Page 74 of Hidden Empire
“You feel connected to it because your family does,” he gathers, nodding as though he understands. “That makes sense.”
I’m glad it does because I wouldn’t know how to explain it further.
“I missed you,” I profess, lifting the brownie square to my lips. “I know that probably sounds dramatic since it’s only been a little while, but I did.”
Taking a bite in case this confession goes wrong, I’m delighted when he smiles. Chocolate flavor bursts on my tongue, and Dmitri pats my exposed thigh.
“I missed you as well.”
Butterflies swirl around my stomach, dipping and diving all around in there.
“So, what did you do this week?”
We spend a large chunk of time talking about just that. Dmitri hasn’t had quite as an eventual week as I have, but he definitely has a lot of responsibility. Heirs are like acting Capos at Empire Academy. They have a responsibility to keep their people in line as well as keeping them safe and content.
When our brownies are consumed, and our drinks are empty, I grab him a little trash bag to put them in so he can take them when he goes. I wouldn’t put it past Matteo to find my garbage contents suspicious, otherwise I’d just toss them in the bin in my bathroom.
“Is this all of you?” Dmitri asks, picking up the framed photo from my bedside. It’s a landscape picture taken with all of my brothers.
Dad managed to get Leon and Emilio to swing by for an hour while they were in the area a few months ago, so now we have an updated family portrait. It has all ten of us with Dad and Uncle Cesar, so it’s my favorite picture ever.
“Yeah,” I answer, looking at it with him. “They used to have a family photo over the mantle in one of the main living rooms, but they replaced it with this one so I could be in it too.”
Slowly, he puts it back into place. “It’s beautiful.”
“We’ll take another one with my nephews, my niece, and their moms soon, too,” I gush, so excited for when we get to do that.
“Yeah?”
“Yes, I can’t wait,” I confirm. “I love kids. They’re so kind and innocent. I just want to scoop them all up and make sure nothing bad ever happens to them.”
Dmitri’s eyes flash, and he reaches for my hand, lightly leading me back to bed. “You’re too good for this world, Krasotka.”
“I think the same about you,” I confess, whispering.
My too-handsome-to-be-true boyfriend puts me on his knee, having me sit on his warm lap. As his eyes flick to my lips, I know what he’s thinking because I’m thinking it too. We each press forward, leaning in for the same thing.
Our lips meet in a gentle brush, my pillowy soft skin connecting with his stronger mouth. We don’t hurry yet, moving our lips in a teasingly slow manner. Dmitri savors the touch, surrounding my face with big and protective hands.
As his lips part, mine do too.
He tastes like the sweetest dessert and smells like nothing but man. Cedar or something woodsy with the faintest hints of spice. I could breathe him in for days, never getting enough of it.
Chocolate kisses from Dmitri are my new favorite. He already tastes good on his own, and now his mouth is laced with decadent, sugary loveliness that I want to lick straight from the source. In fact, I have the strangest desire to suck his tongue.
Lost in the kiss, the soft and caring caresses of his lips become firmer and more demanding. Shocking waves of pleasure rise and crash over me, desire beginning to build in my core.
“God, I missed you,” I whine, pulling him closer by his shoulders.
His chest meets mine, the rough and toned muscles teasing my heavy but soft breasts constricted behind my bra.
I want it off. Why did I even wear one?
“I know, Krasotka,” he replies, voice dripping with desire. “I can’t get enough of you.”
The feeling is so mutual.
“You can have everything,” I offer shamelessly. “I’m yours.”