“She did.”
I watch as he takes a bite, his eyelids fluttering slightly. This is what he looked like when he was kissing me. Devouring me. Like his favorite food.
That gives me butterflies.
Another plate is set on our table.
“Cabbage salad,” he explains.
“Mm,” I say, dishing myself up and taking a bite. A tangy vinaigrette hits my taste buds, and I sit up a little straighter.
“I think I should have been Russian. You know, I love the food, and I bet I’d be a great drinker if I practiced enough.”
“You’re not nearly as grim and stoic as a Russian would be. You’re…soft.”
“Not that soft,” I bristle.
“No, not that soft.”
He grins at me and takes a small bite, his eyelashes fluttering once more.
“I bet you miss home,” I tell him, and his gaze meets mine.
“Which one?”
“Mikhail’s estate. Your house in the woods.”
“I do, but…” He meets my gaze. “You’ll come home with me.”
Those butterflies take flight, and I wiggle so much in my seat that I nearly topple out of it. Thankfully, the server distracts us with new drinks. Mineral water and an imported Russian beer.
“Drink, Bane of my existence. Stop wiggling so much.”
“I can’t help it.”
“Stop wiggling and you can suck my dick.”
“Right now?” I ask excitedly.
“After.”
That has my butt stilling, and I alternate between each drink. The mineral water makes me burp, and the beer makes me even more buzzed.
This is strong stuff.
I can’t wait for dinner to be over.
But at the same time, I want to savor every bite. This is a part of him—his home, his ancestry. I want to enjoy it. To know him better. He brought me here so I could experience him. Could understand him.
If only I could offer him the same thing.
But I can’t. The only things I know about myself are the memories that infiltrate my dreams and my first name. I know nothing else.
I know nothing.
That makes my eyes water slightly, and of course, Georgiy picks up on it.
His keen eyes miss nothing.
