Page 17 of Disgraced (Russian Sinners 3)

He pulled away, his eyes dark with desire. His breathing was labored, reflecting the beat of my heart. It was the most sensual kiss I had ever experienced, it made my toes curl and I wanted more of his kisses. A lot more.

His thumb lightly traced across my lower lip. “Amazing,” he muttered. I wasn’t sure what he was referring to but if he was talking about the kiss… holy smokes! I wholeheartedly agreed. Our first kiss was amazing. And I had my share of kisses.

“I want another kiss,” I blurted out. His chuckle followed.

“My restraint goes only so far, Scarlett,” he commented, leaning his head closer to mine. “Another kiss and I won’t be able to tear myself away from you tonight.”

I wanted to tell him that was fine by me. He pressed his lips on my cheek. Another shiver ran down my body and all my thoughts fled.

“Can I have your cell phone number?” I blinked in confusion at his question. We were going for a kiss, not a cell phone number. Although, he could have both.

I nodded in a daze, hoping he’d give me another kiss. I was acting like a teenager kissed for the very first time. Totally not cool. I kissed many times before, but damn… who knew those kisses were nothing compared to Sergei’s mouth.

We were in front of the hotel, Sergei leaned against his sports car, holding me against him. There was nobody around, although even if there was, I was so focused on this man, I wouldn’t have noticed it. He had a way about him that made me forget everything and everyone.

He chuckled softly, nuzzling his face into my hair. “Can I have your number?” He reminded me again.

I grinned. “This feels like high school.”

“If I asked you for your number in high school,” he joked, “I’m pretty sure I would have been arrested.”

“Old man,” I teased him. “Okay, give me your phone number and I’ll text you. That way I have your number too. Is that okay?”

He recited his number, along with the country code and I shot him a quick message. No sooner than I pressed the send button, his cell phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and smiled. While he still held me in his arms with his one hand, his other held the phone. I peeked at what he was doing but his letters were all Cyrillic so I couldn’t read any of it.

“I’m saving you in my phone book,” he explained and I blushed at being caught.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

“Nothing to apologize for.” His lips pressed against my forehead and my heart swelled. Shit, if only these little things were making my heart react, I was doomed.

* * *

“Do you think it is smart to spend so much time with him?” Olivia questioned me.

Both she and Anastasia were in my room as I scrambled through my wardrobe to find something to wear. I should have known they would have showed up at my door the moment I sent that message, although it was barely past six in the morning.

“I really like him.” I turned around to face them. “Really, really like him.”

“But Scarlett, you’ve just met him.” Anastasia stated the obvious. Yes, I just met him but it still didn’t diminish the fact that I liked Sergei a lot. And he made me feel like nobody before. “Have you slept with him?”

I rolled my eyes. “No. But he kissed me on the lips last night.” The memory of that kiss still made me weak in my knees. God, I hoped he’d kiss me again. “Once. It was-” I searched for words to try and explain. “I can’t even describe it. It literally made me weak in my knees.”

Anastasia smiled but Olivia still had a look on her face that told me, I shouldn’t be doing this. She was probably right. The problem was it scared me not to feel this ever again. Everything with Sergei felt right.

“Olivia, don’t give me that look,” I mumbled, guilt growing within me. “I know you are probably right and I shouldn’t start trouble with a man that is so far out of my reach. But something about him just speaks to me on the most basic level. I don’t want to go through the rest of my life wondering what this thing with Sergei could have been.”

Olivia exhaled deeply. “Just be careful. Okay?”

I took three steps and wrapped them both into a hug. “I promise. These summer months have been the best of my entire life.”

Anja and Olivia mumbled their agreements, and we stood together in a tight embrace.

Forty-five minutes later, I exited the hotel lobby with a large beach bag that had a little bit of everything, from change of clothes to sunscreen. I wore a bathing suit underneath my summer dress and was ready for a beach day with my Sergei.

My Sergei. Darn, where did that come from?I shoved the thought away and glanced around.

I was slightly early so I readied myself to just wait for Sergei but was pleasantly surprised to see him already waiting for me, leaning against his Range Rover, his hands casually in his pockets. He wore white bermuda shorts and a polo shirt with sunglasses, looking like a million bucks.

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