Chapter 5 - Time Out
It was so perfect for a while. I think that is the hardest thing to deal with, it did not end because it didn't work, or because one of us wanted out, it just ended. Tears sprang into the unhappy woman's eyes and she forced them back.
Reena was waiting in the living room of Linka's new apartment for her to freshen up, before taking her on to their office, so it really wasn't the time to fall apart.
It was Friday and she wasn't due to start until Monday, but the thought of having two days alone with her memories before finally having to confront her past was almost enough to put her on the first plane back to Russia.
Never having been the sort of person to run away, she had decided to get the worst over with, but leaning on the bathroom sink and looking at her reflection in the mirror she couldn't help but wonder if she'd made yet another terrible mistake. It is not possible to make things any worse, is it?...
Sighing at her computer screen and the report that was refusing to write itself, Linka stood up and walked over to her bed, picking up the soft toy that had taken up residence there and taking its place. Hugging her new little friend close she said. "It has only been three days and already I am talking to a stuffed Tiger. My Yankee had better come home soon Jason, or Gi will start padding my room."
The Sumatran tiger had been a present from her red headed friend because she had declared it to be cute, and because she said it reminded her of him. When Kwame and Ma-Ti had insisted he accompany them on a short visit to Africa he'd joked that it could keep her company if she missed him, and he didn't know how true that had been.
"I hope 'Jason's' been taking good care of you." A familiar voice joked from the doorway and Linka's eyes flew up to make sure she wasn't imagining it.
"You are home!" Poor Jason was discarded as the young blond rushed to embrace her boyfriend, throwing herself in his arms and not giving him a chance to answer before locking her lips against his.
Wheeler moved her into the room and pushed the door shut behind him. When they broke for air he moved his lips to her neck whispering "God, I missed you."
Linka laughed and walked backwards to the bed, pulling him with her. "I missed you too Yankee moy, I do not want you to go away again."
They fell back onto the soft surface and continued to kiss each other playfully, openly enjoying the pleasure they got from being together and the excitement that comes with touching and being touched by someone you love.
Wheeler would have restricted it to the boundaries they'd already explored but Linka made it clear that she wanted to take things further, in fact she kept encouraging him until there was nowhere left to go. They let their passions consume them, still so in tune with each other that they never lost sight of the other's needs, but greedy in their own desires as if they were trying to make up for more than a few days apart.
No one could have been more surprised than Wheeler when they reached their fulfilment together, not having truly believed that a perfect union was possible. It made him more attentive than ever as they rode out the last waves of pleasure, but in the silence that followed he couldn't help but comment. "You really did miss me, huh?"
Fortunately Linka had become far more accustomed to his sense of humour during the two and half months they'd been together, and she dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Da, you could say that."
He kissed her head. "No regrets?"
The young man spoke lightly but knowing it was the first time for her there was a hint of worry lurking in the background.
Linka snuggled closer. "No regrets, not with you, not ever. It feels too right. I did not expect it to, I thought it would take time for it to feel that good." Then a thought occurred to her, "That is, it felt that way to me but I suppose, I mean, for you it was probably amateurish at best."
Her lover laughed aloud and tenderly brushed her hair from her eyes, letting his fingers trail back along her cheek. "Babe, I've never been with a professional! But no, to answer your question, I wasn't expecting it to be like that either but it felt perfect to me. Being with you is different, it's like we have a connection, like we're on the same wavelength, you know?"
She smiled up at him feeling completely relaxed for the first time in her life. "Da."
"Da… that is correct… eight o'clock." The Russian's calm tone was belied by the look of misery on her face. "I understand." Linka hung up the phone, hiding it away in her bedside cabinet before anyone could disturb her, and sank miserably onto her bed. She felt sick. I hate this.
Mentally reviewing the conversation didn't help her nausea either…
"Another public engagement? The President will not be happy Miss Orlova, your relationship is not getting the coverage he'd hoped for."
"We were photographed ice skating just last week, and that was a date… or it was supposed to be, it almost ended up as a press conference, and Wheeler was not happy."
"A lucky co-incidence Miss Orlova, and if you had notified us as you had agreed to do, we could have kept the interference to a minimum. The President is getting impatient Miss Orlova, may I suggest you find a way to justify his faith in you. Now you said eight?..."
Slowly getting to her feet and hunting out the dress she was planning to wear for the dance that evening, Linka muttered under her breath "I do not think the press need any help, they turn up out of nowhere all on their own."
In fact they'd only been surprised by a reporter three times but the young blond was beginning to feel hunted and guilty either way.
Wheeler was quite surprised when they arrived outside the hotel where the dance was being held, and his usually shy partner insisted that they stop to pose for the photographers that called to them, more so in fact because she was being overtly affectionate towards him, so when they entered the building he was moved to ask, "Everything okay Babe?"
"Da, why?"
He hesitated, not wanting to spoil her mood. "…I don't know, you're just not usually so co-operative with those snooping dirt diggers, I thought maybe you were over compensating for something."
"Nyet, I am just…" She shook her head. "Sorry."
Linka looked so uncomfortable that he stopped and pulled her into his arms. "Hey, I don't mind. I'd yell it from the rooftops if I didn't think I'd embarrass you so badly you'd have nothing more to do with me."
She chuckled so he continued, "I just want you to know that if there's something bothering you, you can tell me about it, you know?"
Beaming at him now, the lovely blond raised her lips to his, but her happiness was cut short by a photographer that had followed them inside. Their lips had barely brushed together before the camera flash lit up around them, drawing everyone's attention and forcing them on into the main reception room to avoid any awkward questions.
When the Wind Planeteer had finally begun to calm down after the incident in the hall, Wheeler led her onto the dance floor. At first he'd been a bit reluctant to demonstrate his dancing skills on their nights out but since Linka loved the exercise so much, he'd forced himself and found that it really wasn't that bad. This evening would be mainly slow dances anyway and it gave him an excuse to hold her against him, savouring every moment of closeness.
"I am sorry." She murmured against his shoulder.
"What for?" Wheeler sounded surprised.
Linka sighed and replied unhappily. "I just cannot seem to relax this evening, even before we came… you are right I was trying too hard with the reporters. I suppose I thought if we gave them what they wanted they would leave us alone but it looks like it just made them bolder."
The American shrugged, "That's just the way they are Babe, don't let them spoil your evening." He gave her a squeeze and turned his head to whisper in her ear. "Just think about all the ways I'm gonna help you relax when we get home."
She laughed. "I will hold you to that Yankee."
"My pleasure Beautiful, believe me."
"I do." She was relaxing more already, "And I will let you pleasure yourself as much as you please."
He choked, "Sheesh Babe, when you get a phrase wrong you really get it wrong."
She pulled back and pouted at him in a way he found completely adorable. "What did I say?"
Wheeler grinned, "Think about it, you'll work it out."
A brief quizzical look and then she was blushing. "Wheeler! You know that is not what I meant!"
He laughed and pulled her back to him and they danced in silence for a while. Finally though, Wheeler spoke again, "You know what I like best?"
She chuckled against his shoulder, "Da."
The American scoffed and kissed her head. "Other than that."
Her eyes dancing with laughter, Linka looked up and asked, "What then?"
"Waking up with you in my arms. Even when you're about to get up, or want me to, it's just the best feeling ever." She was looking quite shy so he kissed her before continuing. "It's like, whatever we face during the day, I wake up every morning knowing that it's all worth it."
Linka lowered her eyes, her cheeks still red, and in a barely audible voice, breathed the words, "Me too."
She took a breath and looked up into his eyes, her face shinning with happiness, and confided, "I cannot wait to wake up with you on New Year's Day!"
Whilst clearly pleased by her statement he was looking a bit confused too. "Why New Year? I mean that's over a month away, you're not going somewhere are you?"
"Nyet!" She laughed. "It is a superstition I guess but it is something my family have always said, 'As you celebrate the New Year, so you will spend it.' and I, want to spend next year with you."
The Fire Planeteer's face had grown serious as she spoke and when he replied it was somewhere between a promise and a demand. "Next year and every year after that!"
Seeing the answer in her eyes he kissed her deeply, the dance going on around them completely forgotten.