Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
As my hands move down to my belt, she shakes her head.
“I want to do that,” she says. “Come here.”
I walk over to the bed and hiss as she frees me from my boxers. She strokes my length, staring at it with hungry eyes.
“I didn’t fully take the time to appreciate this,” she says hoarsely, looking up at me with a dangerous expression.
I nearly collapse when she takes the head into her mouth. That’s not what she wants, though.
“I just wanted a taste.” She giggles. “What I need is you inside of me. Sit down.”
I follow her command willingly, waiting with saintly patience as she maneuvers herself on top of me. I carefully grab her waist, steadying her. She holds onto my shoulders for support. I help her remove her shirt, and try not to wince at the sight of her bruise. Apart from that, her body is an exquisite masterpiece.
“Do you like what you see?” she asks, forcing my head up to look at her. I nod solemnly.
She kisses me again as I work her pants down. It’s a bit of an awkward dance, but it gives me the opportunity to squeeze her ass and run my hands down her perfect thighs.
“You’re gorgeous,” I breathe against her lips.
She kisses me harder, positioning herself on top of me before sliding down my length. We both take a moment to breathe, to adjust, to feel the magic of the moment. I don’t push her, even though I desperately want to give her every inch of me. She has to set the pace. She has to control this.
She winces a little, whether it’s from my size or her cracked rib. I’m not sure, but I give her a moment. Her forehead rests against mine and I wait with supernatural patience.
“We can stop if this is too much,” I tell her, though it’s the last thing I want. “We don’t have to do this.”
She shakes her head. “I think we just need to go really slowly and it’ll be okay,” she whispers. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I smile, kissing her softly. “I can do slow.”
She sets a punishingly slow pace, but it gives me the space to feel the gravity of this. We aren’t rushing. We aren’t angrily tearing off each other’s clothes. This is a choice that we’re consciously making.
My pleasure builds slowly, growing greater with every moan and gasp that escapes her lips. I reach a hand between us and use my thumb to draw circles around her swollen clit. When her walls start to clench around me, I can’t hold it off anymore and I explode, draining deeply into her. The force of it leaves me breathless.
I’ve never felt anything so powerful before, and I know that I never will with anyone else. I collapse back against the mattress, pulling her down gently with me as she continues to convulse with her own orgasm. I hold her through it and silently pray that we never have to let go of each other.
20
ANYA
Iwake up feeling warm and happy for the first time in months. Since before my forced engagement to Mikhail, even. My body feels heavy and relaxed in a way it only ever does after really good sex. I stretch carefully, and even the pain in my ribs isn’t so bad. Today already feels like a good day.
My hand drifts to my stomach unconsciously. A smile breaks out over my face before I can stop it, and I hum happily to myself. Then I remember that I didn’t fall asleep alone and immediately feel embarrassed. When I turn my head, though, I’m faced with an empty bed. He must have left while I was asleep.
I didn’t mean to sleep. Before I was shot, I never slept in the daytime. It’s a strange and disorienting feeling, actually. I sit up slowly and try to wake myself up. Damn it, I can’t stop smiling. I shake my head and get up to use the bathroom.
It’s quiet downstairs. Peaceful, almost. For a moment, I imagine what it would be like if every day were like this. If we won the war and I didn’t ever have to worry about Mikhail again. If I stayed with Viktor and woke up every morning in his house. In his bed.
A future flashes in my head before I can stop it. A cozy house upstate with a big backyard for our baby to play in. Walking down every morning to find Viktor sitting at the table, drinking his coffee and reading his paper. Feeling the freedom of knowing that I don’t have to be afraid of the future any longer.
I shake my head and banish the image from my mind. I can’t let myself get carried away right now. There are still a lot of obstacles in between now and then.