Page 12 of Diamond Dream

He groans, rubbing a hand over his face. “Kat, just listen to me for a second?—”

I do no such thing, of course, choosing to ignore his interruption instead. “If anyone saved anyone’s ass tonight, it was me who saved yours, Nik. Your super tempting, looks-great-in-black-jeans ass.”

Nik smiles. With a sigh, he pulls me closer. I try to resist him, but he’s relentless.

“Come here, milaya.”

Then I’m in his arms, and he’s showering me with kisses. He tenderly nuzzles my hair, my eyes, my ears. Before I know it, his caress isn’t as tender as it’s scalding hot. I half expect things to pick up right where we left them against the tree in McGuire’s property before Vladmir interrupted us, but Nik seems content to just lazily, languidly kiss my skin.

“Nik, please…” I say, sexually frustrated beyond measure.

He chuckles. “What do you need, kiska?”

“You. In me. Right now.”

“Behind some random house while we’re on the run from McGuire? I don’t think so. Next time I have you, we’re doing it properly. At last.”

“But I want you. Right here, right now.”

Nik’s eyes glitter, turning the most devastating shade of golden brown as he softly laughs. “Ah, Kat…” he says, half-sighing, half-chuckling.

“What?”

“My world’s crashing around us. We might not live to see tomorrow. All my plans for McGuire might be ruined. But you just made my day.” He gives me his megawatt smile, the one I saw only once—when we stepped out of that little airplane.

Nik tucks me against his chest, and I sigh. After a moment, I ask, “What does kiska mean?”

“Don’t even bother asking. I’m not telling you.”

“Whatever. I’ll just look it up online when I’m by myself.” I shrug.

Nik shakes his head in disapproval, but his smile remains in place. “Maybe it was a mistake to give you that phone back.”

“That bad, huh?” I say, teasing him. “Kiska must mean something super juicy.”

The only reply I get from Nik is a kiss on my forehead.

Eventually, I pull away to look at his face. He gazes back at me, and he’s so handsome—so dear and even familiar to me at this point—that it’s hard for me to fully accept that because of me he’s committed an act of such violence against a man sworn to him.

“You broke Vladmir’s hand. For me,” I say.

Nik studies me before saying, “I did.” His eyes remain on me, observing my every reaction. Something he sees in my expression surprises him. Still looking at me, he raises his eyebrows, understanding washing over his expression before amazement takes over. While holding his breath, he stares at me, waiting, I realize, for me to say something.

With a slight nod, I pat his chest before telling him, “Good job.”

Nik’s amazed expression flickers into amusement, but then our eyes connect. His gaze turns darker—hotter. He sinks his fingers into my hair and pulls me closer, hard and fast. “Kat…” he says, my name nothing more than a sigh.

I wrap my arms around Nik’s neck and close the distance between our mouths. I don’t bother with a slow build-up before touching his tongue with mine. He holds me even tighter. In response, I push harder and faster, wanting all of him right now, but he paces me, clearly intending to keep his word from earlier.

I want to groan in frustration at the maddening man, but he’s saved by the bell. Or close enough, as it is.

“We’ve got company,” Nik whispers, breaking our kiss as headlights come up the driveway. With a sigh, he holds me against him for a moment longer before breaking our embrace completely. He holds my hand when we spot the approaching car.

5

NIK

“Relax,” I tell Kat, who has gone rigid next to me. “It’s just Dmitri.”

---