~ Can't Buy My Love ~
by Katia N. Ruiz
passionatetyger@aol.com
Copyright 2004
Disclaimers: see part one.
***Two chapters this week, just because everyone's been so patient. PLEASE PLEASE let me know what you think of them. I beg of you!
***Hello, this is the reason I finally decided to shorten the disclaimer, I want to try a hand at putting lyrics of a song in the beginning, which probably won't work out ::laughs::, but I'll guess I'll give it a try. PLEASE LEMME KNOW IF THE LYRICS GO WITH STORY… J THANKS!
"Oh you set up your place in my thoughts
Moved in and made my thinking crowded."
By Indigo Girls
THIS IS A LITTLE OF WHAT WENT ON LAST TIME…
Oksana found that she couldn't help but look directly at Kat's face, taken in by her beauty. She felt a shiver travel the length of her spine as Kat's eyes took in all of her body. She felt her heartbeat speed up and licked suddenly dry lips.
Kat swallowed hard, reminding herself that rumors would start up if she didn't get herself together. She opened her mouth to speak.
"Ms. Ivanov!"
Oksana's eyes snapped to the man who'd dared interrupt them. She thought he recognized him, but she couldn't place him. She narrowed her eyes at him. He looked way too smug, and the way he rudely insinuated himself between Kat and her without so much as a glance at the dark haired woman annoyed her.
The man tossed his full dark hair, flicking a lock out of his forehead. He extended his hand to her, his greasy grin growing when she shook his hand. "I'm Marion Brenner, Vice President of the Washington D.C. office." He informed her, hoping to impress her with his title. He faltered at her uninterested look. "I- um, I just wanted to welcome you to the company. Everyone had been wondering who would take over when your grandfather retired, and we're all happy that it is another Ivanov. I had to come up to Sanford and personally meet the new boss."
"Thank you," Oksana said distractedly, watching Kat walk away quickly. Shit. She returned her eyes to the man in front of her. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go mingle." She said with a fake smile. "Next time you find yourself up here, visit at the office." She shook his hand again and walked away, moving in the same direction Kat had taken.
She was stopped once again, this time by the president of the Florida office. For the past couple of months, the young woman had been working closely with Oksana as they dealt with new acquisitions in Florida. She wanted to touch up on the venture, but Oksana interrupted her with a gracious smile, thanking her for the dedication and bidding her to have fun. When she was finally able to get away, Kat was nowhere in sight. She looked around, sighing in disappointment. Fuck!
"Well, now, don't look so sad. It's your party, isn't it?"
Oksana stiffened, recognizing the voice instantly. She spun around quickly, and her eyes widened in shock as her fears were confirmed. "Dena…"
Dena grinned seductively, her eyes trailing up and down the shocked woman's body. "Still looking good, Oksana," She said sultrily, reaching out to touch a suddenly red cheek.
And this week…
Chapter Twenty-One
"Nice of you to finally make an appearance." Domingo said teasingly, noticing his friend's slightly tipsy walk. "You've been gone for more than an hour. Where've you been?"
Kat showed him her full wine goblet. "Hiding by the bar." She said, her words slurring. "This is good wine, Domingo, good choice."
"Thanks," Domingo smiled. "Hey, my wife finally showed up." He gestured to his wife, who had been chatting with the new Assistant Head of Office Administration. "Millie, this is my friend Ekaterina Gorky, Head of Advertising. She's better known as Kat. Kat, this my wife, Millie."
Kat found her manners through her inebriation. "Mrs. Dominguez, it's a pleasure." She said, extending her hand for a shake.
Millie grinned and shook her hand, instantly seeing what Oksana would find so attractive about the beautiful woman. She'd heard the whole story from Domingo, who was eagerly watching the attraction develop. Oksana fixated on a single woman was something new, and she was eager to see the two women interact. "You can call me Millie."
"And you call me Kat, you hear?" Kat said, grinning back. "By the way, why do you put up with him?"
Millie shrugged, her grin growing. "Only because he's the sweetest man in the world." She gazed at the big man adoringly, nudging him with her shoulder. Her smile faded a little when she noticed that his attention was not on them.
Kat noticed too, and she frowned. "Domingo," She said, and poked him in the stomach.
Domingo had completely tuned them out once his eyes picked up on something across the room. He looked at them briefly before his eyes returned the happenings across the room. "I wonder who that is," He said in a low voice, his eyebrows up.
Both women followed his stare to the source of his curiosity. Kat frowned instantly, her eyes narrowing at the familiar brown mane. I know that hair, she thought fuzzily, her thoughts muddled by the wine. She looked past the back of the head at Oksana, whose face was red, and her eyes held an emotional pain the like of which Kat had never seen in the other woman's eyes.
"Ms. Ivanov looks upset," Domingo said in a low voice, his eyes widening as the other woman edged almost intimately close to his boss.
Kat's eyes darkened in fury as Oksana tried to step away from the other woman. The woman moved with her, their movement revealing the invader's face. "Dena!" Kat growled, scowling. Her ex-best friend seemed to be doing all the talking.
ΡΡΡΡΡ
"You look just as gorgeous as you did back then," Dena whispered, her eyes taking in all of Oksana's body. She met Oksana's eyes, drawing her into a staring match that she knew the blonde would lose. She remembered that Oksana had always melted when Dena looked into her eyes, and she was sure that it hadn't changed.
Oksana stopped breathing, falling under the other woman's spell. As much as she tried, she couldn't look away. She found herself remembering their times in the bedroom. Their lovemaking had always been explosive, and Oksana became aware that her addiction to sex had started then. She had been so infatuated with Dena that she hadn't realized that the other woman was an evil human being until it was too late.
Women, and sometimes men, weren't off limits to the Perez-Sosa heiress. There had been many times when Oksana had walked in on her numerous trysts. Oksana knew that she would have never left Dena, no matter what Dena did, and she would have kept going back to her like the kid in love that she was. Dena would have destroyed her completely, if Dena herself hadn't grown tired of her game. When it was all done, Oksana was not the same person she had once been. Oksana knew Dena had never cared for her, but she couldn't stop the attraction that tugged at her groin.
"So, did you miss me at all?" Dena teased seductively, edging closer to her prey. Her eyes watched Oksana's eyes close at her nearness; a leer transformed Dena's pretty eyes. "You did miss me." She said triumphantly, feeling a victory dance between her legs.
Oksana's nostrils flared at the scent of her former lover. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and stepped back, looking away. "I- I don't want to talk to you." She managed, moving to walk away from her ex-girlfriend; Dena moved with her, blocking her way. Oksana felt trapped, and she started to panic.
"Let's go somewhere where it's just you and me, baby." She suggested smoothly, as if Oksana hadn't spoken. "We can get reacquainted, and catch up on old times." She offered, licking her lips slowly, showing exactly what she had in mind. Now that she knew that Kat felt an attraction towards the blonde, she was determined to get Oksana into her bed once again.
Tempted to forget about everything she'd accomplished, Oksana hesitated. She looked away, her eyes searching the hall for a respite. She caught her grandfather's eye, realizing that he'd been watching them for a long time. He stood next to a distracted Nadia, eyes narrowed at Oksana questioningly. His presence reassured her, and she felt a new strength infuse her through his blue eyes. He's proud of me, She thought, and felt her body relax, but only slightly. I can't let him down. I can't. "Excuse me," She said firmly, turning and walking away and out of the room through the double doors leading to a balcony.
Dena's mouth hung open, her eyes wide. Oksana had just walked away from her, something she had never done until Dena sent her away. Dena recovered, her eyes narrowing angrily, walking quickly towards the double doors and following Oksana out.
ΡΡΡΡΡ
Kat watched the women walk out of the room, and she moved to follow, only to be stopped by a large hand on her arm. She glared at her friend, trying to pull her arm out of his firm, but gentle, grasp.
"Where are you going?" Domingo asked worriedly, already knowing the answer.
Millie knew too, and she interceded before Kat exploded. Her husband's friend looked like she was about to blow a gasket at her husband, and Millie really wanted him around for a while. She touched his arm. "Domingo, let her go."
Domingo's eyes bounced between his wife and his furious friend. He let her go, and watched as she quickly made her way towards the double doors. "You really think that was a good idea?"
Millie nodded, grabbing his hand and squeezing. "You shouldn't get involved in that." She admonished gently.
Domingo nodded, bending to kiss his wife on the forehead. "You're right," He said. "I'd be better off staying out of the way of that ticking bomb."
"You said it, honey," Millie laughed. "Come dance with me." She pulled him towards the dance floor as a forty-five year old disco song came on, other couples making their way towards the dance floor with them. With a laugh, Domingo followed her.
ΡΡΡΡΡ
Kat stepped outside and stopped abruptly as she heard the sound of voices. She walked slowly, careful to not make any noise, until she reached a spot where she could see Oksana and Dena in the patio. Kat seethed at what she saw, and she clenched her teeth to keep herself from yelling.
Kat watched as Dena wrapped her arms tightly around Oksana's neck, her substantial chest pressed tight against the taller woman's, as Dena tried to pull her down for a kiss. Kat was gratified to see that Oksana was resisting her, her face turned to the side, though the look on her face said that she was on the verge of giving in. The taller woman's hands were grasping Dena's wrists, trying to pull her arms away from her shoulders.
"I can feel how much you still want me, Oksana," Dena whispered, nuzzling Oksana's soft neck and cheek. She inhaled deeply of the other woman's sexy scent, thrilled to feel Oksana's body begin to lose its tenseness.
Oksana felt the throbbing between her legs course through all of her body, up all the way to the roots of her hair. She was breathing hard through her nose, clenching her jaw tightly and trying to tune out Dena's voice, to ignore her breath against her ear. She could feel her body slowly giving in, despite her desire to be as far away from Dena as possible.
"Oksana! There you are, baby. I've been looking all over for you." Kat exclaimed, walking out quickly from behind the large bush, her high heels clicking loudly against the marble floor tiles.
Oksana's eyes snapped open, and she stepped back quickly, eyes wide as she stared at Kat.
Dena wasn't dealing too well with the shock of losing her contact with Oksana's body, or with Kat's sudden appearance. A scowl instantly furrowed her brow. Baby?
Kat grinned at the blonde, adding a little swing to her step as she approached the silent women. She felt a shiver of pleasure travel down her spine as Oksana instantly responded to her, her eyes moving up and down across her body. She came to a stop beside Oksana, turning to face a visibly furious Dena. She feigned shock as she stared at her ex-friend. "Dena? Wow, its been long time," She said, wrapping her arm around Oksana's and pushing her breasts close against her. Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
Dena's eyes snapped back and forth between the two women, and they narrowed at the expression on Oksana's face. The blonde was staring at Kat's face with undisguised desire, and Dena's fury grew as she realized she wasn't the center of Oksana's attention anymore. She crossed her arms under her breasts, forcing a smile. Bitch. "Oh, it hasn't been that long," She responded icily, tossing her glossy mane over her shoulder. "I had no idea we hailed from the same town. And you left the city so suddenly."
With Kat so close, Oksana was slow to catch up on the conversation, but when she did, her eyes moved back and forth between the women. She frowned. "You two know each other?"
"Oh, it's a small world," Kat said, patting Oksana's stomach, before Dena could respond. "See, we were best friends in the city, until Dena slept with my then girlfriend. Which brings me to my next question," she lifted an eyebrow threateningly. "What exactly where you doing all over my girlfriend?"
Oksana's eyebrows rose up high, and the shock was evident in her features. She flinched when Kat pinched her arm, sparing her a quick warning glance. She quickly schooled her face into a look of calm acceptance.
Shocked, Dena scowled once again, bringing her arms down to press her fists against her hips. "I don't believe that," She said through clenched teeth, glaring at both women jealously. "You didn't even speak inside."
"Oh, only for appearance's sake," Kat countered flippantly, smirking slyly. "I just can't resist her, and it wouldn't do for me to jump her bones in front of everyone, don't you think?" She closed her eyes briefly, shaking her head, and said: "Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot it's you I'm talking to. You don't care one way or another, right?"
Oksana liked this side of Kat more and more; she could feel her attraction grow to unbearable heights. She lifted her arm over Kat and wrapped it around the smaller woman's waist, pulling her tightly closer. The throbbing between her legs was even stronger than when Dena had been close.
Kat almost sighed in relief when she felt Oksana warm up to the game. She smirked at her nemesis when Oksana wrapped her arm around Kat's waist, but her smirk almost faded when she felt Oksana's arm pulling her tighter against her body. She was sure she could feel the heat of Oksana's passion against her hip, and her breath caught in her throat as Oksana brought her face close to her neck and inhaled deeply. Kat glanced quickly over at Oksana, and let out a small gasp upon seeing the passion she'd engendered.
Dena was fuming at what was happening before her eyes. Oksana looked like she would be jumping Kat's bones at any second. "You're right, I don't care. I just take what's mine when I want it." Dena said.
Dena's voice brought Kat back from the abysm of her attraction to Oksana. "I'm glad u admit that, Dena," She said, meeting Dena's brown eyes. "The thing is, Oksana stopped being yours years ago." She turned slightly and wrapped her arms around Oksana's neck, almost moaning out loud as the full length of their bodies pressed firmly together, molding perfectly to one another. "I learned something from you while we were friends," She continued shakily, feeling her nipples harden. This is really getting out of hand! She thought, but couldn't stop her actions. "I take what's mine too."
Oksana had once again stopped following the conversation all together. She was sure that Kat didn't need her help with Dena. She inhaled deeply of Kat's scent, her nostrils flaring as she took a deep breath of her essence.
Dena stepped forward, her hands clenching into fists. She was ready to tear Kat's hair out; she could see it happening in her mind's eye. She hated not being the center of Oksana's attention any longer. The knowledge that Oksana's attention had been instantly gone from her as soon as Kat had appeared made her so angry. She was about to open her mouth when she was interrupted.
"Dena, I've been looking for you."
At the sound of the strange voice, Oksana and Kat moved away from each other, and stared at the newcomer.
Marion Brenner stepped into the arena, unaware of the tension in the room. For Marion, things were always about him, and anything that happened outside of his circle of self-attention, did not matter. All he knew was that he had come to the party with a beautiful date, and that for some reason she wasn't close by to complement his good looks. "I'm getting a little embarrassed in there," He said, his voice almost whining. He lifted perfectly shaped eyebrows at his date and completely ignored the other two women. "Come spend some time inside with me." It was an order.
Turning her back on the two women, Dena glared at him. "I'm busy." She snapped.
"They've been asking me where my date is." Marion reasoned smoothly. "At least come inside for a few minutes."
Dena glanced back and cursed loudly. "Where the fuck did they go?" She growled. While Dena hadn't been looking, Oksana and Kat had sneaked away.
"Who?" Marion frowned, confused.
"The two women that were just here!" Dena screamed.
Marion blinked, shifting nervously. "Maybe they went back in?" He ventured, his eyes wide. "Want to go see?"
Dena closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Kat Gorky would pay for what she did. "Fine," She said through, stalking past the confused man. I'll get back to Oksana soon enough. Oksana won't be able to resist me for long.
ΡΡΡΡΡ
Oksana followed Kat back onto the patio as Mario disappeared behind the bush. She pushed her fingers through her hair, sighing in relief. "Thank you," She said softly, uncomfortable as she stared at Kat's back. Her body was begging for Kat's nearness, for her touch.
Kat sighed, swallowing hard. She was aware of Oksana's eyes on her body, and of her own desire to be in Oksana's arms. "So you and Dena were lovers?" She finally said, pushing her hair behind her ear.
"Yeah."
Surprised by Oksana's honesty, Kat turned around. She gazed at the taller woman for a long moment before asking: "Was it exclusive?"
Oksana snorted self-derisively, her mouth twisting bitterly. "Only to me." She said in a low voice, not really wanting to talk about it.
Kat's eyes narrowed slightly in sympathetic anger; she knew exactly what Oksana meant. Dena wasn't the kind to date one woman at a time. Kat had witnessed many a woman who thought that they were the only one for Dena; they had always been in for a rude awakening. Kat studied the other woman more closely, and their eyes met briefly before Oksana turned her face away. "I don't know what to say." She whispered, missing Oksana's eyes. She really does have beautiful eyes.
Oksana looked at Kat again, shoving her hands into her pockets and shrugging. She cleared her throat. "You don't have to say anything at all." She said hoarsely, slightly distracted by Kat's beauty.
Kat stared at Oksana for a long moment, taken in by the change of the other woman's voice. Its sexy tone drew her in, sparking her desire once again. Forcing her eyes away from Oksana, she shifted nervously, crossing her arms over her chest. "I- Dena never deserved you." She said softly.
Oksana laughed, again self-derisive. "I haven't always been a saint, as you know."
Kat laughed too, nodding in agreement. "I'm sure now that it was after she was done with you." She said.
Oksana's laughter faded, and she cleared her throat again. Dismayed when tears filled her eyes, she dropped her head. Since her return from university, she had been successful at keeping deep thoughts away. It had taken her a long time, and a lot of women, to move past her relationship with Dena. It had taken Dena's reappearance to bring back all of those memories.
Kat felt her heart ache for Oksana, and imagined that she knew how Oksana had felt when Dena hurt her. She stepped forward a couple of steps, unsure of what to do or what to say; tentatively, she reached out and touched Oksana's cheek. "She doesn't deserve you." She said shakily, her eyes meeting Oksana's. Even as she spoke, Kat mentally berated herself for touching the other woman.
I must be drunk. She thought, internally panicking. The contact seemed to freeze them both in place, their eyes locked to one another. Kat felt her heartbeat increase as Oksana's breathing changed; her breath caught in her throat as the clear blue eyes fluttered. She pulled her hand away, sure that her palm was burning.
Oksana forgot all about Dena at the feel of Kat's soft hand against her skin. A shiver raced down her spine when their eyes locked. She felt her body temperature rise what she was sure was another ten degrees. The pain of Kat's withdrawal felt physical and she stepped towards her. "Kat," She whispered hoarsely, swallowing hard. She wanted to hold Kat in her arms, to press her lips against Kat's and possess her.
Kat stepped back again, panicking at the excitement obvious in the other woman's expression. "This isn't a good idea." She whispered, lifting her hands in front of her.
Oksana kept approaching until Kat's hands pressed against her stomach. "You have to know that you drive me crazy." She whispered passionately, grasping Kat's hands in hers, holding them against her stomach. "I can't think when you're near me. All I want to do is kiss you."
Kat tried to pull her hands away, feeling her knees weakening as their eyes met. "I- we shouldn't…" She sucked in a deep breath as Oksana leaned towards her and stopping just before their lips touched. She closed her eyes and held her breath, moaning softly at the feel of Oksana's warm breath against her lips.
Oksana inhaled deeply, her nostrils flaring as she took in Kat's sweet scent. She allowed her eyes to close as she brushed her lips softly against Kat's, groaning very softly at their smoothness. She pulled back and opened her eyes to gaze into Kat's face. The raw expression of surrender on the other woman's face made goose bumps appear across her body.
Kat's eyes opened slowly, and she could do nothing but gaze into Oksana's eyes.
Oksana released her hands, sliding her own up along Kat's arms. She gently grasped Kat right below the shoulders and pulled her close against her body, once again pressing her mouth against hers. She felt a pleasurable chill race down her spine as she felt Kat begin to respond. Opening her mouth, she gently begged for entrance with her tongue.
Kat couldn't resist, and any further thought was obliterated as Oksana's silky tongue pressed gently between her lips. Her hands slid slowly under Oksana's jacket and she grasped the sides of her shirt, opening her mouth and pressing her tongue against Oksana's. She moaned into the taller woman's mouth, her nails digging into Oksana's sides as she pressed her chest against her hers.
Oksana wrapped her arms around Kat's shoulders, pulling her tightly against her body. She could feel herself slowly losing control, and she groaned, her hands firmly massaging Kat's back and moving lower as their kiss quickened. She could think of nothing else but having Kat in her arms, their bodies pressing together as they made love.
Kat moaned softly, becoming aware of the change in Oksana, of the urgency now driving the other woman's kiss. She felt her body respond; her knees weakened and her body felt like it was melting against Oksana's, her nipples hardening to almost painful points. She felt vulnerable, but safe, in Oksana's arms, and the feeling scared her. She pulled back from their kiss with a cry, trying to extricate herself from Oksana's strong arms.
"Please don't pull away from me," Oksana whispered passionately, her breathing labored as she held on to the other woman. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt Kat's struggles quickly die down. She nuzzled her neck and whispered into her ear: "I know you can feel this too, Kat." She kissed her again, deeply. Her passion flared as she loosened her arms, and Kat responded to her again, her hands grasping at the back of Oksana's shirt beneath her jacket.
ΡΡΡΡΡ
Domingo walked out past the double doors, looking around and shrugging as he continued out onto the patio. He skidded to a stop, his eyes wide at what he saw. He'd never thought, despite how much he knew that Kat wanted Oksana, that he would ever see them sucking face like they were now. Look at them go, he thought in amazement, his eyes blinking slowly. After a long moment, he cleared his throat, startling them apart.
Kat gasped for breath, weak in the knees, her hands trembling as pressed them to her face. She was mortified to be found in such a weak position. I probably look like I'm about to melt into a puddle, which is exactly how I feel. She thought, embarrassed. She stepped away from Oksana, unable to meet her friend's eyes.
Licking her lips, Oksana gazed at Kat, feeling her body surging forward, but Kat stepped back further, turning her back to her. "Kat," She whispered, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
"Don't," Kat whispered brokenly, yanking her shoulder away and quickly walking away. She disappeared around the corner of the building, the click of her heels fading away quickly.
Oksana let her head drop, exhaling explosively. "Shit," she whispered, her eyes narrowing angrily as she spun around to face her soon to be former Head of Office Administration.
Shit, if I don't get fired, it'll be a miracle, Domingo thought with a grimace. "I- ah," He stuttered apologetically, gesturing towards the double doors. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Ivanov, but Mr. Ivanov is asking for you, and his goodbye speech is coming up in a few minutes."
Oksana nodded and sighed once again, trying to calm down. She adjusted her shirt, tucking it back into her slacks in the places where Kat had pulled it out. She stopped suddenly, lifting a trembling hand to her lips and touching them softly, her eyes closing to the burning memory of Kat's lips against her own. This isn't over, she thought, letting her hand drop and continuing to fix her clothes. She looked up at the silent man. "I trust that this is between the three of us, isn't it?"
"Of course!" Domingo assured her nervously, nodding quickly. He stepped back as she walked past him, following after her back into the hall.
CONTINUED…
(NOTE: Remember, this is a first draft, and I'm posting as I go, so if something doesn't jive or it seems a little awkward, bear with me. I'm going back to fix things. Now, if you see something, point it out to me anyway.)
Don't forget to send your comments…