He looked down at her, a smile on his face and in his eyes. Yet he only shrugged.
He glanced behind him.
“Ah ha.”
Seph turned and looked back, the house was now totally out of view.
Ilya wrapped his arm about her waist and swung her around, backing her against the trunk of a tall oak and kissed her. His tongue, hot and demanding, cool lips warming in moments as they pressed against each other, moving, and nibbling. He devoured her. Kissed her like she was the air and he was drowning. Cedar and oud, the scent of his cologne nuzzled against her, earthy and wooded, blending with the forest scents around them.
Long delectable minutes passed before his kiss eased and their breathing broke the air, puffing mist around them.
“I missed you.” He rested his forehead against hers. “I have been waiting to get here, to have you in my bed, to stay with you all night.”
“Is that what you think is going to happen?” she teased. “I might have changed my preferences in your absence and settled for something different…something blonder I was thinking.”
His eyes went wonderfully stormy as he slowly shook his head no.
“Little birds alone in the woods should be more careful…” he murmured as his body leaned against her. The front of her body glowed in his heat as her back pressed against the rough cold bark. Ilya gave one of his delicious Russian mumbles and lowered his head, the fur on his hat tickling and sliding against her cheek, her lips and under her chin as his head dipped and he kissed her neck. The cool leather of his glove slipped under the collar of her coat pulling it aside. Hot breath exhaled into her shirt and the sensation went straight to her sex.
Would she ever forget the heat of his mouth between her thighs? No, she’d remember it as an old woman as she basked in the summer sun, eyes closed recalling those precious moments she’d stored up of her life. A sharp pain at her neck.
“Ouch.” She laughed. “You bit me.” Her heart lifted out of her chest as she pressed her face into the fur of his hat and wrapped her arms around him. Ilya nuzzled and nipped up her neck sending gooseflesh up the left side of her body.
His hands must have undone a couple of buttons on her coat because he brought his gloved hand up to his mouth and bit the leather as he pulled his hand free, sticking the glove in a pocket with his free hand and his bare hand slid inside the garment. He cupped her breast, squeezing it, pinching at the nipple sending shocks right down between her legs. His lips took her mouth and his tongue swiped over hers removing all thought except of him. His touch. The taste of him. The way her body awoke. The need to feel him pressing deep into her, the force of his hips as he drove in deep, the thickness of him stretching her.
“Ilya.” She moaned as his mouth moved to the other side of her jaw and neck. Again, she buried her face in that soft fur on his head. She wanted him to rub that fur over her naked body. She wanted to wear it while he pounded into her, wanted to intimately stroke him with it. Already the words of need tumbled from her lips.
“Swap my wings for fur.” Seph pressed her face deeper into the pelt then nuzzled downward. “Take me down to the forest floor,” she murmured against his neck, “let me die there, legs apart, as you call the stars to explode through me.”
Ilya growled some Russian and her sex throbbed.
He pulled away, she clutched at his shoulders, panted in the air and mumbled yet more poetry making him grin like the wolf he was. His eyes so beautifully soft as he stroked her cheek and put his glove back on.
“Why are we stopping?” She might be scowling at him.
He buttoned up her coat leaving her body throbbing on the inside.
“Anticipation is another form of seduction,” he murmured to her. “Time to get back.”
“I haven’t seen you in forty-eight hours, that was anticipation enough.”
He looked as if she were torturing him, bent down and gave her another kiss before mumbling something again in Russian making her heart feel like it had swallowed her wings.
They walked further along the path, shoulders bumping and holding hands. Then took a path which veered back toward the house.
Ilya regaled her with how he and Demetri had raced each other to Bath. Every turn in the road, every advantage gained or lost, his face light and full of enthusiasm.
“Remember, I told you about Dennis Brothers Limited down in Guildford?” Ilya asked.
“Yes, they are interested in specialty motor vehicles?” Ilya’s hand squeezed hers, clearly happy she remembered.
“I visited them again before coming up here. They showed me a car they’ve made, ‘The Dennis Light Doctor's Car.’”
“A doctor’s car?”
“It’s really remarkable what these men are doing.” He drew her arm through his, holding her hand on his forearm as he spoke. “It is designed for people like doctors and surveyors who need to traverse country roads. It has three speeds that allow it to go up steep hills with two onboard, and speeds of up to twenty miles per hour.”
“Too fast for electrical.” He beamed down at her, yes, she had started to read up on his interest.
“Exactly.” Another pleased squeeze of her hand. “Petrol and oil. I think that will be the way of it. The power it gives the vehicle is just not there for electricity. Steam is cumbersome for small mechanics like a car.”
“Why not get involved?” she asked.
He looked hesitant. “There are many manufacturers starting up every day. People can smell the potential but not all will make it.”
“But you have a feeling about the Dennis brothers?”
“I like their innovation. They are not thinking to meet the market of general buyers, and they will come, but rather the commercial market. They are thinking custom builds for large firms, like trucks, busses, ambulances. They believe that market will be less susceptible to the fickleness of fashion and I agree with them.”
“Do they have models?”
“Not yet, nor commercial interest.”
“They are looking for investors?” she asked.
He smiled. “Yes…”
The baying of hounds came from not too far away.
“I am sure you will make a sound decision.”
His face looked pained in the nicest way. Ilya drew them to a stop. Kissed her. Hungry impatient kisses that made her head spin.
“Thank you,” he said as he held both sides of her face in his hands.
“I’ll kiss you anytime.” She grinned at him.
He simply shook his head. And she realized. It was the faith she had in him that meant so much to him. It made her smile like an idiot and he tugged her along to continue walking.
A bend in the path and the house came into view through the trees.
They stopped at the tree line and looked at the house. The house party were out on the terrace wrapped in coats. The men had returned from the hunt, drinking hot toddies, the hounds milling around their feet as they relived the hunt. Grouse, partridge, and pheasants rested on the terrace’s stone walls waiting for staff to come and collect them.
“Which of the rooms is yours? Don’t point.” Ilya asked. “That one top far right is mine. But don’t try and come in, you are not used to sneaking around with success yet. I’ll come to you.”
“Will you now?” She smiled, heart twirling in her chest as he eyed her like she was something delectable.