by Terry Towers
“So, what do you think?”
My eyes widened as I looked forward and saw the massive ranch coming into view. It was like one of those big ranches you’d see on the show, Dallas. “Oh my God!” I knew Ryker had money but was he rich?
“That is your house?”
“Mine and my brother’s, yes.”
“It’s huge. Like an American palace.” I wondered how many rooms was in the house. Did he have a pool? Oh, how fun if he did!
He laughed and shook his head. “It’s hardly a palace. The house was passed onto my brother and I when our parents died. While it’s not a palace, it is large enough that my brother and I could both easily have a family of our own living here and not have to worry about room being a factor.”
“I bet.” His brother, the person he wanted to share me with. Admittedly, I was very nervous about meeting his brother. Did his brother — I believe his name was Calvin — know that Ryker wanted to share me with him? I’d be so embarrassed if he did; I was already embarrassed knowing. Worse yet, if he did know, was he expecting to bed me right away?
But he’d agreed that it was a stupid idea and would never ask that of me again. I looked over at Ryker and studied his profile. Did he really mean what he’d said? Did he really give up on the idea or was he hoping once I was here I’d change my mind?
“What’s the matter?”
I pulled myself from my daze and shook my head. “Nothing at all. I’m just overwhelmed. So many changes and I can’t believe I’m really here. It feels surreal.” Surreal — I hoped I used the word right. He didn’t laugh at me so I must have.
“I know. I feel the same way.”
I inhaled and released the breath, calming myself. It was nice that he was feeling the same as I was; it made me feel more secure. This was hardly a problem-free situation and would require a lot of patience as we got to know each other.
As if reading my mind, he placed a hand on my jean-clad thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry. This will work out. People all over the world get together without knowing much about the other person. It’s a leap of faith.”
“It sure is,” I agreed, giving him a gratuitous smile.
“Are you having second thoughts? I know it was hard leaving your mother alone.” Ryker shifted the truck into park outside of the house and cut the engine.
“It was but she knows it’s for the best. And I know it’s for the best.” My mother wasn’t nearly as accepting as I was leading Ryker to believe. That was part of the reason I was feeling so apprehensive; I think she’d put a little fear in me that wasn’t there before.
His gaze caught mine and we stared deep into each other’s eyes a moment, neither one of us speaking, but at the same time there was communication; he was telling me it’ll be okay and that he’d take care of me. I believed him.
“Okay, let’s get you acquainted with the house and grounds, shall we?”
“I’d like that.” He got out of the truck and then went around to the back. Pulling down the tailgate, he began to unload my baggage. I had more valuables coming via the post at a later date. For now, it was three large suitcases.
He grabbed two of the cases while I grabbed the remaining one. Off in the distance I could see several people moving about the grounds, doing various tasks. “How many employees do you have?”
“We have eight all together, not including myself or my brother. You’ll see the ranch supervisor, Kent, around from time to time, but for the most part the guys won’t get in the way.”
“I see.” I followed him into the house.
“Don’t bother with your shoes; people are in and out all day with muddy boots.”
It didn’t look as though people came and went with footwear on. The tiled floor looked immaculately clean. I was going to have a shit-ton of floor mopping and vacuuming to do to keep up with this degree of cleanliness. The grand splendor of the house started to seem less appealing as I contemplated the massive amount of cleaning needed to maintain it. We walked through the foyer and he pointed to the staircase.
“Up there. If you can’t haul the case up yourself, leave it at the foot of the stairs and I’ll carry it up for you,” he said as he began his ascent up the stairs, one suitcase in each hand, carrying them as if they weighed nothing when in actuality, they weighed closer to sixty pounds each.
I was tempted to take him up on his offer, but not wanting to look like a helpless woman, I grabbed the handle with both hands and began pulling it up the stairwell. Ryker had already made it to the top of the stairs, by the time I made it halfway.
Hearing a chuckling above me, I looked up the stairwell to see him looking down at me in amusement. “Do you need a hand?” He didn’t wait for me to reply but came down the stairs and retrieved the suitcase from my grip.
“I had it.” My protest was weak at best, I wasn’t proud. It felt good to have him take the burden of the suitcase off my hands. It was the effort that counted, right?
“I saw you had it.” He smiled at me, displaying an adorable set of dimples. “That’s why I’m coming to help you.” The dimples softened his strong features, making him seem even more approachable and trustworthy.
“Thank you anyhow.” Once at the top of the stairs, I took the case from him and followed him down the hall to the door at the very end.
“My brother sleeps in the room at the other end of the hallway.” Ryker pointed to the door at the opposite end. As I looked down the hallway, I was once more impressed over how large the house was. I never in my lifetime imagined I’d be living in a house like this.
Opening the door, Ryker flicked on the lights and then pulled the two suitcases in the room, with me following behind. “This will be our room.”
Stopping in the doorway, I took a moment to scan the room. It was large but quite plain, with neutral beige painted walls and a solid blue quilt on the bed. There wasn’t a single bit of artwork. It certainly could use a woman’s touch.
“Come over here.” He opened a door at the back of the room and motioned for me to follow and check it out.
Crossing the room, I peered into the closet and my eyes widened as I took in the sight of the massive walk-in closet with only about twenty percent of it utilized. “Wow. The closet is as big as my living room back home.”
“I’ll take that to mean that it’ll do?” he asked, grinning. He knew very well that it was a girl’s dream closet.
“It will do. Yes. The room could use a little something though…” I turned back to the bedroom. It was so drab and boring.
“You do whatever you want with it; just don’t emasculate me too much, alright?”
Frowning, I looked up at him. “What does emasculate mean?”
He opened his mouth to reply and then shook his head, chuckling. “Never mind, it’s not important.”
Since he didn’t seem inclined to tell me I’d have to look it up when I had a chance. Emasculate, Emasculate. Emasculate. I said the word several times in my head so as not to forget it. I wasn’t sure how to spell the word, but I could figure it out.
He threw his hands up in the air at his sides. “So that’s about it. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted so I’d like to go to sleep. Did you want to unpack and then call it an early night?”
I wasn’t overly tired; I was too excited to sleep and wanted to explore. But perhaps he was right. A good night’s sleep and I’d be up and ready to start my new life. “That sounds good.”
We worked in silence as we both unpacked our belongings. Even with all the clothing I’d brought with me, by the time I was finished the closet still looked empty. Maybe I could get some new clothes? It had been a while since I’d gotten something new. I hadn’t seen any boutiques on our way home but there must be some around somewhere.
“We can go shopping in a few days if you like,” Ryker said, as if reading my mind, coming up behind me.
Smiling, I turned to face him and nodded. “That would be nice. I don’t need much but coul
d use a few things.”
“Then your wish is my command, ma’am.” He winked and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before turning and walking over to the clothing hamper. He quickly shed his clothing, stripping down until he was naked. I didn’t want to look down at his dick but couldn’t help it; my gaze dipped as I swiped my tongue along my lower lip. We hadn’t made love since my first time. It seemed like the few days in Moscow went by in a flash and left us both exhausted, and I had slept at home the last couple nights before leaving.
But what if the first time wasn’t good for him and he wasn’t interested in me sexually anymore? Men didn’t normally turn down sex, did they? Not that I’d really offered, but he hadn’t even attempted to bed me a second time. I laughed at myself; he wouldn’t have moved me here if he didn’t desire me. I was being silly. He was tired, that was all.
He frowned, his eyes narrowing as he stared at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s silly.”
He looked unconvinced. “Would you prefer I didn’t sleep nude? I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was an issue, but it’s no big deal.” He went to his dresser and pulled the top drawer open, grabbing a pair of boxer briefs from it.
“No, no. It’s fine,” I said walking over to him, taking the briefs from his fingertips and putting them back. “I’m just adjusting. Since we haven’t slept together since the first time…”
“Oh. Yes. It’s been a crazy few days.” He ran a hand through his short blond hair. “What’s important is that you’re comfortable.”
“Okay.” It then dawned on me that I didn’t have any lingerie or anything that would be sexy. All I had was pajamas. Or I could go naked. “I’ve never slept naked before the other night…”
He chuckled. “Wear whatever makes you comfortable. This is your home now. I don’t own you or make decisions on what you wear. Be yourself, that’s the woman I fell for in the first place.”
“Okay.” Feeling more confident, I went into the closet and quickly sifted through my pajama sets. Nothing sexy at all… I sighed as I picked out a pair of Hello Kitty pajamas. Love me, love my pajamas, I guess.
Quickly, I stripped off everything, including my undergarments, and then pulled on the pair of pajamas. God, I wish he didn’t think I was a kid. First a virgin and now Hello Kitty.
Exiting the closet, I stopped just inside the threshold and gave him a sheepish grin. He’d relocated and was already in bed and under the blankets.
A wide grin spread across his lips. “You make Hello Kitty sexy, baby.”
Feeling more confident due to his remark, I giggled and did a little twirl. The bottoms were pink and loose fitting, sporting hundreds of Hello Kitty faces, while the top was a formfitting, white camisole with one large cat face on it.
“Now come to bed.” He slipped the covers over and patted the empty spot beside him. “I’m so tired I don’t think I could bite if I wanted to.”
My brow furrowed as I approached the bed. “Why would you bite me?”
He laughed as I slid into bed beside him. “It’s a figure of speech. Never mind. It’s not important.”
Sinking under the blankets, I cuddled up next to him. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me tight to his side, giving me a tender kiss on the top of the head. Reaching up above him, he flicked the switch and the room went dark.
As I placed my head onto his chest and closed my eyes, I felt my stomach grumble. I was tempted to ask him to take me back to the kitchen and maybe get a snack, but he was already snoring softly. I didn’t have the heart to wake him. It wasn’t the first time I’d gone to bed hungry, but hopefully it’d be my last.
Chapter 8
Nina
I was brought back to from the realm of sleep by the sound of my phone buzzing. I’d put it on vibrate to ensure that it didn’t wake Ryker. I moaned softly as I rolled to my side and opened my eyes. Grabbing the phone from the nightside table, I wiped the sleep from my eyes before bringing the phone to eye level.
It was my mother.
Shoot, shoot, shoot. In all the excitement, I’d forgotten to call her and tell her everything was okay when I landed. She must be sick with worry.
As slowly and carefully as possible, I wormed my way out of the bed. Tiptoeing from the room, I opened the door and slipped out, closing the door behind me. As soon as the door was closed, I pressed the answer button on my mobile phone.
“Hello.”
As soon as I answered, my mother began ranting in Russian. I didn’t dare to interrupt her. One thing I’d learned, from the time I was a child, was that it was easier to listen and let her exhaust herself than to interrupt.
My stomach began to grumble in the middle of her tirade; a rant which I did feel was justifiable. Not wanting to wake Ryker, I decided to find my way to the kitchen.
“I’m sorry, Momma. It was such a busy day.”
“You promised, Nina. I was worried.”
“I know. I’m very sorry. I will never miss a day again, I promise.”
The conversation came to a close as I found the kitchen and I ended the call. What to eat at four in the morning? It’s not like I could make myself a meal, although I’m sure I could have easily eaten a three-course dinner at this point.
Opening the fridge, I peered inside. The fridge was pretty scarce-looking by way of food. Lots of beer, eggs, milk and bacon. It certainly needed a woman’s touch. I hadn’t seen much of the house yet, but from what I’d seen, it was very apparent there hadn’t been a woman living in the house for some time.
Maybe there was some cereal? I began searching the cupboards and came across a box of Frosted Flakes. Good enough for me. I’d get something in my stomach and try to slip back into bed without waking Ryker.
After a little searching, I found the bowls and utensils. Within a couple of minutes, I was sitting at the table, enjoying my first bowl of cereal. I was in the process of pouring myself a second bowl when I heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the stairs from the second floor.
Shoot, I’d woken Ryker when I got up. Despite feeling bad that I’d woken him when I got up, a smile forming on my lips, as I turned in my chair to greet him as he appeared at the entranceway.
“Good morning, I’m sorry if —” I cut myself off in mid-sentence upon realizing the man in the entranceway wasn’t my fiancé. The stern-looking man who was staring at me as if I were an intruder was the exact opposite of my fiancé. He was taller by a few inches and thicker — especially in the chest. Where Ryker had the all-American look with blond hair and blue eyes, the man staring at me had short dark hair with equally dark eyes. And he looked less than thrilled to see me.
“Who are you?” he asked gruffly. Not waiting for an answer, he entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out some eggs, bacon and jug of milk.
I watched him for a moment, not sure if he wanted a reply or not since he seemed to have completely forgotten I was in the room with him. I hate to say this about someone I just met, but Ryker’s brother seemed like a big asshole. I couldn’t believe he thought I’d consider having sex with the man before me preparing himself breakfast.
I figured he knew who I was, otherwise he’d be demanding why I was sitting in his kitchen eating his cereal. But as a way to break the ice and perhaps open a dialogue, I answered, “I’m Nina Kotov. I’m Ryker’s fiancé; we just got here last night.”
His entire body froze as he was about to lay another strip of bacon into the pan, but it was just for a split second before he continued with preparing his breakfast. “I see.”
Had Ryker not told him I was coming home with him? I was sure he had told me his brother knew. Chewing at my lower lip, I went back and forth in my mind on whether I should attempt to talk to him or not. He didn’t seem all that receptive. Though I was going to have to live with the man, if it meant I had to work at getting along with his brother, I’d have to try considering everything Ryker was doing for me.
“You must be Calvin.”
Calvin didn’t turn but at least he answered. “Yes, I’m his older brother. Did he mention that we both live here?”
“Yes, I was informed.”
“Good. Did you want something else for breakfast?”
Damn, I wished he’d turn around so I could speak to him face-to-face. I hated talking to his back and not being able to read his facial features. “No, thank you. The cereal was more than enough.” Two bowlfuls if I were to be honest, but I didn’t tell him that.
He finally turned, his expression still unwelcoming. “You’re not one of those vegetarian crazies, are you?”
I laughed and shook my head. He may not have meant for it to be a joke, but I found the comment amusing nonetheless. “No. I eat pretty much anything. My mother and I couldn’t afford to be fussy.”
“So, it was just you and your mother?”
I nodded. “It’s been like that all my life. My dad died when I was three.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” His gruff expression seemed to soften a little. “It’s hard to lose a parent.”
“Not so hard when you never knew them to begin with. Just regret. Though I wonder to myself what he’d be like. I have my mother’s stories, but I like to think my assumptions to be correct.”
A sympathetic smile touched his lips. “Our parents are gone as well. They passed away a number of years ago in a car accident. Ryker and I inherited the ranch from them. Did Ryker mention that already?”
“He did. We’ve talked a lot, for a long time. I’d like to think I know him fairly well.” I shrugged. “At least as well as a person can over the internet and text messages.”
“Yeah.” His eyes dipped to my left hand. All sympathy evaporated from his expression and he became cold again. “That’s quite a ring you have there. When did he give you that?”
