Page 57 of Dirty Grovel

Then it’s replaced by the slick wetness of his tongue.

“Oh!” I cry out, as my insides clench.

I come even faster than the first time. It’s like my body knows what it’s in for and races to that final climax.

But even as I’m wracked by the orgasm, consumed by it, I wish I were coming with himinsideme instead of like this.

I want to feel him there.

I want to see his face as we climax together.

I want the weight of his chest against mine as we finish in unison.

I don’t ask for that, though, and he doesn’t offer. He just holds me from behind as the tears dry on my face.

I keep wanting to turn to him. If nothing else, give me confirmation that what we just shared was real, that it meant something.

But I’m so tired, and my eyelids keep getting heavier and heavier.

It’s hard to fight now that he’s at my back, his arms engulfing me in warmth and safety.

In the end, I lose the fight. I fall into the deepest sleep I’ve had since coming to Nassau.

I don’t dream about a damn thing. My body sinks into the mattress, my arms curl around the pillow, and all the while, he holds me.

But the next morning, when I wake up, rested and relieved and calm…

Oleg is gone.

18

OLEG

They exit the arrival terminal with all the sound and fury of a freshly minted family of five.

Faye is concentrating only on the little white bundle in her arms. Artem is trying to wrangle the older two kids so they don’t get lost in the crowd. Noah is trying not to tip over from the weight of the backpack he’s wearing, which happens to be bigger than he is. And Lily’s eyes are wide with interest as she takes in everything around her.

I hold up the sign I had Ilya make for me the night before.WELCOME TO NASSAU, CAPTAIN NOAH AND PILOT LILY.

It was meant to be a joke, asking Ilya to do the sign for me. It’s not exactly in the job description of a Bratvavor.

But Ilya showed me up by drawing a little boat for Noah next to his name and a little airplane for Lily.

Overachiever.

“Unca Oleg!” Noah yells the moment he sees me. He waddles over, his backpack flapping wildly with every step he takes.

“Hello, little man!” I greet, tousling his hair. “Long time, no see.”

“We have a new baby sister.”

“I heard. How has it been?”

“Awesome!” Lily interjects at the same time that Noah says, “Noisy.”

Laughing, I squat down in front of the kids and give them both a hug.

When I straighten up, Artem and Faye have finally reached us. Both have dark circles around their eyes, but neither one has lost their smile.

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