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“Sure,” he says slowly “Why not?”

“Okay”

Iin my haste to escape his presence At the same moment, he takes a step to let s with an oomph as our bodies collide for a second ti my balance with his hands on o, but he holds on

Carefully, as if not wanting to scare me with a sudden movement, he wraps his arms around my body and pullsme from the harshness of our reality How I’ve missed the warmth and safety of his embrace Soainst his chest and absorb the welcome relief of the security he offers I didn’t realize how much I needed the comfort of his touch until now

Gripping my chin, he tilts my face When he lowers his head, I don’t turn away I closeI’ve ever done in my life I step off into the abyss and tumble into the darkness—for better or for worse

“Katyusha,” he says in a rough voice, dragging his lips over my jaw to the corner of my mouth

The kiss he plants there is dry and light I’ve ainst h the soft strands of his short hair Wrapping roan escapes froently in the process The pressure of his hand onainst me

The hardness that grows against my hip makes me utter an involuntary moan

“Yes,” he growls, cupping ers of his other hand through my hair

In contrast to the roughness hich he pal my face in his neck, I inhale deeply His skin smells like a seductive mix of carda the my hands over his shoulders and down to his chest, I trace the grooves that define his th beneath my palms, his heart pounds with a wild beat His callused palm catches on the wool of h

Skis his hand around and folds his fingers aroundquickens as he aligns our lips, letting a second of anticipation pass before he presses our ether

Fireworks explode in my belly The house, the city, Russia, e’re here—everything vanishes as he parts s in a breath, stealing asp into our kiss