Sighing, I blew out a breath. “You’re right, Amy, I haven’t, have I?” I sucked in a breath. “How is your sister?”
It was like the whole atmosphere in the car changed and became lighter. “She is doing so much better. I honestly can’t thank you enough, Alexei.”
The rest of the journey home was spent listening to her excited chatter about her sister. I could literally hear the love in her voice. It was like her whole body came alive when she spoke.
I was still thinking about the way her face became animated two hours later when dressed for our guests. I waited in the dining room for her. The click of her heels on the stairs told me she was finally ready, and I went to the doorway to check she was dressed appropriately and stopped dead.
She wasn’t dressed appropriately. She was dressed exquisitely. The dress was modest but showed off every curve she had.
Starting at her legs, I let my eyes wander up, taking in the shapely calves that I suddenly wanted wrapped around me so badly that my cock jumped to attention, to the curve of her hips that I could feel under my hands.
Finally, I met her eyes, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“You look—” I stepped out to meet her, forcing her to stop on the bottom step. Even with that advantage she was still shorter than me. Curling one hand around her hip, I fought the urge to yank her into me and instead reached for one of her soft curls, twirling it around my finger.
She had worn her hair down because she had remembered that I preferred it down. She really was trying.
“The staff said it was suitable, and its—” reaching for it, she rubbed the scalloped edge of the dress between her fingertips. “It’s so pretty. I’ve never owned so many pretty things before,” she said almost shyly.
Fuck, the way her lips formed the words made my cock ache. I wanted to kiss her so badly it was like an ache in my chest. Maybethrow her over my shoulder, tell our guests not tp bother coming, and spend the night in bed with her.
“Thank you, Alexei.”
My eyes snapped to hers. There was uncertainty in them. Was she having the same thought I was? She sure was staring at my mouth. I pulled her closer, and her eyes fluttered closed. I wanted to kiss her.
But kissing her would be a very bad idea. I stepped back, and her eyes snapped open. “You look presentable, Amy. Let’s go.”
Chapter Twelve
Amy
“Don’t show me up.” Alexei squeezed my fingers almost painfully tight as the front door opened and three people stepped through. Two men, dressed casually in shirts and slacks and a woman so glamorous I instantly felt like a country bumpkin.
Maybe this dress wasn’t as good a choice as I thought it had been because, next to hers, it looked like a potato sack.
“I’ll try—” I began to say, but didn’t get the words out before he let go of my hand and stepped forward to meet his guests, talking in rapid Russian and leaving me there standing like a lemon with no idea of what to do. It wasn’t like I knew any of the language they were speaking, and even if I did, was it polite to join the conversation without being invited?
So, I stayed back, my hands nervously plucking at the dress and wondering how I was meant to play hostess. I’d never even thrown a party before, let alone hosted a dinner party for these kinds of people.
“Ah, Alexei.” The woman tapped his arm and spoke imperfect English. Her accent was neither American nor Russian. Somewhere in Europe, though. Which made me wonder how she had ended up here on the arm of a bratva.
Maybe the same way I had. It would give us something to talk about if she were.
“Talk English. Your poor wife is feeling left out.” She wandered towards me, her arms outstretched, and kissed both of my cheeks. “It’s so good to see you again, beautiful Amy.”
I stared at her blankly. Had I met this woman before? Catching my look, she laughed. “We met briefly yesterday, but I don’t expect you to remember. I know on my wedding day, everything was just a blur. I only had eyes for my handsome Misha.”
Urged on by her words, one of the men stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her shoulders so she could lean against him. He kissed her hair, and I felt a pang of jealousy. They were a happily married couple, and it showed.
I glanced at Alexei. He looked back at me with a look that said it was never going to happen. Sighing, I forced my lips to smile. “I’m so happy to make your acquaintance, again. Misha and—”
“Gabriella. And this is our mutual friend Kristoff.”
The other man stepped forward. He was younger than the couple and with a colder demeanor. His blond hair was cut short to his head, and his eyes were so pale a blue that they looked frosty.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Kristoff,” I said with a polite nod of my head.
“Kristoff didn’t come to the wedding, Amy,” Alexei said through clenched teeth. I shot him a look because he sounded angry, but the look he gave me back was completely neutral.
