Chapter9
Olivia had trouble resisting looking at the note Ruslan had slipped her on their way out of his apartment, but she had to in order to ensure that no one would get the idea that the two were sneaking around behind everyone’s back. It wasn’t a long drive from Ruslan’s apartment back to the cabin, but it felt like it took ages, squished between Vera and Margot in the back seat of the cab they took. When they finally made it back, she ran into the bathroom to read the note.
They had managed to make it home by 10 p.m. and the note asked for her to meet him at the same tree at 11. Olivia was excited to get out again but a little afraid about what might happen if anyone knew that she was leaving. Margot headed to bed right away, allowing plenty of time for Olivia to get ready and await the date. Vera was keeping to herself in her room as per usual, a common occurrence that might make Margot upset but made things much easier for Olivia.
When she was sure that everyone had gone to bed and no one would know that she was gone, she slipped out of the window once again, still managing to fall into the snow. She had decided to keep the dress on this time. It wasn’t every day that she got to meet up with a billionaire, so she wasn’t about to wear the same clothes she had every other time that they met up. The walk to the red tree was much easier this time, as Olivia knew exactly what would be waiting for her under it. She saw the same blue car sitting and waiting and grew anxious thinking about what the night had in store for her.
He got out of the car again as he saw her approaching and embraced her passionately once they met again.
“You still look incredible,” he told her.
“I figured I’d stay a little nicer this time than last time,” she teased.
“Well good. As much fun as I had last time we met up in the car, I figured I might have the chance to take you out on a real date, no matter how late it is,” he explained to Olivia.
“Sounds perfect,” she said, planting a big kiss on his cheek before heading to the passenger’s side. Last time, nothing had happened while Olivia was gone. She figured it’d be the same boring night again, though she still had fear in the back of her mind of what might happen if they needed her. Margot had a great night and you could barely even tell that she had cancer at all. Unfortunately, these good days were usually followed by bad situations later on, so Olivia knew she didn’t want to stay out too late.
Still, she had to see where Ruslan might be taking her. Though it was the time when most people were heading to bed, Olivia didn’t care that it was late that they had to meet. She would take whatever situation she had to in order to kiss Ruslan once again. Nothing made her feel as good as touching him, and there was nothing else in the world that made her feel as excited as she felt when she saw him. She could picture his face when he wasn’t around, but something about actually seeing those deep brown eyes looking right at her filled her with an indescribable emotion. She would risk anything to get more.
They pulled up to a large building in downtown Moscow, and there were very few people outside on the streets. Olivia was relieved that they weren’t headed for a loud club again. They both got out and a valet driver took the car away. Ruslan grabbed Olivia’s hand and they headed through wide golden double doors.
“I wanted to take you somewhere a little quieter this time,” he explained. When they walked in, it looked like a hotel lobby, and Olivia got nervous thinking about where he might be taking her. Of course, they had managed to hook up in the car, so Olivia wasn’t that picky of a girl. Still, she felt a little strange at the idea of him taking her to a hotel room. Did he just see her as an easy score?
They started walking towards the front desk, but just before they reached the counter, they took a right turn down a hallway. Ruslan led her through a door and she realized they were actually headed for a quiet lounge. There were tables and booths dotted all over the large dimly lit room, though less than 10 people filled the seats. They were all turned towards a piano player in the center. Olivia was relieved that they weren’t headed straight for bed this time, though she can’t lie, she probably would have been fine with that as well.
“This is one of my favorite places. Much quieter and more relaxed,” he explained to her.
“Do you own this hotel too?” she asked, mostly joking.
“Yes actually,” he replied, not realizing she was just teasing. He motioned for a server who brought over two glasses and a bottle of champagne. It was clear that he had a specific order that the staff was well aware of. Olivia was relieved that she was still wearing Vera’s dress. She thought about slipping back into some leggings and a T-shirt but was tired of looking mediocre for Ruslan. She imagined the embarrassment she might have felt if she had decided to wear something more casual.
Though there weren’t many people there, they all had on fancy dresses and outfits similar to her and Ruslan’s. Olivia sipped champagne and looked around, taking in the gorgeous architecture of the lounge. Candles on the center of all the tables helped create a warm glow, and the soft piano playing made her melt. She felt like she was in a dream. She looked back at Ruslan, who was staring directly at her.
“I hope you like champagne. I’m sorry, I didn’t even ask,” he told her.
“I do. It’s fine. It’s all perfect,” she told him. She was feeling a little nervous and it was showing. Normally, she was pretty good at hiding her nerves. She kept a cool and relaxed demeanor most of the time, but something about Ruslan made her a bit nervous. Not the bad kind; she still felt comfortable. But she actually worried what he thought about her and wanted to be someone he desired.
“It would be more perfect if we could dance right now,” Ruslan said, standing up. There was no one else dancing, so Olivia was a bit confused. He reached his hand out and she grabbed on, allowing him to pull her towards the middle of the room near the piano. The player seemed excited someone was actually enjoying the music. He switched from classical music to a more upbeat romantic tune. Ruslan grabbed Olivia’s back, pulling her in close. They danced again, this time more in Olivia’s style. She had fun at the club, but the grinding and sweaty people surrounding her could take her out of the moment.
She felt as if she might melt right inside of Ruslan.
“You have the most incredible eyes,” he told Olivia, looking deep into her gaze. She felt her stomach jump, feeling him look so deep inside of her. “I could stare at them all day.”
“I could too,” she responded. Ruslan reached down and kissed her, lingering in front of her face for a moment after. She leaned in and rested her head on his chest, forgetting about everything else that had happened so far on this trip.
She forgot that someone might be after Ruslan, wanting to kill him. She forgot that Margot was dying, getting closer to death every breath she took. She forgot that Vera was being mean and nasty to her and the rest of the family. None of that mattered as she swayed to the music, resting on Ruslan’s chest.
The piano player announced something in Russian and Olivia didn’t quite understand.
“It’s the last song for the night,” Ruslan told her. She felt as if they had just gotten there and didn’t want to have to go back to that cabin. She didn’t want to sleep in bed alone that night or wake up next to a cold pillow. She didn’t want to have to serve that family breakfast again in the morning or help Margot take a bath anymore. She just wanted to stay right there, wrapped inside Ruslan’s arms.
“I could stay here all day,” he told her. He managed to take the words right from Olivia’s mouth. She felt so connected to Ruslan that she almost forgot he was an entirely different person. The way they stared at each other, the things they thought—it all amazed her that she would have never met this man if she hadn’t traveled with that family to Moscow. Would she have ever met someone like Ruslan back in the U.S.?
She was approaching 30 and was yet to have a serious boyfriend. She dated other men for a few weeks at a time, but no one compared to the way she felt when she looked Ruslan in the eyes. She felt more for him in one kiss than she did for all of her boyfriends combined. She squeezed him tight, wanting to crawl deep inside his body instead of returning to the real world.
****
Olivia stepped off the elevator and into Ruslan’s apartment. He had asked her to come back to his place after the lounge closed, and Olivia didn’t need much convincing. She’d checked her phone, and no one tried to call. She figured they were all sound asleep and would never notice that she was gone. Although she was only in that apartment hours ago, it all felt very different to her now.
Without the staff or other partygoers, she could really get a sense of the intimate place he managed to create. He walked over to the fireplace and turned it on with a switch. He held out two wine glasses, silently asking if Olivia wanted a glass. She shook her head, slipped off her shoes, and headed over to a couch in front of the fireplace.
“So how much longer are you here for?” he asked.
“Just a few more days, then back to Chicago,” she replied.
“Well then, I guess I’ll have to fly to Chicago,” he responded. She hadn’t thought about what their relationship would be like after the trip ended. Of course, she fantasized about the distant future with him, like she did with most crushes. She thought about what their kids might look like or what a Saturday morning would have, but that was stuff she would also envision when she saw a cute stranger on the train. Was he trying to suggest a long-distance relationship already?
“Have you been?” she asked. Ruslan shook his head. “I’d love for you to see the city. It’s beautiful.” Olivia really did love her city but got a sense of anxiety thinking about Ruslan visiting her hometown. Her apartment was nice, but much smaller than Ruslan’s. There wasn’t much in it either, as she did a lot of traveling with the Touhy family.
“There’s this amazing science museum. And the art museums of course. The best part about Chicago is the food, though. You really can’t find better restaurants than the ones throughout the city.” Olivia realized as she was talking about Chicago just how homesick she was.
“Well then, it’s a date,” Ruslan said, leaning in and giving Olivia a soft kiss. The warm glow from the fire and the small buzz from the champagne and wine were taking over Olivia’s body. She knew that she needed to take Ruslan in right there. She kissed him back harder, setting down his and her wine glasses after.
He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her in close and kissing all over her neck. No matter how hard they pulled at each other, Olivia still didn’t feel like she was close enough to Ruslan. She needed to be as connected to him as possible. She lifted her dress up and straddled him, hopping on top of his lap. It was becoming one of her favorite places to sit.
Ruslan held her shoulders, running his large hands up and down her smooth arms. He slipped the straps of her dress down over her shoulders, peeling the top layer down. Olivia had gone braless for that dress, exposing her breasts as Ruslan delicately took her dress off. They leaned in and kissed more, his mouth traveling from her neck down to each breast. He continued to kiss down lower and lower, eventually lifting Olivia off his lap and laying her down on the couch. He pulled her dress up over her legs, so it was like a large silk belt around her stomach.
He slowly took her underwear off, kissing each leg slowly. She had longed for him to kiss her there since their first night and finally found herself in a situation to take him down there. He kissed her thighs, taking his time traveling towards her wet cherry, ready to be kissed by his smooth lips. His stubble tickled her thighs at first, a sensation she didn’t mind. She positioned her body to be a little more comfortable, realizing she was laying right on top of her purse. She grabbed her purse and snapped into reality when she realized it was vibrating.
Olivia heard the buzzing of her phone and immediately got a sense of dread. She saw that Joseph had already tried to call her five times, and she had missed every one.
“Oh no!” Olivia shouted. Ruslan emerged from between her legs.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I have to go!” she told Ruslan, cutting their time short. She started to panic, thinking about why he might be calling.
“I’ll drive you.”