Page 57 of Staking His Claim

She focused on that layer of restlessness. When she’d first met Yevgeny, she’d have identified this feeling as...animosity. Now it had metamorphosized into something else. Still unsettling—but far from unpleasant.

There was excitement...anticipation...and a hint of apprehension, too.

Ella took a small sip of the bubbly liquid then set it down on the highly reflective glass side table. Mistake. Without the drink to focus on, all her awareness centered on Yevgeny.

Her skin prickled and shivers spread through her.

Oh, God.

She shut her eyes.

The music danced along her senses. Sweet. Pleasurable. Ella tried to focus only on that.

It didn’t work...because listening to the music led to thoughts of the ballet earlier...which led her to think about the man who had invited her.

Opening her eyes, she found herself impaled by Yevgeny’s startling stare. Her heart stopped, then resumed with a jolt.

The silence between them had swelled to an expectant readiness.

When Yevgeny reached forward and cupped her face with one hand, her lashes feathered down and Ella sighed softly.

* * *

To Yevgeny’s astonishment, the hand that cupped Ella’s cheek was shaking.

White-hot emotions chased through him. Emotions so intense, so charged, he did not know what they signaled.

All he knew was that it seemed right to kiss Ella.

With great care he removed her glasses and set them down on the table beside them. Then, moving slowly, he leaned forward. His lips closed over hers. He tasted her gasp, and deepened the kiss. Ella gave a husky, raw moan and relaxed back on the sofa.

Desire burned him.

His heart thundered in his ears as he shifted his body across hers on the black leather and slanted his head to seal their mouths together. Beneath him Ella was soft, incredibly feminine. Still cupping her head, he feasted on the lushness of her mouth, devouring her. He could feel her heart thudding against his chest, and he knew she felt the intensity of this as much as he did.

Ending the kiss, he slid his lips down along the skin of her neck, tracing the V neckline of the sexy dress with open-mouthed caresses until he stopped at the hollow between her breasts. He nuzzled at the lilac-scented valley.

Under him, Ella shivered.

And Yevgeny reacted.

His thigh sank between hers, causing her dress to ruche up.

The temptation was too much. He ran one hand along the soft skin of her inner thigh until he found the lace edge of her panties. He eased his fingers beneath the lace. Lifting his head, he watched her as his fingers roamed closer...closer.

Ella was breathing quickly now, in soft, shallow gasps.

He touched her.

She was slick and already wet. Her back arched off the leather, and her eyes closed tight.

It was his turn to moan.

Withdrawing his hand, Yevgeny shifted off the sofa, so that he kneeled beside her.

“Why are you stopping?” she whispered, her eyes still tightly shut.

“You want me to carry on?”

Gold eyes glinted at him through dark lashes. “Yes!”

Sliding his arms beneath her, he hoisted her up and rose to his feet in one smooth move.

Ella grabbed at his shoulders. “What are you doing?”

“Taking you someplace more comfortable,” he murmured. Then he bent his head and licked her ear, his tongue exploring the spiral shape. The moan that broke from her this time sounded wild.

In the softly lit bedroom, he let her slide down his body and as soon as her feet found the carpeted floor, he unzipped her dress. He drew her out of the dress and lifted her onto the bed.

He tore off his shirt and trousers in record time. A moment later, clad only in underpants, he joined her on the bed.

Ella was wearing only wisps of black lace.

Against the red satin of his bedcover, with her blond hair and pale skin, and the skimpy bits of black lace, she looked provocatively sensual.

The low-cut cups of her wicked bra revealed curves he hadn’t known she possessed. Until now.

He touched the indent of her waist, and traced the flaring outline of her hip. His hand rested on the rounded flesh of her bottom, then he stroked up along the groove of her spine. Her skin was like silk. Just touching her aroused him.

“You are lovely.”

For a moment uncertainty glittered in her eyes. “Hardly a supermodel. You’ve dated—”

“Hush.” He placed his index finger on her lips to silence her. “Now there is only you. No one else.”

It stunned him how right speaking those words felt.

Only Ella?

But he wasn’t ready to consider why it felt so right. Not yet. And not now.

He stroked her stomach where only a few weeks ago a baby had rested. The emotions that flooded him were too complex to name.

All he knew was that somewhere in that cocktail was gratitude. He sank his head down and kissed her belly, paying homage to her fertility and femininity.