Once he caught his breath, he sighed contentedly and kissed the back of her neck, her shoulders, her cheek. He withdrew from her, leaving her empty, but rolled onto his back and pulled her onto his chest. Her backside was tender. Considering what they’d just done, though, it wasn’t that bad.
“Mmm . . . I love you, slave,” he whispered into her hair.
“I love you, too, Master.” She snuggled into his warm embrace, not caring that they were covered in grass, leaves, and dirt. They’d have to clean up in the pond before they went home. It was almost criminal that they couldn’t sleep in the same bed that night. What would her parents do if she didn’t come home for once? She could sleep with Konstantin there, under the stars, and he would hold her the way he always did now. Sleeping at her parents’ house again had been sad and lonely.
“Are you okay?”
“A little sore, but happy.” Okay, maybe she was very sore, but doing it had been her idea in the first place. She wanted to do it again, too—such an intense orgasm. Just not today. Or tomorrow.
“You surprised me. You didn’t need to let me do that. Not yet.”
She nuzzled his chest. He sighed and kissed the top of her head about a zillion times, then coaxed her up closer to his mouth so he could do the same to her face. When his storm of affection calmed, a bone-numbing satisfaction and contentment stole over her.
“You put naughty ideas in my head,” she admitted, “and then I want to try them. All of them.”
“I’ve created a monster.”
“Me too,” she sighed. “A cruel old merman, and he does all the terrible things to me I could have hoped for.”
* * *
“Please don’t go, Master.” Varushka stood on her tiptoes, holding Konstantin’s shirt collar in a firm grip. Even her best pouty face wasn’t swaying him.
He sighed heavily, his minty breath making her want to kiss him. But they were being watched. Though they couldn’t see their audience, there was no doubt in her mind they were there. From the picture window or from behind the family car.
Maybe this wouldn’t suck so much if they’d been able to spend more time together, but after the third evening of meeting at the swimming hole, Antonia had screwed up Varushka’s alibi. After that her father had come up with a zillion excuses about why she needed to be home at night. Konstantin had been allowed to visit her on the front porch, but her father wouldn’t let him set foot in the house.
“Malish,” he whispered, wrestling her hands from his collar. “You know I have to. Now be a good girl and stop tempting me to do wicked things to you right here in front of your papa’s house.”
Huffing, she stuck out her lip farther. “I don’t even care about making a scene. I just got you back and now you’re leaving so soon.”
He chuckled. “You don’t care if I bend you over the hood of the car, pull up that pretty skirt, and spank your bare ass right here where everyone can see?”
“Not at all,” she lied, hiding a smile.
He burst out laughing. “I’m supposed to be making your papa like me. Not disciplining his daughter on the front lawn. Now behave.” He leaned in and nipped her ear, making her squeak. “It’s only a few days. You don’t want me to lose my business, do you?”
Slowly, she shook her head, staring at the buttons on his crisp work shirt.
“I just have to take care of a few things then I’ll be right back.” He kissed her forehead.
“You better be,” she said with a scowl. “Or I’ll find myself a new vodyanoy to defile me at the swimming hole.”
He arched a brow. “Oh really?”
Sighing, she dropped her head on his chest. “No. You’re the only one who knows how to do it right.”
His chest rumbled under her cheek and she started to cry. He tightened his arms around her and made soothing sounds. “Why are you crying, baby?”
“What if Baba Nina and Papa can’t come to terms? What if they’re always fighting and every time we come home, we have to hear it again and again?”
Cupping her chin, he lifted her face to his. “Then we’ll just have to keep trying.”
“Promise you will?” she said softly. “Promise you won’t give up?”
His gaze flicked away and he let go of her face. When he stepped back it was as if the sun disappeared behind the clouds and left her cold and alone. Little seeds of doubt found their way into her mind and took root there. Was he second-guessing things? Did he think fighting with her papa wasn’t worth it?
She tried to swallow but a lump formed and stuck there. “Master?”