dark eyes. She hurried on, “I know that when I left you were pretty upset, and at the time, I didn’t actually realize why. After speaking with Antonia last night, she made me see why I had acted the way I did and she suggested I try to explain myself.”
When Dmitry nodded, Julia went on to explain about her lack luster forays into physical relations with a college boyfriend and that she had become very leery of taking that step again. She had a hard time looking into Dmitry’s face, but as she finished, she looked up to see compassion and caring on his face.
“Why did you not tell me this then?” he asked.
“Because I guess I didn’t even realize that’s what I was doing. The chemistry I felt with you was so much more than I’d ever felt before, it scared me.”
Dmitry thought for a moment, glad that she had told him herself, and he hadn’t had to confront her with the pictures from the background check. Standing up, he pulled her from the chair and tugged her along behind himself.
Julia scrambled to keep up with him, “Dmitry, where are we going?”
“Outside. I wish to show you the grounds. I have been told that you were inquiring about taking a walk, so a walk we will take.”
Julia hurried to keep up with his long stride. He had to be at least 6’6” tall and compares to her 5’5”, and her short legs, she was practically running to keep by his side.
“Dmitry, please…”
Dmitry stopped at hearing her plea and the fact that she sounded out of breath. Turning he looked at her stunned to see her face flushed and the breath sawing in and out of her chest. “What is wrong?” he demanded.
Julia waved his concern away, “Nothing. But could you walk a little slower. I’m having to run to keep up.”
Dmitry blushed at his thoughtlessness. “ Milaya moya . I am sorry. I will of course walk slower.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“I guess it would roughly translate to your American words for sweetheart.” Dmitry didn’t want to give an explanation for why he had chosen to use that term and he quickly opened the double doors and pulled her outside with him, pulling a pair of sunglasses from his pocket.
Julia squinted into the morning light, wishing she had thought to bring her own sunglasses down. Suddenly, a pair of glasses was dropped over her nose and she looked up to see Dmitry smiling at her.
He pulled her down the stairs, keeping hold of her hand the entire time. As they began to walk in silence, his thumb began to rub back and forth across the top of her hand. That simple touch ignited a fire in her stomach that grew with each passing minute.
When they reached a large tree with a bench underneath, Dmitry sat down and then pulled her onto his lap. Julia struggled to remove herself, only to find Dmitry’s arms wrapped tightly around herself. When she felt the evidence of his desire under her hip, she stopped moving altogether.
“Dmitry…”
“Shush. I understand why you pulled away and stopped me that night outside the club. But, there is no reason to deny yourself of the pleasures to be found in my bed.”
“I can’t. I’m not like Antonia, I can’t just hop into bed with every guy I meet.”
“I am pleased to hear that, milaya moya. However, this chemistry between us will not just go away. I have a proposition for you.”
Julia wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that, but she nodded her head anyway.
“I propose you spend the rest of today and tomorrow with me. We will get to know each other and explore this chemistry between us and see where it goes. When Monday comes, we will go back to being boss and employee and save our personal relationship for the weekends.”
Julia didn’t say anything for the longest time. What he was suggesting sounded like he wanted to keep their relationship a secret. She was no man’s secret – dirty or otherwise! When she finally found her voice, she told him, “I don’t think so, but thank you for the offer. I believe
Sharon Kleve, Jennifer Conner, Danica Winters, Casey Dawes