His hand fisted in her hair, pulling her head to one side as he pushed again into her mouth. The passion made her blood come to a raging boil, matching the milk on the stove.
He absorbed her soft moan into his open mouth before releasing her lips to feather kisses along her jawline and down her neck. They rested on the hollow spot where her pulse beat strongest. His tongue laved a loving caress over the vulnerable skin. Her pulse quickened at his touch. His soft lips cupped her creamy flesh, sending a shiver down her spine.
Juliette arched her head back into his hand and gave Nicholai better access to her delicate neck. A soft mewling sound escaped her throat as she moved her hips salaciously against his. Nicholai released her hair, then cupped the other side of her rump and lifted her onto her toes, pulling her against him until their bodies seemed to become one. Desire coursed between them. The sensation robbed Julie of her breath. Her hands clutched desperately about his broad shoulders, seeking an anchor to keep her from floating away on a sea of ecstasy.
Nicholai moaned against her neck as her pelvis undulated on his impressive arousal. He laid a trail of kisses from her neck to her lips, which parted in welcome. He deepened the kiss and backed Julie into the counter. The sensation of it against her legs barely registered. With a lift of his arms, he placed Julie on the marble counter and spread her thighs wide enough to accommodate his hips. His heavy shaft against her core produced another surge of wet heat between her legs.
Her hands roamed over his broad shoulders and slid over his pectorals. They flexed under her palms. Her fingers traced the outline of his ribs before they continued the trail downward, searching for his most masculine part.
She found his shaft through his pants, and her fingertips stroked feather-light over the length of him. Her thumb rubbed over the tip where it pressed against the waist band of his pants. She teased it before she molded her hand to him, rubbed up and down his length. She pulled a deep, dark moan of pleasure from his lips, the sound of which sent a ripple through her body.
Suddenly, Nicholai pulled away from her mouth and rested his forehead against hers as he regained both his composure and his breath.
“My sweet Juliette, if we don’t stop now, I’m afraid we won’t get to our date.”
“That’s okay, this is working just fine for me,” Julie murmured breathlessly as she continued to stroke him.
Nicholai chuckled, causing his shaggy hair to fall about her face, tickling her. “It’s working for me, too. Too well. We better stop. You are driving me wild.”
“I want you wild.” Juliette closed the small space between them and locked her lips to his. Her hands grabbed his bottom. She drew him back against her and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her body ached with need, and this gorgeous man was just the balm to sooth her.
His large hands snaked under her sweater, tracing the lines of her ribs before cupping the full weight of both breasts. One hand kneaded over her bra. The other gently moved the lace fabric aside and rolled her nipple between his thumb and finger. It drew into a tight peak, driving her urgent yearning higher.
Aggressively, Julie fisted both hands in his sable hair and pulled him forward for a bruising kiss. Lips ground against teeth. Ravenous hunger drove her to wanton abandonment. Another rush of creamy heat pooled between her legs as she let her restraint go. She felt wild, free. Sexy.
Julie drew his spicy scent in with a deep inhale. The stimulating aroma sent desire into her core, making her throb with a painful need. Her brain, lost in primal urge, barely registered the mix of smells.
It was not just him invading her senses, taking her control. But something else. What else did she smell? Strong enough to draw her mind back to the present, the astringent odor pulled her from the moment.
The miasma burned her nostrils. Julie realized the caustic fumes emanated from the stove. Breathing hard, she pulled back and looked at the pot. What had once been milk was now a crispy black charred blob.
“Oh, no! We burnt the milk.” Julie covered her swollen lips.
Nicholai turned the burner off and removed the pot from the element. “See what happens when you’re with me? I can think of nothing other than you.”
He always said the right thing, made her feel special. Juliette smiled. His deep penetrating stare, locked with hers, bore into her soul. Juliette squirmed under his watchful gaze.
“I think you need to make some more cocoa,” Julie suggested, breaking his uncomfortable regard by jumping off the counter and bending to retrieve a pot from the cabinet beside the stove.
Nicholai took the pot from her hand and let out a regretful sigh. “I believe you are right.”
The second attempt at the cocoa cooked successfully under Juliette’s watchful eye. It turned out rich and creamy, a hot tasty treat to keep them warm to their bones.
Nicholai tightened the lid on the thermos and turned toward her with his features relaxed.
“Ready to go, lastochka?”
“Where are we going?”
“I thought we might go for a little ride.” Nicholai offered his arm to Juliette, and she linked an arm through his.
Julie expected to be led to the front of the house where his car waited. Instead, he tugged her toward the door in the kitchen. As they exited the mansion, her footsteps faltered. A large stable stood on the grounds behind the house.
From her days on the family farm, she was familiar with horses and had grown up riding them. When they approached the stable, the smells rolled to her on the cool breeze. It instantly took her back to childhood. The scents of the leather, hay, and oats mixed with the saddle soap used to clean the tack. They brought an image of her favorite pony to mind that created warmth in her belly and fortified her against the icy winter air. When she entered the stable, the juvenile image pushed from her mind. The majestic animals inside made her heart race.
The couple walked arm in arm through the hay-lined corridor. Juliette stopped in front of a stallion with a satiny dark coat, accented by a white diamond between its eyes. She gave him an affectionate rub on his face. The coat felt soft beneath the pads of her fingers.
A smile lightened Nicholai’s features. “That is Temnaya Ten, Dark Shadow. He is my favorite stallion.”
“That’s a perfect name. He’s beautiful,” Juliette said in a breathy voice.
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“Temnaya Ten,” she repeated as she ran her hand down his nose.
“That was quite a good pronunciation. However, I usually shorten it to Ten or Shadow. Come, my sweet.”
He laced his fingers with hers and led them through the stable. Julie noted the stalls contained brass nameplates, announcing the horse within. She counted twenty in all. As they walked, each horse, in turn, stuck its head over the stall gates to greet them. The purebreds were a mix of chestnut brown, frosty white, and inky black coats, each standing regally behind their individual gate.
With every horse as magnificent in stature and breeding as Shadow, Nicholai must have a fortune in his stable. She did the calculations in her head and quickly estimated he’d paid well over two hundred thousand dollars for the animals.
Though Julie was not a materialistic woman, she couldn’t help but wonder between the stable and the house how much money this man had. Surely, he could not have made so much money by such a young age. Perhaps he had inherited the wealth. She had been taught it was impolite to ask someone about money, so her upbringing left her to ponder that thought as they progressed out of the stable.
The sight greeting Julie’s eyes when they exited the stables seemed straight from a Currier and Ives portrait. Light from the home and stable illuminated a sleek steed. Its shiny, raven coat stood out in stark contrast to the virginal snow. Its breath steamed the air in front of the man holding the reins. Attached to the horse, a black sleigh outlined with gold trim contained a red quilt that lay invitingly draped across the leather seat. The stallion pranced impatiently in the snow, sending flakes into the air and making
the sleigh bells jingle.
In the background, stood the forest with specks of green pine needles peeking out from their snowy blankets. The aroma of the cool, fresh air took the smells of the stable from Julie’s nose. Her breath frosted in the air as they traveled to the sleigh.
Nicholai handed her in, then took the reins from the stable hand with a greeting of thanks. The leather seat creaked when Nicholai sat next to her. His muscular thigh pushed firmly against hers while he fluffed the red blanket across their laps. Nicholai turned to Juliette. A white cloud caressed her cheek as he spoke. “Ready?”
“Absolutely.”
Nicholai clicked the reins and sent them off over the snow-covered grounds. With bells tinkling, the stallion moved through the trees at an easy trot, his black tail held high in the air. Nicholai’s leg brushed against hers with each jostling bump. A rush of desire coursed through her body. His spicy scent surrounded her, consuming her as it combined with the fragrant night. Each inhale drove the delicious combination deeper within.
She snuggled against Nicholai. This must be the most romantic date anyone had ever been on. Her heart beat a little faster. The snow glistened all around, and a crunch sounded from the sleigh as it glided over the land.
She gazed at Nicholai. His jaw hardened, teeth clenched. Fingers gripped hard on the reins as if he sensed her wanton thoughts. Apparently, the steed sensed Nicholai’s tension through the reins for he whinnied, drawing her attention.
Julie broke the companionable silence. “He’s a magnificent animal.”
“Thank you.”
“What is his name?”
“Kedar, it means powerful in Arabic.” Nicholai gave a flick of his wrists, urging the horse forward with a snap.
“It’s a beautiful name. What breed is he?”
“He is an Arabian stallion.”
Julie settled into the leather seat, snuggling under the red quilt. The cool air flushed her cheeks, her vision clouded with unshed tears from the stinging air as it flowed around her face. Her lashes bound, creating a rainbow effect for her vision. It added an ethereal beauty to the winter wonderland.
Nicholai tucked her under his arm and drew her snugly against his side. His warmth surrounded her, taking the chill from her body. He felt heavenly, toasty warm. Juliette wanted to remain like this forever.
“How much longer?” she asked, secretly hoping the answer would be “for eternity.”
“Why, my dear woman? Tired of my company already?”
Julie pulled away. Her brows furrowed in consternation. “No! No! I didn’t mean it that way.”
A smile pulled at the corner of Nicholai’s lips. When a deep chuckle pulsated in his chest, Julie realized she had been had. She playfully smacked his shoulder.
Nicholai drew her back to his side. “I know what you meant. We are almost there. It’s just over this next rise.”
When the sleigh crested the hill, the scene greeting Julie reminded her of a Thomas Kinkaid painting. At the bottom of the hill, a frozen pond sparkled in the moonlight, rainbow prisms dancing on the ice. Bare trees, their branches heavy with snow, lined the pond. Candles hung from the bowing branches, and their dancing flames made the snow glitter with the ambient light. Tiny frozen crystals bid the couple a lustrous welcome.
Nicholai reined the horse to a stop. Kedar pranced in the snow, making his bells jingle. He looked at the couple from over his muscular shoulder as if to say, “We’re here.”
When the tinkling bells quieted, Nicholai poured a cup of hot chocolate from the thermos and handed it to Julie. She cupped the lid between her hands, then brought it slowly to her mouth. Nicholai watched her pucker her lips and blow.
“Tell me, Julie, do you skate?”
Julie lowered the cup without taking a sip. Child-like glee widened her smile. “Oh yes, I love to ice skate. My sister and I took lessons when we were children.”
Julie sipped the smooth cocoa. The chocolaty goodness slid over her tongue, coated her throat as it warmed its way down.
“Yummm. That is exceptional. You must try some.” She handed the black thermos cup to the handsome man beside her. Nicholai took the lid from her delicate hands. His large fingers brushed hers in the exchange, sending a wave of heat into her belly. The warmth increased as she watched him turn the cup so he drank from the same place her lips had been.
Julie swallowed the lump in her throat. Her voice sounded small when she spoke. “We make a good cup of cocoa, don’t we?”
Nicholai captured her eyes with his intense, hungry gaze. “I think we make a superb team, lastochka.”
He closed the short distance between them, taking her mouth in a tiny kiss. His soft lips brushed against hers, a feathery touch that made the butterflies in her stomach flutter. Nicholai pulled away and licked his lips.
“You taste like chocolate,” he mused, handing the cup to Juliette. “Here, finish it, then we’ll go skating.”
“But I don’t have any skates.”
“I have that covered,” Nicholai said with a wink. As if by magic, he produced a pair of white ice skates from behind their seat. They hung from his finger by their laces.
Joy spread through her when she reached for the skates and placed them on her feet. With each tug on the laces, she felt lighter, carefree. The weight of adulthood melted away, and she toddled to the pond.
She loved ice skating, loved the air rushing by her face while she glided on the ice, loved the way her lungs burned from pushing her body to do the jumps. When they were kids, both she and her sister had wanted to be professional skaters. Julie usually placed well in the competitions, but her sister, Samantha, had typically won. Samantha had been on her way to accomplishing Julie’s dream when she decided to be a model instead.
Though Julie had continued her lessons into her teenage years, her life had taken her away from the rink and into the arms of a nice man who had given her two delightful children. She willingly exchanged her dream of skating for her comfortable reality.
Julie glided out onto the ice, her movements fluid and poised as she tested her skates. A perfect fit, they supported her feet and ankles on the slender blades.
Nicholai glided up beside her gracefully and slipped an arm around her waist. Taking one of her hands in his, the couple waltzed around the pond, with Nicholai twirling and guiding Julie in his strong arms.
“You skate beautifully, Juliette.”
“Thank you. So do you.”
“Do you want to take it up a notch?” Nicholai raised a questioning brow.
Julie nodded her head eagerly. “If you’re up for it.”
“When it comes to you, my lastochka, I’m always up for it.” He gave her a suggestive wag of his dark brows.
The pair chuckled, and Nicholai swept her up, lifting her over his head. Julie wondered for a brief second if she might be too heavy for him. Her concern quickly abated as she floated over her date’s head. She arched and her arms moved elegantly behind his back. The cold wind flowed over her neck and chin like silk as she transitioned down to earth.
Nicholai slid her body down the front of his, holding her steady when her skates hit the ice. They turned, their bodies pressed tightly against one another, her back to his front.
“Can you do a throw jump?”
“I can. Can you?” Julie challenged.
She gasped as his powerful legs propelled them forward, gaining speed for the jump. Julie’s breath quickened, she struggled to keep up. Faster, faster they whipped around the pond until Nicholai picked her up in the air and pushed her away from him with a robust thrust of his arms.
Like a bird, she flew in a long arc. Midair, she turned her body and landed hard on one foot, gliding backwards away from her partner. She turned her skates and sliced the ice to a stop by a tree. She placed a hand on the trunk for support, trying to catch her breath.
“Are you all right?” Nicholai skated up to her.
“Oh, yes.” She breathed. “That was so much fun.”
&nb
sp; “Ready to go again?” Nicholai held out his hand.
The couple, as perfect a match on the ice as off, played to each other’s strengths while they skated. Each Lutz was a perfect spin. Each double camel turn brought their bodies together in a fluid combination.
Acutely aware of his body sliding against hers, Julie felt Nicholai’s muscles and sinew flex under her fingers.
Nicholai spun Juliette away from him. Just as she came out of the spin, she thought, I’ve never been happier.
Chapter 24
Varrick tucked the quilt tightly around Elizabeth and wiped a stray curl from her forehead with a sigh. It seemed like forever since he’d carried her unconscious body back to the compound. With the tattered clothes lying in a heap on the floor, he’d washed the mud from her hands, face, and hair using the spring water that cascaded from the rocks in his bathroom, cursing as he did so because there was no way to warm the water above the constant seventy-seven degrees.
While he bandaged her frost-bitten fingers, the red, raw digits glared at him, blaming him for their pain. He cursed himself for not warning her more strongly about going out, cursed her for leaving without knowing how to find her way back to the compound, cursed his sister for distracting him with talk of finding immunity to diseases. But most of all he cursed his handling of his mate.
The Demon King blamed himself for not going slowly, for not taking time to build a relationship, allowing her time to accept him. Instead, he’d forced the situation on her and as a result she was adjusting as best she could but didn’t yet understand the demon ways, hence why she’d gone into town and not only risked bringing disease back to the compound but her own life as well when she lost her way home. His worry for Elizabeth’s safety and concern for her wellbeing fueled his festering anger.
He’d bundled her in one of his sweatshirts before tucking her under all the blankets he found in his room. When he brushed his hand across her forehead, the coolness of her skin worried him. She still seemed chilled.
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