my legs grew more desperate. “Vi-ik.” I tried to get closer to him, though there wasn’t even space for air.
He moved his attention to my other nipple while I rubbed against his erection through the clothes. Over and over.
I needed that throb gone so desperately. It had been there for days, if not weeks. Or months…
“Vi-ik,” I moaned again when one specific movement hit the right spot. And I repeated it. Again. And again.
Another moan. More like a groan. His, not mine.
Maybe I squeezed his hair too hard, I wasn’t sure. But one second I was still sitting on his lap, right on the edge, and the next I was on the sheets. I thought he’d be on top of me, but he pulled away from my embrace, stepping several paces back from the bed.
His face was pale, and a few drops of sweat glistened on his temples.
A rope cinched around my neck as I tried to swallow.
Couldn’t. I tried again. And failed. I should have just stayed silent!
“Why are you doing this to me?” A rasp left my mouth.
He shook his head, clutching his neck.
“Why are you making me feel like I’m wanted and then shattering that hope the next moment!” The ache was still there. Sour. Ghastly. Reminding me with each pulsation how shameful my behavior was.
A wave of irritation rose within me, and I couldn’t shake the disgust I felt toward myself.
“I want you!” Viktor’s voice came over the others. He sounded closer.
Shaking my head, I hugged myself tight, nails digging into my shoulders.
“I want you!” The bed buckled under his weight. “I want you!” His palms held my cheeks. “I want you! But first—” His thumb wiped away the moisture from my eyes. “We need to talk!”