by Alyse Zaftig
Hell, that man could really kiss. She was so into it that he shocked her when he pulled away abruptly.
His fingers gently traced her swollen lips. “Answer the phone when I call, Victoria, or I will come back here.”
The dominant sternness in his voice sent a chill over her that also made her body thrum to life. Her body was aware of every hard part of him, even the bulge that had pressed into her. He was most definitely excited, and she was right there with him, though she would never admit it.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll answer.”
“Good,” he said. He kissed her again, but this time it was a quick peck on the mouth. “Do as I ask and I may have something tonight that will make you feel better.” He winked at her, a half smile on his lips.
“Like what?”
“You’ll find out later, but that’s up to you.”
She shook her head when he grabbed his briefcase and went out the door. He left her staring after him, a little bewildered.
It was almost pointless to try to get any work done. Andrei was in her head with every report she read and every briefing she tried to catch up on.
Being so distracted wasn’t her at all. She didn’t get giddy over men or anxious about seeing them again. Most women she knew, even her friends at work, cared about guys. Did they giggle and gossip about them? Sure.
Her? Nope. She didn’t get butterflies and giggle.
She thought about seeing what Andrei was like frustrated. A few hours after he left, he called her, just like he said he would. She contemplated not answering when she saw his number on her phone, but she wanted to hear his voice too badly to hold out.
“I’m answering,” she said. “Just as requested.”
“I hear,” he said. “That means I get to reward you. I’ll be done in four hours. You may want to find something nice to wear.”
“I thought we were having dinner here.”
“Change of plans. I’m cashing in on that date you owe me.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, and I think you’re going to enjoy it. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I’ll be here.”
Victoria felt a case of nerves surge through her. She had spent most of the day fantasizing about hugging, caressing, and kissing him, thinking about his mouth. It was not like her to let her imagination run wild. She was trying to decide if she liked the way Andrei was making her feel.
The man was full of contradictions. He was kind and sweet when it came to taking care of her, but he also had an edge that she didn’t understand just yet.
When she knew that she couldn’t work anymore, she closed her laptop. She took a nice hot shower in her favorite lavender-scented bath gel, which always had the ability to relax her body and mind. She followed that with some bath oil and perfume.
As she got ready, she felt like a giddy school girl going out for the first time. It had been ages since she last had a date. Her workload had become so heavy that there was very little time for pleasure or fun. She didn’t put herself out there very often. However, this man was very different from others she’d been around. Many men she dated were intimidated by her position as a prosecutor. Others wanted her to go all dominatrix on them. She could never find a balance between her work life and her personal life.
Andrei, however, had gotten under her skin. When he looked at her, she got goose bumps. Her heart rate increased uncontrollably when she thought of him, and her thoughts seemed to always turn sexual in one way or another until she could almost feel him inside of her, pushing inside of her.
As she thought about him and thought about the way he had kissed her like a man possessed, she could feel the wetness returning, warmth spreading between her thighs. Multiple times, she had to shake herself to clear her head and get ready for her date.
She remembered a cute little black dress she had in the back of the closet. It was made of a soft flexible material with an empire waist and a plunging low bust line. With the length coming down to her thighs, it was too short for court, but perfect for a night out or, in this case, in. She finished with a multicolored pattern pashmina, throwing over her arms.
Suddenly the phone rang, and she raced to answer it, pulling her pashmina close.
“Hey!” she said, feeling relaxed and happier than she had any right to be, with her ankle.
“Are you feeling up for going out for my surprise?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’m heading back. Pack an overnight bag.”
“An overnight bag? Where are we going?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Trust me. I’ll make all the arrangements for our weekend date. You need to get out of the house, and I’m the one taking you.”
“I remember agreeing to dinner. Not a weekend date.”
“Have I given you any reason not to trust me?”
“No, I guess not.”
“Good. I’ll be there at six to sweep you away.”
Victoria put the crockpot meal in the refrigerator and then packed her overnight bag. She grabbed all the essentials: her makeup bag, deodorant, her fancy underwear, her perfume, and a couple of extra outfits. She wasn’t sure if she needed a bathing suit or not, so she threw that in her bag along with a towel, too.
After she finished packing, applying her makeup, and fixing her hair, she heard the key rattle as he stuck it in the door and came in.
She went out to meet him, and her heart was pounding and her stomach was a quivering just thinking about the handsome man coming in to take her out on this surprise trip.
He had changed since that morning. He wore a more casual top and pants which emphasized his height and musculature. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle as he took her in.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said. He pulled a bouquet of lilies with baby’s breath from behind his back along with a box of fancy chocolate. “These are for you.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking her gifts.
He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. Before he could pull away, she held onto him a little longer. If she had her way, they would stay right there instead of going out. She wanted to take him to her bedroom.
“We don’t have to go anywhere tonight,” she said. “We could stay in.” She leaned in to kiss him, but he dodged her.
“Oh, no. I have too much planned for us not to take advantage. I promise you’re going to enjoy it. Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“Yes, I am ready. Let’s go,” she said.
She wasn’t expecting him literally sweep her off of her feet.
“I am going to make sure your feet never touch the ground,” he said.
“That sounds like a lot of work,” she said, laughing as he maneuvered her through the doorway.
“You’re definitely worth it though,” he said.
As silly as it sounded, he had her grinning like a fool, a big smile spreading across her face. She didn’t know the last time that she’d felt like this.
A limo waited for them downstairs. True to his word, Andrei didn’t set her down until she was in the car.
He moved in next to her and wrapped his arm around her. “We are ready,” he said to the driver.
“So where are we going exactly?”
“My father’s law firm has a jet that we rarely get to use. I thought it would be romantic if we fly down to Montego Bay, Jamaica and spend the weekend. We can have separate rooms if you like, but I think after the last couple of days, we both could use time away from the city.”
“That’s extravagant,” she said.
“Yeah, but you’ll love it. It’s beautiful this time of year,” Andrei said.
“All right. It sounds like fun.” Victoria said. Her thoughts conflicted in her head. She barely knew this man, but she was willing to go away with him. None of this was usual for her. “Lord, don’t let me lose my job for dating a defense attorney,” she thought. It wasn’t exactly against the rules, but the ethical scandal of dating an attorney she’
d gone up against was still there. Feeling him so close to her, he was too fine for any woman with a working sex drive to resist. She felt like she was being ripped apart, pulled in two directions.
They were only leaving for the weekend. She could think about reality when she got back. In that moment, she wanted to just get lost in him.
Chapter 6
Victoria
They headed to one of the nearby executive airports, one that was known for its exclusivity for the wealthy and a private airport that not many had access to. Teterboro was for posers who wanted to see and be seen. The plane was waiting on the tarmac for them.
She slid out only to have Andrei pick her back up.
“You don’t have to carry me everywhere, you know,” she said. “I’m not in as much pain anymore.”
“Hush and let me do this,” he said as he carried her up the steps. “Besides, I can think of a lot more fun things you can do with that mouth besides arguing.”
“Oh, really?” she asked.
He captured her lips for a brief kiss. “Absolutely.”
They entered the luxurious cabin with pure leather in butterscotch coloring with beige carpet. She sank down into the plush chair near the front of the plane where they were served red wine, cheese, and crackers.
Andrei’s eyes roamed over her like he thought she looked good enough to eat, and she thought about taking him up on that penetrative gaze. She was glad she’d chosen the black dress that accentuated every part of her. Even from where she sat, she could tell that he was excited to be around her, and that made her a little more confident than she might be normally.
“Wine?” he asked
“Yes, please.” He poured her a glass and then filled his own.
“Since we have some time, we might as well use it wisely,” she said.
“And how do you propose we do that?”
“Talking. A very old pastime and something we lawyers do well. I became a lawyer because I love to talk and argue.”
“That’s true. We can talk our way through anything.”
“So you first. Are you from New York?”
“Yes,” Andrei said. “We’re New Yorkers through and through. The Rusak Law Firm has actually been in my family for generations. First, my grandfather started it, when he didn’t have much. Then my two uncles came on board followed by my dad. I actually wanted to be a doctor.”
“Now that makes sense,” she said, taking a bite of salty cheese.
“Maybe I would have too, but my dad kept nudging me until I finally came over to his side. My mother and sister are both doctors, so it wouldn’t have been that uncommon. I’m sure you’ve have heard of the Rusak Maternal Clinic on the east side?”
“Of course. They’re known as some of the best OB-GYNs in New York. That’s your mother’s place?”
“Mother and sister, actually. They do pretty well for themselves. That’s one thing Rusaks are good at. We follow others into our profession.” He sounded a little bitter about that, but she didn’t push him. It sounded like he was still angry about being railroaded into becoming a lawyer.
They sat there together sipping wine, smiling at one another.
“What about your family?”
“I grew up in California.”
“That’s right,” he said. “Graduated from Stanford Law at the top of your class then moved to New York. After ten years of winning several high profile murder cases, you were finally offered an Assistant District Attorney’s position of New York City.”
“Sounds like you did your opposition research,” she said.
“Would you respect me if I didn’t?”
“Point taken. I tried to do the private law firm thing defending clients with Barnes, Keswick, Helsinki and Smitt for ten years, but I didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t know then that prestigious law firm meant pretentious clients. Most of mine were assholes.”
“I can tell you right now, that’s still accurate. Asses aplenty as clientele.”
“Are you saying Vasin wasn’t an easy client to work with?”
Andrei held his hands up. “I plead the fifth.”
“You’re definitely a lawyer.”
“So how did you get the name ‘Pitbull Bellamy?’”
“Not by choice, that’s for sure. The other lawyers in the state nicknamed me that because they said I was vicious when it came to my work.”
“You’re tough, that’s for sure. But vicious? I don’t see that.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve worked with vicious people...sometimes for them. Trust me, once you meet them, you’d never see yourself that way.”
Victoria was grateful for people seeing her as a hard-ass in her profession, because it meant very few people messed with her. In her life outside of work, she still thought of herself as a kind, affectionate, fun-loving, and adventurous person. Victoria was had done well for a woman in her early thirties. Now if her parents would stop pestering her to have a child, she’d be good. Her mother mentioned it every time they spoke.
“Do you miss California?”
“Sometimes. I loved the weather there. The people were definitely kinder sometimes. Many more into odd things here and there, but that’s California for you.”
“You have siblings?”
“I have one sister and one brother, both are younger than me. My sister is a Registered Nurse, and my brother is a student at the University of California at Berkeley.”
It took less than four hours to fly to Montego Bay, and at some point, Victoria had drifted off to sleep. She woke up in the best way possible. Andrei kissed her awake with light butterfly kisses.
“Hey, we’re here,” Andrei said. He lifted her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as lifted her. By the time they got to the car, she was wide awake.
Night had fallen, and the lights around them gave off a romantic glow to the skyline and the water surrounding them. Some exclusive restaurants on the beach had their romantic sensual lighting displayed.
They pulled up to a place called Golden Lobster. She realized they were expected when she spotted a private table placed on the beach and a Caribbean band playing romantic music. A lobster dinner awaited them along with mash potatoes with lobster bits in it, a kale salad, and cold Chardonnay.
“You’ve really outdone yourself, haven’t you?” she asked him as he sat her down.
“You tell me.”
The band started playing soft Caribbean music, which surrounded them without being overwhelming.
“For a first date? Definitely outdone yourself.”
“Is that a good thing?” he asked.
“Check with me at the end and maybe I’ll tell you.”
The waiter came out and filled their glasses with wine. Already, the stuff was going to her head and warming up other places. She ate and drank until horniness outweighed her tipsiness.
Of course that’s when the man asked her to dance.
“Sprained ankle, remember?”
“Oh, I remember.” He lifted her up in his arms and twirled her around, keeping her close. She laughed and felt her body relax against him. He danced with her in his arms until her head spun and the restaurant got ready to close, people slowly vanishing.
Andrei was holding her so tight that she could hardly breathe, but she still reveled in his nearness and the warm masculine scent that invaded her senses. He smelled like old spices mixed with the ocean, a smell she could easily get addicted to.
She guessed it was a good thing that he held onto her so well because she was so tipsy that she probably would have fallen on the floor if he’d let her go, especially since she couldn’t put weight on her ankle.
He finally slid her down the length of his body, but he still held her up so her feet never touched the ground. She could feel the hardness of him pressing against her stomach as she linked her arms around his neck.
They ground into each other as they swayed, long after the music stopped playing and the band dispersed. He felt so damn
good that she forgot everything around them. She shivered, and it wasn’t from the weather. She knew that he wanted her, and she needed to let him know she felt the same way. He leaned down and kissed her neck, which made fire burst right where he kissed her.
That’s when she whispered softly, “I want you.” He placed his arms around her and lifted her back up and walked down the beach.
The hotel wasn’t far from the restaurant. The Flying Eagle Resort had the honeymoon suite for them.
“Why are we in the honeymoon suite?”
“Because that was the only one available.”
Victoria raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure about that? Didn’t you offer to let us have separate rooms?”
“I thought that you might enjoy being in the same room as me tonight. I can make it worth your while.”
“A little presumptuous of you,” Victoria said.
“A guy can dream,” he said.
The room was fit for royalty, trimmed in gold and white with billowing satin curtains and bed attire to match. They had a large canopy bed with large bed post and plush carpet that had her feet sinking into it.
“Kiss me,” he demanded, and she didn’t disappoint him.
She kissed him until all she could taste was him on her tongue. Heated need filled her. She allowed him to consume her, hungry tongue and warm hands.
His fingers teased the edge of her dress and lifted it above her head. He moved them over to the huge king-sized bed until she sat on the soft bedding. She kissed his sexy lips and sucked them as his tongue teased hers. He slid his lips from her mouth down to her neck as she moaned with pleasure. She could feel chills up and down her spine as he nibbled and caressed her neck.
She moved back to the center of the bed and watched as Andrei got naked. She made a mental note to do that herself next time. He was even hotter than she thought. The tattoos on his arms swirled up and over his chest and around his nipples.
