21
It was hours before they got home. Niko had been given pain medicine and something to help him relax while the doctor stitched his wrist and he cried pitifully. Sergei had been a little hurt that Niko only wanted Dani, but he hadn’t allowed either of them to see it because she’d been uncomfortable about it, constantly looking to him for the assurance it was okay to be the one holding Niko through all of it. Even on the drive home, Niko had cried until she’d agreed to sit in the back with his car seat and hold his hand. But this was about Niko’s comfort, not his insecurities, so Sergei had shut his mouth and done what was best for his son.
Now Niko was sleeping and Dani was showering off the blood she’d been covered in. He wandered up to his room, since she was in his shower, and merely leaned against the wall watching. Her eyes were closed as the water sluiced over her, but when she spotted him she held out her hand. He hesitated for barely a second before yanking off his clothes and joining her under the hot spray. She moved so he could wet his hair and then she reached for his shampoo, putting it in her hand and gently massaging it into his hair and scalp.
His eyes closed of their own volition and it wasn’t until this moment he understood how much the ordeal had shaken him.
“It’s extremely fortuitous your wife has medical training,” the doctor had said. “The blade nicked an artery and several veins—the bleeding could have been much more significant. She probably saved his life.”
Sergei hadn’t corrected him that she wasn’t his wife, nor had he dared to look at Dani. He’d simply shaken the doctor’s hand before picking up his son and holding him tightly.
She probably saved his life.
This amazing, sweet, sexy woman not only had brought Sergei’s blackened soul back to life, she’d saved his son. His priority in life was Niko and without Dani he might have lost him. The very idea made him a little queasy and he had to lean against the wall to catch his breath.
“It’s okay.” Dani’s voice was as warm as her hands as she washed him. “He’s going to be okay.”
“If you hadn’t been there…”
“It was an accident. Little kids get hurt all the time. I’m sure you would’ve thought about a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.”
He met her eyes. “I was frozen. I responded when you told me what to do, but I was staring at the blood and trying to remember my name.”
“If I hadn’t been there, you would have jumped into action. You’re his father. It would’ve been instinct.”
“You’re not his mother but it was still instinct.”
“This is what I studied, what I want to do with my life. It’s a lot more natural for me.” She slid her hands down his stomach, along the crease of his thigh and then to where she lightly cupped his balls. His cock instantly sprang to life, hardening at her featherlight caresses.
“Thank you,” he said in a rough voice, one hand resting lightly on her waist. “There are no words for what you did.”
She kissed her way down his chest, dropping to her knees. “Let’s see what you have to say about what I’m about to do.”
“Mommy!” The high-pitched wail startled both Sergei and Dani out of a deep sleep.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed without thinking. “He’s probably in pain.”
“You get his meds.” Sergei was up too. “I’ll get him.”
“Maybe we should bring him in here for the rest of the night,” Dani said, pulling on shorts and a T-shirt. “It’s after four, so he probably won’t sleep past seven anyway.”
“That’s a good idea.”
She padded down to the kitchen to grab the prescription they’d had filled and some watered-down juice. Taking care of Niko was second nature now and the intimacy between her and Sergei tonight had been noticeably more intense. His need for her had been over-the-top, greedy in the way he’d taken her over and over. Something had shifted, but she couldn’t help but wonder if it was because of the trauma of seeing Niko get hurt and then receiving stitches. Sergei had done his best to stay strong, but she’d seen him turn his head while the doctor had been sewing up the little boy’s wrist. It had bothered her a little too, but only because she adored Niko and it was almost like watching her own child in distress. She had a strong stomach and didn’t have a problem with blood and the like, but Niko was different.
Going back upstairs, she found Sergei and Niko cuddled on the bed, Sergei whispering softly to him in Russian.
“Hey, buddy. How about you take your medicine so you feel better?” Dani slid onto the bed next to them.
“Yuck.” He wrinkled his nose at the little cup of pink liquid.
“I know, but because you’re not feeling well, you can have juice to wash it down.” She held up the sippy cup.
Niko sighed, but nodded wearily, drinking down the medicine and then practically snatching the cup from Dani’s hand. After he’d drained it, he nestled into Dani’s side and she pulled him close while Sergei reached over to turn out the lights. He’d moved around the bed and was now behind her, one arm draped across her waist, his hand resting on Niko’s side.
The three of them dozed off and when Dani opened her eyes again, Sergei was on his back, texting someone on his phone. Their eyes met and he leaned over to kiss her.
“Good morning,” he whispered.
“Good morning.”
Niko was still asleep so they quietly got out of bed and went to separate bathrooms to freshen up. A few minutes later they met up in the kitchen and began their usual morning routine. If she was going for a run, she made herself a protein shake and he made breakfast for himself and Niko. If she wasn’t running, like today, she made breakfast for all of them while he made coffee.
“Who were you talking to so early in the morning?” she asked as she began mixing up pancake batter; it was Niko’s favorite and she wanted to surprise him.
“Toli. Wanted to catch him up on what happened yesterday.”
“Ah.” She heated up the griddle.
“He says, ‘Thank you.’”
She shook her head, though she was smiling. “You guys are acting like I did something out of the ordinary. Anyone with even a little medical training would have jumped in to help.”
“But they didn’t. You did. And the doctor said things could have gone really, really wrong if you hadn’t.”
“He’s okay and I’m happy I was able to help him. I adore that little guy.”
“I know. He adores you, too.”
“I’m hungry.” Niko wandered into the room looking sleepy and Sergei immediately scooped him up, kissing the side of his face.
“Good morning, big guy. Mama D’s making pancakes for you.”
“Yay!” Niko’s eyes lit up and he grinned.
The next few days were low-key since Niko didn’t have his usual energy. Though their nights were filled with more passion than ever, they weren’t able to spend much quality time together during the day because Niko was so needy. Dani had gone to the gym by herself twice, since they didn’t want to bring Niko to the on-site daycare center just yet, and Sergei had met up with Aaron again tonight for a few beers. It had been nice to get out and talk to another guy, but knowing she was waiting in bed for him made it much better because he couldn’t wait to get home to her. In just under a month, their sex life had gone from cautious but passionate to constant and sensual as hell. She wanted to do everything, all the time, and he couldn’t get enough, either. Their chemistry was off the charts and every time he thought he might start getting bored, either she suggested something she’d heard about or asked him to try something new.
The thing was, there was no way to get bored with her. It went way beyond sex and he wasn’t naïve enough to think this was about getting his dick sucked every night. She made him happy in ways he hadn’t allowed himself to think about since even before Tatiana had died. With Tatiana, he’d loved her enough to put up with her crazy life and the constant worry that someone might come after them, but it had been exhausting. With Dani, everything was easy. Too easy sometimes. Which was why the strangely intense feelings he was beginning to have for her were unsettling. They were involved in every way and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t happy. He was relaxed, in great shape, and so well-fucked he felt nineteen again in that department. His son was happy and thriving, they had a great home, and if hockey season started tomorrow, he’d be ready to go. Well, that would be the case if Dani wasn’t leaving and about to throw his entire world off-kilter. Because it would.
Dani wasn’t downstairs when he got home, so he checked on Niko before heading to his room. He was surprised to see his own bed empty when he got there and he sighed, unsure what to do next. Maybe it would be best if he left it alone, left her alone. Maybe putting a little emotional distance between them was the right thing to do.
He pulled off his shirt and tossed it in the hamper, followed by his jeans and socks. He brushed his teeth and padded towards the bed, wondering if he would sleep without Dani by his side. He’d gotten used to it. Gotten used to her. Dammit.
Something on the bed caught his eye and he reached for it in confusion. It was a book covered with plain brown paper, as though he wasn’t supposed to see the book’s actual cover. He opened it slowly and the inside cover had a note.
Sergei—
We have thirty-seven days to try sixty-four positions. Do you think we can make it before I leave for Colorado?
Dani
P.S. I covered the book so Niko wouldn’t be tempted to open it if he ever found it.
He flipped a few more pages and laughed. She’d bought them a copy of some modernized version of the Kama Sutra. And left it on his bed for him. A trickle of guilt wound its way through his subconscious because this was her way of saying she wanted him to go to her, that she was losing faith in him. In them. That she wasn’t secure enough in what they had to wait for him in his bed. Fuck.
He put the book down and padded down the hall in his boxers. Her door was still closed but she had to be awake, knowing he’d found the gift she’d left him. He hesitated outside for a second, trying to decide what to say, how to talk about what was going on between them.
“Come in,” she called when he finally got up the nerve to knock.
“Can we talk on my bed?” he asked with a faint smile.
“We won’t do much talking once we go to your bed.”
“Says the woman who left a book of sexual positions for me.”
“Not interested?” Her lips twitched.
“I’m interested, you little minx.” He held out his hands and she took them.
“What do we have to talk about?” she asked as he tugged her back to his room.
“Vegas.”
“Huh?”
He pulled her T-shirt off, anxious to have his mouth all over her as soon as possible. “There is no way in hell I’m going seven days without making love to you while we’re in Vegas, but there’s an even smaller chance I’ll be able to do it in either of our brothers’ guest rooms.”
She frowned. “I didn’t think about it.”
“And now you’ve given me this damn challenge.”
“Not up to the task, Wayne?”
“Maryanne, you have no idea how up to the task I am, but we’re going to lose seven days in Vegas if we don’t come up with a solution.”
She licked her lips as he backed her towards the bed.
“There are three choices,” he said slowly before wrapping his mouth around one pert, pink nipple and biting down until she moaned. He’d discovered she liked him to be a little rough with her and it was so damn good to hear the sounds she made.
“Wh-what are they?” she gasped, as he drew her breasts together and licked the line between them.
“We can go seven days without making love.” He moved back to her nipple.
“Th-th-that sounds like a…t-terrible idea.” Her breath was getting choppy.
“I agree.” He pushed her onto her back and pinched both nipples with his fingers. “The other option is to sneak around. We meet in a bathroom, get a hotel room for a few hours, shit like that.” He yanked at her panties, accidentally ripping the strings at the sides. “Sorry—I’ll buy you new ones.”
“Sergei!” She let out a squeak as he nipped the inside of her thigh. “I don’t want to…sneak around.”
He figured he’d better tell her about option number three before he licked her into oblivion, because he already knew which position they were going to start with. “Then we have to be open about the fact we’re sleeping together, and you stay with me in Toli’s guest room.” He wasn’t sure how she would feel about that, so he pried her open and licked long and slow along her slit.
“Ohhh…” Her voice dropped and she arched into his face.
He kept his touch light, but she was sensitive and already fluttering with need. “Door number one, two, or three, baby.”
“Three…” she moaned. “Oh, Sergei, please, more…”
“So you’re going to tell your brother we’re sleeping together.”
“No…” She was panting harder now, tugging at his hair. “You are.”
He chuckled against her quivering pussy, sucking her clit between his lips. “That’s what you want?”
“I want you to stop talking!” she cried.
He pulled away and flopped onto his back. “Then climb over here and drop that sweet pussy of yours over my face while you suck my cock.”
She scrambled to comply but paused just before she sucked him deep. “Just to clarify—you’re going to have a talk with my brother about the fact that I suck your cock?”
“Oh hell no,” he groaned as she practically swallowed him. “I’m…fuck…going to…Jesus, baby…tell him…we’re…oh god…dating.”