One Timer(An Nashville Assassins Novel)(4)

My best friend, God bless her, just stands there. Stunned in place. When she turns, her eyes are wide and her shoulders are taut. If we were at home, she’d be squealing like a sixteen-year-old, but Elli is too professional for that. Instead, she comes up beside me and gets to work. But I can feel the excitement pouring off her in waves, and I think something amazing is about to happen for her.

I hope so, at least. She needs it.

Elli is almost in a blur through the rest of the day. When it was time for the professional photos of the guys in suits, I took them. I flirted way more than I was supposed to with sexy Number Two, but Elli didn’t say a word. Instead, all she did was mutter that Shea Adler called her beautiful. It’s adorable and I want something to happen, but it’s Elli. She doesn’t go after guys. Hopefully Hottie McHottie will go after her.

It was a good day, and I’m proud of us. Elli is floating on cloud nine, and I feel damn good. This was successful; it can bring more business and, hopefully, some good sex. Shea for her, and Number Two for me.

We start to break down our equipment once we finish with the last guy. Elli is packing up the camera while I take the lights. I thought the room was empty except for her and me, but then I notice a huge body coming toward me. I slowly stand, a grin filling my face as his sexy ass approaches me. Like before, I can smell him, and desire swirls deep in my stomach. His green eyes are dangerous as they lock with mine.

“I couldn’t leave without saying something to you,” he says as he drops a huge bag at my feet. Is he being shy? How cute!

“Oh?” I ask, running my hands down my body and into my pockets. “What’s that?”

He follows my hands with his eyes before meeting mine again. “That I need your number.”

I scoff, playful and aloof. He was getting my number even if he didn’t want it. “Is that right? You want my number?”

“I said need.”

“Need, huh?”

“Yes,” he says, and I can tell English is not his first language. Hell, it might not even be his second.

“I like your accent,” I say, fluttering my lashes at him. “Where are you from?”

“Russia.”

I wonder if we can play a dirty version of Russian roulette. Something where I don’t know which hole he’ll enter. That excites me. “It’s sexy.”

“You’re sexy,” he insists, and doesn’t that make me hot everywhere. The way he says it, the way he is looking at me, like I’m the only person he sees, it actually takes my breath away. I look around the room and notice Elli isn’t watching, nor is anyone else for that matter. When I glance back up at him, he’s watching me. His eyes are so intent on mine, so dark. Wow. I swallow hard and wait for a sexy retort to come to me, but he’s kinda knocked me on my ass here. “Well, I happen to think you’d be a real good time.”

“Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing.”

“So, I guess you do need my number.”

“I do,” he agrees, pulling out his phone, but his eyes still haven’t left mine. “What is your name?”

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask that. I can’t scream Number Two all night. Well, I could, but I’d rather know his name. “Harper.”

“Harper,” he says with a lot of sexy Russian flair. I mean, I like my name, but it’s way hotter when he says it like that. “I’m Jakob. Jakob Titov.”

I actually hear the K in his name. “Well, maybe I’ll let you see my tits-ov.”

His eyes dance with laughter before he chuckles. “That’s funny.”

“I’m a goofball.”

He smiles… And wow, that’s one gorgeous smile. He has all his teeth and they’re straight; thank God for his dentist. “A sexy one.”

“Well, yeah,” I giggle, and he smiles.

“You’ll call me?”

“I will.”

“Today?”

“Maybe when I leave,” I say, and I love that he wants me as much as I want him.

“I’d like that.” He moves his eyes along my face, and I swear I can feel his gaze on my mouth. “You have very thick lips.”

“Good for kissing and other things,” I drawl, and his grin grows.

“I’d love to feel them.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes.”

Now, usually I’d go right for the mouth, but something has me going for his cheek. I lift up on my toes and give him a smacking kiss on his smooth skin. He groans loudly, backing away with his hand to his chest. He has this beautifully dazed look on his face, and I laugh. “Ah yes, very thick. I want more.”

I can’t stop laughing. “I’m not doing anything tonight.”

“Yes, you are,” he says simply, his eyes playful. “Me.”

Well, smack my ass and call me Sally. He leaves me speechless as he gathers his bag and heads the other way. Oh, I am going to enjoy the shit out of him tonight. When Elli comes up beside me, I’m still watching him. “He’ll call me when he gets to the car.”

“How do you know? Did he say that?”

He didn’t have to. He wants me. Bad. And he knows I want him. Why wait? “Nope, but he’s needy.”

I don’t elaborate, and I don’t have to. We both know I know my men. Jakob Titov puts on a real good show of only wanting one night, but I know his kind.

He’ll want more. They always do.

But I’m not the one.





You Came Quick





Jakob


I called Harper when I got to the car.

She didn’t answer.

It was the first time a woman didn’t answer my call. Usually when I ask for a number, they give it way too quickly and answer right away. Harper, though, nope. I called four more times and still no answer. I’m unsure what the hell happened between me getting the number and then walking away, but obviously, something did. I thought she was into me. I thought she wanted me like I wanted her. Maybe I got her number wrong? Damn it.

I stare at my phone as my best friend, Shea Adler, sits beside me. We’re at his apartment, hanging out and drinking some beers. We had a long day, smiling for the cameras and discussing how awful that shit is. The only upside was seeing Harper’s gorgeous face. Typically, I’m attracted to girls with huge breasts and long bleach blonde hair, the regular puck-bunny type. But today it was the girl with the bright purple hair in spikes. She intrigued me, and I really love her lips. I thought she liked all of me, too, so this is bullshit.

“Looking at the phone won’t make it ring.”

I don’t even spare Shea a glance. “I don’t understand. I thought she liked me.”

“Maybe she was playing games. She looks the type, like a hard-core ballbuster,” he says, bringing his beer to his lips. “I mean, I wouldn’t be attracted to her.”

I make a face. “No one asked you to be. Stay in your lane.”

He grins. “Aw, you’re already smitten.”

I ignore him, staring at my phone. I would text her, but I suck at it, and that fucking autocorrect doesn’t help at all. I’m not good with English words; I barely even speak them well. “You call her.”

Shea pulls in his brows. “Who? The chick?”

“Yeah. Maybe she’s ignoring me.”

He looks at me, baffled. “So, why are we calling her?”

“She just needs to hear my voice, and I’ll get her to talk to me.”

“Yeah. No, stalker.” When he laughs, I glare. He’s supposed to be my best friend. “But can we discuss how fine that photographer was? Man, I was pissed when my contacts wouldn’t stay in. She was something.”

I shrug. When I was back home in Russia, she would be my type. A thicker woman who can make me some babies. Though, I can’t help but remember the rich men being with model-thin women with big boobs. When I came to America, I felt that was how I would mark my success. Especially when I saw how wealthy American men were with their women. I’m actually surprised Shea likes the photographer. He is very much a blond, puck-bunny kind of guy. “She was very pretty.”

“Yeah, and thick in all the right places.” He grins like a kid with his hand in a cookie jar.

Wow, he does like her. “Totally different from who you’ve been with before.”

I’m truly surprised he isn’t settled down with a bunch of kids yet. He’s a great uncle, and when we go to the Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, it’s as if all the kids are his. He’s a leader, a good dude, and I’m lucky he’s my best friend. He just doesn’t do relationships. I can’t fault him; most hockey players don’t. We have grueling schedules, and we’re gone a lot. It takes a special woman to deal with that. I really want Harper to be that special woman.

Shea shrugs, making a noncommittal face. “I think I’m done with that part of my life, those women. I want to settle down.”

Now I’m the one making a face. Shea has never wanted to settle down. Like, ever. I’ve always wanted to settle down. Every woman I have dated has been because I’m looking for a wife, but it hasn’t worked out for me. No one has wanted the same thing I do. But it was different with Harper. I felt that settling down feeling with Harper. I was aware I had only known her for maybe five minutes, but I felt it.