His possession

Chapter Three

"What the hell, did you bite him?" "Did you insult his manhood?" "Let me smell your breath."

I'd stayed at the bar long enough to take my ribbing, because it was deserved and because I was a good goddamned sport. In general, I tried not to take myself too seriously--I called myself "the manalyst," after all. My life's motto: Joke 'em if they can't take a f**k.

A few shots later, I'd made my farewells and drunkenly set out for home, the pad I shared with Jess about five blocks away.

Tons of students were out, blowing off steam before midterms. It was a chilly fall night, with a full moon overhead. I pulled my jacket tighter. This close to harvest, the smell of ripe corn carried on the air--always a time of excitement for me since I was a farm girl at heart.

Yet another hand-holding couple passed me, and I gazed after them with a little wistfulness. Even if I had zero tolerance for men and their drama, I wouldn't mind having someone to snuggle up with this winter.

Someone to notice that my hands were cold and to hold them between his own.

Don't think of the Russian, don't think of . . .

Too late. I didn't exactly see myself strolling around campus all fa la la with a guy like that. But there'd been something about him--

A sudden sense that I was being watched hit me. Running a palm over my nape, I sw

ept a glance around me. I only saw students meandering the streets, crowding into and out of various bars.

Probably just the tequila getting to me. Or stress from this week's insane work schedule. Safety-wise, the only scary thing about this campus was its deadly dullness.

Shaking off my unease, I dug my phone out of my pocket and checked e-mail. Nothing from Zironoff. I was beginning to think I'd gotten scammed by my investigator. It wouldn't be the first time one of them had ripped me off. Had I blown a year of tips on that DNA dickwad?

There was an e-mail from Mom, wondering why I was working so much, worrying. If she ever found out about my quest, she'd take it personally, and we didn't need any more friction between us.

Finally home, I meandered up the walk that wound through our yard. Our place was a cute mid-century bungalow, owned by Jess's parents. She called it the Bunghole, a perfect indication of her maturity level.

Inside, I shed my coat on the way to the kitchen. Chilled Gatorade, my secret hangover preventative, awaited me.

Hearing a sound from the front of the house, I called from the fridge, "Jess, that you?" I sounded tanked. "Whatcha doing back?" Maybe she'd struck out for once? We could commiserate.

No answer. I shrugged--the Bunghole emitted more banging and moans than a porn set.

I closed the fridge. Half of the door was covered with glossy pics from Jess's pervasive fashion magazines. My half was covered with postcards. She sent them from all the exciting locales she visited each break. Though I had an open invitation from her family and yearned to travel, I was constantly working. I'd never even been outside of the Midwest.

I'd never seen a seashore, much less the Eiffel Tower.

If I had a dollar for every time I'd gazed at these cards while promising myself, One day . . . well, I wouldn't need to work three jobs.

After downing my Gatorade dose, I swerved to my room, knotting my hair atop my head for a bath. Minutes later, when I eased back into the steaming water, another wave of drunken disappointment settled over me.

Now that I'd crashed and burned on my first pickup, I had to wonder how guys kept hitting on women, forever risking rejection. I mused over all the men I'd turned down--had I torpedoed their mojo?

I just couldn't figure out why that Russian had been so angry. And what the hell had been so off-putting about me? I wasn't a beauty like Jess, but I'd had male interest ever since I'd sprouted mammaries.

Curious, I ran my palms down my legs. They were fit from standing for hours on end while waiting tables, just as my arms were lean from hefting trays.

My hands ascended to my hips. Admittedly, they were wide, but my waist was narrow. And my breasts? They were fairly big, bobbing now in the water, coral-colored n*****s puckering just above the surface. My rack had been on display tonight; that Russian hadn't given it a second glance.

But what if I hadn't repelled him? What would those hot, rough palms of his have felt like kneading my chest? At the thought, I experienced a surge of arousal so strong it startled me. My n*****s stiffened even more. When the bathwater lapped at them, my breath hitched.

I'd talked to him for less than two minutes, seen him for less than ten, and his effect on me was this strong?

To hell with it--he could spurn me all he wanted to, but he couldn't keep me from fantasizing about him. With a mental Screw you, Russian, I reached between my legs to stroke, picturing his broad shoulders, his square jawline, his mouth. Those hooded golden eyes.

Even in the water, I could tell how slick my p***y had grown, my forefinger gliding along my lips, parting them. When I reached my c******s, I found it swollen and supersensitive.

Sighing with need, I began to rub the bud in slow circles. My lids slid shut, and my knees fell wide against the sides of the tub. With my free hand, I petted my breasts, thumbing my n*****s till they strained. . . .

I debated fetching one of my trusty vibrators from under the bed. But then I pictured the Russian kissing down my torso with that scorching expression, and realized B.O.B. could sit this one out.

Though I'd never had a guy go down on me, I could all but see the Russian's dark head between my thighs as he began to lick. Another stroke had me undulating in the water, gasping. His lips would be firm against my weeping flesh as he hungrily tongued me. He'd want me wetter and wetter, and I'd oblige.

In this fantasy, my aching clit wasn't throbbing against my finger, but against his greedy tongue.

As my body tensed for my orgasm, every inch of me seemed to gather in on itself, like a star about to explode. I rubbed my palm over my taut n*****s, another shot of stimulation. So close, only a couple more strokes . . . I cracked open my eyes to watch myself writhing in the throes. Corner of my vision, strangest thing . . . through the steam, I thought I saw the Russian.

In my doorway, gazing down at me with smoldering eyes.

Broad chest heaving as he gnashed his teeth.

Muscles tensed as if he was about to fall upon me.

I squinted through the haze. Surely my muddled mind was imagining this? Was I that drunk? I was right at the razor's edge of coming, my toes already curling. As I met his mesmerizing imaginary gaze, my sneaky finger decided to give my clit one more shudder-inducing flick.

He exhaled sharply, big hands opening and closing. His expression said that he was about to seize my body and eat me up, bit by little bit.

So close . . . Then it registered that he was actually standing in the doorway of my bathroom.

The Russian had broken into my house and was spying on me, like some psycho!

I shot upright, drawing a breath to scream, but he cut me off: "Cover yourself, Natalie." His voice was rough, his brows drawn tight. "We need to talk." With a vile curse in Russian, he strode off.

Cover myself? Talk?

Night-stalker-serial-killers didn't say s**t like that!

I was so confounded, I couldn't manage a scream. My mouth moved, but no words came out. I scrambled from the tub, reaching for a towel, and secured it around me. Even in the midst of this turmoil, I hissed in a breath as the terry cloth rubbed my n*****s.

Casting around for a weapon, I plucked off the cover of the toilet tank, hefting it over my shoulder in a batter's pose. From the safety of the bathroom, I called, "I don't know what you're doing in my house. But you need to leave now. Or I'll call the cops!"

"I was sent here by your father," he replied from my bedroom.

I swayed, and my makeshift weapon faltered. Considering his Russian accent--and the timing--I knew he had to be talking about my biological father. Still I said, "My dad died six years ago."

"You know that's not the one I'm referring to."

In a rush, I demanded, "What do you know about him? Who are you? Why did you break into my house?"

"Break in?" Scoffing sound. "Your key was under a plastic rock. For anyone to find," he added in a chiding tone. "Your father is a very important--and wealthy--man. He's assigned me to be your new bodyguard."

"Bodyguard! Why would I need one?"

"Anyone in a family with a ten-figure net worth"--I gasped at that--"needs protection."

"You're saying he's a . . . billionaire?" Was I getting punked? Maybe that was in rubles or something.

"Correct. His name is Pavel Kovalev. He just learned of your existence a short while ago, through the investigator you hired."