Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I swear his kisses are burned into my skin, his nibbles the ones I wish were scarred on my body, and the way he licked me, savored me, I don’t think I’ve fully recuperated. Not that I thought I could. Because if I have to be honest, my sisters were not kidding or exaggerating about how wonderful it is to be thoroughly loved by a man. Especially when that man is Dimitri Titov.
I watch from his car as he comes out of the sub shop with food for us. When I’d gotten home, I had walked to the arena because I had been in the car for so long. Plus, I’d hoped it would end the way it did, and if it didn’t, I needed the time to walk by myself. Dimitri is wearing a pair of fitted shorts and a long black tank as he carries the bag, his sunglasses hiding those eyes, but his cross glitters in the sunlight. He reaches for the door, and I take the bag as he gets in. “I didn’t get drinks. I didn’t want soda. Did you want one?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m good.”
He leans in, kissing the side of my mouth. “We have to replenish our energy,” he says with a wink, and I roll my eyes, leaning back in the seat. “So we can go a few more rounds.”
Oh. Well, I like the sound of that.
But I want to know something else. “Did someone give you that cross?”
He pauses before putting his seat belt on. “How did you know it’s a gift?”
“Because you wear it all the time, even on the ice.”
He shoots me a grin as he puts the car in reverse. “Yeah, my grandma did. It was her grandfather’s, and she said it was too gaudy for her, but not for me.”
I stifle a snort. “She sounds like she knows exactly who you are.”
“For sure. You actually remind me of her,” he says, laughing. “I didn’t realize it until right now. My grandma doesn’t take anyone’s shit, and she’s super witty like you.”
“Is it your mom’s or your dad’s mom?”
“Dad’s. My mom’s parents actually live in town, but I don’t see them often. They were mad my dad took my mom to Russia.”
“Really? Why?”
“I honestly don’t know. I was young when we went, and Mom always just said they didn’t want to accept it.”
“Wow,” I say, thinking how unfortunate that is. “Maybe now that she’s home, she can try to have a relationship?”
He shrugs. “Maybe. I haven’t really spoken to her about it. My grandma and grandpa in Russia still call me weekly and want to be in my life, so that’s who I put my energy into.”
I smile. “I appreciate that.”
He sends me a wink before taking my hand in his and kissing the spot between my thumb and forefinger. I slide my thumb along the back of his hand once he places it on his thigh. I watch him for a moment, fully expecting him to disappear, because surely I can’t be this happy.
“Dimitri?”
“Yes, Janie,” he answers, turning onto 5th Street.
“Are we together?”
I watch as this beautiful, stunning smile takes over his face. His dimples are deep, and his eyes brighten as he throws me a quick look. “I want to be.”
I knew the answer, but my stomach still goes crazy with butterflies. “So, I’m your girlfriend.”
He scoffs. “Janie, you’re more than that.”
“I am?”
“Yeah, but I don’t have a word for it. You’re just special.”
I feel the same. Boyfriend/girlfriend seems so trivial after what we’ve experienced together. “What are we going to do about my peepaw and Shelli, Elli, and your parents?”
That has his jaw tensing up. “I don’t know. I feel like that’s a Monday problem.”
That makes me smile. “We can’t go into the arena like this, though,” I say, holding up our hands. “Or attacking each other at every turn.”
“I think that’s an unfair assumption. Who will stop us?”
I smirk at that. “Dimitri.”
“Yeah, I know,” he says softly. “It’s hard because I know we should keep it professional when we’re at the rink, like we have—”
“But you haven’t,” I tell him, and he laughs. “You’re highly inappropriate with me, and I don’t know, now that I’ve had a taste of you, if I can resist.”
His dimples deepen as he gives me a heated look. “Is that right?”
“Dimitri, focus,” I demand, and he keeps grinning as he turns down another road.
“Yes, Superior Janie.”
I roll my eyes at him, fully fed up with him but also loving every second.
“So, you want me to actually treat you as my superior?”
“That’s not what I’m suggesting, but I don’t think we should sit together. I don’t want to give people a reason to talk.”
“Fuck them,” he says, pure venom in his voice. “I know Shelli is the one who started the rumor about me wanting to be with you for money or status or whatever the fuck she said.”