Sasha’s definition of ‘a little bit’ was the wee hours of the morning. Well before dawn, Kallie was roused by the commotion of a couple cars pulling up front, which caused the dogs to bark and wake her. She then heard the drop of keys in her mailbox.

As soon as the fog cleared her brain, she remembered. Sasha was leaving her a car as promised. Seriously. He had somehow gotten her a car in the middle of the night.

But then she’d suspected he could pretty much do anything when she asked. A part of her wondered if the car was stolen. How did one get a car in the freaking middle of the night? She lay for a while, staring at the ceiling while she thought about it. I’m sure there’s some legitimate thing here I’m not seeing...

But she couldn’t find it. And finally, despite how comfortable the bed was, despite how exhausted she was, she recognized that there would be no going back to sleep. Her mind raced in too many directions. Cars, sex, the argument. She kept going around and around until there was nothing to do but admit defeat and get up. Besides, it was a long drive. She might as well get started.

She didn’t need coffee. Once she was awake and fixated on a plan, the fatigue left her body. The crappy little beach apartment called. She could finish out her sleep there as well as anywhere, and the drive might wear her out.

***

AS SHE GOT TO OCEAN City, the sun was just coming up. Kallie parked the gargantuan car that Sasha gave her in the garage, wishing that he’d gotten her something a little more fuel-efficient. But then, Sasha was never one to think practically. She’d stopped at a big box store outside of town and found a bathing suit, towel, and ice chest easy enough. Her plan from this point out was sun and sand. An hour spent baking in the sun might be what she needed to detox her grief and confusion.

And even if it didn’t work, she’d still have the morning on the beach. The soothing crash of waves on the shore would at the very least calm some of the turmoil within her. Or so she hoped.

She’d bought some delicious-smelling coconut-scented sunscreen and coated her body with it. It felt like forever since she’d worked out and eaten right. The takeout she’d finally eaten last night after Sasha had left had tasted good, but still wasn’t a replacement for the kinds of meals she used to make for herself. She sipped water, idly planning a trip to the store for salad fixings, maybe some fish. Her apartment had a small balcony, just large enough for a tiny grill. She drifted off into a heavy sleep, wondering how much a grill cost, and whether it would be worth the expense. An hour later she was awakened by the buzzing of her cell phone. “What?” she answered groggily, confused for a minute until she realized she was still on the beach, and that if she didn’t get out of the sun soon she was going to become the lobster she’d been dreaming about.

She assumed it would be Sasha. Who else did she have to call her anymore? Her old friends had drifted away after the whole fiasco with her fiancé and her business.

That needs to change, too, she thought idly as she waited for the person on the other end to respond.

It was her new landlord, the manager from the beach apartment.

She sat up, nap forgotten. What now?

“I just wanted to let you know the building has just been sold,” the manager said after the formalities were dispensed with. His tone was awkward and apologetic.

“Sold?” she asked, sitting up straight. “Just like that? You didn’t tell me the building was for sale when I signed the lease.”

“No, I didn’t know either,” he said, and she could almost hear his consternation. “This is as much news to me as it is to you.”

“So, what does that mean?” she asked, a terrible suspicion forming. “Am I out of an apartment?”

“No, the rental agreements are going to be honored. I’ve just been instructed to inform all the tenants,” he said as he terminated the call.

Kallie lay back down, her arm over her eyes, but the peace of the beach was lost to her. There would be no more napping. Being able to get decent sleep was slowly creeping up on her wish list to pass her need for peace with Sasha. She listened to the cries of the gulls, the shouts of children playing as she tried to process all this new information.

The rumble of motorcycles distracted her. It was a good thing the sound of the bikes was so sexy, because these were loud. It must be her time for motorcycles, she thought, what with Sasha’s biker friend.

She turned in the direction of the bike noise. There were two of them. Two guys, one with a girl on the back. She shaded her eyes, because her emotions had her imagination playing tricks on her. That surely couldn’t be who it looked like.

She had to slip her sunglasses back on as the glare from sun and sand were too much to see clearly. The bikers, with their longish hair and their prominently powerful arms sure looked an awful lot like Sasha and Nikolai. Kallie squinted.

In fact, she would swear it was them. She stared as the threesome dismounted the bikes and carried their gear straight into an apartment building. HER apartment building.

As soon as they started walking, Kallie knew it was them for sure. She would know Sasha’s confident stride anywhere. She watched, shaking her head, wondering what the hell he was up to, not liking how her earlier suspicions were coming to fruition.

Tell me he didn’t do what I think he did...

In that instant he looked up, smiled, and fluttered his fingers at her. As if he could get away with anything if he just showed a little charm. “Hello,” he called from across the street, flashing his gorgeous smile at her.

She said nothing. All the warmth of the sun had fled from her, and right now, lying on a towel in a bikini, she only felt cold and exposed.

“We were in the area. We thought we would catch some rays,” he called as he approached. “Beautiful day.”

Kallie still didn’t respond. She watched as he peeled off his shirt to reveal his god-like body. Tears jeweled her eyes, he was so beautiful. Even from a few yards away, she was mesmerized. Of course, he knew what he was doing. He knew the kind of effect he had on people... on women... on her. She turned away like he didn’t affect her, like watching the waves was suddenly the most important thing in the world to be doing, but he would know it was a lie. Was there no escaping him?

She lay back on the beach towel, feeling a little ridiculous and self-conscious, but knowing that if she went in now she’d only look like she was running away. So, she closed her eyes, but that didn’t change the fact that Sasha was coming over. With a sigh, she propped herself up on her elbows, waiting for him. Only, she’d underestimated the situation. It wasn’t just him. Nikolai and Katerina walked right alongside him, a trio of beautiful people who somehow didn’t look out of place on the beach, even in biker leathers.

“Kallie,” he began.

Dammit. He chooses to introduce me to his friends NOW?

“Just a moment,” she interrupted, scrambling to her feet. Sasha reached down a hand to help her to her feet. She wound up taking it, lest she fall out of her bathing suit. There was just no graceful way to stand up when you’d been lying on a beach towel. “Thanks,” she said, annoyed that she’d needed the help.

“Kallie, I would like for you to meet Nikolai Smirnoff. Like the booze. And his girlfriend, Katerina.”

“You always say that,” Nikolai scolded, and extended his hand. “Sorry if I scared you yesterday.”

“It’s okay,” she said politely. It wasn’t like it was Nikolai’s fault that Sasha was being a jerk. She didn’t see any reason to be rude to him. She turned to Katerina, who seemed nice enough. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, wishing that she’d thought to buy some a beach wrap. Seeing Katerina up close was somewhat intimidating, she was so beautiful.

Katerina smiled and said, “Likewise.”

Sasha beamed, like a genial host. He was actually fucking proud of himself.

Okay, like you didn’t challenge him to this. You told him you wanted to meet his friends. Well, here you go.

The problem was, he’d chosen the moment she was half-naked on a beach to introduce them. And he’d coupled it with more of his heavy-handed displays of trying to control her life. He’d bought that building, she knew it as sure as she knew that she was getting a sunburn on her shoulders right now. But this wasn’t exactly the time or place for that kind of confrontation, so all she could really do was smile and make nice while his friends stood there trying to figure out why there was this weird vibe between them.

And to top it all off, Sasha probably thought everything was fine.

“We just bought an apartment building,” Sasha announced.

“Yeah. You told me that yesterday,” she said, being deliberately obtuse. No way in hell was she going to make this easy on him.

“No,” Sasha replied, smiling.

She crossed her arms. “You wouldn’t by any chance have bought a particular building that is... I don’t know... just over there? The one I live in perhaps?”

Even Nikolai and Katerina couldn’t miss the tension in that one. They exchanged uneasy glances.

“Oh, do you live there?” he asked playfully.

She socked him in the arm.

“Ouch...” He laughed it off, but his tone was serious as he scolded her, like he still had some right to. “I told you about that. Yes, I bought it.”

“It wasn’t even for sale,” she said through clenched teeth, beyond pissed off at this point. “I came here to get away.”

Sasha gazed at her intently.

Kallie wished she hadn’t said it in front of his friends. This wasn’t the person she wanted to be in front of them. She didn’t even know them, and she was leaving a bad impression That was Sasha’s fault, too.

“Everything is for sale,” he said with a shrug.

“What does that even mean?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure about that either, dude. But, okay, if you say so,” Nikolai said, his tone a little too hearty, too jovial as he tried to defuse the situation.

“We’re celebrating. Care to join us?” Sasha asked, like the temperature hadn’t just dropped forty degrees in the last three minutes.

Is he serious? Does he really think I want to play the hot girlfriend enjoying the beach with her Russian lover on an absolutely gorgeous day? It was like something out of a bad romance novel. In fact, he was totally ignoring the fact that she’d told him quite clearly that she was coming out here so that she could have some time alone.

“The timing is just off,” she said apologetically to Nikolai and Katerina. “I can’t.”

Sasha hooked her waist with his bear paw and scooped her up. “We’ll be back in a few. Talk amongst yourselves,” he said, and he sauntered with Kallie in his arms down to the water line.

“Please don’t throw me in!” She clutched at his shoulders in a panic.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, nuzzling her neck in that way of his that drove her wild. “I’ll just carry you in gently.”

“Sasha...You’re not even wearing swim trunks. Your jeans...” she protested, but clung to his massive body for dear life.

He was hot, literally, his body warm to begin with, but toasty in the sun already. But he felt like a furnace as he walked her into the icy water. She tightened against him as her body adjusted to the ocean.

“This is nice,” he murmured in her ear. “So, can I explain about last night?”

“Yeah,” she replied reluctantly, not wanting to get sucked into one of his stories again.

“I get why you’re pissed at me. I know it wasn’t cool that I took off at the wrong time. It’s just that I had something planned. I couldn’t resist coming over, because you said you were ordering food. I couldn’t not see you.” He took a deep breath. “And I was going to explain all of that to you, but when you take a certain approach it does remind me of my mother. I shut down. I should have said something. I know, I know. But it couldn’t be helped. Instead, I let you think I was being what you’re afraid I am.”

Why did he have to sound so sweet? Why did he have to tell her things like this when she was in his arms, and his body was so smooth and warm against hers? It made it hard to think, and that’s what she needed now more than anything. Time to think. If he was right, then she could kick herself. She thought his mother was the biggest jerk on the planet. When Kallie met his mother, she believed she knew why Sasha had developed his gift of charm. Because his mother was such a jerk, he had to learn how to be manipulative just to survive.

Was I really sounding like her last night? Was this somehow my fault?

But that wasn’t right either. Just because she reminded him of someone didn’t mean she had to take the whole blame. Maybe she’d been somewhat... difficult. But his being triggered didn’t mean he could treat her like dirt.

Dammit. He’s getting to me again.

“I’m sorry.”

He seemed sincere. Maybe he was sorry. What did that mean for her, though? Did she just accept it and go on like nothing had happened? She went quiet, unsure what to say.

He put a finger under her chin, lifting her face so that he could look into her eyes. “I’m sorry for everything. I do want to talk. Please have dinner with us. Please hang out with us.”

Saying yes to him would be the easiest thing to do right now, but there was no way to make sure it would stick. She really did need time.

“Come on,” he pleaded. “The weather could not be more perfect. I have this great motorcycle. I’m dying to take a beautiful woman out for a ride.”

She wanted to. She wanted to more than she could ever admit. “I need to sort things out,” she said finally, trailing her fingers in the water, looking anywhere but at him. “I’ve got to think straight, and I can’t do that when I’m around you.”

He nodded. It was a wonder he didn’t argue the point more. Sasha didn’t like taking no for an answer. Was he really trying to listen to her? Did he really care after all?

She glanced up at him, wondering what lay behind that gaze. “So... you really bought the building?”

“Yeah,” he said casually, like it was no big deal. “In case, you know, you wanted out of your lease.”

“I don’t even know what to do with that,” she said, throwing her hands up and almost floating out of his arms. “Tell me, do you ever sell anything?”

“I don’t know,” he said, and if anything, it was Sasha who was looking lost and confused. Like he wasn’t sure exactly what to do with her right now. “I don’t want to talk.”

A big wave crashed against them and Kallie went under. She tumbled and came up laughing when she saw how worried he looked. Then she saw the way he was gazing at her and realized that somehow her top had come off. Face blazing, she turned away from the beach while Sasha swam out after the scrap of fabric. He helped her tie it again, his fingertips brushing against the sides of her breasts as he adjusted the cloth and made sure it was snug. The moment was intensely erotic for her. She had to close her eyes to withstand the waves of pleasure his slightest touch gave her.

She reached up to adjust her pendant, and to her horror she discovered it was gone. With a sharp cry, she stared down through the water at her feet, trying desperately to see where it might have gone.

“What is it?” he asked.

“My necklace,” was all she could manage.

Sasha had given her a necklace when they had been at a hotel pretending to be at the beach. It was such a great weekend for them. Somehow it had seemed right to wear it her first morning at the beach. She hadn’t intended on going in the water today. She never would have gone swimming with it on.

Now some wave had come along, and not only knocked her feet out from under her but had taken from her one of the few truly beautiful memories of Sasha that she had left to treasure. The loss of it was so intense that she couldn’t even cry. It felt like losing a part of him, like the only part she really ever had.

I must be out of tears. The thought came from far away, so removed from herself in this moment that she lost all awareness of everything around her. Even Sasha’s hand on her arm, the sound of his voice, no longer made sense to her.

Several times he ducked under the water. Each time he came back up empty-handed. Once he came up with a seashell, which he pressed into her fingers, kissing each one, telling her that maybe it would do until they found something better. Eventually he looked at the sun and said something about them needing to go in. That he hadn’t realized how late it was.

He lifted her less playfully this time and pressed her to him. He waded out of the ocean like Poseidon, carrying her. He set her down on the wet sand then kissed her on the top of her head.

Warm, electric waves pushed through her from his lips. She stared up at him, uncomprehending. Her nipples were hard through the bathing suit top that was plastered to her body, her body reacting even in her heartbreak.

“Look, I need to go. If you change your mind about coming with us, let me know,” he said, and smiled. “It could be fun. We’re going for steaks in a little bit. Over at the Hobbit. Do you know where that is?”

She shook her head. She didn’t.

He explained, “It’s a hot spot. Just down the street. Show up. I’ll buy you something to eat. You need to eat.” He took her face in his hands like he intended to kiss her. “I’m so sorry I lost your necklace,” he said, looking at her directly. “I’ll get you another.”

Kallie wanted to say it wouldn’t be the same, but wouldn’t that be laying on the melodrama the way his mother always did? She only nodded, sad and confused, and wondering how things could change so quickly. The seashell cut into her palm. She watched sadly as he rejoined Nikolai and Katerina.

Sure, what the hell did she have to worry about? The Sasha Petrov method of solving problems was obviously still at work: just throw money at it.

She stared out at the waves, not moving until the waves chased her back up to her towel.

If anyone could make things as good, or better than before, it would be Sasha Petrov. Wasn’t she the lucky one.