She cried out as she went over the edge, and he followed a few moments later. Afterwards they lay cuddling, Alexandra's head on Illya's chest. He was surprised to hear her softly sobbing.
"Hey." He placed a finger underneath her chin and raised her head to look into her eyes. "Did I hurt you?"
"Oh, no." She quickly shook her head. "It's simply that...suddenly I was reminded of the last time Nicky and I made love. It was right before they took us to Tobolsk. He was even more gentle and loving that usual. We both knew that it might be our last opportunity to share our love." She continued to sob, and he held and comforted her. He knew that her heart still grieved the loss of the love of her life, that it always would. Yet he hoped that over time, the pain would lessen, to be replaced by sweet memories, along with the joy of the new relationship she was now developing with him.
Illya returned to active duty the following Monday. Before that, he and Alexandra spent a glorious weekend in bed together, making love, talking together, sharing their deepest dreams and secrets.
Right away Illya and Napoleon were sent on a mission to Hong Kong, and Napoleon made plans to get together with Anna Demidova upon their return.
Alexandra found that she missed Illya even more keenly than she had on previous assignments. Their lovemaking had forged a deeper bond between them than had existed before, and she felt as if a part of herself had left with Illya when he'd departed. As she patched up the superficial wounds of other agents, she tried her best not to think of the danger her Illya might be in at that very moment.
Her Illya. But he didn't really belong to her, did he? Certainly not in the sense Nicholas had. There had been no vows exchanged, no promises of commitment. The nature of relationships between men and women had changed drastically in the past fifty years, and she simply had to adjust to that fact.
On one hand, she was pleased that her curiosity over what it must have been like between Nicholas and Mathilde all those years ago had been satisfied, but on the other hand, she worried that perhaps Illya had now lost his respect for her.
Yet, when he and Napoleon returned from the assignment, he greeted her just as warmly as he always had before, if not even more so. And this time he came bearing gifts, expensive designer clothing for the entire family.
Alexandra gasped. "I don't know how to thank you..."
"Try these on," he told Maria and Anastasia. The girls did as he'd asked, and even their mother had to admit that they looked stunning. Illya took out a camera and began snapping photographs of the former princesses. The girls, thrilled by the attention, were more than happy to pose for him.
Later, Illya and Alexandra double dated with Napoleon and Anna. They went to the same restaurant Illya had taken Alexandra to the night after he'd taken the whole family to the beach. It was every bit as lovely as Alexandra remembered, and Anna seemed to be enjoying herself as well.
After dinner they all went for a lovely moonlight stroll along the beach, and then Illya took Alexandra back to his apartment while Napoleon took Anna back to his own apartment.
As soon as they were inside, Illya and Alexandra went into the bedroom and lay on the bed, where they began to kiss. The wine she'd drank earlier combined with the yearning she'd felt for her lover since the last time she'd seen him and made her feel as if she were about to explode with desire. Their clothing was quickly shed, and Illya began to pleasure her erect nipples with his mouth while his fingers got busy between her legs. She began to moan and writhe, and when she felt as if she almost couldn't take it anymore, he entered her. She came almost immediately. He brought her over the edge once more before going there himself, and then they lay and cuddled some more.
"I can't help but wonder how my dear Anna is faring with Napoleon right at this moment," she mused.
"Knowing Napoleon, I am sure that he is making her very happy," Illya replied.
"I prepared her for what to expect," Alexandra said.
"Well, then, do not worry. As I told you before, Napoleon is a man of honor and will not pressure her to do anything she is uncomfortable with."
Cozy and drowsy, Alexandra yawned. Illya chucked and kissed her nose. "Go to sleep, lyubov moya."
