I did. I loved him completely.
I held out my hand and he took it, his own hand shaking slightly. “I’ve missed you,” I told him as he pulled me close.
His hand went into my hair, and he leaned down, brushing his lips over mine. I closed my eyes, feeling the tenderness in his kiss, the loving way he was holding me. “I missed you,” he finally said. “So, fucking much.”
“I got your text,” I said as he pressed his forehead to mine and breathed deeply, like a man who had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“I didn’t get a response,” he growled. “I waited all day.”
A smile crossed my face and I tipped my head back to meet his intense gaze. “Truly?”
He nodded, though there was no anger in his expression. “You wounded me, krasivyy.”
I lifted my hand, pressing it against his hard chest and feeling his heart beat rapidly, just as fast as mine. “Then I need to make it up to you, don’t I?”
“I think I like the way this conversation is going.”
Pulling out of his embrace, I kept my hand in his and tugged him toward the stairs. I didn’t know where this bold woman had just come from, but I was going to play her for as long as I could. “Then let’s continue somewhere more comfortable.”
Somehow, I made it up the stairs and into Artem’s bedroom, shutting the door behind us. “Have you finished your work for today?” I asked, turning toward him.
“It can wait,” he bit out, shedding his coat.
“Artem,” I started, feeling bad about pulling him away from his responsibilities. Clearly something was going on that needed his attention, and well, I had waited this long. “I can wait.”
He advanced on me quickly, closing the distance between us until he had me pressed against the door, his hand resting just above my head. “I can’t.”
Oh. I watched as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the side of my neck, his lips soft against my skin. “You think I am going to walk away from this?” he whispered. “You think I am going to put any fucking thing before you?”
“No,” I gasped as his hand moved up to my hip, his fingers caressing the skin between my crop top and sweats.
“Good,” he replied, dropping a kiss on my head before backing off. I remained pressed against the door, my heart racing as Artem stripped off the sweater he was wearing. Next went his pants and boots, and my face went aflame as his taut ass strode naked to the bathroom, whistling as he did so. The moment I heard the water start, I was shedding my clothing too and moving toward the bathroom. Shower sex was just as good as bed sex to me.
I just wanted my hands on his body.
The bathroom was already starting to steam when I stepped inside. He had left open the shower door, a clear invitation of what he wanted. He was taunting me, and I was perfectly okay with it.
I moved inside the open door, shutting it softly with a click and marveling at the sight. Artem’s shower was huge, with many showerheads jutting out of the tiled wall and letting out the warm spray of water.
Artem himself was facing away from me, the rivulets of water tracing every muscle in his back as he braced his hands on the wall.
Waiting.
Carefully, I traced the outline of his large tattoo, realizing that this close, I could see what it was. “What does it mean?” I asked.
“It’s a dragon,” he replied, his muscles rippling under my touch. “It’s meant to protect, to watch my back.”
It was lovely, really, the design very well done. Instead of looking gaudy and ill-placed, on Artem it definitely exuded the power he had. My fingers moved up to his shoulder, where a cluster of pointed stars danced above the dragon’s fire. “And these?”
“Those are for my bratva,” he said evenly. “Every boss has them.”
I leaned in and pressed a kiss there, feeling him shudder in response. “Beautiful.”
He grabbed me and soon I was trapped against the warm tile and Artem’s strong body. “No, love,” he replied harshly. “You are beautiful, and I am going to worship every inch of your body.”
My knees weakened as his eyes raked over my naked form, his expression softening. “Every fucking inch,” he growled.
I made a noise as he dropped on one knee, his dark head resting against my stomach. This powerful man was on his knees for me. I couldn’t even fathom what was happening. “I want to start here,” he whispered, his lips caressing my stomach.
My nipples tightened as he pressed a kiss on each hipbone, his fingers clenching my ass. When his tongue touched my slit, I cried out, arching against the intrusion. Artem growled and he spread my lips, finding the swollen nub hidden there. “Artem,” I gasped as he wrapped his lips around it and sucked. “Oh God.”
He increased the pressure while slipping a finger inside and I clenched around it, knowing that my orgasm was going to be hard and fast. This was what I had dreamed of.
This was what I wanted from my husband.
When I shattered, I screamed his name, the waves of pleasure nearly causing me to black out. Artem caught me as I slid down the wall, cradling me in his arms. “Fuck, Emma,” he whispered, holding me against his chest.
Yeah, I knew the feeling. I snuggled against him, the water soothing at my back and the evidence of his want for me pressing into my stomach. I wanted him inside me.
I wanted to feel Artem.
Finally, Artem pulled away, shutting off the water. “I want you in my bed,” he growled, reaching for the towels on the rack outside the shower. “I fucking want you screaming my name again.”
He tucked the towel around me, and I toweled off quickly, seeing Artem’s satisfied smile on his face. “What?”
He shook his head, wiping the water from his skin. “I’m glad to be home, Emma.”
Home. My heart swelled at the singular word. He thought this to be his home too. “Artem.”
Snatching the towel from me, he tugged on my hand. “No words. No fucking words, Emma. I want to be inside you now.”
Well I wasn’t going to complain. Artem dragged me to the bed and I fell on top of the silky sheets, Artem covering my body with his. His mouth found mine and his kiss was torturous, full of the want he had for me. Boldly, I reached for his cock and he bit my lip lightly. “Careful,” he said, his voice tight. “It’s been too long.”
I brought my lips back to his, allowing my fingers to trace his length, my body remembering the last time he had been inside me. I wanted that again.
When his lips moved down my body to my heavy breasts, I arched against the scrape of his teeth over my aching nipple. “Artem.”