Page 99 of Her Selfless Warrior (Omega Sky)
21
I’m melting.No, I’m losing my mind.
Lark looked up into Kostya’s navy blue eyes and felt like she was falling.
Hell yeah, I’m falling. I’m falling in love.
From the time she heard her first fairytale and was told about Prince Charming, she knew that it was all a hoax. Her father was dead, and she saw up close and personal that there were no happily ever afters. So she shook her little head, hardened her heart, and avoided every rom-com ever written and Disney movie ever made.
But here she was, looking into Kostya’s eyes and dreaming of so much more, hoping for a bright, shiny future when she should just be concentrating on the now.
She nuzzled her cheek into his big warm hand. Kostya swooped down for a deep kiss and she tasted the tantalizing mix of Kostya and herself. He thrust his tongue deep and the vibration of his growl made her head spin.
When he lifted away from her and got off the bed she was in too much of a daze to even protest. Then he began to shed his clothes and she drank him in. She couldn’t imagine a time when she wouldn’t be spellbound by his beauty.
“If you keep looking at me like that, the first round will be over before it has a chance to really get started.” His accent was pronounced as his gaze burned as he stared down at her.
“First round? You promise I get more than one?”
“On my honor,” he grinned.
At last, he was naked. He pulled condoms out of his pants pocket.
Condoms.
More than one.
Thank God.
* * *
His eyes snapped open.Kostya knew exactly where he was and exactly who he was with. Lark’s breathing was rapid, and she was whimpering.
What the hell?
“Lark,” he whispered gently as he stroked his hand firmly down her arm. “Lark, Honey, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”
She shrank away from his touch, and it reminded him of her reaction in the casino parking garage. He stopped touching her and spoke louder.
“Lark, Honey, it’s me, Kostya. It’s time to wake up, can you do that for me?”
She stopped moving and she opened her eyes just a fraction. He knew what she was doing; she was trying to hide the fact that she was awake. She wanted to survey her environment before showing herself.
“Honey, it’s just me.” He put a smile in his voice, trying to coax her back to him.
She opened her eyes and looked around. He saw her relax her shoulders but it wasn’t real, she was forcing herself to do it. Then she forced a smile. Damn, she was good at it.
“What happened? Why did you wake me up?”
“You were having a nightmare.”
“That’s weird. Maybe I ate something that didn’t agree with me.”
Kostya gathered her up in his arms. He knew what was wrong. “Lark, you told me that there was a problem with your step-grandfather. That he was a big guy. I think the way we played tonight brought up some bad memories. Can we talk about it?”
Lark looked up at him, then her eyes started to dance. “Oh, Kostya, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m sorry if I made you think that I was sexually abused. I wasn’t. Harris was a lot of things, but he was not a pedophile.”
Kostya felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders.
