Page 99 of The Lottery

“We all are.” We turn at the sound of Marek’s voice. He stands by the door smiling.

Lana gets up first, grabbing what remains of the vodka. “Astrid, that’s our cue to take this party to your flat.” She air kisses me. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

There’s laughter as they leave, then Marek and I are alone. He looks around, noticing the changes I’ve made, and smiles when he sees my tree in the corner by our bed.

Our bed.

Goosebumps climb my spine.

I rise and run to meet him, our lips and bodies crashing into each other with uncontainable passion. I need to touch him. To feel him. To be one with him.

He claims my mouth with his as he cups my breast, skimming his thumb over my nipple. I moan into his mouth, electricity pulsing through me. This hardly feels real.

“We’re together.”

“Da.”

“We aren’t hurting anyone.”

His lips twitch with a grin. “Da.”

“I need you.”

He groans. “Da.” Slowly, he begins to take off his shirt. “I was just going to take a shower. Would you like to join?”

26

MAREK

“Space is for everybody. It’s not just for a few people in science or math, or for a select group of astronauts. That’s our new frontier out there, and it’s everybody’s business to know about space.”

– Christa McAuliffe, American Astronaut

* * *

How is it possible to crave someone so deeply, so constantly? I want to breathe her in. To feel every inch of her. To bury myself in her and never emerge.

I see the same frantic need in her eyes, in the way she studies me as I strip off my shirt.

She is wearing gray sweatpants and a T-shirt with no bra, her hair a tousled mess, and she looks as beautiful as ever.

“I was just going to take a shower,” I say, my mind already creating delectable images of the two of us under the water, droplets beading on our naked bodies. “Would you like to join?”

Without a word, she loops her fingers inside the waist of my pants and leads me toward the small bathroom. The moment the door closes behind us, I pull her against my chest, letting our bodies mold together, breathing in her strawberry scented hair. We are silent a moment, savoring these first memories of our new life together. She lives here, with me. Together, we will build a more permanent home outside. Together, we will build a community.

And maybe even… a family.

The thought of being a father fills me with trepidation. But I also feel confident knowing she will be by my side. We will do all of it… together.

She places her palm on my chest, just over my heart. I become keenly aware of the rhythmic thumping within me as she smiles, then takes my hand and places it over her own heart. “We are forever,” she says, her eyes glossy with emotion.

I put my head against hers. “You are my love. My light. My life. Always.” The words come easily now that I am free to commit myself to her. Free to love her the way she deserves to be loved.

I bend my head to kiss her, savoring her taste, and the sweetness of our moment turns hot as passions are once more flamed. Her hands slide to the button of my jeans, casually glancing over the outline of my shaft straining against the zipper, her fingers teasing me while she slowly unbuttons and unzips my pants.

Her hands are soft as silk as she slides them down my hips, pulling my jeans and boxers with them. I feel her breath, the softest graze of her lips against my cock, and I inhale sharply, my muscles flexing from the instant arousal her mouth provides. “You will be my undoing, moya lyubov,” I say, my voice husky with desire.

She grins mischievously up at me. “Then my evil plan to take down the biggest billionaire on the planet has worked,” she teases.

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