“Amazing. I’m thoroughly fucked.” I grinned.
He chuckled.
“I didn’t go too hard?”
“No. I loved it. Surely you could tell?”
“I had a sneaky suspicion, yes.” He caressed my temples and stroked my hair, then kissed me again, so soft it was almost like another man entirely from the one who had so thoroughly ravished me. “Give me half an hour and I’ll do it again.”
“Oh will you?” I smirked again and ran my hands slowly up and down his muscled back.
“I will. I told you I could handle you, and I mean to keep demonstrating it.”
I let out a hearty laugh and he matched it, his whole face relaxing fully.
“I like this look on you,” I said, stroking his face. “Relaxed, happy.”
“It’s just for you.” He pulled out of me and flopped onto his back beside me.
I rolled onto my side and propped my head up on my hand.
“Well, that makes me feel special.”
“Good. You are.” He turned his head, not laughing now. “You’re incredibly special to me, Elena.”
My smile faltered at that. Heat bloomed in my chest that had nothing to do with the sex.
“You’re special to me too.” I reached out and placed a hand on the centre of his chest.
He pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me and tucking my head under his chin. We laid like that for ages. Just the distant sounds of London far below and our own softbreathing. There was more that I wanted to say, but I wasn’t sure he was ready for it. He said he could handle me, and physically that was one hundred percent true, but could he take the emotions that came with me?
It was midday before we knew it and I headed to the bathroom to clean up. When I emerged, still naked, I found Aleks in my kitchen in just his boxers, cleaning out my fridge. I caught him gingerly removing a six-week-old take out container that had grown a fur coat.
“You should really do this more often,” he said, gently chiding.
“Ha ha,” I replied, crossing my arms and leaning against the door frame. “I didn’t expect to be away so long.”
“Sure. That’s your excuse and you’re sticking to it.” He looked at me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His gaze raked up and down my body, shamelessly admiring the view.
“Am I distracting you?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
“Just a touch, yes. Why don’t you go and get dressed and I’ll take you out for lunch.”
“Really? And risk being recognised? Is that a good idea?”
He paused, canting his head.
“I don’t care. I’m hungry. And you have nothing edible.”
“Not true.” I brushed past him in the narrow kitchen and opened the freezer. The blast of icy air was a bit much for my naked body and I did a poor job of disguising my shiver. I opened the top drawer and pulled out a box of frozen potato waffles. “I have these. And I’d bet my next payday there’s a tin of beans in the cupboard behind you.”
Aleks blinked at me for a moment before realising I was serious.
“Very well. Get dressed. I’ll cook. But I am taking you out soon. I’m done sneaking around.”
I brushed past him again, deliberately taunting him with my naked flesh and grinning up at him.
“That sounds good to me.” I left the room, knowing he was watching me go. My smile faded, however. It wasn’t that simple. We were wrapped up in this bubble, which was bliss, but the constant notifications popping up on his phone that he was ignoring and I was pretending not to notice, were a steady reminder that our relationship was fraught with complications. We wouldn’t be able to hide from them forever.
