“Da.”
She screamed and jumped up into his arms, wrapping herself around him and peppering his face with kisses while making excited noises. Soon Dimitri’s icy calm melted just the slightest bit and he gave her a small smile while he held her. “You like?”
“I love. This is the most awesomest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
She gave him a kiss that left no doubt she was going to reward him for this tonight. His big hands flexed on her bottom and squeezed hard as he took charge of the kiss, licking at her lips before sliding his tongue over hers, seducing her into burying her hands in his hair as she kissed him back, her joy mixing with her passion until she was breathing heavy. When they finally came up for air she found Jack watching them with his jaw hanging open and a bright red flush on his cheeks.
Dimitri growled at the man, “Do not stare at my woman.”
“What?” Jack visibly shook himself then turned and opened the back of his SUV. Inside there were two helmets, both black, and two piles of black clothes in addition to a bunch of what looked like kids soccer equipment and various little girls’ toys. Clearing his throat, Jack took out the helmets and went to hand one to her, but gave them both to Dimitri instead. “They’re wired with microphones so you can talk to each other.”
“Good.” Dimitri handed Rya her helmet. “Try on.”
“One sec. Hey Jack, you wouldn’t happen to have a ponytail holder in there would you?”
He blinked at her, then smiled. “I think I just might. I have four daughters so I’m finding those things everywhere. Hang on and let me check up front.”
As soon as he was away from the back she stood on her tiptoes and whispered, “Stop scaring the crap out of him. You’re going to give the poor guy a heart attack.”
Dimitri leaned down until their noses almost touched. “No one looks at you, no one touches you but me.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but managed to surprise him by giving him a pert kiss on his nose. “You’re lucky I think it’s cute when you’re protective. Otherwise, I’d have to grab your ear and give you a good scolding.”
He lifted his glasses and stared at her in disbelief. “You know men fear me, correct? People tremble when see me? That I am dangerous man?”
Giving him a cheeky smile she fluttered her lashes at him. “Not to me you aren’t. You’re volk moy.”
Before he could respond Jack returned with a hot pink scrunchie. “Sorry I couldn’t find something less neon.”
“That’s fine.” She took it, making sure not to touch Jack in order to humor Dimitri, and she began to braid her hair as she lifted her chin to the gear in back. “So what do we have there?”
Three hours later, Rya stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon, with Dimitri standing behind her and resting his head on top of hers. They’d taken off their leather jackets and the warm sun beat down on them. Instead of going to one of the tourist outlooks Dimitri had driven until they found a private place to stop and admire the view. And what a view it was. She felt…humbled as she stared down into the canyon, awed by the evidence of the vast passage of time, all the millennia it had taken for a river to flow through the land to create such magnificence. Beautiful ribbons of red and brown flowed down the canyons, each layer a page from the story of how the earth was formed.
She lightly traced her fingers over Dimitri’s arms, her mind oddly drifting, just absorbing the world and enjoying the moment. His voice rumbled at her back. “Is worth the trip?”
“Oh, yeah.” She looked up at him and smiled. “Did I say thank you yet?”
“Every chance you get.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. “But I like. In Russia the women that are around me are….what is the English word…used to luxury. Do not see the beauty of things, only the money it took to buy.”
“Spoiled?”
“Da, spoiled.”
“Sounds like you hang around the wrong kind of women.”
He stiffened, then pulled away. Rya turned away from the sight of the canyon to look at him. His expression had reverted to that cold mask again. “No, little Rya, you are wrong kind of woman for me.”
That hurt, more than it should considering she’d only known him for the briefest of times. “I see.”
Shaking his head, he closed the distance between them and cupped her face gently in his hands. “You are good woman. So full of life. Honorable, kind…I do not deserve you.”
“You don’t see yourself very clearly, do you? You’re a good man, Dimitri.”
Once again, she seemed to say the wrong thing and he jerked back like she’d slapped him. “No. I am not.”