Christmas Tsar (Blood and Thunder 1)

Why not? She thanked him for leaving everything ready for her and waved him off. It was a beautifully warm day, and the clear blue sea was tempting. She just had to wait for a delivery of some things she had ordered for Christmas, and then she intended to take the chef’s advice.

~o0o~

There were a few rowing boats bobbing about, but apart from that, there was just Amber, the sea, and the warm sun overhead. Rolling over onto her back, she relaxed, floating on the water and allowing her body to be gently buffeted by the waves.

The next thing she knew, something touched her, and she was thrashing and choking as she tried to escape—

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Alexei drawled.

“You failed,” she exclaimed, still badly shaken.

He caught her close.

“What? Are you going to drown me now?” she demanded as she tried to catch her breath. “Could you please announce your arrival next time you want to surprise me in the sea?”

“With a fanfare of trumpets?” he suggested, but there was concern in his eyes.

“Just let me know when you’re coming back next time, okay?”

“You know me better than that Amber, but I missed you,” he admitted before she could take him to task on his first comment. “You shouldn’t be swimming on your own,” he added, drawing her close until she could feel every hot and hard inch of him.

Alexei wanted her. Yeah, right. No doubt he’d missed the great sex while he’d been away. There was a yawning gulf between great sex and a lasting relationship, and it would be wrong to mistake one for the other. But as he started teasing her with almost-kisses, his mouth was warm and persuasive, and whispered words in his own language sealed the spell. He tasted so good, so warm, so familiar, and she wanted him. Pressed up close like this, she couldn’t be angry that he’d been away. She could only be pleased that he was back.

“Better now?” he murmured, holding her at arm’s length so he could stare into her eyes.

She shrugged, playing it cool, but she felt like a Catherine wheel, throwing off sparks of happiness in every direction just because he was back.

~o0o~

However she played it, he’d seen the hurt in Amber’s eyes. She couldn’t understand how he could leave her without a word of explanation. It was simple. He had no ties other than with Dante, Diego, and Cesar, and they were as close as brothers because they shared the dangers of the undercover work. It wasn’t safe for Amber to know where he’d been, or what he’d been doing. “Need to know basis” wasn’t just a glib phrase, it was a lifesaver. He’d been to clear up the contacts of the gang in Monte Carlo to make sure Amber was safe. They’d seen her face. He couldn’t risk any of them coming back for her. He hadn’t been away because he’d wanted to leave her but because he was concerned for her and cared deeply what happened to her, and even that was a warning that this…whatever it was they had between them, had to end. He couldn’t risk her life. He couldn’t be that selfish.

“Why are you frowning?” she demanded.

“I’m thinking about the very unsuitable things that are happening in my life right now.”

“Like me?” she suggested. “Am I unsuitable?”

“Hugely,” he said, drawing her close.

“It doesn’t seem to put you off.”

“It doesn’t,” he admitted, knowing that was the problem. Caring for her had set the clock ticking on their relationship. It would be a cruel indulgence to prolong it beyond Christmas. “Swim with me,” he said, needing a distraction. Nuzzling her hair aside, he kissed her neck.

“Where to?” she whispered.

“Just as far as that rowboat.” He released her so she could swim at his side. “Hold on to the anchor chain,” he recommended when they reached the small red boat.

“You say such romantic things,” she said, starting to laugh. “And only choose bikinis secured by bows,” she scolded when he started to undo them.

‘I would love to claim responsibility for the purchase of this charming garment,” he admitted as he draped it over the side of the rowboat.

“But you got someone else to buy it,” she guessed. “And now I know why I have to hold on.”

“Don’t worry,” Alexei said with a dry smile. “I’ll keep you safe.”

“In that case, I’m minded to forgive you,” she said as she wrapped her limbs around him.

“Did you miss me?”