Whispers on the Ice (14 page)

Aleksei looked at her in amazement, astonished at her insight. “Obviously, your bio is wrong. How old are you?”

“Old enough to know better than to even think about doing some of the things you’ve done, let alone attempt them, but old enough to appreciate the thrills you’ve given those who needed a little
umph
in their lives. You’ve given a lot of different things to a lot of different people, good and bad alike, and I can’t say I agree with all you’ve done. But you’ve changed, in ways the world is only starting to find out and I think you have every right to be very proud of this new chapter in your life,” she ended softly, her cheeks blushing at Aleksei’s warm, astonished, dawning gaze.

If someone had told him two years ago he’d be madly in love with this slip of a girl who had verbally, and physically, knocked him to his knees, he would have said they’d smoked a bad batch of weed. Instead, here she was, sprawled comfortably between his legs, her soft, full breasts resting warmly against his chest while her fingers absently played with the dark curls, her eyes melting into his, her lips only a small breath away. The sudden belief that he could be everything she said left him stunned. The fact she wanted to be a part of it left him feeling complete, as if he’d found the part he’d been missing and searching for all his life, filling him with a joy he’d never known.

“Marry me, Jordan,” he asked softly, his voice low and filled with emotion.

Jordan’s eyes widened, the dark green orbs fringed by lush, black lashes filling with tears. “What did you say?” she managed to gasp.

“You heard me.”

“Say it again, please,” she whispered.

Aleksei released his arms where they looped comfortably around her back and brought his hands up to cup her face, his thumbs gently rubbing away the tears slipping from her beautiful eyes. His dark eyes delved deeply into hers, his reflection clear despite the tears. He could feel her shallow breathing where their chests met, almost see her breath through her slightly parted lips. “Jordan, I love you with all that I am and all that you believe I can be. Marry me, please,” he whispered deeply, dipping his head to lightly kiss her lips.

Jordan could only stare, unblinking, as tears slipped from her eyes, her voice lost, her orderly thoughts scattered to the winds at Aleksei’s softly voiced request. His soft, searching kiss didn’t help her sort through the swirling visions that danced through her brain and restore her to some semblance of balance. Never, in all her wildest daydreams, had Aleksei even hinted at something so permanent as his sweetly voiced request. Yet, deep in her heart, she knew this was the moment her life had been building toward. All her medals, and awards and trophies were simply stepping stones toward her final pinnacle: Aleksei.

“Yes!” she whispered softly, the soft stroke of her heated word touching Aleksei’s lips at the same time he heard her quiet answer.

“Thank you,” he gasped, his deep voice breaking with emotion as he held her tightly against him, spreading soft kisses over her face and finally, kissing her parted mouth voraciously, losing himself in the passion that flared between them.

* * * * *

The fire crackled noisily. It’s flames cast shadows throughout the room, failing to reach the far corners and leaving areas of darkness.

Shadows that gently caressed the couple lost to passion before the roaring blaze, celebrating their love and commitment to one another. Celebrating their happiness for the moment and their hopes, and dreams, and wishes for the future. A time when the world was theirs for the asking. A time when the world looked forward to a future filled with the beauty and perfection of Jamison and Rocmanov. When ‘Fire and Ice’ did lead to all things beautiful, and anything was possible.

CHAPTER 10  

The soft crackling sounds of the remaining bits of wood being consumed by the coals in the huge fireplace awoke Aleksei. The subtle glow from the embers failed to reach into the blackness of the room; allowing it’s glow to reach only as far as the couple laying on scattered pillows on the floor before the hearth, a fleecy throw covering them. Aleksei awoke to find himself wrapped around the warm, soft, body of Jordan as she lay sleeping cushioned against his chest, lying on his side, her hips pressed provocatively against his groin. One arm encircled her ribcage, the warm weight of her breasts resting against his forearm; his other arm lay straight, cushioning his head, his palm facing the ceiling. Jordan’s head lay tucked securely beneath his chin, silken strands of her coppery hair teasing his neck and cheeks where they tangled in his beard. Her soft scent surrounded her, making him breath deeply in appreciation, then groan as needles of pain stabbed their way up the sleep-numbed nerves in his arm.

“What’s wrong?” Jordan whispered sleepily, caressing the arm that encircled her ribs and wiggling closer to Aleksei’s warm, muscular torso, a soft smile crossing her lips when she felt his immediate physical response at her gentle push against his hips.

“I’m too old for this,” he groaned, flexing his fingers and swearing at the intense spasm of pain as the nerves began to awake.

“To old for what?” she asked quietly, her voice deep and sultry, still half-asleep, her eyes closed, rubbing one smooth leg against his own hair-roughened calf.

“Oh, God, Jordan…don’t move,” he implored, his voice deep and husky, trying to ignore the desires her innocently seductive movements caused.

“I’m not,” she whispered, her warm breath stirring the hair on his arm that rested beneath her breasts.

“You are, you just don’t realize it,” he growled, swearing forcefully when he bent his numb arm, the sharp needles becoming flaming knives. “Shit!” he complained, releasing his hold on Jordan and rolling onto his back, his good arm forcefully rubbing his nerves back to life, his blood surging forward through his veins, it’s path literally traceable.

Jordan rolled onto her stomach. Pushing her tangled curls out of her face, she rested one cheek on her crossed arms, her eyes watching his barely visible image. In the meager light, the soft, roundness of her bottom was silhouetted; the swelling curve of her breasts as they melted against the pillows merely hints of shadow, yet Aleksei’s gaze devoured the sight of her.

“Is this how your mornings usually start?” Jordan inquired curiously, enjoying the way the shadows played across the muscles on his broad, curl-matted chest and bulging arms as he continued to massage his slowly awakening limb.

“Are you referring to waking up wrapped around a beautiful woman or my arm being asleep?” he teased, flexing his fingers, then his elbow and finally rolling his shoulder.

“Either,” she quipped nonchalantly.

Aleksei had the disadvantage, with her back to the low burning embers; her face was in the shadows, her eyes unreadable. “I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I woke up with my arm asleep, but I would rather not enjoy the experience again anytime soon.”

Several seconds passed before her second question was whispered, “And the other?”

Aleksei ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. “Shortly before I fell off the mountain and broke my leg,” he answered honestly.

“That was three years ago.” Jordan stated disbelief clear in her tone.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” he replied cynically, shaking his head in astonishment at his suddenly realized self-imposed period of celibacy. “Who would believe I could have gone that long without getting laid?”

“Well, apparently, your record continues because you didn’t get
laid
last night, as far as I’m concerned!” she stated arrogantly.

Aleksei rolled from his back to side, his movement bringing him beside Jordan, where he could run one hand from the curve of her shoulder, down the slim line of her back and over her round bottom; smiling in pleasure at the warmth and softness of her skin. “Oh? How, then, did we spend the better part of last night?” he asked softly, his warm breath grazing her face as he watched the coppery tresses of her hair slip through his fingers like molten metal when he sank his hand into her hair, his mouth moving toward hers.

Jordan’s mind swirled madly as Aleksei’s touch in her hair sent jolts of electricity throughout her body, making her body swell and lean toward his ever-growing, powerful magnetism. Like a moth drawn to the flame, without thought or will, she melted into him, her breasts flattening against his muscular chest, one hand coming up to cup his cheek. “Making love,” she whispered into his mouth, just before their lips met, softly at first, then ravenous, delving into the heated cores of their passion. Desire flared anew, driving all but the need to be one from their minds, pushing them ever closer to paradise.

Aleksei nudged Jordan onto her back, grasping her hands and stretching them over her head; lacing his fingers through hers. In the failing light, he smiled into her dark, glazed eyes, certain her expression was a mirror of his own. “You’re right, brat. For a kid, you’re awfully smart,” he stated, his voice deep and husky, his eyes running appreciatively down; then up, her curvaceous form lying beside him. “But right now, you don’t look much like a child,” Her beautiful body looked like finely carved marble in the pale light, shadows hinting of shapely hills and valleys, secrets waiting to be sought.

“I’m not terribly interested in how smart I am at the moment. I’m much more interested in the lessons I can learn from you. Show me, Aleksei. I want to learn everything that pleases you,” Jordan pleaded softly, the sultriness in her tone belying her innocence. “Make love to me again.”

“You won’t be able to walk later, if I do,” Aleksei scolded lightly, trying to control his body that even now pushed temptingly against Jordan.

“We can skate anytime,” Jordan pouted, “I want to make love now.”

“We make love again now, you won’t be skating anytime soon,” he reiterated, his chivalrous intentions melting away despite his good intentions.

“I don’t care,” Jordan insisted, trying to slip her fingers from Aleksei’s seductive hold and failing. Trying another plan of attack, she sensuously ran her slim, smooth leg over the back of Aleksei’s large, muscular limb, her breasts pressing temptingly against Aleksei’s chest when currents of electricity jolted from their entwined legs, up her body and into the sensitive centers of her swollen breasts.

“Jordan…” The warning was seductive, his tone deep, erotic and full of unspoken wickedness. His dark eyes gleamed brightly, lit from within with fire and swelling desire, matching the swell of desire that pulsed persuasively against her thigh. “You’re insatiable, brat.”

“It’s your own fault.”

“How so?”

“You made the mistake of showing me Chateaubriand and now suggest I go back to the salad bar. I’ve got news for you, mister. It ain’t gonna happen. Now stop stalling and make love to me the way I know you’re dying to!” she demanded, pushing her hips against his turgid length, a womanly smile lighting her eyes upon hearing his harshly inhaled breath.

“You’re a witch, Jordan Jamison and you know what happens to witches?” he growled, shifting his weight as he moved his body over hers, his hands releasing hers as he braced the heavy weight of his upper body on his elbows. Their chests met, rock solid muscle and flushed, softness melting to become one. Settling himself between her thighs, the heat of their passions surged ever upward, sweeping them away on rapturous waves that left them breathless.

“They were burned at the stake and sent to hell,” she finally mumbled, gasping as his heat scorched her, restlessly moving against him and whimpering for appeasement.

Aleksei’s passion was volatile, walking a fine line between the sublime and utter pain. Jordan’s grasping, clinging hands only added to his headlong rush into oblivion, threatening to tear the flesh from his body even as they promised the paradise to be found in hers. Somewhere, deep inside, he found the power to cease his body’s urgent call for completion and halt his motion against Jordan’s warmth. His breathing harsh and labored, he softly called her name three times before his low voice penetrated her mist-swirled mind, her glazed, dark green eyes finally opening and meeting Aleksei’s intense gaze.

“There’ll be no hell for you, Jordan, only heaven. But, mark my words, before we’re through, you may not know the difference between the two!” he stated determinedly, his voice dark and dangerously seductive.

Jordan lay mesmerized, both by his words and hypnotizing gaze. As if from afar, she watched his face come rushing toward her, crushing her soft lips as he plundered her mouth, his tongue hot and demanding passage into her warmth. At the same time he ravaged her mouth, he entered the heat and tightness of her body, his strength and fervor pushing her faster and higher than ever before. The wildness of his possession pushed her into oblivion almost immediately, her body shaking uncontrollably as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over her, leaving her utterly limp, her cry of pleasure captured by her lover’s mouth.

Aleksei’s body followed her lead, pulsing hotly, powerfully, his strength flowing into her welcoming body. A deep growl escaped his chest as his climax crashed over him, drowning him with pleasure and stealing away the last of his strength. Breathlessly, he rolled to his side, concern his heavy weight would crush her making him leave her warmth. Still, he reached for her hand, weaving their fingers together and keeping them bound as one. The two lay silent, chests heaving as they struggled to breathe, their skin glistening damply in the semi-darkness of the room.

“Aleksei?” Jordan whispered, somehow finding the strength to turn her head toward him, smiling sleepily into his eyes.

“Yes, my love,” he answered returning her smile.

“If that’s what heaven and hell are both like, I’m not afraid to die,” she murmured, squeezing his hand gently, her eyes drifting closed, her breathing settling into the slow, steady rhythm of slumber.

“Me either,” he murmured in agreement, his eyes lovingly tracing the soft lines of her flushed, beautiful face before he slid headlong into his own exhausted sleep.

The sun rose only moments later, casting the entwined lovers in the pale pink light of dawn, the last embers flickering, then fading to blackness in the great fireplace.