Modern Romance Collection: January 2018 Books 1 -4. Dani Collins

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СКАЧАТЬ as it had been in what seemed to be another lifetime when they had implicit trust in each other.

      Alexei gently shifted his hands to cup her face. He traced her cheek with his thumb, his eyes dark as he examined her features.

      ‘I’ll get you a drink.’

      Did she look as if she needed one? Probably. ‘Preferably non-alcoholic.’ It was a while since lunch, and she recalled she’d eaten very little. ‘I’ll have some wine with dinner.’

      Alexei moved to the drinks cabinet, retrieved two crystal wine glasses, filled one with mineral water, the other with white wine, then he retraced his steps and placed a glass in her hand.

      She avoided the prosaic, and went for the most relevant.

      ‘I had lunch with my father today.’

      His eyes sharpened. ‘He upset you?’

      ‘In hindsight...not so much.’ Surprising, given how much pain Roman’s actions had caused her. ‘I said what I wanted to say, paid the bill, and walked out of the restaurant.’

      She possessed an inner strength. Yet he sensed the hurt, her loss of trust for her father’s almost criminal meddling. Worse, perhaps, for having been totally unaware of her father’s other life.

      Roman had created the perfect cover in choosing Natalya as his PA.

      Which bore the question of Ivana’s wealth and social standing...somehow it didn’t add up with the woman he’d come to know. Her values, her unconditional love for her daughter.

      Perhaps a woman was entitled to her reasons, none of which were his to attempt to explore.

      Of one thing he was certain. Natalya’s total loyalty to her mother.

      ‘You have a beautiful home,’ Natalya complimented as they entered a tastefully furnished dining room.

      ‘Which I will show you after dinner,’ Alexei said as he led her to the table and withdrew her chair.

      The housekeeper had excelled herself, providing a seafood entree, followed by perfectly grilled salmon steaks accompanied by a delicious salad, with fresh fruit compote for dessert.

      Later they took coffee on the terrace, relaxed following a pleasant meal. The view over the harbour to the city with its buildings lit and rising high against a darkened sky presented a superb panorama. Coloured neon signage promoting varying products, the moving headlights of passing traffic...mere pinpricks observed from this distance.

      Peaceful, tranquil. A place that could be a home, filled with love, perhaps children...

      A vision of which the stuff of dreams was made. Not always the reality.

      So where did they go from here?

      The word love hadn’t been mentioned.

      Alexei unwound his length from the chair, leant forward to take hold of her hands and gently pulled her to her feet and into his arms.

      His touch, the brief flare of unguarded emotion in his eyes...dear heaven, his kiss...sensuality at its peak as his tongue curled around her own, tasted, teased, gentling a little at the sound of her despairing groan as he went in deep, persuasive, pervading as he gifted his heart...his soul.

      It was more, so much more than she believed possible, and seemingly an age before he lifted his head, his eyes dark as he glimpsed her flushed cheeks, the soft mouth slightly swollen from his touch, and caught the faint quiver as she visibly sought control.

      He lifted a hand to smooth the pad of his thumb over the fullness of her lower lip. ‘Stay with me tonight.’

      Her eyes lit with a tinge of humour. ‘Presumably this isn’t a work-related request?’

      ‘Not even close.’

      ‘I’ll give it some thought,’ she said, delighting in teasing him.

      Without a word he led her inside, secured the terrace doors, set the security alarm, moved towards the beautifully curved staircase leading to an upper floor and the master bedroom.

      He took it slow and easy, removing each item of her clothing, as she unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it from his body. Loving the muscular chest, the tight abs, the strength apparent in his broad shoulders.

      ‘Don’t stop.’

      Natalya reached for the belt at his waist. ‘Just savouring the moment.’

      ‘Uh-huh. You want some help there?’

      She traced the bulging length of his arousal pressing against the zip, and offered him a witching smile. ‘Got it covered.’

      ‘Uncovered is better.’

      ‘No foreplay?’

      ‘As much as you can take.’

      ‘That sounds interesting.’

      Interesting didn’t equate to what they shared as he slowly removed each item of her clothing, pausing to press his lips to each pulse, his hands intent on shaping every curve until she trembled, on fire, wanting, needing him inside her...so much, she was unaware of the faint sounds slipping unbidden from her throat, the way her hands moved on him...and her satisfaction as he took her mouth with his own in a kiss that sent her over the edge.

      ‘You want to hear there has been no one who mattered since you?’ Alexei queried quietly.

      In one easy movement he leant forward and stripped the covers from the large bed, then he laid her down on the cool sheets and moved over her body.

      Now...or she’d have to beg.

      And then she did, as he trailed his lips down her stomach to the moist heat below, using his mouth, his tongue, to drive her wild.

      Then he positioned himself and drove in hard, exulting in the feel of her, the way her inner muscles contracted around his length when he began to move, slowly at first, building sensation to an exhilarating peak, held them both there as an intense orgasm took them high, consuming mind, body and soul.

      So excruciatingly sensual she had no memory of crying out in ecstasy...nor was she aware of his own groan of release as they lay joined together, too caught up in the deliciously slow ebb of exquisite pleasure.

      Natalya didn’t want to move...wasn’t sure she could, until the wonderful lethargy consuming her body settled a little.

      It felt good, so incredibly right to snuggle her cheek into the curve of his neck, to bury her lips into the hollow and savour his musky heat, feel the strong beat of his heart as he tethered her close.

      Later, so much later, Alexei gathered her up into his arms and headed to the en suite bathroom, set the shower into action, and held her beneath the pulsing warm water as he smoothed liquid soap over every inch of her body with such evocative slowness it was nothing less than seduction.

      With a witching smile Natalya took the container of liquid soap from his hand, moved to stand behind him, cupped a handful of soap and СКАЧАТЬ