“It’s fine,” she muttered in a voice that told me it wasn’t fine at all. “You said something about guests tonight? Would you like me to stay in my room?”
My grandfather scowled at her words.
I shook my head. “No, of course not. You will be hosting as my wife, but we need to leave soon.”
She paused for just a second and, with a sigh, bent and retrieved her purse. "I am ready, Micah—”
I stood and offered her my arm. “Micah won’t be needed this evening. I’ll drive us home.” Pointedly, I stared at my arm, and she slid her small hand onto it, which made my grandfather smile.
This was all for his benefit, and I was glad it made him happy.
“If it’s OK with Alexei, I’ll see you tomorrow."
The way she said it made me bristle, because it sounded like she had to ask my permission for everything.
“No, you won’t. You two are going to spend some time with each other, as my grandson hasn’t arranged a honeymoon. That’s an order.” He gave me a look, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
So now I had to arrange a honeymoon? Check.
“Get to know each other.” He winked again, and his meaning was clear. “I’d like to meet some grandbabies before I meet the big man upstairs.”
Children? I paled. Was he seriously asking me to put my heirs in this woman’s belly? I couldn’t think of anything worse, and neither could she if the look on her face was anything to go by.
“Sure.” She bent over him, pressing her lips to his cheek in a soft kiss. “We will get right to that, you old perv.”
He laughed. My face remained emotionless.
No one spoke as we headed back to the car, although I saw the way the staff stopped and stared at her hand placed in the crook of my arm. They all had questions. Probably lots of them, and I wasn’t sure what Amy had told them, if anything.
“So, who are our guests tonight?” she asked when I opened the car door, and she slipped inside.
Not answering her, I took my own place and pulled away.
“Alexei?” she asked again.
“Friends and business associates,” I said through clenched teeth. My eyes stared stonily ahead. “You will need to dress respectfully, but to impress. Tonight is very important.”
She remained silent. The only sound remaining was the low thrum of the engine and the rain pelting against the darkly tinted windows. That silence seemed to stretch on and on.
“It won’t work, you know,” I said finally.
The leather seat made the smallest of sounds as she shifted her weight. “What won’t?”
“Charming my grandfather to get to me.” I continued to stare straight ahead, but I could feel her eyes on me.
“That’s not what I am doing, Alexei. And the fact you think so little of me says more about your own personality than it does about mine.”
My eyes slid over to hers before I could stop myself. She had a defiant look on her face, almost like she wanted to argue back. Did sweet little butter-wouldn’t-melt-Amy have a backbone? I didn’t know how I felt about that. Part of me kind of liked it.
“Is that so?” I asked cooly.
“Yes.” She went back to staring out the window into the rain. “I actually enjoy your grandfather’s company.”
“And you don’t mine?”
"I wouldn’t know, Alexei. You haven’t tried to spend any time with me.”
The words died on my lips. Shit. She was right there. I just hadn’t expected her to call me out on it.
