“Thank you, Leo,” she whispered, rising to her toes and pressing her lips to mine. “I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”
“I should’ve done more,” I said, guilt clenching in my chest. “I never should’ve left you alone after we approached Dmitry—”
“You can’t predict the future, and I’m a very independent woman,” she said, placing her fingers over my lips. “Although, it’s kind of nice being doted on by you. I wish my face wasn’t pounded in like a bag of gravel, but it is what it is.”
I gently ran my hand over her cheek that was less swollen. “You’ll always be the most beautiful woman in the room to me,” I said softly.
Her resulting smile helped ease the knot of guilt lodged in my throat, if only a little.
“We’re going to help Dmitry, right? I don’t want them to hurt him.”
“Alexis has contacted him, and we’re going to do our best.”
Sighing, she nodded. “I’m not sure Maxim can be saved—although I’d like to help him too—but I think we have a chance with Dmitry.”
“I hope so. He seems like a good kid.” I placed a kiss on her forehead. “Sleep well, and I’m just down the hall if you need me.”
She nodded and entered her room, and I realized there was no reason for me to linger. Heading to my bedroom, I left the door cracked and got ready for bed. I always slept naked, so I glided between the sheets and emitted a long sigh after the trying day.
Turning on my bedside lamp, I put on my reading glasses and scrolled through the encrypted app that summarized all the activity on the local police scanners for the day. Nothing particular stood out, and I exhaled a relieved breath that our activity that morning hadn’t been picked up by the NYPD. That was one more headache I didn’t need.
My eyes began to droop, and I closed the app as something shuffled at my door. Katia appeared, pushing the door open. She stood in the frame, illuminated like an angel as her long red hair bracketed her shoulders. She wore a t-shirt and a pair of short boxers that left her long legs exposed. My eyes traveled over them, sending my body into overdrive as arousal caused my cock to harden beneath the sheets.
“I don’t want to sleep alone,” she said, her voice raspy as she stood in the doorway.
My throat bobbed as I struggled to speak.
“It’s not about sex,” she said, lifting a shoulder. “It’s about the fact that for the first time in my life, I ache to be held by someone.” Taking one step into the room, she smiled. “Byyou, Leo. I don’t understand it, and it scares the shit out of me, but I want to sleep with you. Just sleep. If you’re okay with that.”
Unable to resist her, I lifted the sheets, inviting her in. She sauntered over and slid in beside me.
“The glasses are extremely hot, by the way,” she said, settling in on the opposite side of the bed.
“Ah, yeah. They remind me I’m old,” I teased.
“Join the club,” she muttered.
I removed my glasses and flipped off the lamp. Darkness settled over the room, and I reached for her. She sprawled across my body, nuzzling into my side as she rested her less injured cheek on my chest.
The sounds of our breaths mingled in the otherwise quiet room as I stroked her silky hair. Her thigh draped across mine, and I closed my eyes in ecstasy. After all these years of quietly longing for her, she was here, in my bed, and she wasmine.
Her fingers trailed over my chest in a soft caress as we both relaxed in our warm cocoon.
Exhaling a sated breath, she whispered, “This is exactly where I want to be.”
My heart thudded under her cheek. “Me too, baby. Good night.”
I kissed her soft hair and closed my eyes, allowing myself to enjoy a few moments of true bliss as I held my woman in the darkness.
Chapter 18
Leo
Iawoke to the glorious smell of Katia’s skin. It enveloped me, and I inhaled deeply, wanting to savor it. She breathed in a soft cadence beside me, and I turned my head on the pillow to gaze at her.
Her swelling had actually gone down slightly, although I knew she had weeks before she’d look normal again. Unable to resist touching her, I ran a finger over her cheek, under her swollen eye, in a feather-light caress.
Her eyes fluttered open and she moaned. “Oh, god...my face feels like it exploded.”