On Her Knees by Jenika Snow

13

It had been days since she’d slept with Viktor and spoken with Hardy about the whole situation. To say Karina was still confused about how she felt was an understatement, even after speaking with her friend.

Of course she wanted Viktor, thought about him constantly, and his admission that he wanted to see where things went with them made her happy. But Karina also didn’t want her heart broken in the process.

She knew she could fall hard for Viktor in no time—hell, she felt like she was already halfway there. But he didn’t exactly have a reputation for being in committed relationships, and she worried that he’d get tired of her eventually.

But do you really think that, after what he said to you?

Honestly, no, she didn’t think that, because Viktor wasn’t the type of man to make declarations like he had and not mean them. From what she’d seen, heard, and gathered on her own, she knew he kept himself at a distance with people.

His telling her he wanted her, that he wanted more than just that one night, had sounded genuine.

He was real, and you know that. You just don’t want to realize or accept it.

But Karina did want to accept it, because it’s what she wanted as well.

“Stop,” she whispered to herself, grabbed the files she’d been working on, and got back to it. She’d been immersed in her work for the last few days, trying to stay out of Viktor’s way, because she was still wrapping her head around it all, even if she knew what she wanted.

He’d been working on a big account, so his head had been in that, but she also didn’t miss the way their gazes would lock in passing, and the heat and emotions that bombarded her at every turn.

“Karina, I’m going to go on my lunch. Would you like to go?”

Karina stopped filing and looked at Barbara, who stood in the doorway. There were a few other employees with her. “No thanks. I’d like to get this done.”

“Want me to bring anything back? We’re going to Renaldo’s.”

“I brought my lunch, but thank you.” She smiled and watched as they left. Karina went back to filing, her thoughts on Viktor, as they’d been for the last several days. It also didn’t help that just until the other day she had still been pleasurably sore between her thighs, a remembrance of what they’d shared.

Fortunately, Viktor wasn’t in his office and had left for a meeting a few hours ago. That at least gave her the silence she needed to think. Or maybe she didn’t need to think anymore? Maybe she just needed to either tell him this wasn’t what she could do, or say she wanted to give it a try.

The sound of the office doors opening and closing had her assuming one of the girls had forgotten something. She finished filing the last bit of paperwork and stepped out of the backroom. “You forget something...” Her words died in her throat when she saw Viktor standing by the receptionist’s desk, his jacket midway to being pulled off and his focus on her.

For a second they didn’t speak, didn’t even move.

Maybe this is a sign that things need to get resolved right now?

He took a step toward his office, and even though she could clearly see the strain on his face, he didn’t push her. She had to appreciate that, because Viktor was a man known to go after what he wanted, but he was giving her the space and time to decide what she needed in her life.

“Karina.” The way he said her name as he walked past her made butterflies move around in her belly. The scent of him as the air wafted around her had the hairs on her arms standing on end. And the look he gave her right before he entered his office had her resolve solidifying.

You have thought about this. You know what you want. You know what you need to tell him.

He shut the door, and she contemplated just for a second what she should do.

Stop thinking, and just do it. You won’t know how it’ll be until you talk to him and give this a chance.

Steeling herself, she smoothed her hands over her legs and moved toward the door. She could hear him on the phone, and although she should have knocked, she figured they’d already shared so much that walking in would be appropriate.

She turned the knob, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. He had his back to her and was standing looking out one of the windows, but she could see how he tensed and knew he could sense her right away.

They had this undeniable connection, and that was another reason she was just going to go with it and see how this all went.

“Zachary, let me call you back.” Viktor turned around and disconnected his Bluetooth. He removed it from his ear and set it on the table. The silence between them was thick, slightly awkward, but then again she figured it would be given how they’d parted.

“I figured we should talk,” she said, trying not to twist her fingers together and show her nerves.

He nodded and came around the table. “Do you want a drink?” he asked and went over to the small bar by the wall.

“I’m on the clock. Probably not the best thing for me to do.”

He glanced at her. “I’m the boss. I think it’ll be okay if you want one.”

“Okay then,” she said and tried to smile, but she was so damn on edge she knew it came out forced.

He poured them both a drink and walked up to her, handing her the glass. “Do you want to sit down? I have a feeling what you want to talk about isn’t in a professional capacity.”

She shook her head, and watching him go over to the couch, she took a drink. The liquor was a little harsh, but then again, she wasn’t much of a hard alcohol drinker. But she knew she’d need a little liquid courage to get through this, because no matter what the outcome was, this was totally new territory for her.

Moving next to him and sitting down, she focused on her glass, wondering how to proceed.

“You’ve thought about what I said, and want to talk about it?” Viktor asked, and she looked up, thankful he’d broken the silence.

She nodded, her throat tight and slightly burning from the alcohol, and her nerves making talking almost impossible. But she wouldn’t be a coward. She wanted to be honest with him, to tell him that she had feelings for him, ones she didn’t want to ignore.

Then say it.

“I’m afraid, I’ll admit that.” She held on to her glass tightly. “I don’t know if this is just a phase, like you’ll get sick of me.” She shrugged, being honest, even though it was humiliating. “I’m different from what you normally go for, and I guess that’s why I feel this way, why I think one day I’ll have given you my heart, and you’ll just discard me.”

“Oh, Karina, baby.”He set his glass down and pulled her closer. She let him, because it felt damn good to have Viktor hold her. “If this wasn’t what I wanted, wasn’t what I desired above everything else, I would have never said anything.”

It was strange to hear this softer side of him, to feel his emotions, his desire for her. It wasn’t just about sex, not for her, and he’d told her as much. This was about so much more, and she wanted to explore that.

“But you want me, too?” He spoke tenderly, and she couldn’t help but absorb that. She was so used to seeing the strong and always in control Viktor that having this gentle, sweet man hold her and tell her everything would work out was surreal.

“I do want you.”

“Look at me, Karina.”

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. He still appeared so powerful and strong, like he could crush anything that came close to him, that threatened what he held dear.

And he holds you dear.

“If I wasn’t sure, without a fucking doubt, that you were it for me, I wouldn’t have told you what I had.”

“It’s just happening so fast.”

He smiled and cupped her cheek. “It is, but doesn’t it feel incredible?”

She nodded. “It does.”

“Then let’s just go with it and see where this path takes us.”

Can it really be this easy?