Stay Close (For You 1)

“Krasotu?” he asks, ignoring her.

“I want to go home. With you.” I add the last part because I don’t want there to be any confusion. I need to be alone with him.

Pandora huffs, and the car grows silent again. I place my hand on top of Ivan’s as he drives us home. He pulls up to the gate and keys in the code. He takes us to the front of the house, and I hop out and Pandora follows.

“Ivan, I’m coming with you,” I tell him as he gets out of the car. I grab Pandora by the arm and pull her towards the side of the house. “I just need a moment with my sister,” I call over my shoulder.

I stop when we make it to her bathroom window.

“I’m sorry,” she says before I can even yell at her. “I just worry about you. Don’t be mad at me.” She reaches up and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “We don’t fight. I was wrong about him I think” she adds, taking me by surprise. “I watched him when I said those things in the car. He’s—”

“Don’t.” I cut her off. I don’t want to hear about how he’s broken or whatever it is. That’s for me and Ivan to work out. I feel so protective of him. I don’t want anyone thinking of him in any way but positive.

“You’re already so far gone,” she says, studying my face. “I know we always joke about how you take care of us. You’re the tender one, but no one gets as angry as you when someone goes after what you love.” She leans in, kissing me on the cheek. “I’ll sleep in your bed tonight so when Mom and Dad get home they’ll think we’re both in there,” she says before opening the window and slipping in. “Be careful. I don’t want to have to kill him,” she adds as she climbs in and shuts the window.

I think about her words, about how angry I got when she made a comment that I thought hurt Ivan. It only makes me believe even more that he was meant to be mine.

I don’t have to turn around to know he’s behind me. I have a feeling that’s where he’ll always be.

Chapter Ten

Ivan

“I snuck in here when I was younger, but there was only a gym at the time, so it didn’t hold much appeal.”

Penelope takes my hand and leads me down the hallway to where my bedroom is. I should stop her, take her back to the living room, but where she leads I will follow.

“Then how do you know where I sleep?” I ask as I close the bedroom door behind us.

“Process of elimination.” She looks back at me over her shoulder as she slips off her shoes and climbs on the bed. “There are two floors and only one bedroom on this one. You’d be down here to either be close to the kitchen or close to me.”

“To you,” I admit, not shy about my feelings for her. “I can’t think of anything else besides you. I’m loyal to your family, and though this may make me an enemy to your parents, I knew the second I saw you that I’d lay down my life for yours.”

“I guess people might call this love at first sight,” she says, scooting back to the middle of the bed.

I walk over to the side table and press play on the surround sound. Soft music fills the room from the hidden speakers, and I walk back to the bed.

“I don’t care what anyone else calls this.” I kick off my shoes and unbutton my shirt, opening the front so that my pale skin and tattoos are exposed. “I know that I’ve never experienced love before and that the feelings I have now for you are unlike anything I’ve felt before. My soul was bound to yours the first time we touched. If that is love, then I love you, Penelope. But it feels like more than that. More than one word.”

She lies back on the bed as I come over her, her hands pressing to my bare chest. Her fingers burrow under the material of my shirt and smooth down my back then come up again. Her nails score a path as they move.

“Will you make love to me?” Her eyes are pleading as her hands move to my shoulders and neck.

“Da. But I will give you pleasure first,” I answer, leaning down and kissing her softly.

She reaches up, untying the ribbon on one side of her dress and pulling it down. I help her move it down her body until it’s off and she’s bared to me in her bra and panties. There are no straps on her bra, so I reach around her to unclasp what’s covering her breasts.