Page 25 of Diamond Dream

I tug him closer by his sweater and hair, pouring all of my longing and troubled emotions into this kiss.

Stunned, Nik just stands there for a moment, letting me kiss him with all that I have. His surprise, however, quickly gives way to passion. With a pained groan against my mouth, he kisses me even harder.

Too soon, Dmitri clears his throat next to us.

Against my better judgment, I let Nik break our kiss. He gently sets me down on my feet. He leans forward and whispers, “This isn’t over. We’ll continue this. Later.”

I agree, nodding.

“Now, go back inside and do as I’ve told you,” Nik says. “I better see your ass on my bed when I get back.”

Still speechless, I nod again.

With a final warning glance, Nik starts getting into a black SUV.

Finally finding my voice, I say, “Come back to me, Nik.”

Wordlessly, he turns back to face me. Quick and hard, he kisses me again. It’s a brief, fierce caress. It’s over in a second. He rests his forehead against mine before murmuring against my lips, “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”

Without another word, he gets into the car.

Helpless to do anything else, I watch him drive away.

8

NIK

As it has become the norm for me since that fateful night when I first met Kat, my temper gets the best of me. Again. In what I would like to think is an uncharacteristically childish display of frustration, I practically kick my bedroom door open. It slams against the wall with a satisfying bang.

With a startled gasp, Kat almost jumps out of her skin at the sudden noise. “Thank God. You’re alive,” she says seconds later, rising from where she sat on my bed. Without warning, she jumps into my arms. It sure seems like it is going to become a habit for her. I have to bite back a sigh. I could get used to this.

Her body is shaking as she wraps her legs around my waist while her arms clutch my neck tightly. I hug her back just as hard, holding her firmly against me. With an almost imperceptible groan, Kat buries her face against my neck, inhaling deeply.

“Did you just… smell me?” I ask.

Unabashedly, she says, “Oh, yeah. And I’m about to taste you, too.”

And God help me, true to her word, she does.

Kat slants her head, kissing my mouth like she does everything else—with her own brand of passionate intensity and effortless expertise. As her tongue curls around mine, I struggle to catch my breath. I pull her even closer, resigning myself to the idea that closer will never be near enough when it comes to her.

Just as tempestuously as the embrace started, it ends. Kat breaks our kiss with little warning, pushing me away almost forcefully.

“Hang on a second, Nik,” she says, her breath as erratic as mine. “Are you hurt? Let me take a good look at you.”

With a shake of my head, I say, “Looking is overrated. I think you should go back to tasting me instead.”

Unfortunately, Kat doesn’t oblige me. Instead, she scans every inch of me with her watchful eyes.

“I’m fine,” I say, scoffing as she fusses over me. It’s an unfamiliar feeling. I can’t remember the last time a woman worried about whether I made it back home in one piece. It’s entirely possible one never has.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” she says, scolding me while still assessing me for damage.

I roll my eyes and spin on my heels, lifting my arms and giving her a full, three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view. “See? Like I said, I’m fine.”

Kat raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed at my surly tone. “Hmm. I’m not so sure about that, Nik. Why don’t you take your clothes off so I can be certain?”

Her eyes glint mischievously and I play along. “As your boss, I must say I’m very impressed by your dedication. Something tells me you just might earn yourself a raise.”

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