Counting Midnight Read online

  She pulled back. “Vasile?” she whispered. He was afraid she’d changed her mind.

  Looking down into her bottomless eyes, eyes the color of a tropical sky, he smiled. “Yes, meu dragoste?”

  “Can I… Will you let me…” she seemed to be having trouble expressing herself.

  “Da, Nina?” he encouraged her.

  “I want to be… on top.” her face couldn’t get much redder, he was sure.

  Without further ado, Vasile wrapped his arms around her and rolled them over so that she reclined on top of his body. He grinned up at her. Shyly, she smiled back. He felt alive with joy.

  “I want to be in charge.” she blushed.

  Chuckling at her, he spread his arms. “Your wish is my command, meu inimã.”

  Fighting a smile she ordered, “Just lay there until I tell you to do something.”

  She slid to the end of the couch and removed his short boots. He was suddenly very glad that he’d dressed casually today. Somehow it put them in an equal position.

  Hauling back on first one boot and then its mate, she removed them and then tugged off his socks. She tickled the soles of his feet and then walked up his legs using her fingers.

  “I’m afraid you’ll have to suffer while I do all the things I’ve wanted to try for such a long time. Do you mind?” she asked, stopping at the waist of his jeans.

  Mind? Is she serious? He hoped she wasn’t about to stop.

  “I am honored to pay the price of the fool who neglected you, meu dragoste,” he croaked.

  She tugged his shirt free of his pants and ran her splayed fingers under the shirt and up his chest. He groaned loudly. For a minute, she flexed her fingers in the matting of hair over his pectoral muscles. Finally, she pushed his shirt up and whispered to him.

  “Take it off,” she said in her husky, sexy voice. Her words and her sultry tone affected him so deeply that he thought he’d come right there.

  “Mmm, mmmm” she groaned, looking at his bare torso. “You look as good as I thought you would.” she leaned down and took his nipple in her mouth.

  She laved and sucked his flat nipples until he thought he’d perspire droplets of blood—the strain of trying to control himself was so great. With her lips and hands, she explored his neck, shoulders, and pectoral muscles, all of his chest. She spent a little extra time rubbing her cheeks against the fur of his abdomen while her tongue explored his belly button.

  Finally, she unfastened his jeans and began to ease them down over his hips. She kissed his flat tummy as she lowered the zipper.

  “No panties?” she asked him mischievously.

  He couldn’t have answered if he tried. It took all of his self-control to keep from grabbing her as her tongue traced the flesh exposed by the opening of his zipper.

  When she wrapped her soft hand around his erection, he knew he’d come apart any minute. His cock jumped and swelled in her hand. She smiled at it as if it were magic. She tried it again. Finally, she spoke to him.

  “Take these off please and sit up,” she instructed politely indicating his jeans.

  Following her directions, he pushed his pants off and sat naked on the couch. She slid to the floor and kneeled between his legs. Her fingers moved up and down his calves and thighs, resting just above his knees. Vasile wasn’t prepared for the impact of her tongue touching the tip of his penis.

  He was still struggling for breath when she wrapped her hand around him and began licking the slit, tasting his pre-cum. She squeezed his penis and moved her other hand down to cup his balls.

  Looking intently at his face, she bent and licked the top of his cock. Her tongue made long sensuous strokes around and across the head of his rod, sucking the tip before gliding to the base.

  She played with his balls, cupping and squeezing and all the while her eager lips held and sucked his penis. Teasing with a long, slow stroke, she lowered her mouth and took his balls into that moist warm cavern. He grabbed the couch cushions and groaned loudly.

  She moved her hand back to his balls while her searing tongue made its way back up his shaft. Taking as much of him as she could inside, she began sucking him with breathtaking pressure. She moved her hands up and down his length, squeezing him while her mouth moved and sucked on him at the same time.

  She began increasing her tempo little by little. Hearing the sucking sounds she made and her quiet little moans, his body reacted naturally, his hips moving with the actions of her mouth and hand.

  Her tongue continued to stroke the underside of his penis while she sucked him faster and harder. He felt the growing urgency gather in his balls. He tried to stop her but she was unrelenting, stroking him deeper and faster with her hand and tongue until he came, spurting his semen into her mouth. She drank all of it, licking his pulsing cock and sucking the last few drops from him. He was overwhelmed and amazed.

  When she was finished, she kissed each knee and the tip of his semi-erect shaft. He didn’t think he could move. He reached for her to pull her up to his lap, but she scooted away from his hands.

  After resting a minute, she stood and pulled her own sweater over her head. She wore nothing underneath it. He sucked in his breath at the sight of her full, perfect breasts.

  They were plump and round and tipped with sweet, pink, candy-colored nipples. He wanted badly to feel them and take one into his mouth. His eyes greedily traced the veins leading to those succulent looking nipples.

  She reached down and unbuttoned the waist and fly of her jeans, revealing more flesh with each button. At last she began to push them down and stepped out of them. Under her jeans she wore a brief pair of gold lace panties. Keeping her eyes on his face she eased them down.

  His breath left him in a rush. He was already hard and pulsing again. In all the years he’d had the use of her body, he’d never taken a really good look at all of her. Over the last two years, she’d matured a little. She was so beautifully shaped.

  She crawled onto his lap and took his staff in her hand, rubbing it against her aroused sex. He cupped her breasts, squeezing and touching them. He spread his fingers over her ribcage, feeling the scars from her most recent surgery. He lowered one hand to her pale delicate hip.

  Nina moaned and raised herself up so that her moist entrance rested on the tip of his cock. Steadily, she lowered herself down onto him. Groaning, she threw her head back and began to rise and sink onto his hard staff, riding him.

  She leaned forward and he opened his mouth, catching her sweet, hardened nipple into his mouth. Taking turns, he suckled on one and then suckled the other. Her sheath embraced him tightly and she rose up and down on his cock, reaching higher and arching in her uncertain but eager pace.

  He kneaded her breasts, pinching the taut peaks, delighting in her mewling cries. She captured his gaze with luminous aqua eyes. He read desire there and the triumph of womanly power. Groaning, she sat up on her knees, pulling herself off of him, and then she thrust downwards, re-impaling herself on his cock.

  With a hoarse growl, he lifted her almost all the way off of him and then slammed his shaft upward again, filling her entirely, simultaneously covering her lips with his own. Thrusting his tongue into her mouth, he kissed her deeply.

  Taking over, his fingers clutched her hips tightly as he guided her body up and down the length of him, creating an urgent, smooth rhythm. His body had missed hers for two long years. He’d squandered what he’d had and he needed her so badly.

  She was tight, holding him in her hot wet fiery vise, rising and lowering upon him again and again. And then she was coming, screaming from the intensity of it. She buried her face in his shoulder as her sheath grabbed him and milked him, pulsing around his swollen shaft.

  Seizing her hips in a desperate grasp, he surged upwards once, twice, and one final thrust. Closing his eyes, his balls tightened and his body clenched and let go. Vasile groaned loudly as he buried his face in her neck and spurted himself deep within her.

  They clung together coming d
own from their incredible climax. Vasile eased them down to lie on the couch. Still buried deep inside of her, he twined his legs with hers as they stretched out.

  “Thank you, Nina,” he murmured into her hair. “That was beautiful and incredible.”

  “I can’t believe I just did that,” she mumbled.

  He stroked her back and ran his hands over her rounded bottom. “I can’t believe it either, meu dragoste,” he said in awe. She was already asleep.

  Chapter 13

  When Nina woke late the next afternoon, she was confused and upset. They had made love again during the wee hours of the morning. She had been exhausted and thought for a minute that she was dreaming. She wasn’t surprised to find herself in her bed.

  Vasile had carried her up the stairs late the night before. She’d awakened in the dark of night, startled and afraid. She remembered him whispering in her ear words of comfort. When she’d relaxed into his arms, he’d kissed her passionately.

  Sliding his hand between her legs, he must have felt her body’s readiness for him. Vasile had pulled her leg over his and pushed his cock into her wet sheath. She felt her heart clutch when she thought of how perfect it was when his hard length had pumped in and out of her.

  Now, her little kitty was curled on the pillow where his head had rested. Vasile, of course, was nowhere to be seen. She was alone again, counting her minutes.

  What would he be thinking about her now? She was so glad she’d taken a few days off. She wanted to shout out that she never indulged in such loose behavior but she guessed she had told him that already. Did he think she was making up for lost time?

  She thought about calling him but rejected that idea. There was nothing else to do—she was going to have to quit. She didn’t want to give up this job; she loved it, but what other choice was there? She also had strong feelings for her smooth, sexy, enigmatic boss. What a mess!

  She couldn’t work for Vasile Velicescu anymore, not after what she’d just done. She couldn’t spend any time in his presence and not think about how shameless she’d been. She’d never get any work done worrying about what he thought of her and hungering for his touch at the same time.

  Nina felt the tears prickle at the back of her eyes and throat. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in them. She was fighting the urge to indulge in an all out crying jag when she felt his arms slide around her.

  “What is it? Nina? Tell me what is wrong?” he asked her urgently. “Nina, talk to me!” he ordered.

  She felt like such a fool. She was crying openly now. “He always left. I thought you were gone.” she choked.

  “Shh, I am here, little Nina,” he crooned. “When we make love, I will not leave you alone ever again.”

  Now that he was here and she was in his arms, she wasn’t sure what was worse. She was so humiliated at the way she’d thrown herself at him. She’d practically raped the man.

  “I have to—to—to quit,” she sobbed, forcing the words out. Vasile started. “I can’t w—w—work for you. I h-h-have to l-leave here. I c-c-can’t see you anymore.” She continued to sob uncontrollably.

  “Meu inimã, you must explain,” he ordered firmly.

  “I a—a—acted like a s—s—slut!” she cried, sobbing harder now.

  Vasile chuckled. She smacked him with her hand, still shaking with sobs.

  “Nina, little love, hush. You will make yourself ill.” He gathered her against him and lifted her to his lap.

  “First, let me tell you that what you gave me earlier is the most incredible experience that I have ever had.” he squeezed her. “I will not let you leave me, meu dragoste.” He told her resolutely.

  She relaxed just a little against him. He was so strong and solid. She wanted to trust him and she wanted to count on him. She wanted to love him. On that thought, she started to cry again.

  “Nina, listen to me.” he held her from him. Taking the corner of the sheet, he dabbed at her tears. “Do you listen to me now, meu dragoste?” he demanded. She nodded.

  “For many years, I was the lover you described earlier. When the woman whose body I used—when she left me, I did not understand. I never understood what a precious gift I had been given.”

  Nina stared at him, amazed. This was a big admission for any man to make. Remembering his comments as she’d told him about her past relationship, she realized that he hadn’t understood her perspective at first.

  “With you now, I have been given another chance. I value you too much to squander this special opportunity.” His glittering eyes bored into her own, compelling her to believe him.

  Resting her head against his broad chest again, she wanted so much to believe that she could have something lasting with this man. She felt his muscles ripple as his arms tightened around her.

  Apparently satisfied that she had gotten over her hysteria, Vasile kissed her and pulled her to the edge of the bed.

  “I have prepared a meal and coffee,” He stood her up. “Come visit with me before I must go to the office, hmmm?”

  Nina felt her face going pink again. “I should go to work, too, shouldn’t I?” she mumbled.

  “You will stay home today and prepare for our party outing tomorrow.” he ordered her.

  “You are very arrogant, you know that?” she glared at him, trying to hide her amusement.

  “It is but one of the many things you love about me, is it not?” he insisted smugly, dodging the pillow she hurled at him as he left the room.

  They ate the omelet he’d prepared her and drank the coffee. Soon it was time for him to leave.

  “Promise me you will have no regrets? Promise!” he demanded of her.

  “I promise,” she whispered.

  Lowering his lips to kiss her, he teased, tasted, tantalized, and explored her mouth until she thought her legs would no longer hold her.

  “I will call you later,” he announced and then he was gone.

  *

  As the car pulled away, Vasile thought about everything that had transpired overnight.

  He’d wondered for twenty-four long months why she’d left him. How selfish was he? He couldn’t remember what it had been like for him as a human but he was still reminiscent of the man he’d been. How could he not know what he’d done to her?

  She’d been through so much and he’d never bothered to find out the extent of it. The rape had devastated her life. Her parents had been clearly left embarrassed and uncomfortable by the tragedy. Her only solace had been a silent taker. And she’d loved him.

  He truly had not appreciated what he had until she was gone. He’d find himself worried about her and then he would remember that she was gone. He’d think of seeing her and find he had a gaping hole in his life.

  Anyone who doubted the existence of a merciful God should come see him, Vasile thought to himself. He’d been so cavalier about her. When she’d gone he’d been, first, angry and, ultimately, abandoned and bereft. He’d realized eventually that knowing where she was and that she was safe had been anchoring to him. He’d felt rootless when he’d thought her dead.

  He thought about the amazing way she’d explored his body and made love with him last night. In the past, he’d controlled their intimacy. Now he understood what his selfishness had cost him. He’d never had such a moving experience with a woman.

  For the first time in more than twenty-four months, he’d sipped her life force again while being buried deep inside of her. Loving her was an incredible experience on its own, but tasting her blood while he buried himself inside of her was without equal. He wished he had tasted her juices but still, he felt like he’d come home with his cock buried deep within her and her life’s essence on his tongue.

  If he’d harbored any doubts about keeping her with him for all eternity, they’d been erased this morning. When he found her crying and saying that she must leave him he had experienced real fear.

  He knew she didn’t understand that he really was the man she’d described the
day before. He realized he’d have to be more direct with her about his failings. He would do whatever it took. She was his.

  Thinking it over, he realized that he had never liked imagining her with another man. Now, however, he understood that he couldn’t go another year without her, forget about going another nine hundred years. He would bind her to him. He hoped she wanted it, too. If not, he would end his life with hers. He would not live without her.

  Chapter 14

  It was an eventful trip from the minute the car picked Nina up in the early evening that next day. When Vasile arrived at her home on Friday evening, he found her packed and waiting to go. The driver carried her bag to the car and then returned to Vasile.

  “She’s having some trouble saying goodbye to her cat, sir,” the man told Vasile wryly.

  Vasile went into her house. “Nina? What’s wrong?” She sat in the foyer with her little kitten on her lap.

  “I’m nervous about leaving her for two whole days, Vasile. What if she thinks I don’t love her anymore?” she looked at him with real distress in her big sea-green eyes.

  Vasile reached out and combed the hair from her face with his fingers. He looked at her for a long moment.

  “We shall bring her with us then, da?” he asked. Her face broke into a delighted grin.

  She threw her arms around Vasile and kissed his face three times. He found her lips and gave her a light, sweet kiss. Touching her fingers to her lips, she looked at him in surprise, still smiling.

  “Thank you, Vasile,” she said shyly.

  Quickly, she gathered everything her miniscule feline would require and was ready to go within ten minutes. The driver rolled his eyes at the new passenger but was pleasant about the whole thing. Anything else wouldn’t have been acceptable anyway.

  * * * *

  Nina surprised Vasile again during the hour-long ride by asking if he’d join her and her parents for supper at the hotel restaurant. She assured him that she would pay but said that, if he didn’t have other plans, his company would be a welcome buffer.