So I was totally unprepared for the attack that came when I stepped through Kon's door. Not just unprepared, but also uninterested.
Konstantin grabbed me and used my body to slam the door shut. Then his mouth was on mine and his hands roaming. I floundered under the lash of his tongue and hung like a pinned butterfly between him and the door.
I tore my mouth from his to say, “Stop!”
Konstantin froze, then slowly eased away from me as I slid down the door.
“Sweet Goddess.” I rubbed at my head as I stumbled away from him. “What iswrongwith you?”
“I've been thinking about you all night.” Konstantin followed me to the settee. “Worried about you. Wanting you. I'm sorry if I was too aggressive. I . . . did I hurt you?”
“No, you didn't hurt me, but I had a long night, Kon. The last thing I need is to be pounced on.”
He growled.
I looked up at him. He was still standing, though his proximity made it looming.
“Please, sit down.”
He sat beside me, his twitching face trying to settle itself.
“Look, Niko has been acting strangely. He said a lot of things yesterday that—”
“Please, tell me that you haven't fallen back in love with him,” Konstantin cut me off. “You know he's toying with you, don't you?”
“Yes, Konstantin,” I said wearily. “I know him far better than you. I can recognize his manipulations without your assistance.”
“Oh.” He slumped. “Sorry. Go on.”
“It leaves me wondering why. Niko always has a reason.”
“And what have you come up with?”
“He's eager to learn what we've discovered, but I'm not sure about his motivations anymore. Why is he so concerned about what we'll discover that he's willing to go to these extremes? Ugh!” I bent forward and laid my face in my hands. “I'm too tired to think!”
“Kept you up late, did he?”
In response, I shifted to lay in his lap.
It seemed to be the correct reaction. Konstantin instantly softened, one hand going to my waist while the other stroked my hair, pulling it back from my face before he bent to kiss my cheek.
“You've got me all wound up, chasing my tail, swanling,” he whispered. “I'm sorry for my insensitivity. I've just never felt this way.”
I took his hand from my waist and cuddled it to my chest. “And I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday. You're right. I didn't want to admit it, but you're right. He took advantage of me. I suspect he knows it as well, but Niko's good at ignoring everything he doesn't like, including emotions. He doesn't let anything stop him from getting and enjoying what he wants.”
“What doyouwant, Misha?”
“What you're really asking is if I still want you.”
“That too.”
“Yes.” I rolled onto my back to look up at him. “I still want you. I'm just too tired to be mauled by a tiger.”
Konstantin chuckled. “All right, baby. Oh, sorry. I forgot you don't want to be called that.”
“It's all right. It just felt a bit patronizing at the time.” I turned my face to kiss his palm. “Now it doesn't bother me.”
Kon drew that hand up to trace the line of my jaw. “I have to get you out of here before I go insane.”
