Page 72 of Frequency of Attraction

Over the curves of her body, his blue eyes burned her. “Just watch me,kiska.”

She did. And while the tattooed constellations on his scalp fluttered in and out of focus, she imagined him fucking her in his graceful, insistent way. Within minutes, her body and mind fragmented. He licked her into a second orgasm with his finger tickling her backside. Quinn’s legs spasmed against his head before collapsing apart. She lay on the bed panting as he went to wash up.

She was still lying limp and exposed when he came back. Vadim picked up her dress from the floor and pulled Quinn to sitting. He helped her get dressed, dropping intermittent kisses along her skin. She wanted to lean in and take more. She eyed the bulge in his jeans.

“Why won’t you let me fuck you?” She wanted to taunt him with,It’s just sex, his own old argument, but she knew better than to tease him. “That’s not really an appropriate look for a kid’s birthday party.”

He chuckled. “I’ll think of something sad on the walk back.”

He had plenty to choose from in his life.

“What were you going to say? What’s your new condition?”

He shook his head, his jaw ticking.

“Please?”

“I can’t,” he said, throwing her words back.

Strange. What held Vadim back from sex? She had no choice but to let that go. Lethimgo. She waved her hands around, silently asking for help up from the bed. He pulled her to standing and held her steady as she found her balance on post-orgasmic noodle legs. On impulse, she hugged him.

“I’m glad you got to be there for Mila’s birthday. I’m glad you get to fly Stratos. Despite your loss, this is going to end up a pretty good year for you.”

Vadim squeezed her back. “Adrik is no loss to me. This is the best year of my life.”

Peeking past the contours of his ornamented biceps at the home she’d made, Quinn had to agree. New home, new friends, new job,orgasms. Best year of her life, too.

What more could she want?

She had her answer when Vadim kissed her forehead and left her life to go about his own.

34

The two weeks leading up to the flight were a blur of meetings and exhaustion. Vadim fell onto the couch and into sleep within minutes each night. He barely glimpsed Dasha, only ate when someone reminded him, and hardly had time to miss Mila or Quinn.

Still, both of them snuck into the rare free moments in his mind.

He escaped from OrbitAll at eight the night before the launch. For the first time in weeks, he didn’t go straight home after work. Instead, he detoured to The Saloon. Dasha had taken to hanging out there during Trav’s shifts. Vadim had either been sleeping too hard or she’d been too quiet coming and going; he hadn’t seen or heard his sister in days, though she’d left a few notes and sent a few texts.

As soon as Vadim walked in, he spotted her behind the bar. She and Trav were laughing and prepping garnishes for cocktails. He stood next to her, too close, slicing limes. Some whiny rock played on the sound system.

“Vady!” At Dasha’s shout, Trav scooted two feet to the left. She rounded the counter to give him a hug. “Trav is teaching me to make drinks. I’m hoping I can get a job here once I get a visa.”

So, she was planning to stay. He’d drink to that. Then he’d start looking for a bigger apartment.

Trav glanced up from slicing. “Beer? We’ve got a new amber on tap.”

Vadim shook his head. “Not tonight. Blazh on the rocks.”

“But only one. He’s flying to space in the morning, you know.” Dasha’s proud smile lit up her angular face.

Trav smiled. “I know. I’m driving you, remember?”

“Da. That reminds me. I’m staying at Trav’s tonight.” She took a seat on the barstool next to the one Vadim had dropped on.

Trav couldn’t hide his pleased grin, even with Vadim right there. He met Vadim’s gaze, which he had to respect. He was at least twice Trav’s weight. “That’s badass, man. Congratulations. I hope the flight goes well.”

“It will.” He wasn’t worried. At that moment, he wasn’t even excited. He felt drained from weeks of practice and planning.

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