are we to do?’ Ekaterina asked in fright. ‘She will kill you if she finds me here.’ Her hands fluttered wildly over her chest. ‘And my family! What will she do to them?’
* * *
Andrey took a split second to savour the sight of a noblewoman worrying for others before herself. Ekaterina was indeed exceedingly rare and precious. He felt himself fall just a little bit further under her spell. But now was not the time to dawdle in admiration—not when the monster was about to pound on his door.
‘Quick,’ he told her in a calm whisper, ‘follow me.’
He grabbed Ekaterina’s discarded bodice in one hand and took her by the arm with the other. He guided her to the fireplace and knelt beside it. Letting go of Ekaterina’s hand, he placed his open palms on one of the gilded wall panels, his fingers slowly roving over the raised decorations.
‘What are you doing?’ Ekaterina demanded in an angry whisper.
She looked over her shoulder as her aunt began to pound on the door.
‘Are you decent, my darling?’ the Empress called. ‘I’m coming in!’
‘I’ll show you things that only architects realise,’ Andrey said, flashing her a confident grin.
His nimble fingers found what they were looking for. He pressed one raised circle with his thumb and the panel sprang open with a click, revealing a small secret passageway. He pulled Ekaterina down and helped her crawl into the space before getting in himself and pulling the panel closed. It was not a moment too soon as they heard the Empress barrel into the suite a second later.
They didn’t stay to hear her swearing.
Instead, they forged on. The space gradually widened, revealing a very narrow hall. There was barely space for the two of them, so they had to walk in single file. There was hardly any light, and they carefully felt their way along.
‘Where does it go?’ Ekaterina asked in a whisper.
‘If I had to guess,’ Andrey murmured speculatively, ‘I’d bet this widens even farther and joins up with other secret passages. We could probably go anywhere from here. Where do you want to exit?’
‘The kitchens,’ Ekaterina replied immediately. ‘The servants there would never betray me.’
‘Let me lead,’ Andrey suggested, catching her wrist.
Ekaterina nodded in agreement and paused, turning to the side and flattening her back against the wall to make room for him to pass. Andrey began to slide by, but stopped suddenly. They were sandwiched between two walls, their chests nearly touching.
‘Now, this is familiar,’ Andrey murmured, amused.
‘Oh?’ Ekaterina arched a brow. ‘I don’t recall being stuck in a secret passageway before.’
Andrey smirked. Danger was both behind and in front of them, and yet this fierce young woman had the audacity to joke. He felt desire spike down his thighs. The fact that they were skating on the very edge of disaster only fuelled his need to touch her. He slid his palms down her hips and cupped the undersides of her thighs. He pulled her up so her legs were tight around his waist and her back pressed against the wall.
‘Not the place,’ he said in a low growl. ‘The position.’
‘Ah, yes,’ Ekaterina answered with a small smile. ‘I remember now. What were we doing again?’
‘Let me remind you.’
* * *
Andrey kissed her slowly, his lips moving lazily against hers. But his fingers were quick, deftly pulling at the laces keeping her skirt tight around her waist. Ekaterina experimentally rolled her hips against his, smiling when she elicited a low grunt of approval. It was a dangerous game they were playing, and the tension only heightened her senses.
It seemed an eternity before Andrey took a minuscule step back, letting her slide down his chest before offering her a cheeky smile.
‘Ready now?’
He stepped forward along the passageway, but as soon as she began to follow, her overskirt dropped in a heap to the ground. Andrey glanced over his shoulder, a wicked gleam in his eye. Ekaterina grinned, accepting the unspoken challenge. They made their way slowly though the maze of passages, breathing more easily when it widened into a narrow corridor with skylights above to light the way. It truly was an intricate system, and Ekaterina could almost see Andrey mapping it out in his head.
That simply would not do.
They rounded a bend in the passage and Ekaterina suddenly shoved Andrey into the wall, her eyes shining. She grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and pulled him down for a searing kiss. He responded in kind, grabbing at her plain shift. But Ekaterina would not be outdone; her small hands worked furiously at the buttons of his shirt. She pulled the offending material away, exposing his sculpted abdomen. Her hands wandered over his chest and then over his shoulders and down his arms. The shirt fell to the floor.
And then she pulled away. She looked him over once and then turned and flounced away. Andrey groaned and followed her determinedly.
He caught her at a short flight of stairs, grabbing her by the waist and kissing her from behind. He spun them around and sat, pulling her down so that she was straddling his knees. He laved her neck with kisses while pushing up her underskirts and grabbed her bottom, pulling her flush against his heat. With one hand holding her fast, he pushed up her undershirt and cupped a breast. He teased the erect peak with his tongue, smirking when she undulated above him, lost in the sensation.
He took the opportunity to quickly pull her shirt over her head and toss it down the stairs. He met her playful glare with a grin—now they were both half naked. He wore only his trousers, and she her underskirt. He stood, helping her to her feet.
‘Almost there.’ He smiled.
She inclined her head, the double meaning not lost on her. They continued on their way, their fingers loosely entwined. Every now and again they would cast each other lascivious glances. Ekaterina grew bold, her jaunty gait causing her pert breasts to bounce ever so slightly with every step. Andrey’s nostrils flared with desire, and he unobtrusively flexed his arm and chest muscles while walking...which made Ekaterina stare openly, her jaw slightly slack.
Their game of seduction continued...until they turned a corner to face a final door.
‘I think this is the door to the corridor leading to the kitchens,’ Andrey said, placing his hand against the thick panel.
He turned to Ekaterina, his eyes serious.
‘Shall we finish this?’ he asked.
‘We can’t go outside like this,’ Ekaterina said, gesturing to their lack of clothes.
‘That wasn’t what I was talking about.’
* * *
Andrey pulled her close, his hands slowly travelling down the length of her body until they reached the waistband of her underskirt. His eyes locked on hers, he slowly pushed the skirt down, leaving her last piece
