Chapter Fifteen

The Wind Planeteer stirred, sighing softly in contentment as she became aware of the strong man in her arms. She was pressed against his back, one arm around his waist, which he was holding in place.

Knowing she needed to get back to her own room, Linka sat up and gently pulled him onto his back, smiling as his arms automatically reached for her. At times like that it was almost impossible not to believe that what they had was something that would last forever and the young woman let herself get lost in the moment, leaning down to kiss and nuzzle him awake.

Wheeler held Linka against him, slowly coming to and loving the gentle way she'd woken him. "What time is it?"

"Early." She replied regretfully, adding, "I need to go to my room before Gi wakes up."

He groaned slightly, "I forgot. Guess I wore you out last night, sorry about that."

Linka chuckled, "You are not, you did it on purpose." But she kissed him again to show that she wasn't upset and let it deepen before pulling away again.

Wheeler opened his eyes properly and grinned up at her, saying simply, "I wanted you with me."

She blushed a little but assured him, "I wanted to be with you… I really must go now though."

He nodded in acceptance and let her get up to find her clothes, "What about the tattoos? We're supposed to clean them and stuff."

"It is too early." Linka replied, glancing at the clock, "It has not really been that long, I think we will have to do it when we get home."

"Ok, but you need to let me help you." He said forcing himself out of bed and pulling on his own clothes.

The Russian nodded distractedly. She hadn't yet put anything on and that was unusual enough for him to ask, "You ok?"

"Da… I do not like putting on yesterday's underwear, and I really do not want to put anything over my bandage until I have to but all of my things are next door." She shrugged and would have done what she'd just protested against anyway when Wheeler picked his t-shirt up off the floor and handed it to her.

"It'll be long enough on you to cover everything … it's not that clean though." He shrugged.

The lovely blond hesitated a moment and then shrugged too, taking the garment and quickly pulling it over her head before gathering her clothes and finding her room key. "Will you check that there is no one around? I would rather not have to explain this to anyone."

Thinking that she wouldn't have to explain anything, dressed as she was, Wheeler opened his door and stuck his head out, "All clear."

"Spasiba." Linka hurried out but didn't forget to pause long enough to give him one last kiss. She'd already located her door key and was able to slip inside noiselessly.

Wheeler stayed in his doorway until she was safely inside and then, with a sigh, went back to bed.

"Linka?" Gi's voice brought the Wind Planeteer to a halt halfway to the bathroom. Then the light came on and her friend sat up in bed, her eyes widening as she saw Linka's state of undress. "Oh my god Linka, what have you done?"

The Russian closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I slept in Wheeler's room, we got back so late that I did not want to wake you."

"I kinda guessed you were with Wheeler, seeing as it's his t-shirt you're wearing." She was peering closely at her friend, "Somehow though I don't think all you did was sleep."

Linka sighed accepting the inevitable, "Would you mind if we discussed this after I get dressed?"

Gi shook her head, still partly hoping her friend would have an innocent explanation, but only because she was sure Linka would regret anything else.

A quarter of an hour later, unable to have a proper shower because of her wound, Linka had cleaned up as best she could and dressed in fresh underwear and yesterday's clothes.

The sooner we get home the better. She thought, partly from a desire to have a real shower, partly from wanting to be with Wheeler again and partly because it would mean the conversation she was about to have with Gi would be over.

"Were you drunk?" The Asian girl asked as Linka sat on what should have been her bed.

"Nyet!" Linka blushed, "It was nothing like that."

Gi looked straight into her eyes, "So he gave you his t-shirt to sleep in and you both just fell asleep? Is that it?"

It was tempting to agree and try to bluff her way through it but Linka had never been good at outright lying, and besides, deep down she really wanted to talk to her best friend. She spoke so quietly it came out as a whisper. "Nyet."

Closing her eyes Gi leant back against her head board, then she opened them again and they held nothing but sympathetic understanding, "Are you ok?"

Linka nodded and looked down at her hands, playing with her ring. "It was not the first time."

"What?!" Her friend sat up again, "Why didn't you tell me? How long has it been going on? Are you a couple? Why wouldn't you tell me something like that?"

"Please do not be angry with me," Linka said miserably, "There is not really anything to tell. We are not a couple, it is not like that, we are just… we have an agreement."

Gi shook her head, "I don't believe you, you're not the sort of person to go for the whole 'friends with benefits' thing."

Sighing, Linka explained about her list and the balloon trip. "It is not like it was with just anybody. Wheeler and I are close, we have a good relationship and I know he likes being with me as much as I like being with him."

"Of course he does." The Water Planeteer agreed, "I've always thought that he cares more for you than he lets on actually, but Linka… you can say whatever you want about friendly agreements and life experience and bodily functions but I know you. I know you just wouldn't have gotten into this if your heart wasn't in it and Wheeler… well he'd never want to make you unhappy but he doesn't see things the way we do, he doesn't take things as seriously. You're going to get hurt."

"I know." Linka said quietly. "I was not lying about why I started this, I really just wanted to… to know what it is like to be with a man. And da, I wanted to be with Wheeler but I never intended it to go any further, I had made up my mind to it. I just could not stay away from him, he makes me happy Gi." She gave her friend a sad smile. "But you are right, I do not think he really believes in relationships that last forever and I do not want him to feel trapped. We have made no promises and I know it will hurt when it ends, but I do not regret being with him, and this way I never will."

Gi frowned, "I'm not so sure it works like that…."

"Stop worrying about me Gi, I am not as fragile as I look." The Russian shrugged, "Besides, we have as much chance of being happy together as any couple and less chance of breaking a promise. It is more honest this way."

Her friend wasn't convinced but wisely chose not to press her any farther. "As long as you're happy I guess."

"I am." The smile that crept over the Wind Planeteer's lips then showed a hint of the woman Wheeler had lately been getting to know.

"In that case I hope you're going to share all the juicy details?" Gi teased, once more bringing colour to the other girl's face.

Linka shifted uncomfortably, wishing she could change position without pulling her tattoo. "What do you want to know?"

Her friend regarded her appraisingly, pleased to find her willing to talk but not sure how far she could push her. "Well let's start with the basics… do you really like what he does or do you just like to be with him? I mean is he actually good at it?"

The Russian laughed though her cheeks were bright pink, "He is good at it… at least, I have no basis for comparison, but da, I like it." She thought about the previous night and blushed deeper. "He has more experience than I do, and whatever we do he is comfortable with it."

Gi nodded, having expected that but feeling slightly relieved that Linka knew it too. "So you've experimented a bit?" Receiving confirmation in the form of a shy nod, "Any favourites yet?"

"Gi…" Linka couldn't help but laugh, not quite believing they were having such a conversation. She shook her head but answered anyway, "It depends on my mood. We… play." She shrugged, struggling for the words. "We do whatever feels right at the time and it is fun, but I suppose…." Licking her lips she continued, "I think I like it best when he is directing things."

Her friend nodded wisely, "Because you don't have the confidence yet to make it how you want it."

"That might be part of it," Linka replied, her sense of humour peeking out, "But I was actually thinking that there is a certain advantage to his weight… oh but I prefer to be in bed, and to go slowly." Seeing the Asian's cheeks darken in embarrassment, her friend laughed again, "You did ask."

"I did." Gi replied, with an almost shy giggle, "But I didn't think you would answer me."

Linka shrugged and grinned at her, "It is the effect Wheeler has on me. Do you want to know what else I like?" Her friend nodded, finding her mood infectious. "I cannot describe it but I like what he does with his mouth."

"I take it we aren't talking about kissing?" Gi teased.

"I like that too." The Wind Planeteer chuckled.

Gi shook her head, "Wow… you're really comfortable with him huh?" Her friend nodded, "Have you returned the favour?"

Linka gave her friend a guilty look and nodded. "I probably need more practice but he did not seem to mind."

"I bet!" Gi burst out laughing and Linka found herself joining in.

At last she asked, "Any more embarrassing questions you want an answer to?"

The Asian shrugged but said saucily, "Stamina? Assets? Kinky tendencies?"

"Bozhe' moy." Linka shook her head but she was enjoying herself. She got up and began packing away her things as she replied, "Inexhaustible, incredible, and I guess it depends on what you call kinky."

"Define incredible and… I don't know, anything that involves accessories I guess."

Linka stopped as she considered the question, "You have seen most of his body on the beach, and the rest of him is, well he is… justifiably confident."

"Nice." Gi grinned wickedly.

"As for kinky… not especially, though I am sure he would be willing to experiment if I asked him. He does want me to go skinny dipping with him, and he says that just swimming is not enough, we have to go for the 'full experience'."

Gi nodded rapidly, "Yes you should definitely do that!"

"Have you?" Her friend asked with more shyness than she would have expected given some of the things she'd been saying. "I mean I know that you and Pontus… did things."

The Water Planeteer rolled her eyes at the Russian's backsliding, "We didn't go all the way, no… I haven't. I would probably have told you if I had. But what we did do was worth it, and we did get naked in the water even if we didn't go for the 'full experience'."

Linka laughed, "I will do it but… he said he would like it to be somewhere more public than Hope Island."

"Oh so he is kinky." Gi teased.

"Maybe a bit." Linka smiled but ended in biting her lower lip, "Would you do it? In public I mean?"

Her friend tilted her head as she regarded her, "Are you asking me if I would do it, or if I think you should?"

Linka shrugged, "Both?"

"I wouldn't do it with an audience, no matter how much I liked him."

"He did not mean that!" The Russian's eyes widened, "He said somewhere with a chance of getting caught, not selling tickets."

Gi chuckled and then looked thoughtful. "I would probably skinny dip just about anywhere… I guess the rest would depend on how I felt at the time… although it wouldn't go down well if you were caught, being Planeteers and everything."

Linka nodded, "I have thought that."

"Don't let Wheeler push you into anything, I know he wouldn't do it to hurt you but…"

"Nyet, he would not." Linka agreed, "He is not pushing me into anything, it is just that he has been doing the things that I want, to share them with me. I want to do the same for him."

Gi grinned, "Are you sure you're not a couple?"

Remembering some of the things they'd said to each other the night before, not to mention what their new tattoos symbolised, Linka grinned but chose not to answer.

"Babe I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!" Wheeler was torn between withdrawing, which she seemed to want, and finishing what he'd started.

"I know." Linka couldn't stop the tears. "It is not your fault, it was my idea, just please get it over with."

Thinking of what was best for her health, the American forced himself to continue cleaning her tattoo, glad that they'd waited until they got home. At last he re-covered the wound and said, "All done," and she turned automatically into his arms so that he could hold her.

"I am sorry for being a baby." She worried, thinking of how stoically he'd taken her ministrations, "I will not make such a fuss again I promise."

"Make all the fuss you want." He squeezed her tight. "That's what I'm here for."

Linka looked up, having got her tears under control, "To listen to me complain?"

"Yep." Wheeler grinned and his hand slid down her uninjured side. His fingers traced the waistband of her tiny underwear (chosen so that it sat below the tattoo,) and then slipped inside, "And to make you feel better."

She gasped but didn't pull away, "You do not need to do that, it makes me feel better just to have you hold me."

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, caressing her gently and she shook her head. His eyebrows waggled at her suggestively. "I like doing this… I like knowing that I can." Linka's eyelids felt to half-mast. "Tell me I can do anything I want."

"Da." She swallowed and leant against him. "Anything."

"I'll remember you said that, but right now I'm gonna keep it simple," Linka slid her arms up around his neck to steady herself, breathing hard as he brought her to completion.

Feeling her legs go weak, Wheeler brought his arm up to steady her and then moved them both so that he could sit on the lid of the toilet with her on his lap. "Ok?"

"Da." The Russian rest her head on his shoulder and snuggled closer.

She sounded a little sad too and that worried him. "Are you sure? You seem… I dunno, a bit down? Are you having regrets?"

"Nyet… at least not about what we have been doing. I do not regret the tattoo either but… It bothers me how little thought I put into it, and the consequences."

"You're overthinking things again." He kissed her head, "Nothing terrible has come of that decision, I know it's painful and I'd do anything to take that pain away, but a few weeks of inconvenience won't do us any harm. And if you had thought about it, you'd never have got it done."

Linka smiled, "Is that not the point of thinking things through?"

"Yeah, when it's important." Wheeler shrugged, "Look, I figure if you think too much and I barely think it through at all, when we agree it can't be too bad, right?"

The Russian laughed, relaxing at last, but said, "What is bothering me is that I did not think about it. It was an impulse. I feel out of control and I am not sure I can trust myself like this."

There was a moment of silence and then Wheeler said softly, "Why do I have the feeling I'm not gonna like what's coming next?"

Linka looked up in surprise, "I do not know. I was just going to say that I think I need for things to slow down, does that bother you?"

"Maybe…" He swallowed, "Does slowing down mean keeping to our own rooms?"

A smile crept over the Russian's face as she realised what he thought she meant, and she shook her head. "I do not want things to change between us… or at least I do not want them to go back to what they used to be." He grinned back and gave her a squeeze and she went on, "I just meant that I do not think we should do anything… daring, for a while. I need time to get used to everything."

"'Kay." The Fire Planeteer kissed her nose making her chuckle again. He couldn't help hoping that when she'd done her thinking and was comfortable again, she'd want to be with him permanently and as more than a convenient lover.

To be continued…