“No one even knows that old-ass song!” I protested as I jumped down from the stage. “That was lame, KK.” I flipped Kristen’s hair with my fingers as I passed. “I’m gonna grab more drinks.”

“I’ll keep your man company so that vulture doesn’t swoop in.” She nodded in the direction of a group of girls standing by our table. One of them kept switching places with the others, casually trying to get closer to Aleksandr.

“Thanks.” I gave her a thumbs-up as I edged through the tables and chairs on my way to the bar. It was a sweet thought. Not necessary, but sweet.

I laughed at myself. Though puck bunnies were one of my biggest insecurities when I’d first met Aleksandr, I felt no jealousy toward the girl jockeying for position next to him now. I knew he wouldn’t give her a glance.

I ordered drinks for Aleksandr and Kristen and got myself a water. As I edged through the crowd, I turned my hips to maneuver past two back-to-back, occupied chairs, bumping one of them with my behind.

“Sorry. Excuse me,” I apologized without thinking.

“Aud,” a familiar voice said. I glanced behind me to find Greg occupying the chair I’d bumped. I twisted my neck, my focus on keeping the triangle of drinks upright. Then Greg touched my thigh, and I jumped back, sloshing beer onto his shirt.

Instinctively, I glanced at Aleksandr, who had risen from his seat. His eyes unwavering, catching every movement, his arms crossed across his chest, but he had a slight smirk on his face. Since I couldn’t tell if he was angry or amused, I tried to scoot by quickly. I wasn’t ruining my relationship with Aleksandr for Greg.

“I’m sorry about—” Greg stood up and wavered, unsteady on his feet. “Sorry about earlier.”

“Let’s just not talk about it,” I said, trying to inch my way forward.

“No, really. I just—” Greg leaned in, his face inches from mine. If I didn’t move quick, he’d be kissing me.

I lurched back and pushed my arms out to keep him away, sending more beer splashing over the sides of the huge plastic cups. Great, just fucking great. Aleksandr already hated Greg for talking to me the night we met in Canada. He hadn’t been too happy when I joined Greg’s band, either. Of course Greg would try to kiss me as Aleksandr watched from a few tables away.

“It’s not going to end well,” he slurred before he looked at Aleksandr.

I tightened my hold on the triangle of drinks and hurried to my table, setting the drinks down before I stood between Aleksandr’s legs and leaned over to kiss him.

“What was that about?” Aleksandr asked me when I pulled back.

“He’s really drunk.” I leaned into him, wrapping my arms around his neck, nuzzling close.

“Is this the Drew situation again?”

Aleksandr must’ve assumed my slight hesitation meant yes.

“Wanna know something?” Aleksandr whispered, his breath warm against my ear.

I nodded, making sure to slide my ear against his lips strictly for the pleasure it gave me.

“It gets me a little bit excited to see guys hit on you.”

“It does?” I asked, puzzled. I leaned in closer, tucking my face into the curve where his neck meets his collarbone and inhaling the scent of his sweat rather than the stench of stale alcohol.

“Yes, because I know you’re going home with me.” He ran his fingers over the curve of my backside and down the back of my thighs.

My mouth curled into a smile, lips dragging against his throat. I lifted my head, threw my hair over my shoulder, and caught his eyes. “Yeah, about that. When is that happening?”

“I thought you wanted to hang out with your friends tonight.”

“All I want is to hang on to you.”

“Say the word, my love.”

I leaned over and whispered in Aleksandr’s ear, “I’m ready.”

He hoisted me up so I could wrap my legs around him. Much to my surprise, he didn’t put me down, barely letting me say goodbye to Kristen, Lacy, and Beth as he carried me to the door.

—

“We’re never gonna make it,” I murmured between kisses as we weaved through the maze of hallways leading to Aleksandr’s hotel room. The last petals of panic about losing my virginity fell away every time Aleksandr touched me.

“We’re here.” He took his lips off mine long enough to slip the card key in the reader. He didn’t even fumble for the lights, just flicked his wrist, and I heard the plastic card bounce off something.

Aleksandr slid my coat off, letting it fall to the floor while I walked backward toward the bed. My calves hit the mattress, and all it took was the slight push of his fingertips and I was on my back. There were no words to explain the rapid anticipation surging through my veins as he situated himself between my legs and looked down at me. His eyes glazed over, a slight smile on his face.

The bed dipped when he leaned over and placed his arms on either side of me like he was about to do some weird-ass push-ups. I reached up, grabbing the waistband of his jeans, but his lips curved into a sexy smile and he dropped to his knees. Then he moved his right hand to my shirt and gently tugged it up before he dropped his head and licked the sensitive patch of skin below my belly button. My body arched and I reached up and grabbed his hair. I heard him laugh, and I quickly let go, hoping I hadn’t hurt him. Once I came back down to the mattress, I dug around in my pocket, pulling out the sugar packets I’d swiped from Larry’s.

“Didn’t you want these?” I shook the packets back and forth.

“I fucking love you,” he growled.

Chapter 23

I woke up in a foreign bed wondering where the hell I was. Pulling myself up onto an elbow and looking down, I recognized my usual pajamas—oversized T-shirt and underwear. I touched my hand to my throat, which was so dry it ached. My head pounded. Even my eyes felt raw. The glowing green numbers of an alarm clock on the table next to the bed told me it was almost 3:00 a.m.

When I stepped out of bed, my left foot landed in a tiny garbage pail. I shook it off my foot, thankful it was empty. I got out of bed and navigated the room with caution, fumbling around for a kitchen or bathroom, somewhere to get a drink of water. When I banged my knee against a couch that appeared out of nowhere, I realized I was in a hotel room. The sharp pain coursing through my head and now my knee triggered my memory.

Aleksandr coming to town because he knew I needed him. Drinking more than I ever had in my life. And passing out on him just before we had sex.

Awesome.

Nothing says You excite the hell out of me like passing out.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw feet hanging over the edge of the couch against which I’d just nailed my knee. Abandoning my original mission, I crept over to it. A thin fleece blanket covered Aleksandr’s lower body. He lay on his stomach, his back turned toward me, his face buried into one of the tiny pillows of the couch. The cut of each muscle in his back was evident, even in his relaxed state. He was a walking, talking fitness commercial.

I reached out and shook his shoulder gently, more from wanting to touch his bare skin than to wake him up. Aleksandr bolted upright, as if there was an emergency. I must have recoiled five feet.

“Audushka, are you okay?” The twist of his torso revealed his bare chest, and I wondered if I was sleepwalking. The chiseled muscles of Aleksandr’s upper body, arms, and abdomen were straight out of my fantasies.

I paused to count the pack in his stomach. He jumped off the couch and placed his hands on my shoulders before I could get higher than eight. “Do you feel sick again?”

“No, I—” I rubbed my eyes with my fingers.

“Audushka, you need some rest.” Aleksandr’s voice was gentle and soothing.

I crawled onto the couch and curled into a ball, resting my head on top of the arm. Aleksandr covered me up with the blanket he had been using. Then he sat down at my feet and rubbed my back. As relaxation set in, I had no choice but to close my eyes and drift into slumber.