Page 27

“Honestly? I’ve got no idea,” I say with a smile.

“I don’t find this funny, Alma. I’m not the kind of person who shares. Well, not when it comes to you.”

“That’s good, because I’m a one-man kind of woman, and for now, I belong to no one.”

“I think I’d better go.”

“Trust me, Vadim!”

“I trusted you twelve years ago, and I paid a very high price for it.”

“How many times are you going to throw that back in my face? I don’t give a damn about these flowers. I don’t give a damn who sent them to me!” I yell, tossing them to the floor. “You’re the one I want.”

I never thought I’d admit that to him like this, but it’s as if I’m possessed. Everything pulls me back to him—the gray eyes that I could drown in; his intoxicating scent; his body, which draws me in like a magnet. His presence alone is tearing down every wall I’ve built. Feeling like this terrifies me. I could be heading straight for disaster, but I can’t stop myself.

So, I move toward him again. I let my robe slip to the floor and tug his sweater up, pulling it over his head. He seems surprised by my confidence, my determination.

“You and me, here and now, Vadim. Let’s think only about this moment, and forget everything else—the past, the future, our jobs, the consequences this could have on our lives…”

I barely have time to finish my sentence before he grabs me, lifts me by the thighs, and sits me back on the large table. His breathing grows heavier, his chest rises and falls even faster, and his eyes darken. He leans in as if he’s going to kiss me, then pulls away, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips. He seems determined to make me wait. Without taking his eyes off me, he removes his shoes, then stands there barefoot. He unbuttons his jeans, slides them off, does the same with his boxer briefs, then steps back between my thighs.

This position brings back so many memories. Remembering us like this shakes me to the core.

He lets his hands glide down my legs, then back up to my hips. He leans over me and kisses my stomach, my breasts, and my neck. With his forearms resting on my shoulders, he stares at me for a few seconds, then slips his tongue into my mouth and kisses me in a way that’s so sexy it leaves me dizzy. I moan with pleasure, only stopping when his deep voice interrupts me.

“Do you have a condom somewhere?”

“Umm… Yes! Clem gave me a box of them!”

After a quick trip to the bathroom, I’m back with Vadim. The sight of his gorgeous, naked body in the middle of my living room is almost surreal. I stop for a second just to admire him. His expression is tender, almost shy. I run a hand through his loose curls, savoring this moment in all its perfect intimacy. Tenderly, I press my warm lips against his, then take his hand and guide him to my couch. He follows me without a word.

After gently laying me down on the soft sofa cushions, he settles beside me. Our hands search for each other, our eyes meet, our smiles mirror each other, our lips come together, our tongues intertwine, our breaths mingle, and our desire ignites once again. Vadim grasps my breasts, leans down, and takes one of my nipples into his mouth. I slide my fingers over his hard length, hearing him groan between kisses. His hand caresses me in turn. Then, he slips a finger inside me before returning to linger on my clitoris. The pleasure is so intense—it’s as if he hasn’t forgotten a single thing he learned about my body back then.

“You’re so beautiful, Alma. If only you could see yourself the way I do,” he whispers in my ear.

“Vadim… Don’t stop…”

“I love seeing you lose control like this.”

Those words make my head spin. I place my hand over his as it moves against me, and his movements quicken. I hear myself cry out a little louder, then I bite into his shoulder when the orgasm washes over me. It happened so fast. He knows me so well. My whole body trembles against his palm, and I find myself wishing this state of complete bliss would last forever.

I kiss him again, bite his lip, and feel him smile against my mouth. I run my fingers through his hair and tug lightly, trying to punish him for his cheekiness. But he only wants more. And I’m caught up in my own game. There’s only one thing I want now: to take him inside me. To feel his strength, his passion, his raw intensity take hold of me and sweep me away. I roll onto him and position myself over his body. Our eyes lock. His are intense, bright, and full of promises. I pick up the condom from the floor, tear open the wrapper, and hand it to him.

“I want to feel you… feel you until I can’t think anymore.”

Vadim doesn’t hesitate. The gray in his eyes darkens, and he flips me over on the couch, lifts my thigh against his hip and buries himself inside me. It feels so good, it takes my breath away. I arch my back, urging him to do it again. He slides into me slowly, never taking his eyes off mine. Then, his pace quickens, following the rhythm of my sighs and his groans of pleasure.

This elation, this feeling of being in the right place, at the right time, with exactly the right person—I haven’t felt this way in such a long time. It intoxicates me. I finally feel like myself, like my real self. My body savors this sensual bliss, and my cries echo through my living room, which is usually so peaceful, so quiet. We are alone in the world: him buried in my neck, gripping my hips; me clinging to his shoulders, trembling all over, holding my breath, afraid that it will all end.

Vadim suddenly straightens up, finds my gaze, and holds it. His handsome face is filled with longing, his chest swells, and he murmurs my name, breathless. I feel my mind leaving my body until nothing remains but pleasure. His thrusts send me soaring. I’m no longer in control of anything; I’m about to implode. He waits, his eyes locked on mine as he moves deep inside me. An overwhelming climax sweeps me away, soon followed by his. I had forgotten the strength and power of our chemistry. I had forgotten what a wonderful, attentive, sensual, and deeply affecting lover he was.

In this moment, it all comes flooding back, and everything makes sense again. Him and me—we never should have ended. Still breathless, we kiss again, but this time with infinite tenderness. Vadim King may have changed his name, but he is still the same person. He isn’t the cold, disdainful man he has made himself out to be since coming back into my life. He still has that passion, that sensitivity, that vitality.

I come back to myself as I lay curled against him, my burning skin pressed against his, and I know I have the answers I was waiting for. No matter what happens next, this extraordinary reunion will remain etched in my memory. We’re not strangers. Vadim and I are connected, destined to find each other and find our way back to each other.

After one last kiss, he finally gets up, then walks unhurriedly through my living room to his pile of clothes, and starts getting dressed.

“After that, how do you expect me to get by without you?” he mutters.