I stiffened as I came, holding her tightly and whispering in her ear in Czech. My love. My only. My always.

I've missed you, too.

Petra

I leaned back into his arms, satiated. "Good morning." I murmured, my breathing still erratic. I wasn't ready to address what I'd said the night before, what he'd just said. Milos nodded sleepily against my shoulder just as my stomach gurgled. "As fun as last night and this morning was, we should get up."

"No." He held me tighter. "I'm not done with you yet."

A fleeting memory prickled at the back of my mind. We were sitting together, eating wafers on the bed. I was laughing so hard my sides hurt, so hard that tears were collecting in my eyes.

"So what did he do?" I asked.

Milos laughed harder. "He threatened to sue me. Over the tiger I smuggled for him!"

He was my everything when he was like this. Smart, funny, impossibly caring.

"I love you." I heard myself say. Milos stared at me. "I'm sorry, it's probably too soon, it's just- "

"Thank God." Milos cut me off. "I love you, Natalia. I have loved you since the first time I saw you, since the first word you spoke to me."

Then his mouth was on mine, and no one said anything.

"Petra?" I was startled out of my remembrance by his gentle questioning.

"Do you still keep wafers under the bed? I'm starving."

He smiled. "You remember. Yes, I do. They're on your side."

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me as I leaned over and grabbed the box. It was heavy. Really heavy.

"Milos? Why is this box of cookies so heavy?"

"I'll tell you if you will answer a question for me." He answered cryptically. A small smile played across his lips as I scooted back close to him. I told myself it was only because he was warm.

"Okay." I replied tentatively, covering myself with the sheet and sitting up. Milos sat up next to me, rubbing his hand up and down my leg.

"That's my emergency box." He said, in a more somber tone than I had expected. "Should anyone ever come, if there's no chance of escape, there's my way out."

The heft of the box suddenly made sense. "There's a gun in here." I muttered, disbelievingly. He nodded, looking straight forward. "I need a follow up question." I paused. "What's the worst thing you've ever done for work? Why would someone want to kill you?"

He stopped, his hand stopped mid stroke on my leg. "Please don't ask me that. I don't want you to think of me that way. But I will say this. I spent the six months after you left in anger management, then two years searching for you. You made it clear you didn't want to be found. It was a low point for me, knowing it was my fault you were gone, knowing I could manage my anger all I wanted, but it wasn't going to bring you back. I turned to work. That's when I was given an opportunity to move from scamming and smuggling into less savory, more profitable dealings."

"The grenades." I murmured. "Milos, you have to stop. I don't want this to be what the end looks like for you." I felt suddenly tense, my chest felt inexplicably tight. Regardless of my feelings for him, whatever those were, no one should expect an end like that.

"Okay." He said, cupping my face between his hands and kissing me gently. "It will take some time to sell off the less savory items in my portfolio. I'm not in an industry where quitting is an option."

"Thank you." I breathed, relieved. My stomach gurgled louder, more insistent. Milos took the box from my hands, pulled out a wafer, and held it to my lips.

"Eat. For the babies." The wafer smelled so good. I opened my mouth, and let him pop one in. "Besides." He said, winking. "If this is what the end looks like for me, I would be thrilled. You naked and wanting next to me."

I coughed on the cookie, then started to laugh. The levity was back so quickly, so easily. "Well it's not how I want to go! I'm only thirty one and pregnant!"

"My turn. You said you would answer my question. What has been the best moment in the last five years for you?" He asked, leaning over and kissing my neck as I popped another wafer into my mouth.

"Honestly?" I felt him nod against my neck. "My first wedding day. I felt happy, and safe, and secure. My Mother was there, I went an entire day without worrying about anything. Does that bother you?"

The seconds ticked by while I waited for his response. He took a couple of deep breaths in and out. "Yes, I am jealous your best day was marrying someone else, but I also understand you love how you felt that day, not necessarily that you love who you married that day. Though I am jealous he got to have you."

That was certainly not the response I'd expected. I turned my head to kiss him. "Don't be. We only had one good year before the miscarriages and then he got sick. What has been your favorite moment in the last five years?"

"That's easy." Milos said confidently, entwining his hand with mine. "Our wedding."

"No!" I exclaimed disbelievingly, turning to him. I was surprised to see his face serious, his brown eyes boring into mine. "Milos, what was it really?"

Tenderly he stroked my chin. "Watching you walk down the aisle. I waited so long to see it. You looked like an angel. When things were bad after you were gone, I used to imagine it. For years I imagined it. Then one day-" He paused to kiss my hand. "One day it came true. Even though you didn't smile, even though you didn't love me, you were there. Everything I had imagined and more. For an entire year, I was supposed to have you for myself."

I wasn't sure if he was aware of it, but he was gently running his fingers through my hair as he disappeared into his thoughts.

"I knew about the surveillance." I said quietly. "That's why I tipped off the police. To escape it."

He nodded, still in his other world. "I should have told you. Petra, all the anger management in the world doesn't change that my work is high risk. I work with bad people. I thought you would be safer with more security." He paused again. "And if in four months, when our year is up, you want me gone, I'd still be able to see you."

"First of all, that's seriously creepy. Second, I don't understand." I leaned my head on his chest. He sounded so calm, but his heart was beating wildly. "It's been five years. There must have been other women you loved."

"No." He answered simply, his hand now running up and down my arm. "I haven't seen anyone since we were together. There is only you for me."

My heart squeezed, sending a warm rush through my chest. I should have stopped and left. I should have run out of that room. Instead I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted my mouth to his.

I slid down on the pillows, pulling him on top of me. He was careful not to put pressure on my stomach while on his hands and knees above me. I couldn't stop kissing him, it was like I craved him, his scent, his touch, his voice.

His hand moved to my breast, but I shook my head. "No foreplay. I need you now. Right now."

I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him closer. I could feel his erection pressing against me, his hot breath on my neck. He nodded, positioning himself and slowly entering me. I called out, clutching at his arms. It was wonderful. It was perfect. The charge between us was electric, all encompassing.

"Petra." Milos ground out. "Open your eyes."

I did, and it was entrancing. His warm brown eyes met mine, staring into me. I felt like he could see every thought, every wish, every fantasy. Pleasure licked through me like flames, scorching and intense. He rocked slowly into me, steadily, letting the pressure build little by little.

Not breaking eye contact, I slid my hands to his face and kissed him. It was long and lingering, deep and passionate. I wanted to stay in this moment, here with him. The pressure in me was mounting, gaining momentum. I felt as if I were on the precipice of an enormous cliff, about to fall off.

"Milos, oh, Milos." I said, quietly at first. The pressure peaked and finally I was there, spiraling out of control. As the orgasm wracked my body I called his name, over and over, louder and louder, clutching him for dear life.

As my orgasm began to trail off, Milos buried his hands in my hair, thrust once more and came, spilling himself into me. As he regained his faculties, he ran one of his hands from my hair to my chin and kissed me softly.

"I have missed you." He murmured, before moving to lay next to me.

Those little words had a suddenly profound effect on me. My heart pounded in my chest, my blood roared in my ears, my mouth was suddenly dry. Memories, good ones, started to flood my senses. Picnics in the park, staying up until midnight talking, the joy I used to feel when I saw those tulips on the doorstep. My heart ached.

"I missed you, too." I said quietly, after some time had passed. "In the beginning I was devastated being without you. I blocked out every positive memory of you. But every minute I spend with you, I remember more and more. And I'm afraid. So afraid you'll hurt me again."

Milos took in his arms. "Thank you." He whispered. "Petra, you have my word. Things won't always be perfect, but I will never hurt you again." He wiped a small tear collecting in the corner of my eye. "There. Much better. Now why don't you tell me what you were remembering?"

I sniffed inelegantly. "Do you remember the picnic we took? Or the time you told me about the tiger?"

He smiled, rubbing my back. "Of course! I could never forget the first time you said you loved me."

My phone rang from the other room, jarring and shrill. I ignored it, curling in closer to Milos. Just as I thought it went to voice mail, they called again. I sighed. "Let me find out what this is about. Then we can shower and eat. I'm hungry again."

Milos let me out of his arms, then watched me with his heated gaze as I went to get my phone from the living room. Two missed calls and four emails from a hysterical bride getting married in two days.

I sighed. So much for a day off. "Milos?" I called, walking back to his room. "Work needs me."

He nodded. If there was one thing he understood above all else, it was work ethic. "Will I be seeing you for dinner?" He asked, unassumingly.

"Yes." I replied, a little smile playing at my lips. "This is very domestic of us."

Milos grinned as he got out of bed. "We are married, my angel. We should be domestic." There was a twinkle in his eye. "I'll arrange for dinner."

I looked at him suspiciously, but he gave nothing away. "I'm looking forward to it." I replied. And to my waining concern, I was.

An hour later I sat in my office, waiting for the bride to show up. I'd showered, redone my make up, thrown my hair into an updo, and dressed in a pink knit dress that the Seraphine website swore Kate Middleton owned. Milos was closed in the office when I left, shouting over the phone. I tried to listen in, but he was speaking Russian. All I could understand was "sell", "idiot", and "diamonds".

I tapped my pen on the desk, wondering what industry he was in. He was selling something. Something big if it was being paid for in diamonds. Maybe he was piecing out his portfolio and selling, like he said he would? Or maybe he was selling diamonds now, smuggling out blood diamonds and passing them off as being ethically sourced. I bit my lip. It was too soon to trust him. I looked up. For all I knew, I was still being monitored.

As my mood was about to sour, the bride came rushing in, a wild frenzy of tears and pointing fingers. For the next six painful hours we went over each and every thing she wanted, most of which was already in her file. A dull ache began nagging at the back of my head, an excellent counterpoint to the gnawing hunger and subsequent queasiness that assailed me. As the hours wore on it worsened, until I could barely hold my sick in. In desperation, I texted Rafael.

Need you in office ASAP bring bread sick

Five minutes of tear filled histrionics from the bride later, Rafael knocked on the door and let himself in.

"Well hello." He unleashed one of his smiles at the suddenly quiet bride. "I'm Rafael. I co own the hotel."

She stared at him, her mouth slightly ajar. She blinked once, twice. Her lips moved slightly, but no sound came out. Poor thing. "This is Eloise, the lovely bride getting married on Saturday." I helped.

"Wonderful." Rafael nodded. "What can I do for you?"

The bride finally found her voice. "I just want to make sure everything is perfect." She squeaked out meekly.

"And it will be." He said, patting her shoulder. She looked like she was about to melt. "Petra, those documents you need for the big meeting are in the hall. Eloise, will you be okay if you and I finish the meeting just the two of us?"

She nodded. Lucky for her fiancé that Rafael was taken. "Yes, Rafael, thank you for the documents. Eloise, feel free to call me any time. Rafael will keep me apprised of any changes."

I gathered some papers I didn't actually need and exited. There was a bag of rolls by the door. Shoving one into my mouth, I texted Raf.

Thank you for the save. I owe you one.

I grabbed another roll from the bag. With each bite my nausea subsided, with each glorious moment of silence my headache retreated. Slowly I turned and headed back to my suite, using the stairs to avoid seeing anyone.

I once cried here because I was afraid after Milos had found me. I paid off a blackmailer here. I blackmailed a police officer here. But today it was just a stairwell, bringing me closer to my room, closer to Milos.

It should have felt so complicated. It should have felt wrong or risky. But as I walked back to my rooms, all I could feel was magnetism, drawing me to him. I put my hand on the doorknob to the suite, pulling it open.