Dimitri watched Rose walk into the dark apartment and hesitated. He had no idea what he was doing here when he knew she was his employee now. There was just something about her that he couldn't tear himself away from. He saw a light flip on in the apartment through the open door and decided they did need to talk.
Dimitri took in the space as he closed the door and flipped the lock, a habit he had in his own home. He saw a couple of hooks on the wall. Rose's purse hung on one, her keys on another, and two other hooks remained. There was a small coat closet with a rack for shoes. Dimitri noticed with amusement that Rose's shoes she'd been wearing were just thrown haphazardly on the tile outside the closet. Dimitri took off his shoes and neatly laid them outside the closet, then placed Rose's shoes on the rack.
"Want a drink?" Rose called from around a corner. Dimitri followed the sound of her voice and found her in a kitchen.
"Just water, please."
Rose pulled out a couple of bottles of water from the fridge and passed one to Dimitri. She waved him toward the living room across from the kitchen. Dimitri took the hint and went to the couch, sitting on the edge. He couldn't decide if he should leave or if he should stay. There was too much going on in his mind.
"I'll be right back," Rose said, disappearing down a hall and into a room with a door ajar. Dimitri sipped on his bottled water as he waited. He looked around the apartment and saw a few photos on the wall. Curious, he stood and walked to the photos. Rose stood with her arm wrapped around a blonde woman in one photo. The blonde, likely her best friend and roommate, was wearing a graduation cap and gown. In another photo he saw Rose shoveling food in her mouth as the blonde and a guy- Lissa and Christian, he remembered- sat by her laughing. Another photo showed Rose holding her Associate's degree high in the air with one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other hand. Dimitri couldn't help but smile at the photos.
"Sorry about that," Rose said, returning from the room in pajamas.
"No problem," Dimitri replied, returning to the couch. Rose plopped down at the other end of the couch and faced her body towards Dimitri.
Rose took a breath and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She looked up at him through her lashes and then raised her chin defiantly. "Okay, so, I like you. I'll just start with that. I like you, I also like my new job, and I want to keep both. So that's where I'm at in all of this."
Dimitri couldn't help the small smile on his lips. He really liked how she just came out and said what she wanted to say. She didn't beat around the bush and just showed herself. She was raw and real. "I like you too, but my job is my whole life right now and I can't jeopardize that," he replied, hating that he had to say it. He wanted to see where they could take things, but all he had left here now was his job. He was making money to send back home and doing his best to help his sisters, mom, and grandmother.
Rose nodded absentmindedly and took a sip of her water before setting it on the coffee table. She seemed to be mulling over how to say something. Dimitri noticed she'd done that a bit since they saw each other earlier in the day. He wanted to know what was going on in her mind. "I get that, but what if whatever we are doesn't jeopardize your job?"
"What do you mean?" Dimitri asked, clutching the water bottle.
"I mean, what if nobody else knew we were a thing, so we could work on seeing if this was going to work between us. Like I said earlier, I can always find a new job. This one is pretty great, but I can do what I need to do if a problem arises. Your job doesn't have to be at risk. And, it's not like you're my direct boss or anything."
"I'm the director, I'm everyone's boss."
"Only technically. You're my boss's boss. That's a little different. Just think about it," Rose scooted a little closer on the couch and touched Dimitri's knee, which was angled toward her. "Nobody has to know that we're dating, or whatever. We can just try things out and see where they lead us. I can't be the only one feeling whatever this thing is between us."
If she meant the pull that he felt when he looked at her and the desire not to leave, then he felt it too. Dimitri looked down at his lap, at the hand that lay against his knee. Even now he felt that spark between them. He wanted so badly to just dive into what Rose was saying but he had never done anything like that before. He hadn't even had a relationship in several years. He wasn't joking when he said work was his life. Now. It hadn't always been that way.
He glanced up and saw her staring at him with a raised eyebrow. "So, how about it comrade? Would you be interested in this arrangement?"
Dimitri put his water bottle on the coaster on the table and grabbed her hand that lay on his knee. He knew it wasn't a smart decision, but he was so tired of not living. Rose was the first person to pull him out of his shell since then. He felt the pull to kiss her, yes, but also to talk. To open up and let her know him. To get to know her. The part of him that lived for his job also wanted to help her grow at the library. "We would need to remain as colleagues at work, nothing more," he finally replied, acquiescing to her desires. Their desires.
"Absolutely! I'll be on my best behavior, I promise," Rose replied, smiling wide and scooting a little closer. "What other stipulations do you have?"
"I'll pick any date locations. I know the staff pretty well so I can help us avoid any possible run-ins with them. Or, you'll have to run the date idea by me before we decide to do it."
Rose nodded. "That works. Now, I'll have you know this can't be completely secret. Lissa and Christian pretty much know everything already, so they'll know what's going on. But, I'll make sure they know we're keeping it quiet at work."
Dimitri was nodding along. He had a feeling that was the case and was okay with it. "I think that's everything that will help us maintain this while working together." He wanted to add that they not go to his place, but he couldn't bring himself to voice that. At this point in their relationship, which was what they were deciding upon, he didn't think that would be an issue. He'd cross that bridge when it came to it. He both dreaded it and was a little excited at the prospect of her asking to come to his place.
"I have one main stipulation that isn't work-related," Rose replied. Dimitri nodded at her to continue. "I want us to be exclusive. No dating other people while you're dating me. I also won't date anyone, of course. I just, I have a tendency to get jealous and I'd rather you not see that side of me unnecessarily."
Dimitri laughed at her candid nature and agreed. It wasn't like he was interested in dating anyway. Well, before Rose he wasn't. She had pulled him out of his cave and into the sun. "That's fine by me."
"Great!" Rose replied, and before Dimitri could do anything, she had launched herself the rest of the distance between them and kissed him. Stunned with the sudden shift, he sat frozen, but he thawed quickly enough and kissed her back. He released her hand and circled it around her waist. Between a kiss, he pulled her into his lap so she wasn't stretching across the couch toward him.
Dimitri warred with his inner thoughts and tried to calm himself down as they kissed, but it was a losing battle. His tongue danced with hers and he clutched her hips. Rose's own hands had found themselves back in his hair. He had no idea why he couldn't seem to control himself around this woman. At the club, he could blame the liquor, but here they were making out like teenagers on her couch.
He managed to pull his lips from hers, but they trailed toward her ear and down her throat. Dimitri gasped and twitched as she bit his earlobe. His hands slipped under the back of her t-shirt and he groaned as he touched bare skin. Rose wiggled on his lap causing him to groan again before she turned his lips back to her own.
Dimitri's hands slowly skimmed up her back, feeling the delicate and smooth skin until he reached where her bra should have been. With a gasp, he pulled back and looked at Rose with wide eyes. "Roza, what are you doing to me?"
Rose grinned. "I have no idea what you're talking about, comrade," she replied wiggling more on his lap. She laughed as he groaned and dropped his forehead to her shoulder. "But, you seem awfully uncomfortable right now. Should I move?" her tone was coy and playful.
Dimitri knew they should stop. They were just starting a relationship and he wanted to get to know her more before they took things too far. But, part of him was too drawn to the life and energy she was pouring into him. He couldn't help but want to become closer physically. Instead of replying, Dimitri simply lifted his head and kissed her again. His hands continued to move against her bare back beneath the shirt.
Somehow amid their frantic kissing, Rose managed to get her hands under his shirt and was lifting it up. They stopped kissing as Rose pulled off Dimitri's shirt. Rose looked down at him and let out a breathy sigh. "I am so glad we're giving this a try," she said as her hands roamed down his chest. "And that you're all mine to monopolize. God, how many abs do you have? How much do you work out? The movies do not have librarians as hot as you."
Dimitri couldn't help but laugh. "I work out at least 4 days a week. It's good to stay healthy," he replied. He pulled a hand back out from her back and cupped her cheek, pulling her gaze away from his chest. "And I'm glad we're giving a relationship a try too."
"So, does this mean I'm your girlfriend?"
Dimitri winced a little. "I haven't been a boyfriend in a long time… I hope I can still remember how that works."
Rose shrugged a shoulder. "Making out on the couch, going on dates, and saving me when my car dies are all very great things for a boyfriend to do. You're already way better than some of the boyfriends I've had in the past."
Dimitri withheld his desire to ask about the past boyfriends. They'd have plenty of time in the future to talk about things like that. "I'm glad to be your boyfriend then," he replied, guiding her lips back to his. He didn't know that he'd ever get tired of kissing Rose.
Dimitri's hand fell to Rose's waist to stop her from squirming in his lap. He was already straining against his dark jeans. He didn't know how much more of her squirming he could take. Rose picked up on his movements and stopped kissing him. She leaned back a little and dropped her hands between them. Before he could stop her, Rose was peeling her shirt over her head.
Dimitri's breath left him as her breasts were laid bare. "Fuck."
"Sorry, I was hot," she replied coyly, a small smirk on her lips. If Dimitri had set the pace, she would have had her shirt on all night, but Rose was the type of woman who did what she wanted. He loved that about her. Without realizing it, Dimitri's hands were cupping her full breasts. He groaned again, the tightness in his jeans twitching painfully.
Dimitri twisted one of Rose's nipples, eliciting a gasp and wiggle. Her hands landed back in his hair and they were kissing again. Dimitri's hands massaged her breasts and played with her nipples as they gasped against each other's mouths. Rose in his lap was a delicious sort of torture. He wanted more and also didn't want to stop this early exploration.
A loud ringing sound came from Dimitri's pocket, the vibration startling him and Rose apart. Rose leaned back and looked down at his ringing pants. "I think that's your phone."
Dimitri reluctantly removed his hands from Rose's chest and helped move her off his lap. His arousal was incredibly obvious as he lifted his hips to pull his phone out. The screen showed his mother calling and he dropped his head back against the couch. He supposed he was thankful for his mother's call to stop him from trying anything more than they already had, or more specifically to stop Rose from taking things further.
"My mother. She's in Russia, so we usually talk in the evenings," Dimitri explained as he let the phone ring and go to voicemail. He was in no shape to talk with his mother right now. He sat up and put the phone down so he could drink some cold water and cool himself down. "I'm sorry. I should probably get home and call her back."
Dimitri glanced over to Rose and felt the heat rise again. She was wearing nothing but the pajama pants and he wanted nothing more than to start touching her again. He forced himself to look away and instead searched for their shirts. He had to get himself under control before he'd be able to safely drive home.
The two found their shirts again and had them back on. Dimitri finally looked at Rose as they stood at her front door. She was flushed and her lips were a little swollen. Rose stood up on her tiptoes and straightened out Dimitri's hair with her fingers. "Can't have you looking so deliciously rumpled," she explained as she dropped back on her heels.
Dimitri tucked a piece of hair behind Rose's ear, unable to resist touching her before he left. "I'm glad you forced me to take you to dinner tonight."
Rose laughed. "You weren't getting out of feeding me. Keep that in mind in the future. I'm glad I convinced you to stay and talk. Thank you for dinner."
Dimitri cupped her cheek and leaned in to give her a small goodnight kiss. "Until next time, Roza." And for the first time in a long time, he couldn't wait for the next day. He was really living and it was all because of Rose.
Author's Note: Well, I got all moved into my new place and got everything bought that was needed. My husband and I even built my new computer (I'm a gamer). Writing has been pretty difficult to do on my Chromebook recently, so I was glad to have the new desktop to work on. I was having bad writer's block and disinterest in writing, but I saw on TikTok that there's a video on YouTube of Super Mario Music that helps people focus. I turned that 5-hour video on and had this chapter written in about two hours. I didn't believe the videos but boy does that soundtrack work. I broke past the disinterest and made one of the longest chapters! I hope you enjoyed reading it! Thanks for sticking with me.