“But you need me.”
“Yes, I do. But that doesn’t meanyoudon’t needme. Or Hudson and Tara.” Her gaze flicked to Maksim. “Or this fine young man.”
He smiled. “I’m here for both of you.”
“And I’m so grateful. More than anything in the world, I’ve wanted someone for Sarah. Someone strong who she could lean on.”
“Mom, Maksim and I just met. Could we not burden him down just yet with all my baggage?”
With a soft smile, Mom replied, “Oh, I think he’s man enough to handle it.”
”Yes, I am,” Maksim murmured.
Since I knew it was the truth, I didn’t bother arguing with either of them. Instead, I said, “I’m hungry. Is breakfast ready?”
Nodding, Mom replied, “I was just coming to tell you guys.”
“Good. Let’s eat.” When I turned to Maksim, he gave me a frustrated look becauseI was changing the subject. “Come on, let’s feed you. We need to keep your strength up because I know I need it.”
His face lit up. “Then let’s eat.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: SARAH
As the timer on my phone dinged signaling the end of my patient’s session, I became distracted from my patient at the sight of a text from Maksim.
Outside when u r ready.
My stomach did a funny flip flop at the words. I quickly texted back
Give me 10.
Hurry.
The past week back at work had flown by. It was hard to believe I was closing in on two weeks since I’d been taken from the hunt and introduced to Maksim. While my days were spent with my patients, my evenings belonged to him. After picking me up every afternoon, we would either go back to his house or mine where we work on his speech for an hour or two.
Then we’d either go out for dinner or have Maksim’s cook prepare us something. On nights we were at my house, we’d cook something together.
It was blissfully domestic.
And like the gentleman he was, Maksim would then give me a goodnight kiss before leaving me. I’d never been treated like such a treasured and adored lady before by any man.
I’d also never been hornier in my life.
I’d decided that this weekend I was going to heighten my seduction game with anything from alcohol to lingerie. We’d taken it slow long enough. It was time to rev things up.
After escorting my patient to his parents in the waiting room, I came back through the reception area. With a smile on my face and humming a tune, I flipped through some of the folders in my staff mailbox.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” Tara remarked as she came up behind me.
“Maksim’s here to pick me up.”
Tara’s eyes popped comically wide. “Are you serious?”
When I’d taken a week off work, Tara demanded to know what the hell was going on. After all, I very rarely took a sick day,least of all an entire week off work. So, I’d told her about working with Maksim.
I did, however, leave out the part where he had me kidnapped.
“Yep.”
