A Very Russian Christmas (16 page)

“Your love is the best gift, the
only
gift, I want.” He meant it, and she read the sincerity in his face. “Now,” he carefully turned her back around, “before you start tearing into the boxes, there’s a rule for tonight.”

“Oh?”

“Every time you open a gift, you have to take off a piece of clothing.” He slid his hands down her arms. “And, yes, the jewelry you’re wearing tonight counts as clothing.”

“I see.”

“I’m sure you do.” He gave her bottom a playful pat. “Go on. Start stripping.”

She whirled around and shot him an excited smile before inspecting the gifts. He shucked his tuxedo jacket, kicked off his shoes and removed his cuff links and tie. Flicking through some of the buttons on his shirt, he made his way to the refreshments and opened the champagne. He poured the fizzy liquid into two flutes and handed one to her, then settled onto the wide couch to watch her.

She offered a flirty smile before removing one earring and opening a small box that contained a gold and brilliant green enamel bracelet. Her jaw dropped as she inspected the gorgeous piece. He had an idea that she knew how much a bracelet from that particular designer’s line cost, and he waited to hear her protestations. When they didn’t come, he was honestly taken aback. She simply smiled at him and slid the bracelet onto her wrist.

Thrilled that she was allowing him to shower her with gifts without complaint, Yuri sipped his champagne. It seemed Lena had finally accepted that he would spend outrageous amounts on her for no other than reason than it pleased him to see her smile. That was all he wanted—to see her smile.

She had been so badly hurt by the mother that had abandoned her. An orphan himself, he understood that empty ache better than anyone else and wanted to help assuage that pain within her. He had given her his heart and showed her how much he loved her and how worthy she was of that love every day. Spoiling her with material things was simply another way to drive home the point that she was someone extraordinary.

Soon Lena had lost both shoes, all of her jewelry and pantyhose. Clad in just a tiny, shiny thong and matching bra, she looked fucking fantastic. Ever the seductress, she didn’t disappoint him as she unhooked and slowly removed her bra. He eyed those luscious breasts of hers, the dark nipples forming points that made his mouth water. He couldn’t wait to flick his tongue around her velvety skin and make her purr.

“There are so many gifts left, and I’m nearly out of clothes,” she said as she picked through the piles. “Which two do you want me to open tonight?”

“That blue box and the small red one over there,” he pointed them out to her. “Bring them over here.” He patted his lap. “Santa wants you to sit on his lap.”

“Something tells me that Santa wants me to do a little more than just sit on his lap.”

She gathered the two gifts and brought them to the couch. Before she sat down, he grasped the thin side straps on the thong. Grinning wolfishly up at her, he offered, “Let me help you with this.”

He pressed his lips to her belly and placed noisy kisses on each thigh as he dragged the scrap of underwear down her legs. He hauled her down on his lap and settled her into place. “Now, open the blue one first.”

She did as instructed and discovered the car brochure inside. Gawking at it, she issued a strange noise. “You bought me a car?”

“No, I’m taking you to pick one out when we get back to Houston. A friend of Nikolai’s owns several dealerships. We’ll visit him and you can test drive anything you want on his lots.”

“But my car runs just fine.”

“Runs fine? Kitten, the check engine light has been blinking for weeks. If it has a thousand miles left in it, I would be stunned.” He set aside the brochure and grazed his fingertips up and down her thigh. “You need a new vehicle, especially if you’re going to be meeting clients. You and I both know that what you drive has no bearing on your ability to serve your clients, but appearances are everything in this business.”

“I can buy my own car, Yuri.”

“I know you can, but I want to do this for you.” He traced her lower lip. “If you’ll let me,” he added hopefully.

“I’ll let you go shopping with me.”

He sensed there was no way to win this one. While she was getting better at accepting his generosity, it was clear that she was overwhelmed tonight. “Why don’t we agree to discuss this when we get back to Houston? We’ll figure out a compromise.”

“All right. I can live with that.”

“Good.” He kissed her shoulder. “Open the red one now.”

Nervous about her reaction, he slid his arms around her waist and waited anxiously. She untied the silver ribbon and lifted the lid on the box. A quick intake of breath accompanied her discovery of the ring. When she cast panicked eyes on him, he hurriedly sought to explain what it was.

“It’s not an engagement ring, Lena. I would elope with you tomorrow morning if I thought you were ready, but I know that you need some time.”

Lena’s worried expression morphed to one of sheer joy. She examined the ring and ran her fingertip over it. “It’s so beautiful Yuri.”

“I designed it.” He reached for the box and pried loose the ring. A channel of pink diamonds set in rose gold was hugged by two lines of bright white diamonds set in platinum. Reverently, he slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her right hand. “I wanted you to have something that you wear every day that lets everyone else know that you belong to me.”

She admired the ring on her finger. “What about you?”

“Kitten, I’ll wear anything you give me.”

“Anything?”

He considered how mischievous she could be. “Well…within reason.”

She wound her arms around his neck and lowered her mouth to his in a tender kiss. “I love you so much, Yuri.”

The unopened gifts and the champagne were quickly forgotten as they sought to ease the wild hunger that gripped them. As he sifted his fingers through her hair and plundered her mouth, Lena jerked on the buttons of his shirt and pushed the fabric away from his chest. Her mouth dropped to his nipple. She grazed her teeth across the sensitive nub, making him hiss and buck his hips. She sucked hard, laving her tongue over the stinging spot and making him forget all about that brief discomfort.

His throbbing cock tented the front of his tuxedo trousers. Kissing and nibbling his chest and neck, Lena shifted her position until she straddled his lap. She rocked her bare pussy against the length of his trapped shaft, teasing him with the promise of what was soon to come.

Cupping her bottom with one hand, he slid the other between her thighs and discovered the slick nectar dripping from her core. He craved the taste of her as he penetrated her with one finger and then another, working them into her tight passage while his tongue mimicked his movements, stabbing into her mouth and making her moan.

Unable to deny himself a taste of that pussy he loved so much, he flipped their positions on the couch and dragged her right down to the edge of the cushion. He shoved her thighs open and gazed at her pink, dewy center of her. Lowering his head, he swiped her slit with his pointed tongue, delighting in the cry of pleasure that erupted from her throat. He took his time savoring her cunt, using long, languorous licks to arouse and excite her even more.

Only when she was gripping the cushion did he finally give her exactly what she wanted. He sucked that juicy little berry of a clit between his lips and lavished it with plenty of oral attention. Head thrown back, Lena moaned his name again and again. His dick was so stiff now it hurt so he reached down to free it from this pants. His comfort seen to, he returned all his focus to the woman he loved and that wet, delicious pussy of hers.

“Yuri.
Oh.
Yuri.
Please.
”

He groaned against her tender flesh and found a rhythm that was sure to send her flying over the edge. Circling her clitoris, he flicked and fluttered his tongue over it until her toes were curling against his ribs. Her breaths deepened and grew shuddery. Only a little longer now…

“
Yuri!
”

Smiling against her pussy, he forced her thighs even wider apart, splaying her open to him with his elbows and shoulders. He went wild on that tiny bundle of nerves. Tonight, one orgasm wasn’t enough. He wanted to her to come and come until she was reduced to a panting, trembling and thoroughly satisfied woman.

“
Yuri!
Oh, God. No more.
No.
More.
I can’t.”

She could. She
would
.

But he took mercy on her, letting her regain her breath as he kissed and caressed her breasts. Her short nails scratched along his scalp, making him shiver in her arms. When their gazes finally met, her eyes still glinted with such arousal and need. Gathering her close, he pulled her down onto the plush bedding that had been arranged and removed the last of his clothes.

Skin to skin, he kissed Lena and glided his hands over her body in a worshipful way. When she pressed on his chest, he understood what she wanted and fell onto his back. He thrust against the warm hand that fondled the length of his shaft. “Let me inside you, Lena.”

Grasping the base of his erection, she guided him between the soaking, silky folds of her pussy and pressed him against her entrance. She started to put her hand on his shoulder but remembered his injury and placed it on the pallet instead. Holding his gaze, Lena slowly pushed down on his cock, taking him deep inside the heavenly heat of her.

Exhaling a pent-up breath, Yuri clasped her waist and rocked up into her. They both moaned. Enveloped by the scorching slickness of her pussy, he held her smoky gaze and smiled up at her. She looked so devastatingly beautiful with the firelight dancing across her brown skin. He palmed her breast and brushed his thumb across her nipple as she swayed back and forth.

Gazing up at the gorgeous Latina goddess who had chosen him as the keeper of her heart, Yuri understood how incredibly lucky he had been in life. Every decision he had made, some good and others terrible mistakes, had brought him to this woman, to the love of his life.

Although this Christmas was sweeter than any other in his life, he fully intended to make next year’s even better. Filled with hope for the coming year, Yuri thrust up into Lena and tugged her down for a long, heated kiss. By next December, he planned to have his wedding ring on Lena’s finger and his child growing in her belly.

A man who thrived on accomplishing his goals, he decided now was a perfect time to practice…

You can read Yuri and Lena’s tale in YURI (Her Russian Protector #3) available now in digital and print. The audiobook will be available in early 2014.

Five Golden Rings

IVAN

With Christmas music playing softly in the background, Ivan Markovic sipped some of the sweet and slightly spicy Mexican hot chocolate that Erin loved so much. The woman he intended to claim forever as his own sat cross-legged between his perch on the leather sofa and the Christmas tree she had festively decorated the day after Thanksgiving. His back still twinged from hauling the huge thing inside the house and moving it a dozen different times until it was situated
just
right in front of that window.

The constant adjustments and the four different tree toppers she had insisted he climb the ladder over and over to exchange had frustrated him at the time, but he had experienced only joy when she had wrapped her arms around his waist and grinned up at him. “Our first Christmas tree!” she had said so excitedly.

The words she had used had filled him with the most incredibly sense of peace and hope. Yes, their first but far from the last. This morning, he would make sure that they would spend every Christmas for the rest of their lives together.

“Are you ready for another gift?” She took a bite of one of the fluffy, mint-flavored marshmallows from Benny’s bakery.

“Yes.” He smiled when she clamped the marshmallow between her teeth and moved onto her hands and knees to gather more gifts from under the tree. The red and white striped nightgown she wore rode up on her bottom and gave him a tantalizing flash of thigh. Since Erin had moved in with him earlier in the summer, he had kept to the routine of waking her up every morning with a fantastic romp. This morning, however, she had scampered out of bed before he could snatch her close and slide between her thighs.

“This one is from me.” She presented him with a wide, heavy box.

“Another one from you? Erin, how many gifts did you buy me?”

“This is the last one.” She glanced at her own pile from him. “Like you should be talking! Look at all this! I’ll be opening gifts until Valentine’s Day.”

He eyed the stack surrounding her. “I might have gone a little overboard, but it is our first Christmas together. It should be special.”

She smiled at him and finished eating her marshmallow before opening another gift. He lifted the lid on the box she had given him and found a photo album beneath the tissue paper. While he took another drink of the addictively delicious hot chocolate, he curiously flipped the cover of the album, turned the first two blank pages—and promptly choked on the hot, sweet liquid in his mouth.