“I’m sorry, I hate that the CCTV isn’t working. I hope I’m not driving you crazy?”
He sounds sheepish, but also like he has no intention ofnotconstantly checking on me.
“I like it when you drive me crazy,” I smile, my heart feeling full. “But I’m also wondering, if you call me every hour now that it’s broken…how often did you check on it when it was working?”
He chuckles, not wanting to answer.
“Yulian?” I laugh, teasing him. “Was it a lot?”
“I just leave the live feed running in my workshop or on the corner of my laptop screen when I’m working. You’re always there with me when I’m doing other things. That’s how I like it.”
“You’re totally in love with me, aren’t you. Like head over heels, completely smitten,” I tease him again.
“Mm, I think you might be right. I think I have a little problem. Do you think someone could help me with this?” he asks seriously.
“I’ve read articles about this online. The only cure for what you have is to take your wife on a tropical island vacation and spoil her rotten.”
“Is that so?” he cracks up laughing. “I’d better make those arrangements then. For the sake of health and safety and all.”
Since we got married, since he told me it had nothing to do with obligation and everything to do with how he feels aboutme, I’ve been completely falling for him. At first, I thought, this man is incredible, and while I’m scared to love him for a thousand reasons, I want to, and I figured I could slowly learn to stop being afraid. But there was nothing slow about it.
In Hawaii, I just let myself fall. And I fell hard.
He’s the most incredible thing that’s ever happened to me, and I can’t imagine my life without him.
“How is work going today, kitten?” he asks.
“Ali came to visit me; she’s in the back trying on all the test designs I did to showcase.”
“Of course she is. She’ll rob you blind if you let her,” he laughs.
“It’s okay, she’s choosing a dress for our girls’ night out.”
“Am I allowed to join you?”
“You can’t. You’re not a girl.”
“Jeez. You play a tough game. I guess I’ll have to sit that one out. But I expect to hear all about it when you get home afterwards. Do you want me to arrange a limo for you guys?”
“Really? The girls would love that! I’ll sort out what night we’re going, then you can arrange it for us.”
“And of course a VIP table. You just let me know where and when, and I’ll do the rest.”
“Oh, Yul, I have to go, a customer just walked in.”
“Love you, kitten, call me later.”
“Love you, bye,” I hang up, still smiling. Dammit, that man is amazing. How did I get so lucky? He’s sexy and romantic and fun, and he goes out of his way to make me feel special.
“Hi, sorry about that, welcome to my design studio,” I walk over to my customer and shake his hand. “Were you looking for something in particular?”
He’s tall, rugged, almost beast-like, with wild brown curly hair and dark, cold eyes. I do get a lot of mafia customers, so I can’t judge them for looking dangerous. They pay well, and of course, they come mostly because of the designs Yulian and I wore at the gala. They’re good clients. But this man has my skin tingling with alertness.
“Hi, Katerina, my name is Mikhail. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he takes my hand, and instead of shaking it, he caresses it. Spikes of cold fear shoot up my spine.
This isMikhail.Mikhail, whom I was supposed to marry.
Even though I’ve never seen him before in my life, the chills he’s giving me are setting off every alarm bell in my body. I know this is him.
