All right folks, here it is...the promised lemony goodness. I've marked it for those who wish to skip.

Greyhorizon has been introduced in this chapter. She'll help Dimitri fly the friendly skies. ;-p

Thank you to all who reviewed/favorited/followed. Audrey, please thank Cass and Haley for their kind words. Glad they're enjoying it! I like that even those who aren't part of the VA family can appreciate this story.

DISCLAIMER: I own the plot only. Richelle Mead owns everything else, except the lyrics to "Till I Collapse" by Eminem.

Chapter 21: Open Hearts

(RPOV)

She awoke before the sun arose. Taking a quick shower, she dressed before sitting down to make a list of the items she'd need from the store. By the time she was done, it was well after 8:00. Slipping out of the house and into her car, she drove the few miles to the Tanner Market, eager to see her friends again.

Pulling up and parking, she hopped out and made her way inside. She barely crossed the threshold before she was accosted by Sonya, who had seen her pull up. "Rose!" she screamed, as she enveloped her in a bear hug. "I've missed you so much!"

Rose embraced the woman as tightly in return. "I've missed you too, but Sonya, you're going to break a rib if you don't ease up," she teased.

Releasing her quickly, Sonya stepped back, her arms holding onto Rose's shoulders. "Let me look at you! Well, you don't look much different. Maybe a little leaner. Guess that's from the training you told me about."

"Yeah, not only am I learning great self-defense moves, but I'm also getting in great shape. When we first started, I could have sworn Dimitri was trying to kill me!"

Sonya laughed, "Highly doubtful. You're precious cargo to him."

Rose blushed lightly. "Yes, well, enough about kicking ass. How are you? Where's Mikhail?"

"Back here," she heard the man yell. "Be out in a second."

"So, I'm only going to say this once, and Mikhail is under strict orders to not mention it at all. I'm sorry about what happened to you, and I'm glad you're doing better," Sonya said before giving Rose another quick hug.

Rose smiled, "Thank you. And I appreciate you all not harping on it or treating me like a porcelain doll. While I wouldn't recommend it as a therapy tool or want to experience it again, I have to admit that it forced me to deal with some things I might not have otherwise."

"Rose!" Mikhail said as he strode up to the front of the store, before pulling her into a hug. They embraced briefly before he stepped back, giving her a once-over, like Sonya. "You look good, just leaner." Rose and Sonya glanced at each, and then both broke into laughter at the same time. "What? What did I say?" Mikhail asked, confusion in his face.

"Nothing, Misha," Sonya said warmly. Turning back to Rose, she asked, "So, do you need supplies?"

"Definitely. Here's my list," handing it to Sonya.

"Okay, we have most of this, and what we don't, I'll tell you where to find it."

They managed to find nearly every item. Sonya told Rose where to find the one or two things they didn't have. As they were ringing up her purchases, Rose saw a folder on the counter, newspaper and magazine clippings sticking out. She could make out pictures of her and Dimitri on some. Pulling it over, she flipped it open, before turning to Sonya, "What's this?"

Grinning sheepishly, she replied, "Oh it's nothing. I've just been collecting pictures and articles about you since the piece in The New Yorker. I hope you don't mind. It's for my personal use, I don't share it with anyone – well except Mikhail."

Rose smiled at the woman, "Of course it's okay. I've just never seen these. I never read or look at any of this stuff, except for the New Yorker piece." She rifled through the rather large stack. There were photos from before the play up until their recent outings in Central Park. "Wow, I didn't realize they had stuff that early or this recent."

Looking at some of the more recent photos, which had been taken over the last few months, Rose's eyes narrowed, her gaze focusing in each shot. She pulled them out, lining them up across the counter, studying them. She felt there was something there she should be seeing, but couldn't put her finger on it.

"What's wrong?" Sonya asked, concern in her voice.

"I'm not sure. I…wait a minute. See this guy?" she said, pointing to a large man standing a few feet behind her in one of the photos.

"Yeah?" Sonya replied.

"He's in almost all of the other photos here," she said, pointing to each picture. Indeed, the well-built mountain of a man was hard to miss. It appeared he was trying to blend into the crowd but was failing miserably.

"That's weird. You think he's a fan?" Mikhail asked.

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "I guess he could be. But, there's something else. I swear I've seen him before."

"You probably noticed him subconsciously in New York, if he was always around," Sonya said, trying to explain her sense of déjà vu.

"Maybe," Rose said. Looking up, she asked, "Would you mind if I took these to the house with me? I'll get them back to you before I leave."

"Sure, help yourself," Sonya responded, sliding everything back into the manila folder and handing it to Rose.

Rose slipped it into one of her bags before she and Mikhail trudged her bounty out to the car. Closing the lid on her trunk, she walked back around, hugging both her friends. "I'll see you tomorrow at Mia and Eddie's, yes?" she asked them.

"Definitely. We'll be headed over around 2:00. Did you want to ride with us?" Mikhail asked.

Rose nodded, "That would be great. I'll be ready and waiting."

She slipped into the driver's seat before pulling back onto the road and heading to the house. Once there, she quickly unloaded the groceries. By the time she was done, she felt a bit winded after making several trips up and down the stairs. She laughed to herself as she thought how much harder it would have been before her guerrilla style training with Dimitri.

Unpacking the groceries, she absentmindedly laid the manila folder down on the counter. She was eager to get in a run while the weather was pleasant. Quickly changing clothes, she grabbed her headset and headed down to the beach. Scrolling through her playlist, she decided to start her warm up with a little Foo Fighters. As the beat pounded through her body, Rose felt her muscles limbering up as she pushed her steps faster; harder. As one song faded into the next, Rose continued, letting the cold sea air caress and tease her exposed skin. She could feel her shoulders relaxing, as the salty, aromatic scent of the sea wafted through her nose and mouth. She felt enveloped fully by her surroundings, letting them wash away any tension and anxiety.

As she abruptly turned around, she was surprised when she spotted a fellow runner quite a ways behind her. She couldn't make out their features from the distance that separated them, but she could tell it was a man. As she was running back, she saw the man suddenly dart up and over the dune running parallel to the beach and disappear. With some trepidation, Rose, eventually reaching the spot, gave it a wide berth, searching the reeds and grasses for the wayward runner. Seeing no one, she quickened her pace, pushing herself toward the house. She pulled out her headphones, feeling the need to have all her sense available.

Looking back repeatedly, she was relieved when she saw no one following. She slowed her pace slightly as she drew nearer to the house. Once she was close to the steps, she stopped, glancing around once again before beginning to stretch her taxed muscles.

After stretching, Rose made her way upstairs, dropping her sandy, wet shoes under the overhang by the door. Slipping inside, she turned and threw the deadbolt, taking one last look outside. Rose laughed lightly at herself. She knew that while there weren't as many people in the area during the colder, winter months, it did not mean there weren't other people staying at the beach as well. It had probably been another renter or possible resident she had not met.

Rose retreated to her room, pulling on a hoodie and a warm pair of woolen socks. Grabbing her latest book, she walked back into the living room. Laying some dry wood into the fireplace, she added the kindling before striking the match. As the roar and crackle of the flames sang their lulling sounds, Rose settled into the chair – his chair – curling her feet underneath. As she started to read the novel, her mind couldn't help but wander to a specific memory when he had sat in that very chair. The memory of her sitting atop him. Smiling, she placed her hand to her burning cheek, trying to soothe the sweet ache.

Frustrated over her lack of concentration, Rose stood, tossing her book onto the coffee table in front of her. Stalking to the kitchen, she decided to grab a quick bite, as her hunger was making itself known. Rose grabbed an apple and a banana from the fruit basket on the counter before pulling out a water bottle from the fridge. As she turned to walk back to the living room, her eyes lit upon the folder lying haphazardly on the countertop. Some of the clippings had slid out. As she flipped it open, her eyes once again landed on the mysterious stranger.

Suddenly, she was assaulted with a memory. Knox! The man she had met the day before at the airport. Jill's boyfriend. He was the man in almost all of the photos! Her mind raced back to her conversation with Jill. She had told Rose that Knox was in the private security business. That his current client was famous, and that the person he was guarding had no idea. As Rose flew through the photos, she realized that not only was he in photos with both she and Dimitri, but also ones of her alone.

Rose pulled at her purse, yanking her phone out. There had to be a reasonable explanation, Rose thought. Finding his number, she quickly pushed send, tapping her feet as she waited for him to answer.

"Rose?" she heard his deep, velvety voice.

Just at those dulcet tones, she almost felt her anger melt away – almost. "Did you hire someone to follow me around?" she asked, keeping her voice hard and devoid of emotion.

The silence hung in the air like stagnant air. Finally, Dimitri responded, "Please let me explain."

"I can't believe you! How could you do something like that? Without talking to me? Without telling me?" she shouted.

"Rose, I…" he started to tell her before she cut him off.

"No! You know what? No more! I told you that you had to be honest with me. I said no more deceit! You betrayed my trust, Dimitri. We're done. I'm done," she said, hitting the end button forcefully before throwing the phone back into her purse.

Rose, feeling the adrenaline rushing through her veins once again, grabbed her headset before slipping outside and sliding into her still damp shoes. Pressing play, she ran down the stairs and back down the beach, Eminem's "Lose Yourself" blasting into her ears. As Rose ran, she felt the moisture on her cheeks, she wiped it away with the back of her hand. She wasn't sure if it was the sea spray or her own tears.

After an hour of running, Rose nearly collapsed into the sand. She was well into the preserve and several miles from the house. Sitting in the sand, Rose let the tears fall, as she cradled her head in her hands. After several moments, she felt the tears subside, and a numbness take over. Pulling her legs into her body, she cradled them in her arms, as she pressed her forehead into her knees. Rose sat there, letting the lulling, gentle roar of the waves soothe her raw nerves. Finally, after about an hour, sensing the increasing clouds, Rose stood and began walking back to the house.

As she picked up her pace, she felt the lyrics speaking to her. "'Cause sometimes you just feel tired, you feel weak. And when you feel weak, you feel like you want to just give up. But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength. And just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up. And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you want to just fall flat on your face and collapse."

Reaching the house nearly an hour later, spent and exhausted, Rose stretched her aching, fatigued muscles before trudging up the stairs and heading inside. Stumbling toward her room, Rose shed her clothes and slipped into the shower, letting the hot water cascade over her overworked muscles. When she bathed and washed her hair, she stepped out, wrapping herself in a fluffy towel. Rubbing out the excess water from her hair with another cloth, Rose dried her body before slipping into leggings and a sweatshirt.

She walked out and went into the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of water. Twisting off the cap and tossing it in the trash, she looked to the clock on the wall. She started as she realized she had been gone for three hours! She hadn't eaten the fruit that morning, but now she found herself unable to put anything in her mouth besides the water.

(DPOV)

As he heard the click of the line, he threw the phone across the room. Ivan's head shot up, as he felt the hunk of plastic whiz by his head before it crashed into the sofa. "Hey! Watch it!" he shouted. He withered slightly at the look Dimitri gave him. "Whoa, what the hell happened?" he whispered.

"Rose found out," he said, quietly.

"Found out what?" Ivan asked.

"About the bodyguards."

"Oh shit," he whispered, rubbing his hand over his gaping mouth.

"Yeah, that about sums it up. Rose wouldn't even let me explain. She…she ended it."

They were both silent, each lost in their own thoughts, before Ivan spoke, moving as he did toward Dimitri's bedroom door. "Well then, I guess you're just going to have to fix this then."

Dimitri followed him into the bedroom, watching as Ivan pulled out his overnight bag and began shoving clothes into it. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Packing, what does it look like? Damn you can be dense sometimes," Ivan joked. At Dimitri's eye roll, Ivan continued, "I'm packing a bag so you can get on the jet and fly your dumb ass up there and get back the girl."

"Yeah? And what the hell do I say to her? What words can I possibly say that will get her to trust and forgive me?" Dimitri cried out.

Ivan walked over, placing on hand on his friend's shoulder. "The truth," he said, quietly.

"What truth? That I'm a fool? That I was scared?" he chuckled humorlessly.

"Exactly," Ivan said before tossing the packed back at Dimitri.

Sighing, Dimitri rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "Do you ever get tired of being right?"

Smirking, Ivan shrugged his shoulders. "What do you think?"

"Mind if I borrow the jet?"

"I'll have it waiting for you by the time you get to the field," Ivan replied.

After shaking goodbye, Dimitri tossed his bag into the backseat. Pulling onto the road, he headed toward LAX. Ivan's Gulfstream would be fueled and ready by the time he arrived.

Arriving about forty-five minutes later, Dimitri parked the car in the hanger before boarding the jet. Taking a seat, he fastened the belt, laying his head against the headrest. He let his gaze fall to the small window next to him.

"Welcome aboard, Mr. Belikov."

Dimitri turned to find a stunning woman standing next to his seat. She was wearing the crew uniform, but it fit her like a glove. Her eyes were a stormy gray with long black lashes. Her raven colored hair was pinned into a neat bun. Dimitri chuckled inside, sure she was one of the reasons Ivan loved to fly the friendly skies. Once upon a time, Dimitri would have been tempted as well.

"I'm Grey. I'll be taking care of you today," she said, her tone courteous and professional. "Can I get you anything once we're airborne?"

"Just some privacy, if you don't mind. I've got a lot on mind right now," he said, adding steel to his voice. Instantly he regretted his tone. "I'm sorry…Grey, was it? I'm just really focused right now on resolving a critical personal issue. I didn't mean to come across so harshly."

"No need to apologize, Mr. Belikov. Please let me know if you would like something to drink or eat, once we're in the air. The flight time should be one hour, ten minutes." Dimitri nodded thanks, as Grey moved toward the front of the plane to take her seat.

Once they were airborne, Dimitri tried to rehearse and prepare for what he would say to her. His fists clenched and unclenched as he realized all his words fell short of what he really wanted to say. While he had no idea what he'd say once they were face to face, the one thing Dimitri knew for sure was that he would do whatever it took to win her love.

(RPOV)

Stepping back out on the deck, Rose stood at the railing, watching the waves crashing toward the shore. The gray clouds now hung heavy in the sky.

"Rose," she heard the voice, barely a whisper on the wind. She would have sworn it a trick of her mind if she hadn't also felt the heat at her back. Her body tensed, and she felt frozen in place, unable to maneuver her own body. She felt his hands on her shoulders, as he lightly applied pressure, turning her to face him. Refusing to look up, she stared into his hard, muscular chest, watching him breathing deeply. She could feel his breaths ghost through her hair. "Rose, please look at me," he said, his voice filled with sorrow.

Digging deep within herself, Rose slowly lifted her head, forcing herself to meet his gaze. Her eyes were cold and hard, betraying no emotion. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone monotone.

"I…I needed to see you. To explain," he said, his voice breaking.

"You have nothing to say that I want to hear," Rose said, trying to move from his grasp.

"No!" he said, forcefully. "You'll listen to what I have to say, and then you can choose to walk away!"

Fire burned from her eyes, as her gaze flew back to his, "Fine," she spat. "Make it quick."

Dimitri signed heavily, closing his eyes before opening them again. Releasing his grasp on her arms, he took a step back. Shoving his hands in his pocket, he started, "I did hire a private security company to watch over you. After…after the attack. Rose, I was so scared. I've never been that scared in my entire life. I couldn't protect you. Knowing that my line of work draws in all types of nut jobs, I couldn't function knowing that you could be hurt again. We were rebuilding our relationship, and I didn't want to scare you away. I wanted you to still have your freedom, but also to know you were safe. I was afraid Rose, of so many things. I screwed up. I know that now. I should have told you; should have let you have a say. At the time, I believed the risk of your anger toward me was worth it if you found out if it meant you couldn't get hurt again."

Rose saw the agonizing pain in his eyes, in his voice. His body was vibrating with fear. She found her anger slipping, from a raging inferno to a flickering flame, as she reached up to place her hand on his cheek. She bit back a laugh as she saw him flinch. As her hand lay on his check, she said, "Relax. If I wanted to slap you, I would have done it the minute you said my name."

Still eyeing her warily, his lips turned up slightly at her comment. "I wouldn't have blamed you. I was a fool. A lovesick, worried, terrified, fool," he said as he sighed, tilting his face into her palm and closing his eyes.

"Yes, I would definitely agree with your synopsis. And you can believe this," Rose said, tilting his head back up so that he opened his eyes once again. "If you ever do something like that again, behind my back, there will be no second chance."

His eyes grew wide, "Does this…does this mean you forgive me?" he stuttered.

"It means I understand why you did it. It means I appreciate that it came from a place of caring. And, yes, I guess it means I forgive you."

"Oh, my Roza," he said pulling her to him, his arms wrapping her against his chest. "I will use every day and every breath to earn back your trust and prove my worth," he said, his words whispers in her hair. Crooking a finger under her chin, Dimitri slowly tilted her face up. His eyes were focused on her lips, as he slowly lowered his face toward hers. "I am so in love with you, milaya," he breathed before his lips met hers, sliding and gently caressing.

He gradually pulled back, his eyes searching hers. Rose saw the passion and love burning within him, as he gazed at her. Her breath hitched, as she slid her hands to his biceps, pulling him back down. "I love you, Comrade," Rose said before placing a small, light kiss to his throat. Hearing him groan, she moved her lips up, along his jaw, gently biting and nipping the soft skin and light stubble. Where her teeth scraped, her tongue would flick out, easing the sting.

Dimitri cupped her face in his strong hands, pulling her mouth to his in a bruising kiss. As she sighed into him, he eased his tongue out to lightly graze her soft, warm lips. Barely touching, their tongue's searched for the other's, lapping and stroking.

"Make me yours, Comrade," Rose sighed against his lips.

*****M SCENE BEGINS*****

With a low growl, he picked her up, as her legs wrapped around his waist. Opening the door and pulling it closed behind them, he quickly moved to his former room. Their lips were still fused, burning and branding one another; lips, cheeks, eyes, nose, jaw.

Lowering her to the ground, he knelt before her, sliding his hands under her sweatshirt. Slowly he inched it up, his heated eyes pooled with desire, locked in a heated gaze with her own. Tossing it to the side, he let out a moan as he took in her bare chest, her smooth almond skin calling out to be touched. With a slow, gentle glide, Dimitri's fingers traced a path from her neck, down her throat, to the valley between her breasts. Rose's skin felt like molten lava, burning and shivering at his touch, as she clutched her hands into his hair. Her breaths were coming in pants, her head falling back as he placed soft kisses to her stomach. His fingertips were lightly skimming across her sides, moving up and circling closer to the hardened centers.

She felt her legs melt as he looked up into her eyes as his tongue slipped out, laving around her hardened buds. Her head fell back, as he wrapped his arms around her back, holding her up. "Dimitri," she cried out, her hands tightening in his hair.

Dimitri moved back down her stomach, placing sensual kisses along her skin before slipping his hands into the waistband of her pants. Teasing his fingers along the edge, he slowly pulled them down, kissing the exposed skin as he pulled them lower. As Dimitri drew them down to her ankles, he slid one hand back up her leg. When he reached the sensitive area behind her knee, he ran his fingers lightly over the skin, lifting her leg to remove her pants. He mimicked the motion with her other leg until she stood before him. As he took her in, his dark, lustful gaze sweeping slowly over her body, he moaned, "Roza, you are so beautiful."

Standing, he lifted her into his arms again, her legs naturally wrapping around him. He captured her mouth, searing her lips, claiming the silky skin along her neck as he walked toward the edge of the bed. Kneeling, he set down before running his hand down her chest, gently pushing her back. Her arms fell back, over her head as she closed her eyes, sighing. His hands moved to her ankles, lightly skimming over the smooth, soft skin. Up and over her knees, his thumbs began to delicately caress her inner thighs. Pushing them apart, he dipped his head closer to her apex. Using his long, expert fingers, he slid her apart, brushing along the moist skin.

Rose gasped, arching her back, relishing in the soft caresses and gentle probing. Past the point of being able to articulate her wants and needs, she moaned deeply when she felt his lips against hers. His tongue was circling and tasting, bringing her higher and higher. When his finger found her center, sliding languidly in and out of her core, her back arched. Past the point of embarrassment, but swimming in a sea of desire, she propped herself onto her elbows, watching her lover take pleasure from her body. As his eyes met hers, she saw his lustful gaze deepen, if even possible. He kept his eyes focused on hers, willing her to watch as he brought her over the edge. When his lips and teeth found her sweet spot below, she flew over the cliff, crying out his name.

She felt him stand, and glanced up, as he started to undress. Rising quickly, she stilled his hands. "No, I want to," she said, as she pulled his hands to his side. His relaxed smile ignited the fire in her core again, as he stood there, waiting for her. She lifted her hands, sliding them under his shirt, her nails lightly dragging across his warm skin as she pushed the material up his muscular chest. Bending slightly so she could reach, she pulled it over his head before tossing it to the floor. When he ran a hand through his hair, Rose felt her mouth water as she took in the rippling muscles across his pecs and arms. "So beautiful," she muttered, more to herself. She heard him chuckle softly as he lifted a hand to her head, running his fingers through her hair.

Stepping closer until they were nearly touching, Rose moved her hands up to his face, tracing her fingers over his cheeks, jaw, and neck. As she reached his chest, she lightly raked over it with her nails, making a point of running over each hardened nipple. Rosefelt him shudder under her hands as his hand tightened in her hair. She flicked her tongue out, swiping across the sensitive skin, wanting to soothe the ache. As Dimitri groaned, Rose gently sucked in the puckered nub, while she ran her other hand down his taut abs.

She placed soft kisses and small licks along his hardened lines as she moved lower. Both his hands were caressing her head now, stroking through her hair. Her hands, shaking from want, tugged on the button on his jeans before slowly, agonizingly pulling down on the zipper. Looking up at him from under her eyelashes, she lowered herself to the ground as she pulled his pants and boxers down with her. Kissing the skin of his thighs as she went, she tugged off the material as he lifted each leg until he was free.

Rising back up, Rose worshiped the spot that had enticed her from the beginning. Running her tongue and hands along the indentations at either hip, she followed their path, leading her straight to her goal. Rose felt the fire within her ignite as she took him in. Slowly, languidly, she stroked and caressed, entranced by the feel of the combination of steel and silk. Burning now with desire, her grip tightened, and she ran her hand along him. Dimitri bucked his hips toward her, unable to control himself. Rose took the opportunity to lap her tongue across the tip, as his body tensed.

He reached down, pulling her up and guiding her back to the bed. Settling her in the middle, he reached down into his pants, pulling out his wallet and retrieving the foiled package. Rose sat up, grabbing it from his hands, wagging her finger, before she ripped it open, pulling out the rubber sheath. Gently and lovingly, she ran it over him, until it was snug at the base. Dimitri pulled her up to his chest, one hand on her backside while the other pressed at the nape of her neck. Pulling her to him, he dragged her lower lip between his, sucking gently before nibbling lightly. Rose moaned into his mouth. As if in sync, Rose lifted her herself up, wrapping her legs around him, while Dimitri hoisted her to his chest. In one smooth motion, he seated himself inside her. She felt him falter slightly and still, his breaths coming in gasps against her neck. Her arms were clenched tightly around his neck, her head buried into the side of his neck as well. "I could stay like this forever, milaya," Dimitri moaned.

Slowly, however, they began to rock in unison, their breaths coming in small pants. Rose could only utter small moans and pleas, as Dimitri set a slow, but steady pace. Her body was flying to new heights with each thrust, but she was keening for more. "Please, Dimitri," she cried.

Keeping her wrapped tightly around him, Dimitri lowered them to the bed. Lifting one of her legs, he placed it over his shoulder, opening her up even more. She arched and cried out, her nails digging into his forearms placed on either side of her head. Dimitri lowered his head to hers, pulling and sucking at her lips and he increased his pace, sliding and rocking into her until she was shaking her head back and forth, overcome by the intense, overwhelming feelings rising from her core. Dimitri could feel her edging towards that beautiful oblivion, as he straightened, raising her hips slightly higher. As she cried out in bliss, Dimitri knew he had found the treasure at her center, sending her over the edge. As he felt her muscles tighten and pull against him, he felt his release come. Pushing deep inside once more, he tumbled into ecstasy behind her, gasping as he lowered himself into her waiting arms.

*****M SCENE ENDS*****

As they both relished in the sweet release, letting their heartbeats and breaths return to normal, Rose clutched Dimitri to her, her arms encircling him, as she kissed the top of his head. He slowly pulled away, rising and walking to the bathroom. After depositing the trash, he returned to the bed, his eyes sweeping her languid and satiated form. Rose gave him her best come-hither look while crooking her finger. Dimitri smiled brightly, stalking toward the bed and then lying next to her.

Pulling her into his side, he wrapped an arm around her, while Rose nestled into his side, her head resting on his chest. Dimitri's hand lightly brushed along her side and hip as he placed soft kisses to the top of her head.

"Are you okay, Roza?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Mmmmm," she hummed. "I'm so much more than 'okay.'"

She felt his chest rumble as he chuckled. "Yeah, I'd have to agree with you." Squeezing her to him, he said, "I love you so much, Roza. I can't remember a time when I haven't loved you, even if I didn't know what it was at the time."

Rose hugged him tightly to her. "I love you, Comrade. More and more every day. I never knew what real love was until I met you."

As they lay in each other's arms, basking in their newly expressed emotions, Rose's stomach felt the need to announce its extreme displeasure at being ignored all day. Dimitri let out a hearty laugh. Rising, he pulled her up with him. "I think it's time I fed my lady," he said. Reaching down for her clothes, he handed them to her before grabbing his own. Sliding into them, he took her hand once they were dressed and led her to the kitchen.

Dimitri plundered the cabinets and fridge, throwing together a meal fit for a queen. As they sat at the table, eating, they once again, as always, fell into quiet silences and comfortable conversation. Only this time there were also heated glances and constant touches, as fingers traced and clutched. This time, however, there was no shared dishwashing duties. Instead, they retired quickly to the bedroom, their desires stoked once again. They both knew the dishes could wait until morning.