“What’s with the look on your face?” Gerard asked interrupting my thoughts.

We’d managed to grab a few minutes together for lunch. I’d barely touched my food. His burger and fries were practically gone. Only a few short, crispy slivers, fries burnt at the edges, remained.

“What?”

“Is your new girl giving you trouble?”

“Why would you say that?” I responded sharply, head snapping up to meet his eyes.

Gerard paused, his easy smiling disappearing, and what was left of his burger stopped in mid-air before his mouth.

“Er… no reason. Someone’s touchy. Are you sure you’re not the one getting married? I’m the one who’s supposed to be freaking out, getting cold feet and all that bullshit.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

Impatiently, I rolled my eyes and scowled at him. I wanted nothing more than to tell him about Anna, about our whirlwind romance and how for the first time in my life I thought that maybe I understood where he was coming from when he talked about Rochelle. But I was treading some dangerous waters. He couldn’t know, at least not yet, how we’d met and where she was from.

But of course, that didn’t stop me from worrying about my earlier curt conversation with Anna and how it had left me feeling uneasy. The whole thing was putting me off my food.

There was something about her that she wasn’t telling me, something that I was missing. And though I couldn’t slot all of the puzzle pieces together, I had a hunch I wasn’t going to like it and that perhaps Josephine, of all people, was involved. She had, come to think about it, become inordinately nice to me.

I’d chalked it up to us finally gaining some mutual understanding and respect. But that call with Anna still bugged the hell out of me.

“She’s nice, I have to admit. Not the kinda girl you normally go for though.”

“What do you mean, she’s nice?”

Gerard gave me a knowing smile. “You two don’t talk much, do you? Though, on the other hand, that doesn’t surprise me. One of these days you really need to have a relationship that doesn’t revolve around your dick.”

The trickle of information worked its way through the processes of my mind and I felt my mouth part, brows furrowing. “You’ve met Anna?”

Shit! The word rang out in my head, swirling around until it made me feel dizzy. If he’d met Anna did he already know about her situation? Had he put two and two together?

I studied him carefully. If he had, he wouldn’t have kept quiet about it for this long. Gerard wasn’t one for suppressing what was on his mind or delaying reaming me out.

“Yes,” he replied, drawing out the word warily. “I dropped off the dress, like I told you I would.”

“And?” I said probing him for more information.

“And what? You want me to give you top marks for scoring a hottie? Or maybe you want a gold star for actually making good on your promise to find a replacement bridesmaid?”

“A pat on the back wouldn’t go amiss,” I replied, as my worry lessened and we sank back into our old banter. Gerard had no idea about what I’d done… or should I say what Josephine had put in motion. Thank goodness.

“Well, she seems like a keeper, if you ask me. I don’t know where you found her but maybe this time you should hang on to this one? Give it a real shot?”

I nodded. I intended to, as soon as I got to the bottom of Anna’s little excursions.

---

“Josephine, cancel my afternoon meeting, will you? I won’t be coming back to the office today,” I said into the phone as I flagged down a taxi. Within seconds one arrived and I jumped in, quickly giving the driver my intended destination.

“Sure, any reason why?”

“I can think of several reasons, but none that concern you.”

“Fine, be Mr. Mysterious.”

I almost snorted, I didn’t deserve that title but I could think of two women who could wear the crown for whatever deceptive little game they were playing. Were Jo and Anna in on it together? I wondered. Pulling the wool over my eyes, and to what end? What would be Anna’s reasons? Jo’s was revenge and to get her greedy little hands on the fat bonus I’d promised her. But Anna’s motivations were a complete mystery to me.

One thing I did know, emotion like that, between us, couldn’t be faked. Or at least, I hoped it couldn’t.

“Oh, and I need you to make a reservation for two, around seven or eight, at that new swanky restaurant that just opened downtown. The one everyone is raving about. Call Keith, the manager, he’ll fit me in.”

“Oh, I see,” she purred into the phone. “You’re taking Anna out on a date.”

“So?”

“Nothing. You should really thank me for being such a good little matchmaker, though.”

“I should, should I? And maybe I should forget all about the bribery that went along with it too?”

“Ugh, forget I said anything.”

“Well since you’re so interested in Anna, I need you to gather all the paperwork she supplied when you signed me up to that site.”

There was a silent pause on the line. “Paperwork?”

“Yeah, you know a copy of her passport, her visa, and all that stuff. I presume that stupid site keeps records of all the important records. Surely they need all that info so everything is kept all above aboard? And you did say you did your due diligence.”

“I guess… Mmm, what do you want all that for? Why don’t you just ask Anna?”

“Because I’m asking you. So stop asking me questions and email me the copies, will you? Don’t you still want your bonus?”

Again the silence on the other end of the phone loomed like an oppressive cloud.

“Jo…”

“I’ll get it to you as soon as I can, the big boss just walked in. Gotta go.”

The click that sounded in my ear made me pause and lean back in the seat of the taxi. I tapped the edge of the smooth, thin phone against my temple, madly trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Josephine certainly did not sound pleased when I asked her for copies of Anna’s documents. The question was why? Were there no documents at all, and perhaps she hadn’t actually done what she reassured me she had? And if that was the case, was Anna Pavlov really who she claimed to be? And was she really a mail-order bride?

The questions were spiraling out of control.

If I let myself fall into that tunnel of thought, I was in danger of the questions never ending. God, was she even Russian?

I shook my head, disregarding that ludicrous idea. I was there when the plane had landed, had watched her come through the security doors at the airport. That wasn’t faked, not with the protocols in place in this day and age. And granted she didn’t say much, but her accent sounded real enough. Though I couldn’t quite remember if she’d ever spoken in her natural tongue… other than when we were on the phone.

The taxi pulled in and stopped outside a row of boutique shops. I paid the driver, got out, and with a quick glance, picked the first store at random and went in.

It wasn’t long before I was in the elevator riding up to my apartment. I was early, far earlier than I would typically be home, and I wondered if I would catch Anna off guard. Perhaps she wasn’t even inside.

Setting my purchases down, I sent off a quick text to her new phone, to test the waters. Missing you. Be home soon, can’t wait to see you. x

Before I could tuck my phone away into my pocket, it buzzed in my hand. A reply from Anna. I’ll be waiting. Ask me what I’m wearing.

I frowned at the quick reply and the grammatically correct responses. Yet the smile creeping onto my lips couldn’t stop my fingers from tapping out and sending her another message. What are you wearing?

A few seconds passed. Meanwhile, the elevator doors glided back.

Absolutely nothing.

I sucked in a breath feeling the impact of her words jolt down to my groin. I was almost at the front door to the apartment but I paused. Tell me exactly where you are in the apartment. What are you doing?

Come home and find out.

I raised an eyebrow as the teasing dots wiggled, telling me she was typing something. The wait was torturous to watch. But then the dots stopped, disappearing altogether.

My phone buzzed and instead of a message, an image popped up. My cock stiffened at the sight. The picture was a naughty selfie. A downward shot featuring Anna’s perfect, creamy tits, her arms beneath them acting as a supporting shelf. Boosting them, making them appear so round and full. Her sumptuous cleavage shone as if she’d coated herself with baby oil.

Realization of where she was located dawned upon me as I spied the bubbles at the edge of the image.

Biting my lip to stop myself from smiling, I silently entered the apartment. Bracing the door, I tried to muffle the sound of the latch as it clicked shut. I waited, ears straining. There was no indication she’d heard me.

Holding my breath, I eased the bags down at the entrance then took off my shoes and jacket, and in my socks moved across the cool tile.

The sound of water dripping, and the occasional splash as she moved in the tub, echoed around the tiled room and made its way out to me. I stood in the doorway watching her. Her head faced the opposite direction, inward toward the far wall, hair up in a loose bun. I couldn’t wait to see the shock on her face when I surprised her. Beside her the phone rested precariously on the edge, and by its side a half-drained wine glass.

I stepped a foot inside, a few paces away from her, then when I was within reach, crouched down and brought cupped hands over her head and placed them on her eyes, blindfolding her.

She stiffened, hands clinging to the edge of the tub, sending the phone flying across the room. Her legs straightened in the water, making waves.

“Guess who?” I whispered.

Anna visibly relaxed, and I took my hands away to kiss her angled mouth. She returned the kiss with eagerness… had she forgiven me for this morning’s upset? I hoped so, because my cock was like a raging bull in my trousers at the sight of her. At that moment I didn’t care about whatever lies she’d told. I knew I needed her.

I set the wine glass down on the floor and my hands found their way down her neck to her breasts. They were round and heavy, floating above the water’s surface. Cupping her and taking slippery handfuls I gave them a playful squeeze. The edges of my cuffs soaked up the scented water.

Anna let her head fall back against my torso, moaning as I massaged her more.

“Did you miss me?” I asked. She merely nodded, put her shoulders back and puffed out her chest, rising, eager for more. Her knees pressed together and I watched for a second as she clenched her thighs, trying to pleasure herself.

Without a word, I rolled up my sleeves, revealing my thick forearms and put my hands back in place, this time pushing her breasts together and rolling her nipples between my thumbs and fingers. Her arms flopped into the water and one hand gradually slipped between her still-clenched thighs.

“Let me,” I offered, kissing her face as I let my fingers trail down her stomach, following in her wake. I lifted her hand away and replaced it with my own, caressing her soft mound before sinking a finger between her folds.

With a breathy sigh, Anna rolled her hips to meet my rhythm as I entered her.

I shifted my position slightly, moving along the edge of the bath so I was beside her now instead of behind. This was so I could watch her face as I thrust my fingers inside her. Her perfect rosy mouth popped open, exhaling then drawing a new steamy breath.

The water splashed as I moved my arm, as I sought out her depths, making her shut her eyes as she responded positively to my attentiveness.

“Yes,” she moaned, bit her lip, repeating the word until it held no meaning. The S turning into a never-ending hiss.

Redoubling my efforts, I added another finger inside her.

She gripped the handles molded into the side of the bath, and parted her thighs, leaving herself wide open for me and I couldn’t resist adding a third digit.

Violent waves traveled up and down the confines of the bath. Sometimes cresting over the edge, wetting the tiles with loud plops.

Anna tried to spread her legs wider and ended up hooking a leg over the side as I added my remaining finger inside her as she stretched and lifted her ass off the base of the tub, clamoring for more.

Now including my thumb, my hand was tight inside her, her pink pussy blossoming open like a flower as a torrent of rain splashed all around us. Her tits bobbed like two drifting islands, thrashing wildly amongst stormy seas.

Her walls clenched around my fist and she began to pant, not getting enough air. Her mossy green eyes widened. Then her whole body went rigid as Anna threw her head back, hair coming loose.

She came with a violent shudder, her thighs slamming tight onto my arm and hand.

I grinned as I watched her for several moments continuing to ride her orgasm and my arm, my fist still inside her. I moved with her, creating shallow pulses to match her own fluttering squeezes, wondering if I could get her to come again.

This time she kept her eyes open, locking them with mine as she too was determined to seek out more pleasure, wanting to reach the unreachable.

Helping her along, I shifted my concentration from her breasts, parting her pussy lips to rub her clit.

Anna was breathing so hard, pelvis rising and falling, grinding herself against my hand.

“You’re nearly there, baby,” I whispered and bent my head to her breast, wrapping my lips around her erect nipple and sucking on her fiercely, sending her over the edge of the world.

She sighed and let out a long exhausted but happy breath. Occasionally she shuddered, courtesy of the aftershocks. Finding her mouth, my tongue swirled lazily against hers, taking my time to kiss her.

Easing myself out of her below, I scooped her drained body up into my arms, bracing her against my chest, barely paying any attention to the waterfall that soaked my shirt, drenched my trousers and the floor. But I needed to have her, my cock was so fucking hard, painful even, especially when her weight brushed against my length as I carried her out of the bathroom to the bed.

Anna lay with her arms stretched out wide, a delirious sleepy smile on her face, eyelids heavy and sated. Finding some remaining energy she wiggled a bent finger, beckoning me to her.

I stripped myself of my tie, shirt, and suit trousers and covered her wet, warm body with mine. Kissing her damp skin, I shrugged out of my boxers, moving my lips closer to my goal. I tongued her swollen clit, running circles around the bundle of nerves. She cried out but didn’t push me away, quite the opposite. I lapped her up, flattened the meaty part of my tongue and vibrated my head from side to side between her thighs.

Then when I couldn’t bear to wait anymore, I spread her sensitive pussy open and buried my cock inside her, nestling it deep, hissing at the overwhelming bliss, and not wanting it to be over so quickly.

I had to regain my composure. She felt so good, so warm, so deliciously soft, like a pillow the perfect size and shape. Made for me…

Urgently I pulled out, breathed hard through my nose, the head of my cock nudging at her entrance, desperate to get back in, as if it were an unruly drunk thrown out of the best club in the world.

Anna pulled me down, her arms wrapped around my neck, stroking my back. Her plump lips captured my earlobe, the tip of her tongue teasing the shell of my ear.

“Make love to me,” she breathed, with barely a hint of her foreign accent.

Holding her tight against me, her body contouring to mine, I breached her entrance. I rocked slowly, hips barely moving. I watched with amazement as her pupils dialed, her breath hitching, as she began to climax again so quickly. I hurried my strokes to keep pace, burrowing deeper and deeper, but I needn’t have worried about lagging behind. Together we were transported to paradise, clinging to each other. Our steamy breaths, our cries, almost indistinguishable as our bodies merged.