Nikolai 2 (Her Russian Protector #6) (5 page)

My breaths were shuddery now, almost panicked. A flutter invaded my belly—and I exploded with sheer ecstasy. I rocked my hips and lifted my bottom right off of the table, riding Nikolai's hand while his mouth skimmed my throat and my breasts. He had learned all the secrets to my body and knew when I had had enough. His fingers went still and his kisses turned gentler and sweeter.

The paintbrush dropped to the table with a clatter. He cupped the back of my head and ravished my mouth. I clung to his chest, fisting his shirt in my trembling hands. When he broke our kiss, he pulled back just enough to gaze into my eyes. "Look at you. Lips swollen, pupils dilated…" He teased his tongue against mine. "You're practically begging for my cock."

I gripped his belt and jerked him toward me. "Do you want me to beg? I'll happily slide down to my knees right now."

He chuckled darkly and touched his lips to my forehead. "The tile floor in here is too hard. I won't have you bruising your knees for me."

Amused by his reply, I smiled at him. He picked up the peach he had brought me and held it up to my mouth. I could smell the citrus scent of the all-natural cleaner he used on the produce from his garden and small orchard. Though he preferred to garden organically, he was taking no chances with me or the baby.

I took a small bite of the peach. The yellow flesh yielded easily and spilled sweet juice on my tongue. Nikolai stunned me by dragging the exposed fruit around my right nipple, spreading the sugary nectar all over my skin. I inhaled a sharp breath when his tongue followed the same path. "Nikolai!"

He just laughed mischievously and continued painting my breasts with the peach juice and lapping it up with his tongue. I marveled at the sight of him. He had been so tense lately. Seeing him grinning and hearing his laugh filled me with such happiness. I loved knowing that I was the one he came to for comfort and relaxation. I was the only one who could put a smile like that on his handsome face.

The peach left a wet trail down my belly to the vee between my thighs. I held my breath and waited to see if he would take it any farther, but he stopped just short of where I wanted his touch most. His tongue traveled the same wet line but kept on going until it hit the jackpot. I threw back my head and spread my thighs as he went down on me. He zeroed in on the rhythm I loved most, flicking and fluttering his tongue over that swollen kernel until my thighs were tensing.

But the moment I started to get close, he stopped. "No!" I thrust my hips toward him, but he was already standing.

Grinning devilishly, he swept me up into his arms and playfully swatted my bare bottom. "Patience, Vee."

"Please," I pleaded and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. Nuzzling into his neck, I nipped at him and sucked hard on his skin. "I want you."

He carried me to the wide, low chair in the corner and deposited me on the plush upholstered cushion. "I'm yours, Vee."

Reaching for his belt, I ordered, "Show me."

Chapter Two

Nikolai's heart hammered in his chest. Vivian gazed up at him with that sultry smile and her brilliantly blue eyes, and he was fucking lost. Sometimes he was taken aback by how confident she had become as his lover. He held still as she unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his trousers. She lowered his zipper and freed his cock from his boxers.

His eyes closed briefly at the feel of her soft, warm hand gliding along his throbbing shaft. It was the wet, hot glide of her tongue around the head that made them pop open again. Nostrils flaring, he breathed in deeply and stared down at the raven-haired nymphet bobbing up and down on his cock. He loved watching his erection disappearing between her lips. The swirl of her tongue was even better.

"
Solnyshka
." He threaded his fingers through her hair and tried to maintain control over the raging urge to pump his hips. Deeper and deeper, she swallowed his length on every down stroke. His balls ached, and he wanted nothing more than to be buried in her tight, slick pussy. "Enough."

She dragged her mouth all the way back to the tip and held him in her mouth for a long moment before finally allowing him to slip free. He wiped her lower lip and smiled when she bit down on his thumb. Brushing his knuckles along her cheek, he said, "Turn around. On your knees."

She hastily complied with his instruction and gripped the arms of the chair. Her perfect little ass wiggled side to side as she presented herself to him. He caressed her back and bottom before gently, carefully, probing her with his fingers. She was so fucking wet he could hear his digits sliding in the slickness between her thighs. His cock pulsed, and his groin tightened. He had to get inside her.
Now
.

Cock in hand, he guided the blunt crown into her and thrust forward. He held onto her hips and withdrew from the wet heat enveloping him. She moaned with pleasure and pushed back to meet his next forward motion. He picked up the pace but tried to be mindful of the force he used. Since discovering her pregnancy, he had been eaten up with worry. He would do anything to keep her and the baby safe.
Anything.

"Kolya." She breathed his name on a sigh and reached back to grab his hand. "So good." Her fingers gripped his wrist now. "Oh, God. More.
More
."

Hearing her beg for his dick shattered his control. He had never been able to deny her anything and wasn't about to start now. He gave her exactly what she wanted and fucked her harder and faster. She gripped the top of the chair now and cried out again and again. The keening sounds echoed in the room.

When she lowered her head, her black hair fell away from her neck and revealed the tattoo.
My tattoo
. Unable to help himself, he ran his fingers over the dark mark. It was a primitive thing, but he couldn’t stop the grip of possession and ownership that clutched at his heart.
Mine
.

Wanting to feel her come and to remind her who lived to give her pleasure, he leaned forward and slipped his hand between her thighs. His arm brushed her belly, and he felt the slight curve there. As petite as she was, she was already showing. Soon their secret would be difficult to keep. The fear that kept him awake at night stabbed his chest. He muscled it down and focused on beautiful Vivian who writhed with need beneath him.

With the practice that came from learning his sweet wife's body, he found her clit and expertly strummed it. His name poured of her mouth in an unending litany as she chased her orgasm. He felt that first flutter of her pussy and smiled triumphantly. "Let go, Vee. Give it to me. Come.
Come
."

She did. With a white-knuckled grip on the chair, she trembled violently and climaxed. Bending down, he licked the tattoo on the back of her neck and then bit down before riding her hard and fast. She cried out his name, and her cunt clutched his cock, setting off his own explosion. Buried deep inside her, he jerked roughly and filled her with his seed.

He fell against her back and panted against her neck. "Vee." He whispered to her in Russian. "
Ya obozhayu tebya.
"

She clasped his forearm. "I love you."

Reluctantly, he pulled away from her and found some paper towels on her worktable to clean them up. When she tried to stand, he noticed her unsteadiness and instantly leapt to her side. He caught her before she fell. "Vee! Are you all right?"

"Sorry," she said a bit breathless. "I'm just dizzy."

He silently cursed himself for being so careless with her. She was pregnant and carrying his child. He needed to be more careful with her.

"Come here, baby." Not bothering to get her dressed, he sat in the chair and tugged her down on top of him. He hooked his foot along the side of the ottoman and dragged it closer. Stretched out together on the comfortable chair and stool, they enjoyed a quiet moment. He brushed his fingers through her hair and caressed her bare back.

The new painting she was working on caught his attention. She had been using palette knives for this one and only palette knives. The layers of oil paint created a depth and richness that made the colors seem so incredibly vibrant. There was something about this painting that unsettled him though. The longer he stared at it, the more convinced he was that she was trying to tell him something important. He could almost feel the waves of conflict and uncertainty flowing from the piece.

His hand traveled to her belly, and he placed a protective hand over the spot where his child was growing. Not for the first time, he wondered if he should have taken measures to delay their family. Vivian had been through so very much since Christmas. She had nearly been killed and trafficked. He had rushed her into marrying him so he could keep her safe. Now, she was pregnant with what he, selfishly, hoped was the first of many children.

But she was young and had her entire life ahead of her. Her career as an artist was just beginning to blossom. Soon she would have a child, and while he was prepared to do everything he could to support her dreams and aspirations, he feared motherhood might impede her journey. The guilt gnawed at him. He should have been more responsible and put her future first.

"You're terribly pensive today." She stroked his jaw. "Is everything all right?"

He kissed her palm and turned the question around on her. "Is everything all right with you?"

Vivian glanced at him. "Yes. Why?"

"The last six months of your life have been filled with changes."

"They were good changes." She cuddled in closer to him and pressed her cheek to his chest.

He bit his tongue rather than reminding her that she had married a mob boss. Good wasn't the adjective he would have used to describe that change. Embracing her and kissing the top of her head, he murmured, "I'll do anything to make you happy, Vee. Whatever you want. Whatever you need. It's yours if you ask me."

"I am happy." She kissed his jaw. "With you." Trailing her fingers down his chest, she asked, "How was work?"

He understood that she was asking about the restaurant and not his other work. Grunting at the memory of the spat between waitresses, he said, "Lidia and Jessica got into it again. I could hear them squawking at one another from my office."

"What was it this time?"

"I have no idea. I didn't ask. I sent them both home and took them off the schedule for two days." Wrapping her hair around his finger, he admitted, "You were right about Lidia. I probably should have let her go after the night she purposely dumped that glass of wine on Bianca."

"Bianca told me that Lidia apologized to her. She accepted the apology and wiped the slate clean."

He made an irritated noise at that. "Bianca is too sweet for her own good. Sergei will have his hands full with her."

Vivian snorted indelicately. "In more ways than one."

He laughed. "Listen to you! I should be ashamed at how badly I've corrupted you." Her soft giggle inspired a smile. "Do you need to do any last minute shopping before we leave for London next week?"

"I don't think so. I'm going to see Holly on Friday for a quick trim and to have Maria do a manicure. I'd like for us to have everything packed by Thursday."

"That won't be a problem." He mentally arranged his schedule for the upcoming week. It was going to be a busy one for him. One of his most loyal soldiers was being released from prison, and he needed to finalize the arrangements for his crew while he was out of town with Vee. Kostya would be in charge, and Arty would be his second. He had no doubts when it came to his two most trusted men, but he worried about his fugitive father-in-law Romero and Julio Jimenez, the cartel's main man in Houston, coming to blows.

There were already rumblings on the street that Romero was going to challenge the cartel and do it using backup from Maksim. The two old bastards were already running guns south of the border and causing serious headaches for him. Nikolai feared Vee's father would try to make his move against his old cartel while he was away in London and the city was vulnerable. He had to shore up his alliances before leaving so that Kostya was in the strongest position possible.

But he didn't want to think of any of that right now. Lush and naked, Vivian was curled against him. He didn't want any of the ugliness of the underworld to touch her.

"We have our first doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Don't forget that you're supposed to meet me there at two."

"I won't." The prospect of the first glimpse of their baby on ultrasound excited him. It still seemed a bit unreal, but he was certain that seeing their baby would make it all more final. "I wouldn't miss it for anything."

"How much longer are we going to keep this quiet?"

"I don't know. As long as possible." Hating the position they were in, he interlaced their fingers and smiled at the paint smudges staining her skin. Because she deserved to know the truth, he confessed, "Our fathers are stirring up trouble with Lorenzo Guzman. Until I can get that mess sorted, I don't feel comfortable announcing your pregnancy. You read the Mexican newspapers, Vee. You know what the cartel is capable of doing."

He swallowed hard and placed his hand against her stomach. Fingers splayed, he silently vowed that nothing would stop him from keeping them both safe.
Nothing
. "We have to be careful until things go quiet down there."