Author's note: This chapter is rated M
With a brilliant smile, Nika greeted Karissa when she stepped into the wine boutique.
"Hi, thank you for doing this so quickly," she graciously told her new friend.
"You should thank my sister, she's the one who made it," Karissa said with a half smile as she handed her the box.
Nika said, "I will, believe me," she looked into the box, "It's perfect..Do you think he'll like it?"
Karissa grinned, "I think he'll love anything you give him."
"Really?"
"Yes, he clearly cares about you. A lot."
She liked hearing others telling her about his feelings, "He does..I have to get back home for Christmas dinner."
"Me too, we're having it at my parents' house. I'll walk you out," Karissa walked away from the register.
"Ok..One more thing, thanks for-for being Frank's friend," Nika told him. "He was not..When I first met him, he was not the way he is now, understand?"
Flattered, she answered, "You're welcome and I know. He was the strong silent type." She locked the first set of front doors.
"You can say that."
"I just had a good feeling about him. And I'm a romantic so I didn't mind helping him send you gifts." She shrugged and opened the door for her.
"Thank you and Merry Christmas," Nika smiled and hugged her.
"You too Karina, goodbye," she replied.
"Bye," she waved and walked away.
Their hands clasped when they paced up the stairs and walked down the hall to their bedrooms.
"Did you like Christmas dinner?" Nika asked Agent 47.
"I enjoyed it very much." he said with a little nod.
"Me too," she pressed her side against him.
"I..I got a Christmas present for you. It's in your bedroom." he told her. He loved seeing her smile at him.
"You did?" she replied feeling genuinely surprised. "You didn't have to. You're here with me. That's-that's enough."
He remembered Karissa telling him the same statement,"I know…it's in your room."
With curiosity and anticipation, Nika opened her bedroom door without letting go of his hand. Her eyes grew large when she saw a small table with two chairs, a lit tapered candle, a bottle of wine and two glasses in front of her balcony.
"This is so..beautiful!" she touched his face. "I love it!"
He liked seeing how happy she was, "Elaine helped me set it up," he pulled her chair out.
She seated herself and eyed the wine bottle, "You brought me wine?"
After he sat down, he told her, "Read the label."
Her eyes returned to the bottle, a few seconds passed before she realized why he had chosen it, "This is the wine that we had at the Galata Tower in Istanbul..." her lips parted in shock and her head slightly pulled back.
He gently took it from her and opened it, "Karissa helped me find it." He poured the wine into their glasses.
She couldn't believe how thoughtful he had become, "Of course she did..but you were the one that remembered."
His shoulders briefly rose then dropped, "I told you, I remember certain things."
"That really matter.." she smiled at him before taking a sip from her glass. "I remember you didn't even try one glass that night."
"I had an assignment. I needed my focus to be clear," he said to her.
"I didn't know that until the next morning.." She then changed the subject. Shaking her head, she scoffed to herself, "I should have known that Belicoff didn't send me those flowers..But I don't regret opening the door for you."
He looked into her eyes but didn't know what to say to her compliment.
She sensed his awkwardness and said, "I have a present for you as well..Actually, two," she got up from her chair and went over to her nightstand.
Watching her with curious eyes, he saw her remove a small box from the drawer and then walked over to him.
"Here," she handed him the velvet box.
When he opened it to find a platinum ring he looked up at her.
"Look inside." she told him with a small grin on her face.
Her dragon tattoo was engraved inside the ring; his thumb grazed it before he placed it on his left ring finger. He had never received a present before let alone a Christmas gift. Her generosity and thoughtfulness towards him confirmed what he assumed; her feelings for him were as deep as his were for her.
She was pleased to see that it fit and how he didn't hesitate putting it on, "I wanted you to feel like I was with you..No matter where you are." Her hands held both of his as she helped pull him onto his feet.
He cupped her face brushing the ring's cool metal against her cheek quietly showing his gratitude with his touch and not his words.
Her eyes closed, his touch always gave her pleasant pause. Then she said, "There's something else." She pulled off her sweater to reveal the white tank top she wore and the dragon tattoo above her left breast.
The image of the ink dragon caught him off guard. "I thought you had it removed?" He asked her as he stared at her.
Tears filled her eyes as she spoke, "I said 'Yes and no'."
"Why?"
"I put it over my heart, for you and only you. You're the only one who has ever touched me there and the only one I ever want to.." She shared with him, feeling her eyes become more wet. A small gasp escaped her lips when she felt his fingers trace the ink dragon on her chest and saw the longing in his brown eyes, "I-I have to know why you didn't sleep with me that night in Istanbul?"
He kept his fingers on the tattoo and took a moment to muster up the courage to say, "I didn't want you to believe I was like those other men you've been with. That all you're worth, all you had to offer me was your body. You're more than that to me, Nika…"
The honesty in his dark gaze released the tears that were held captive in her emerald eyes.
He mentally debated what he should do next. One part of him wanted to be logical and pull away but the other half of him wanted her. The times that he followed his head came to mind and even though it made his life simple it also left him empty. He was tired of letting fear of the unknown and being vulnerable prevent him from truly connecting to another person. Despite his fears, his need for her overcame him and he tentatively captured her luscious lips with his mouth.
A soft inhale came from her when she felt his mouth on hers. Absolute joy and disbelief seized her as she realized what was happening and what it would lead to. She had always thought she'd initiate their first real kiss, not him. Yet, the man who was softly kissing her now was not the one she had met on that cold night in Russia, she was grateful for it.
The exhilaration that was passing through his body was new and intoxicating for him. He eagerly parted his lips allowing their kiss to deepen. Her experienced tongue was not as aggressive as he had imagined it would be. She slowly explored his mouth and he mirrored her actions. His fingers loosened her bra and she lifted her arms so he could easily render her topless.
Her hands undid the buttons on his shirt then brushed it off his burly shoulders before they ran up the sides of his muscular torso removing his tank top. She effortlessly loosened his belt buckle and undid the zipper causing his jeans to fall to the floor. Her breath hitched in her chest when his hands swiftly freed her legs from her jeans. His fingers grazed her firm backside as he slipped the lace panties off of her.
Standing on the clothes strewn floor, they were completely exposed to one another. The instant their eyes met each saw the yearning and desire that had been brewing for months and they weren't going to run from it any longer.
She gently pushed his shoulders towards the bed, "Sit and lean against pillows," her husky voice was sultry.
He obeyed and the last bit of hesitation he felt died once the goddess before him crawled in his direction. His hands gripped her hips when she circled his neck with her arms.
For the first time in her life she was about to make love with a man she was enamored with. She made sure to drink in the momentous occasion with all her senses and knew that her previous intimate encounters would pale in comparison.
An elated exhale left her mouth when she lowered herself onto him, immediately feeling their emotional bond finally become a physical one. Taking her left hand from his neck to chest, she matched her lovemaking to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
A sharp gasp came from him the moment he felt her warmth surround him. He had never experienced true bliss until that instant and he relished its enrapturing embrace around his body and soul.
She released a moan when a brief jolt shot through her body as his lips left a trial of kisses that started on her neck and settled on her tattoo. The loving way his lips tenderly brushed against her body comforted her.
With a little bit of reticence, he broke their gaze and brought his lips down her neck then to the small black dragon on her heart. His hands slid up her slender form and began caressing her breasts.
"Oooh God…" She groaned when his hands touched her. A small smile came to her mouth when she decided to tighten herself around him causing the usually unflappable hitman to release a carnal moan against her chest.
He then removed his hand from her left breast, and replaced it with his mouth. A sense of victory and pride came to him when he heard her huff a barely audible, "Yes..like that.." His need for the inevitable was growing stronger and bringing his body to heavenly heights that it had never experienced before.
His scent, touch, and the sensation of him underneath her were overloading her senses and she knew it was only a matter of time, "I'm sooo…cl-close.."
At a tantalizing pace, his left hand moved down past her flat stomach and his long fingers touched her where she yearned for him the most. His caress sent her over the edge and he savored the sight of her insatiably enjoying him.
She threw head back and released a groan letting the waves of pure pleasure overtake her body.
He passionately kissed her mouth one last time before he surrendered his body to absolute euphoria.
A large smile pulled at her lips when she watched him moan her name and felt his perfect body tremble underneath her. She planted fervent kisses on his lips as she pushed his body down and lay on top of him. The look of satisfaction on his face filled her with pride and delight.
"How did you know where to touch me?" she asked him.
"I read…" he grinned and rested his hands on her bare back. He never believed he could feel so physically and emotionally bonded to another person and he was relieved to know that all his years of abstaining were worth it.
She happily chuckled then said, "That was the first time I have ever made love before..You too."
He gave her a questioning stare.
"You know how to kill, I know sex." she smirked. "How was it?"
"Incredible.." He confessed to her as he did the unexpected.
Her mouth fell open in utter shock. She had done the impossible, she made him smile. The vision of his bright eyes and shining mouth was overwhelming and brought tears of triumph to her eyes.
His elated expression then turned into one of concern. He asked her, "What's wrong?"
"You know how happy you make me feel now.." She kissed him and felt her body and heart soar.
Without breaking their kiss, he rolled on top of her and made love to her once again. Ecstatically exhausted, their bodies and souls were intertwined as they fell into a deep slumber.