She knew she looked good, but he was overstating things.She nudged him with her elbow, a part of her secretly thrilled at the easy contact.“Flatterer.”
“Truth speaker.”He turned and took her hands, shifting her to face him fully.Dmitri lifted her hands up and out, leaving her on display for him.“Where in all that’s holy did you find this dress?I’m not sure if I should gift a fortune to the designer—or kill them.”
Dmitri tried to dial back his words, but the sight of Keira robbed him of his calm and icy demeanor.She smiled at him with fuck-me-red lips, her makeup doing something to create the illusion that her hazel eyes were even largerthan normal, and her hair had an artful tumble to it that brought to mind fucking.
Or perhaps the dress was to blame.
If her wardrobe at the last dinner had been a taunt, this one was a tease—an invitation.The ropes of silver rhine-stones circled her neck and shoulders before turning into a netted pattern that clung to her breasts and hugged her ribs, narrowing down to the V of her legs.A second set of roping rhinestones circled her hips.On its own, the pattern would have been captivating, but combined with the sheer nude fabric beneath it, Keira’s body was on full display.
For him.
He let go of one of her hands and traced his thumb along the top string circling her hip.The fabric might as well not have been there.As he watched, her dusky nipples pebbled and her lips parted.“Tell me something.”
“Sure.”Her voice was breathy and more than a little needy.
“How many of these dresses do you have tucked away?A man can only survive so many heart attacks.”When he’d walked in and saw the line of her body covered with shimmering stones beneath the low light, he’d almost gone to his knees right then and there.He craved the taste of her, craved the feeling of her body beneath his hands, craved the way he was totally and completely present whenever they were together physically.
The outside world ceased to exist.
He couldn’t live like that indefinitely, but the little pockets of time they carved out could be invaluable—if they found a good balance between them.
Keira winked at him, looking downright playful.“I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
“If you’d worn this…” He squeezed her hips and then ran his hands up her sides to cup her breasts.Dmitri cursed.“Moya koroleva, if you’d worn this to the dinner with my cousin, I would have—”
“Don’t you dare say you’d kill Ivan.”Her smile dropped away.“I like him, and no one needs that toxic masculinity bullshit.”
She was so fucking prickly.He shouldn’t like it nearly as much as he did.Dmitri circled her nipples with his thumbs.“He is my cousin, Keira.He’s just as much a monster as I am, but that changes nothing.There had to be loyalty to one degree or another.I wouldn’t hurt him because you pulled a stunt like this.”He pinched her nipples, earning a sweet gasp from her lips.“What Iwouldhave done was drag your disobedient ass into the hallway and fuck you against the door.”
Her jaw dropped.“You wouldn’t.”
“I would have.”He released her breasts and stroked up her arms and over her shoulders to cup her neck between his big hands.She didn’t flinch, didn’t look the least bit worried by the position, and he loved her a little bit right then for it.“Each thrust would have rattled that door, each cry from your mouth would have echoed through the room.Ivan would have knownexactlywhat I was doing to you.”
Keira lifted her chin, pushing her throat more firmly against his palms.“Maybe Ishouldhave worn this then.”
“Nyet.” He gave a sharp shake of his head and leaned down.“I like having this view all to myself.I fully intend to savor it through our meal and then have you for dessert.”
“Dmitri.”She placed her hand on his chest, directly over his heart.“I want your cock tonight.I want you everyway you’ll give it to me.No freaking out.No bullshit.Just you and me.”
“In every way I’ll give it to you,” Dmitri repeated.His body went hot at the possibilities she laid before him.Last night was hotter than it had any right to be considering they hadn’t finished what they started.To have Keira with no holds barred for the entirety of the night…For the entirety of our lives.
He rocked back on his heels.“Let’s eat.And then I’ll feast.”
She licked her lips.“It’s a deal, then.”
Dmitri followed her to the table, hanging back a few steps to enjoy the way her ass looked beneath the dress.She was still too skinny for her frame, so as soon as she removed the coverings from the food, he motioned to one of the chairs.“Sit.I’ll serve.”
“The gentleman-murderer Dmitri Romanov, serving me dinner?Lucky me.”She grinned and put an extra bit of sway into her step as she moved past him to the chair he’d indicated.
Keira was stunning in nearly every situation, but a playful Keira was something to behold.He hesitated to say anything that could potentially damage her mood and went to work loading up two plates.It was only when he got to the roasted spaghetti that he stopped short.“This is from Blackbird.”
“It is.”
She sounded so pleased with herself, he had to smile in response.“I wasn’t aware they allowed carryout.”
“They don’t.”Her grin widened and she leaned forward and lowered her voice.“But I’ll tell you a secret—all I had to do was drop your name and they bent over backward to give me whatever I asked for.”
“Ah.”
