"Aren't you excited?!" Lissa gasped almost bouncing up and down in her seat at lunch. Other than Christian, they'd all brought their weekend bags to school. He was going to go home and pick up the car after his last class, collect the other three at school and off they'd go.
Seeing Dimitri and Christian deep in conversation, Rose asked Lissa nervously, "What did you pack to wear overnight?"
"I've packed the most divine silky nightie in jade green," she whispered conspiratorially. "Christian won't be able to keep his hands off me! Why? What did you pack?"
Rose sighed. She'd been trying to decide what to take all week, but as her moods changed so did the contents of her duffel.
"I couldn't decide, Liss," she moaned. "I don't think I'm ready to go there again yet, so I packed sweats. But then I want to be pretty for him even if we're not going to do it, so I also packed some sleep shorts and a singlet. And then I was worried what if I did want to be sexy? So I threw in that lacy red nightie you gave me as well."
Lissa gave her friend a sympathetic squeeze. "Well you're covered for every eventuality then, aren't you?" she said supportively. "Do you think you will?"
"I don't know," Rose whispered, her eyes darting to where Christian and Dimitri were talking. "I don't think I'll know 'til we're there."
"Does he want to?"
"He said he's happy to wait," Rose sighed.
"Then just see how you feel," Lissa counseled, still grinning from ear to ear.
The classes after lunch dragged, the four of them looking at each other with excitement the whole time. Physics was the worst. With only Dimitri and Rose in that class, the tension between the two of them was almost palpable. It didn't help that they were all but finished their project so didn't have a huge amount to do.
"Miss Mazur, would you like to sit on Mr. Belikov's lap?" Alto asked sarcastically, gesturing to how close the two were sitting holding hands.
Rose opened her mouth to tell him she'd love to do just that, but Dimitri's warning look stopped her. She couldn't afford an afternoon detention today of all days.
"Sorry Mr. Alto," she said, pulling back to put a more respectable distance between them.
"So where are you up to with your project?" Alto grumbled, surprised by Rose's restraint. Usually, she'd have something sarcastic to say. Rose and Dimitri pulled out their respective parts, and even Alto found it hard to fault their progress.
"You're pretty much finished," he said, narrowing his eyes dangerously.
"We've been spending every spare moment on it," Rose quickly explained, not wanting him to think it had been too easy and add more. "We've each worked out a schedule for our assignments, so we can try and put a hundred percent into them. We both want to do well."
"You obviously work well together. This is good work," he admitted begrudgingly. "Once you've finished the last bits, you can work on your other assignments in this class provided you're quiet."
Rose and Dimitri both knew Alto was only offering this because he couldn't be bothered setting them something else to do while the others continued to work on their assignments, but neither was stupid enough to call him on it.
"Thank you, Mr. Alto. Every moment counts, so we'd both appreciate that," Dimitri said seriously.
Rose sighed. She'd enjoyed slacking off a little in physics, but Dimitri was right. If they used their class time to do other work, it meant they could get more done which would give them more time to just hang out on weekends. Like this one.
Finally, the last bell of the day rang, and Christian raced home to pick up his grandmother's car. As he'd predicted, his grandmother was thrilled to loan him the car, plus bankroll the hotel and his costs for the weekend away, given it was to try and establish some sort of relationship with his father.
While Christian was getting the car, Lissa, Dimitri, and Rose collected their bags for the weekend.
"How much have you packed?" Rose giggled when she saw Lissa struggling with a duffel bag almost as big as herself.
"I couldn't decide what to wear to meet Lucas again," Lissa admitted nervously. "I didn't make the best impression last time…"
Rose snorted. Lissa had told Lucas more than a couple of home truths when they'd last met. While usually she was good-natured and polite, Lucas' thoughtlessness towards Christian's feelings had brought out Lissa's protective side. Rose had been impressed by the dressing down Lissa had given Lucas!
Christian pulled up out the front in his grandmother's Camry, honking the horn in excitement. The three of them went out to the car, dumping their bags in the trunk.
"Who wants to sit where?" Lissa asked.
"We'll take the back," Rose said giving Dimitri a look.
"Will you have enough room?" Lissa asked, eyeing Dimitri's six foot seven frame. "I can put my seat forward…"
"That would be great, thanks," Dimitri said, slipping behind the passenger seat, Rose sitting behind Christian.
"Have we all been to the toilet?" Christian joked, carefully checking his mirrors before pulling out into the traffic.
The drive itself took four hours, but everyone was in high spirits, so the time passed quickly. Rose and Dimitri cuddled in the back seat, holding hands and kissing between bouts of eye-spy, school gossip and more talk about the prom.
"I can't wait to hold you all night," Dimitri murmured in Rose's ear at one point, as Lissa was describing all the many decorations the prom required. Rose blushed, sitting closer in the seat beside him while trying to listen to what Lissa was saying.
They stopped for the toilet and sodas at a fast food joint about two hours in, and by 7 pm a road-weary Christian pulled up outside a very basic looking motel. Who had been going to pay had been a topic of heated debate between Rose and Dimitri. She had more money than he did, so she'd been happy to pay for their room, but Dimitri had been insistent he pay his own way. They'd finally agreed to pay one night each when Janine had surprised Rose with an envelope that morning with enough to cover the cost of the motel, meals for a couple of days and their share of the gas.
"I didn't think you approved?" Rose had asked her mother in confusion, looking at the bills in the envelope.
"I don't, wee one," she admitted. "But you've been working so hard on your studies, and after everything, I think you deserve a bit of down time. Dimitri, too. Just for the love of God – if you do anything be safe!"
"I will, Mom. And thank you," she'd said hugging her hard.
"And text me when you get there," Janine stipulated.
Accordingly, Rose sent Dimitri inside with the envelope to pay for their room while she shot off a quick text to her mother letting her know they'd made it safely.
"I thought we'd settle in for a few minutes and then go find some food?" Lissa suggested while Christian was also inside paying. Rose nodded getting nervous now they were here. Dimitri and Christian were both grinning as they came back to the car.
"We're next door but one," Christian announced, pulling up in front of room fourteen. "We're fourteen, you're sixteen," he explained to Rose as they all climbed out. Popping the trunk, Dimitri shouldered their bags, following Rose to the door marked sixteen and pulling a key from his pocket. Opening the door and pushing it open with his foot, he turned and scooped Rose up and carried her over the threshold, her giggling the whole time. Setting her down inside the room he quickly kissed her, taking the key from the lock, turning on the lights and shutting the door.
The room was certainly basic. With little more than a queen bed, some side tables, a table and a TV, it was tired but clean.
"Alone at last," Dimitri sighed, dumping their bags on the table and pulling Rose against him, putting his arms around her waist and kissing her softly. She rested her arms around his neck, kissing him in return. With her still in his arms, he slowly stepped back until they were at the foot of the bed – then in one swift movement he pulled her against him, and they flopped onto the bed together.
"Hmm," Rose grinned as they lay together making out. "I like this!"
"Me too, milaya," Dimitri said, his eyes dark with longing, his hands wandering over Rose's body.
She'd only jut started unbuttoning his shirt when there was a knock at the door. Smiling at one another guiltily they jumped up, Dimitri doing up his buttons and Rose smoothing her hair and straightening her sweater.
"Ready to go get some dinner?" Lissa asked excitedly, standing at the door with Christian.
"Yeah sure. Let's eat," Dimitri said with a smile, carefully locking the door and pocketing the key. They piled back into the car and did a quick drive around town checking out the little it had to offer.
"Denny's?" Christian suggested, recognizing there wasn't a lot of choices.
Walking in, they asked for a table for four, noticing a few groups of young people inside looking at them speculatively.
"Looks like we've attracted the attention of the locals," Christian said under his breath as they were shown to a booth. Rose took Dimitri's hand possessively as she saw more than one girl admiring his tall, dark, handsome stance. Sliding into the booth first, Dimitri followed, dropping his arm around Rose's shoulder before leaning across and giving her a lingering kiss. She cuddled in under his arm smiling blissfully.
"You two look so in love," Lissa said with a grin.
"That's because we are," Dimitri said, kissing a blushing Rose again.
A waitress their age came over with menus, taking their drinks order.
"You guys aren't from around here?" she commented.
"No. Just down from town for the weekend," Christian said, a smile on his face as his fingers were laced with Lissa's, both watching as Dimitri kissed Rose's fingertips one by one, the two of them lost in their own little world. Dimitri was his best friend, but he'd never seen him so demonstrative and open in his affection.
"Just taking a break before our finals," Dimitri added, his eyes never leaving Rose's.
"You're at Uni?" she the attendant asked curiously.
"No. We're seniors," Lissa said still smiling at the antics of her best friend. Tonight was the most relaxed she'd seen Rose since she'd returned from Scotland, and Lissa was delighted to see it. While Christian had been a little upset to share 'their' weekend, it was working out perfectly.
Their waitress left, and Rose and Dimitri reluctantly dragged their eyes from one another to check out the menu, her deciding on a Cali Club Sandwich, him a Prime Rib Philly Melt. Dimitri ordered for the two of them when their attendant reappeared.
"Hey, Lissa? Do you need to go to the girls' room?" Rose asked innocently, giving her best friend the universal code that she wanted to talk.
"Sure," she said, waiting for Christian to stand up so she could leave the booth.
Dimitri did likewise, offering Rose his hand as she stepped out.
"Hurry back," he mumbled against her lips as she reached up to give him a scorching kiss.
In the ladies' room, Rose quickly relieved herself before coming out to wash her hands.
"You and Dimitri look very handsy," Lissa teased.
"I know. I blame the country air," Rose joked but looking a little uncertain.
"What's up?" Lissa asked, recognizing Rose's facial expression.
"I'm not sure I'm ready. It's only been two weeks since we lost Sasha."
"Then just go as far as you want to go. Dimitri won't mind," Lissa said.
"I know. It's just we never get the chance to be together, alone, overnight… Do you think I should?"
Lissa shrugged. "Up to you." She'd never been in Rose's situation, so she didn't know what to suggest. Rose and Dimitri would have to work it out for themselves. Exiting the bathroom Lissa and Rose made their way back to their booth only to find two girls their age attempting to flirt with Dimitri and Christian. Christian looked a little nervous when he saw Lissa, but Dimitri broke into an easy grin as soon as he saw his Roza.
"Excuse me," he said dismissively to the young women, smiling at Rose as though she was the most beautiful woman in the world, which to him she was. He patted the seat next to him, and Rose slid back into the booth and under his arm again. His hand on her shoulder immediately started fingering her long dark locks, twirling them around his long sensual fingers.
"Well, we might see you tomorrow then?" the bolder of the two girls said before they slipped away to join a table filled with young women.
"I leave you for five minutes, and you're chatting up the natives?" Lissa laughed, teasing Christian. "And pray tell – where are you planning to meet them tomorrow?"
Dimitri laughed too. "I was asking them what there is to do in this town on the weekend."
"And," Lissa asked curiously.
"Apparently not a hell of a lot," Dimitri laughed.
The four of them joked easily over dinner, Rose stealing fries from Dimitri's plate and then feeding them back to him one by one.
"Oh God – let's get these two back to their room," Christian groaned, looking across to where the fries had been discarded, and Rose and Dimitri were busy sucking face again.
"Good idea," Rose mumbled, almost pulling Dimitri from the booth. They quickly settled their bill, left a tip and got out of there. It was a short drive back to the motel, Rose and Dimitri kissing the whole way in the back of the car.
"So I take it you're not coming in to watch TV with Lissa and me?" Christian teased when they reached the accommodation.
"Tempting but no," Dimitri chuckled, grasping Rose's hand and leading her to their room. "Hang on a tick, Christian. I've got something in my bag for you."
Dimitri opened the door, and Rose grabbed her bag and went through into the bathroom while he dug around in his duffel, pulling out a couple of bottles of red wine and walking back outside to give them to Christian.
"How'd you get these?" he asked admiringly.
"I never get carded," Dimitri said smugly. Not surprising given his height, and the fact he looked about twenty-three. "It's just a little something to say thanks for inviting us along." He clapped Christian on the back once before returning to the room he was sharing with Rose. The lights were out, the only illumination coming from a strip under the bathroom door.
"Milaya?" he called out.
"I'll be out in a moment," she said a little nervously. In the bathroom, Rose was deciding between her crimson lace nightie and her little sleep shorts and singlet. They'd had a wonderful dinner, and she knew she wanted to do something with Dimitri tonight, even if she was currently uncertain just how far she wanted to take things. Taking her hair tie out and undressing, she was still vacillating between the shorts and the nightie when Dimitri called out through the door.
"I picked us up a nice bottle of red wine. Would you like to enjoy a glass with me?" He sounded nervous, too.
"I'd love to," she said, grabbing the nightie and putting it on before she could chicken out or reconsider. Shoving the rest of the things back into her bag, she opened the door, Dimitri's eyes darkening as he drank in the sight before him; Roza looking delicious in a satin and lace nightdress in crimson red.
"Wow. You look just… Wow!" Dimitri admired, handing her a glass of wine while his eyes ran up and down her body. The room was cool, and he could just see the outline of her slightly peaked nipples through the delicate fabric that clung to her like a second skin. He was sitting on the end of the bed and moved over a little, making space for her to sit beside him. She did, and the two of them sipped their wine.
"That color looks great on you," Dimitri complimented, running the back of his knuckle down her cheek, before allowing his fingertips to brush the delicate lace that bordered her décolletage.
"Thank you," Rose said smiling up at him. "You're wearing far too many clothes for my liking, Comrade," she whispered, giving him a loaded look.
He smiled, draining his glass and putting it on the table, standing and shedding his shirt and then his pants.
"Better?" he asked, standing before her in a pair of boxers. His chest was smooth and muscled, just begging her to touch it.
"Much," she said, standing up and putting her glass down beside his, then snaking her arms up around his neck. His lips were warm when she pushed hers against his, but when he opened his mouth to hers, it tasted like wine.
"You taste different," she said with a smile, pulling him back onto the bed next to her.
"So do you," he smiled, lying beside her and locking lips with her again.
The fabric on her skin was so light and supple. It was almost like she was wearing nothing at all. Running his hand across her back as she lay beside him, Dimitri could tell she wasn't wearing a bra, but it wasn't until he ran his hand up the side of her leg and under the knee-length nightie to her hip he realized she wasn't wearing panties, either.
"Oh Roza," he moaned, pushing her onto her back as he stepped up the intensity of their kissing, dragging his hand reluctantly back out from under her nightdress, resting it on her waist. Rose shifted, so one of his long legs was between hers, lifting her nightie, so his upper thigh pressed directly against her sensitive folds.
"It feels so good to touch you!" she groaned, letting her hands wander everywhere.
"You can touch me anywhere, milaya," he said. "Tonight you're in control. We'll only go as far as you want to," he promised, returning his lips to hers.