‘It doesn’t have to be. Just don’t go to the wedding.’
‘I’m expected to. If I don’t go then it makes it an issue.’
‘But it already is an issue for you.’
He said it in a very matter-of-fact voice, though his words rather dizzied her because, yes, it was an issue for her yet how could she not make it one? How could she say no to her family, how could she kick up a fuss?
‘Is he the reason you resigned?’
‘I didn’t resign,’ Rachel refuted. ‘My contract was up for renewal and I could maybe have squeezed another year or two...’ But then she was honest. ‘He was part of the reason. Dancing was always an escape...’
‘From what?’
She chose not to answer that question. Oh, Nikolai was easy to talk to but some things Rachel had learned should never be said, though a few times she had tried.
‘I don’t like him, Mum. He—’
‘He pays for your dance lessons,’ Evie had interrupted her daughter’s nervous plea for her mother to intervene.
Her mother had refused to hear it.
Oh, dancing had been such an escape. A route out of her family, a ticket to heaven.
She had more than paid the price.
Nikolai didn’t press for a response. Not because he wasn’t interested but out of the corner of his eye he could see Sev making his way over. The temptation was to avoid Sev but instead he got up and shook hands with his old friend.
‘What the hell?’ Sev said in Russian.
‘It’s good to see you,’ Nikolai said in English, which set the tone. There would be no private discussion now.
‘How have you been?’ Sev asked.
‘I’m very well. And you don’t have to worry about entertaining me tonight. I am being well taken care of...’ He gestured to Rachel.
‘When can we catch up?’ Sev asked.
‘We are now.’
Rachel was trying not to listen but she heard Nikolai’s evasive answer. He revealed nothing about himself, even to his old friend. In fact, he gave the impression that at any moment he might walk off. He had done just that, Rachel realised—after the wedding he had tried to simply disappear into the crowd.
He intrigued her, terribly so. And when the mother of the bride called for Sev to come and meet a relative, Rachel could almost feel the breath of Nikolai’s sigh of relief move through her.
‘You need to get on,’ Nikolai said to Sev. ‘You’re in demand tonight.
‘We’ll talk later,’ Sev said, and Nikolai didn’t answer. Instead, he gave a small nod and took his seat again next to Rachel.
‘Were the two of you close?’ Rachel asked.
‘We were.’ Nikolai nodded.
‘Not now, though?’
‘I haven’t seen him for many years.’
‘So, what do you do?’ Rachel asked. ‘For work?’
‘I...’ Nikolai hesitated. She had told him about herself after all. No, he didn’t mention the fleet of yachts and ships that he owned, neither did he mention the luxurious vodka bars around the world that were in his name. Instead, he gave her just a small glimpse of his life. ‘For a couple of months a year I work on the icebreakers.’
‘Icebreakers?’
‘They are large ships that break up the ice and open up the trade routes after winter.’
‘Is it lonely?’
‘Not at all.’ Nikolai shook his head.
‘And what do you do for the other months of the year?’ Rachel asked.
‘I do what I please.’ That wasn’t strictly true—his shipping empire, along with other business interests, was more than a full-time job, though, maybe what he said wasn’t so far from the truth for it pleased Nikolai to work hard each and every day, from wherever he chose to be in the world.
‘It sounds like my dream...’ Rachel sighed, and Nikolai now frowned.
‘You want to work on the icebreakers?’
‘No!’ Rachel laughed at the very idea for a moment but then she was serious. ‘Working hard for part of the time and then doing what you please. I’m thinking of...’ Rachel stopped. She hadn’t told anyone her thoughts, not even Libby who had pushed and pushed to know her plans.
‘Thinking of what?’ Nikolai asked, and then watched as her vivid green eyes narrowed a touch as she considered whether or not to continue.
Tomorrow he would be gone, Rachel reminded herself. She liked his perspective and his measured responses and so for the first time she told another person her tentative plans. ‘I don’t want to be tied down,’ she admitted. ‘I know I’ve travelled and things but I’ve been so committed to dance...’ It was hard to explain. ‘Since I was five years old it’s all I’ve wanted to do. Now I like the idea of doing other things...’
‘Such as?’
‘I like writing about dancing,’ Rachel admitted, and her cheeks turned to fire, but Nikolai just sat and listened. ‘I like seeing how the same performance changes night by night. The dynamics and different interpretations. I’ve saved up a lot and I’m wondering if I can just drift for now. Maybe travel and watch a lot of ballet.’
‘Without having to perform?’ Nikolai offered.
‘Yes.’ Rachel nodded.
‘You could publish your reviews.’
He took the tiny whisper of her dream and breathed life into it but she could see only the pitfalls. ‘That’s what I’d like to do but who’d read it?’
‘Anya would.’ Nikolai smirked. ‘She would have an alert on her own name, I can assure you.’
‘I’ve set up a blog,’ Rachel admitted. ‘I just haven’t done anything with it but I was thinking, maybe people would one day subscribe or if there were links... It’s probably a stupid idea.’
‘It’s not a stupid idea at all,’ Nikolai refuted. ‘You would know ballet better than most arts journalists.’ He thought about it for a long moment. ‘There are different ways to make a living now. Sev’s success with Internet security could not have been dreamt of until recently. Perhaps you could speak with him, maybe he can give you some pointers.’
Rachel laughed at the very idea. ‘I think he deals with far bigger fish. I’m barely a tadpole...’
‘Sev knows how these things work. He would help you I am sure.’
‘Will you ask him?’
‘It’s his wedding night.’
‘Not now,’ Rachel said. ‘Another time.’
‘I think you need to speak with Libby about that.’
He was letting her know again that he would not be sticking around.
‘I need to think about it,’ Rachel said. ‘I don’t have to rush into anything.’
‘Sometimes it is better to rush,’ Nikolai said. ‘Or we can find ourselves in the same place convinced that we have no choice but to stay where we are.’
‘I guess.’
She glanced over at Sev and tried to imagine asking Libby if she could arrange for her to speak with him.
In fact, Rachel imagined trying to ask anybody for help.
She was fiercely independent in all that she did and had got used to relying on no one—she had found that it hurt too much to be let down.
‘Come on,’ Nikolai said as he stood.
No, he didn’t need to ask if she wanted to dance.
He took her hand and she felt his warm, dry fingers close around hers as he led her onto the dance floor.
There, her hands went to his neck as if at her own whim this time, and his moved to her waist, but instead of holding her away he pulled her in close.
His body against hers felt sublime—muscled and strong, he held her in a different way from what she was used to, for there was nothing she needed to do. Nikolai’s jaw was scratching her cheek as his mouth found her ear. ‘Can you hear me?’ he asked.
‘No,’ Rachel lied, because his deep voice tickled her ear and his breath was warm, but she smiled as he moved in and held her tighter against him.
‘Can you hear me now?’ he checked.
‘A little.’
And so he moved in closer still.
How lovely he was to dance with, Rachel thought.
There was a very calm presence to him, a certain confidence in the way he held her, and there were no words needed, just the sway of their bodies and the slow burn of desire with the quiet certainty they would end the night in bed.
Bad Rachel, she thought.
Only she didn’t feel bad in his arms.
She had, with André, even if their relationship had been a casual one, always been faithful. Rachel did not do relationships well but the ending of that one had stung.
More than that, news of his marriage had caused a sense of panic that her dance world and now her family were about to collide.
Dance was where she went to escape. It was where she could be provocative and sexy, all without judgement.
There was no judgement in Nikolai’s arms.
That was how she felt.
His cologne might just as well have been designed with her in mind, for the complex scent made her reel and want to bury her face in his neck and then caress his ear with her mouth.
‘You dance well,’ she said, and pulled her head back.
‘With a good partner, you can’t not,’ Nikolai said.
Yes, they were talking about what was to come.
And so they danced and, for Nikolai, it was a refuge. He could feel Sev looking over at times. Clearly he wanted a proper conversation but that would not be possible tonight.
‘You know you’re not allowed out of my sight.’ Rachel’s lips stretched into a smile as their foreheads met.
‘So I’ve heard.’
A slow dance had never felt more delicious. He moved with her and their lips ached to meet. It felt as if there were only the two of them present and then it became imperative that that be the case.
‘Where are you staying tonight?’ Rachel asked.
‘I haven’t booked anywhere yet.’
He did think of taking her back to his yacht, but that would reveal more information about himself than he wanted to give.
‘It’s lucky I’ve got a suite, then,’ Rachel said.
She was bold, Nikolai thought, and he liked it. She didn’t play coy and she didn’t play games.
‘I want your mouth,’ he told her, because he was over words and now wanted to taste.
‘I know you do,’ Rachel said, and they could not kiss here for both knew they would be unable to stop. It was her mouth that now came to his ear and she told him the number of her suite. Her words came out breathless for his hands moved up from her hips and past her waist. They came to rest just a touch lower than she would have liked for he made her breasts ache in anticipation with that seductive motion. It was a telling touch—his palms were warm and a heady combination of firm and subtle and spoke of their mutual desire.
‘Go,’ he told her.
Rachel didn’t go, though, because his cheek dragged against hers and he found her mouth and made her dizzy with a light but lingering kiss. There was a small potent taste that was transferred and embedded and made her lick her lips for more as he pulled his mouth back.
‘Go,’ he said again, now that her body smouldered.
He watched as she did so, saw how she pulled that dress down over her thighs.
She opened up her bag and checked her phone and he watched as her hair tumbled forward, then she glanced back at him as if to make sure he would follow.
They shared a look just as Rachel left and, after a suitable pause, Nikolai would leave too.
He had seen his friend marry, he had been to the reception, now he could leave. But the groom had other ideas and caught him just as he headed off.
‘You’re leaving?’ Sev checked.
‘I am.’ Nikolai nodded. ‘It was good to see you again. To know that you are happy.’
‘Nikolai, when can we speak properly? I head off in the morning for my honeymoon but—’
‘I am going overseas tomorrow or the day after,’ Nikolai answered, hoping that that would be that. He could not bear the thought of an inquisition but it would seem Sev was not prepared to lose his friend again.
‘Then I shall delay the honeymoon and meet with you tomorrow.’
‘You wouldn’t do that to your new bride,’ Nikolai said, but then stiffened when Sev gestured for Naomi to join them.
‘Naomi,’ he said, ‘Nikolai has to head overseas today or tomorrow.’
‘Then we can put off the honeymoon—you two need to catch up. I know how important it is.’ Naomi smiled at Nikolai.
He did not return it.
‘Nikolai.’ Sev spoke now. ‘I didn’t look for you because I thought you had died. Had I known—’
‘When do you get back from your honeymoon?’ Nikolai interrupted—he did not want to upset the lovely mood of the night, neither did he want to speak of that time with Naomi present.
‘In two weeks’ time,’ Sev answered.
‘I’ll stay till then,’ Nikolai agreed.
‘You’re sure?’
Nikolai nodded and Sev shook his hand.
‘It will be good to catch up properly,’ Sev said.
Nikolai doubted that it would be. Right now Sev could look him in the eyes and there was no awkward pause or embarrassment from his friend. He doubted it would be the case once Sev found out more about the past.
Yet he gave Sev his word that he would stay around. In fact, he gave him his cell phone number.
‘I’ll pass it on to Daniil,’ Sev said.
They were back in touch.
Nikolai offered congratulations again and then headed out of the ballroom. He glanced at the elevators and changed his mind about heading up to Rachel’s suite. Everything was gathering in and it felt too close. The temptation was to simply leave. He even pictured tossing his phone in the Thames, just deleting that line of contact rather than have them find out what had taken place.
Yet as he headed out of the hotel and walked down the red carpet he remembered standing there with Rachel and her dancing to a tune that did not exist.
He ran his tongue over his lips and recalled the taste of her flesh and the oil of her lipstick and thought of the slight gap to her teeth and her smile. From sharing the order of service with him to insisting he come to the reception and fudging the table plan, her presence had made a supremely difficult day pleasant.
Nikolai thought of her waiting for him, and he thought of his desire and he did not think of the consequences.
As he headed back into the hotel Rachel was all that was on his mind.
CHAPTER FOUR
HE WAS TAKING AGES.
She turned on every light, and with reason—Rachel was petrified of the dark, not that anyone knew. She would make sure the bedroom door stayed open—if he turned off the bedside light he might not bother to get up and turn out the lounge light.
It was a familiar black game.
She could not sleep next to anybody else and would force herself to stay awake.
No wonder her relationships never survived.
Yet she had never felt comfortable enough with anyone to tell them of her fear of the dark, let alone all the other stuff that had happened in her life.
Not even Libby.
Rachel heard his footsteps in the corridor and did not wait for a knock at the door.
Instead, she felt giddy relief as she opened it and he stepped in to her smile.
He liked it that she did not offer small talk, or a drink, that instead she took her hands and placed them aro
und his neck and she was back on eye level with him.
‘You,’ Rachel said, ‘were a very unexpected surprise today.’
‘As were you.’ She really had been, Nikolai thought. Had he known that he would be recognised and that the entire congregation would turn their focus on him he would never have gone. As for staying for the reception—he would not have considered it, had it not been for Rachel. Today had not gone as planned in the least but it had certainly been made better by having her at his side.
Now she stood in front of him. Her hands moved to his tie and unknotted it, and he felt it slide around his neck as she removed it.
He stared at her mouth and then kissed her as he had wanted to on the dance floor.
Such a kiss. He just claimed her mouth and his jaw was rough, his tongue hot and probing. It was a kiss that made her moan into his mouth and press herself into him.
His hands moved down the velvet of her dress and he felt her toned buttocks and dug in his fingers.
She could feel the press of his large hands and she ached for him to lift her up.
She kissed from the groin, Nikolai thought.
Usually so too did he.
All afternoon and into the night he had watched her smooth down the skirt of her dress and now he hitched it up and Rachel pressed in harder. She moaned in his mouth as he slid her panties down and she stepped out of them. Her hand went into his jacket.
Straight to sex, Nikolai thought, and that was usually the way he liked it, yet he wanted to explore that mouth some more, he wanted to see and to feel the body that had had him on slow burn all afternoon. And so, instead of kissing her harder, instead of peeling off her dress or lifting her, Nikolai shrugged his jacket to the floor and kissed her more slowly.
He held her cheeks and took her mouth, again and again, in sensual bites, tasting and then removing his lips as his hands caressed his face. It was a more intimate kiss than she had ever known and he refused to be rushed.
He moved from her mouth to her cheek and then down the slide of her pale slender neck where the same teasing resumed—the soft beat of his mouth, the wetness of his tongue and then the coolness of air as his mouth hovered over the next patch of skin that would know this bliss.
Billionaire Without a Past (Irresistible Russian Tycoons) Page 5
