Her Russian Billionaire (BWWM Alpha Male Romance) (3 page)

Tasha rolled her eyes at her friend. Why was it that everyone kept saying that? “Yes, he was the one that chased off the guys before I could get my necklace back.”

“Don’t act like he didn’t save you. You ain't no bad bitch, Tasha. I know you were scared.”

Alice shook her head. She did not see it the same way, but Tasha knew that Alice was one of those females that were always looking for her next Prince Charming. Tasha did not think they existed much anymore. She saw him make a gesture for another round and she started to make the drinks. When she put them on Alice’s tray, she shook her head. “Nope, he wants you to go over there. Not me.”

Tasha sighed and pulled her skirt down a little further so that she wasn’t showing so much of her thighs. He made her nervous and there was a buzz in her body as she got closer. Both men were looking at her, but it was the way that Demitri looked at her that made her miss a step. She almost spilled the glasses, but he was out of his seat and steadying her with his hands around her waist. The touch electrified her senses and she thanked him with a red face. “Thanks.”

“Please can you join us?”

“I’m sorry, but I have to run the bar.”

“I got it Tasha, don’t worry about it.”

Her friend grinned and waved her back to Demitri. When she sat down, Rusco was quick to make himself scarce as well. “I will have those names to you tonight, Demitri. Have fun.”

They watched the man walk away. “Well he is charming.”

“He is great in the business.”

“So what is your business, Demitri?”

There was a moment of hesitation before he answered. “Vodka. This vodka actually.” He took another sip and set down the glass. He could not tell her of his real business though, the one that his uncle had decided to send them all down a rabbit hole in. Demitri could not let anyone know what his family was into at the moment, hopefully never. He hoped that they could quietly fire all involved and that he could get the factory up and running again. There was a question of taxes, but he would worry about that in a few months when he had to. One thing at a time, he told himself.

What he wanted to start with at the moment was right in front of him. “I wanted to thank you again for the other night. You are fast becoming legend around here. I think Alice would be your next ex-wife if you asked her nicely.”

“I haven’t had one of those yet. When I marry, it will be for good.”

She didn’t seem to feel the same way and that made him wonder why. He usually had an easy pick of whoever he wanted, but Tasha seemed to resist him. He liked the challenge and it only made him want her more. The idea that only a few could have her made the old Demitri come out of hiding and want nothing more than to make her his.

“So are you thankful enough to go out with me tonight?”

His blue eyes searched her brown ones. There was hopefulness in his eyes and a desire that she felt was mirrored in her own. She wanted to, but she couldn’t stay out on such short notice. “I am sorry, I can’t. Not tonight. I need more time than a few hours.”

“Okay, well then how about tomorrow night. You are off, aren’t you?”

She looked up at him suddenly, wondering how he knew that about her. “Yes I am. I’m going to have to tell Alice to stop giving out so much information. Tomorrow night sounds good. Meet me here?”

“How about I pick you up?”

Tasha wrestled with herself and finally agreed. There were more patrons pushing in and she told him she had to get back to work. His hand stopped her and touched hers, pulling it to his lips to kiss the softness of the back of her hand. “I can’t wait, Tasha.”

She pulled away after he did not readily let go of her hand. The heat from his breath made her shiver and a gnawing need in her stomach branched out to her center. Walking back up to the bar, she felt like she was on air and when he left, she was actually sad to see him go.

“So?”

“We have a date. Just a date. Calm down.”

“He is so hot. If you don’t want him, send him my way.” Tasha nodded, as little as the idea held appeal for her. She found herself thinking of him on her walk home from work. She also made sure to keep her pepper spray in her hand, but there was no trouble that night, as there never had been before. Tasha convinced herself that it was just a fluke that night she lost her necklace.

***

“Have you seen the papers?”

Tasha shook her head. Taking the newspaper from Maya, she was shocked to recognize the man on the front page. There had been a death linked to a new drug and he was apparently it. Tasha knew him from high school and more recently, as one of the men that had mugged her. She cursed and while there was a hint of sadness for the loss of a life, she was even more upset that she would most likely never see the necklace again. That part of her mother would be gone forever.

“I know. Can you believe it, dust?”

“Dust?”’

“Yeah that’s what they call it. It’s brown and looks like dust that you know, gets on your knickknacks. All the young people are doing it and it is totally stringing them out. When will people learn?”

Tasha could not hear her over the thoughts in her head. She finally shook them free and looked back at Maya. She held Jonell so gently and Tasha had to smile. “He just loves you. You know that right?”

Maya squeezed him again before giving him to Tasha. “I know and who couldn’t love such a cutie?”

“So are you sure about tomorrow night? I don’t have to, I mean, it isn’t work or anything.”

“Trust me, you getting out with a real man is worth more than work at this point. You have to get out and have some fun, Tasha. We aren’t getting any younger, you know.”

Tasha agreed. She did need to get out and she certainly was not getting any younger. Maybe Demitri was just what she needed to get back in the swing of things. He seemed perfect to break the dating ice once again, though it felt like so much more to her. Tasha felt things when she was around Demitri that she had never felt before, or at least not in a long time. 

Chapter 5

It was the night of her date and he was promptly there at eight like he had said. He was dressed handsomely in a tailored suit, with his dark hair slicked back. His shirt was dark blue and opened just a little at the top, small black hairs sticking out from his chest. Her hand itched to touch them and feel the softness covering the hard chest that the suit could not cover up.

Demitri was older than Tasha’s thirty years, but he was one of those men that took good care of themselves. She looked at his rolled sleeves and the powerful looking forearms that were also covered in soft black hair. Her eyes finally met his and she felt a little breathless from her inspection.

“Hi.”

It was all he said and it was all she said back. Their eyes held for a moment and then he took her hand, walking her to his car. When he opened the door for her, Tasha knew that it was going to be a date that she had not experienced before. It had been years since she had been on an actual date and she never remembered feeling so giddy, at least not since she was in the eleventh grade and had a date with the local heartthrob quarterback. Dante had been a jerk, so she was hoping Demitri didn’t turn into a frog after a few hours.

She looked at the glowing lights from the dashboard and he was quickly on the other side, getting in. He turned to her and smiled, leaning in for a kiss like he did it every day. The act was just that natural. It caught her off guard, but she was quickly leaning towards him to take more. His lips were soft, but insistent on hers. She finally pulled away and she looked down at her lap then pulled the seat belt over her chest, pushing it through the lock.

“Sorry, I just had to kiss you when you looked at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I was the only man on Earth.”

Tasha smiled, “Well you are at this moment.”

***

She had expected a restaurant, maybe a drink, but instead he drove out of the city a ways and to a park on the outskirts. She did not think that it was even open at that time of night, but it became clear that he had set something up when they pulled up. The wooden bridge that went over a small creek was lit with candles and there was a blanket spread out. It was like in a fairy tale and Tasha was instantly impressed that he took so much effort.

“Wow, this is really pretty.”

“I couldn’t think of a good setting, so I thought I should make one. Please sit down.” He gestured towards one corner and he sat across from her. It was strange to see him sitting cross-legged in his suit, but he seemed comfortable and at ease.

“Would you like something to drink?”

She nodded her head and then he opened the lid on one of the dishes on the side of the blanket. He poured them both a glass and asked her about herself. Tasha left out many details, but told him a little about her job and school. She wanted to mention Jonell, the most important part of her life, but she knew how men were. Once they heard that she was a single mother, they usually ran. Tasha didn’t want that to happen; for just one night at least, she just wanted to feel sexy. The way Demitri looked at her, in his reflection she could not feel any other way.

“What about you?”

Demitri held back some things as well. She seemed more amazed that he had never been married, than how much money he had. That was a comfort to him, especially when most women he met cared only about his bottom line. Even the ones that tried to act unimpressed, he would see the dollar signs dance in their minds. If they knew who he was when they met, all he seemed to get was gold digging vultures.

“I have a confession to make.”His eyebrow went up and he waited. “Your vodka is the only kind I will drink, but it's getting harder to find with the suppliers. Are you just selling out that fast?”

“See, it is a sign.” Demitri grinned at her and pulled her close for another kiss. This time there was nothing in between them and she felt his hands holding her body and his own pressed against her. Demitri took her silence as permission and his hands roamed over more of her body as his tongue played with hers. She moaned and felt him pull her tighter. There was an undeniable hardness on her thigh that intrigued her. Tasha had to pull back or be lost in the moment.

“Do you want to go for a walk? It's such a pretty night for one, don’t you think?”

He agreed, but his eyes were trained on her pouting lips. She tasted and felt better than he could have ever imagined. She stood up and he looked up at her from that angle, her core just inches from his mouth. There was a strong urge to bury his face in between her legs, but he knew that he mustn’t.

He stood up eventually, their arms entwining while they walked. He held her close to him. They walked for almost an hour before stopping full circle at the covered bridge where they had started. The two looked up at the clear moon and Tasha fell back against Demitri’s hard chest.

“Thank you. This was the perfect night. I didn’t believe they existed anymore.” His hand encircled hers and pulled her closer. His lips went to her neck and she was lost in the moment, whether she wanted to be or not.

He turned her around in his arms. Her back pushed against the wooden railing and she had nowhere to go from him. Every inch of her was pressed against him, his hardness pressing against her soft curves. He grabbed her chin and deepened the kiss. Tasha could feel his excitement and the very idea that she had done that to him made her own core dampen in lust. She was responding more, her own tongue becoming the aggressor.

Demitri cupped one of her breasts in his large palm. Finding the hard tip of her desire, he squeezed gently between his fingers, eliciting a whimper from her lips. The sound went straight to his head, making his heart pound in his chest, blood rushing in his ears. Tasha groaned as his hand moved lower, pushing past her navel and then into the apex between her legs. The dress was thin and the material did nothing to take away any of the feeling, it was as if he was touching her flesh.

He growled in her ear. “I want you so bad, Tasha. I need you.”

His lips moved on hers, not giving her time to breathe, let alone respond. The rail dug into her lower back and she didn’t care, all she could think of was him and what he was doing to her. It had been far too long for Tasha and her need was overtaking all reason. This was their first date and she was all over him. Not what she had planned, but when his hand wormed itself way underneath the panties she was wearing, she cried out.

There was a strangled groan from Demitri as his fingers came in contact with her molten core. Her wetness coated his fingers and he rubbed against her clit, slow circles that made her whole body tremble. Tasha’s head went back and her eyes closed to the pleasure. His hand played her like an instrument and she was quickly trembling against him.