“Watch game with dinner?” Alexei asked, already turning on the television.
“If you want.”
“Not sound happy. Can turn off if want.”
“My team islosing,” Sean grumbled as he started making the salad.
Alexei laughed. “Pick better bracket.”
“Like you’re doing any better.”
“Better than you,” was Alexei’s smug answer.
Sean gave up on the salad in favor of going over to Alexei and kissing the smirk off his mouth. The rich flavor of the wine was on both their tongues, and Sean kissed him with a single-minded determination that had Alexei rocking back a step.
“Spill wine if not careful,” Alexei murmured against his lips.
“I don’t care about the wine.”
Alexei arched an eyebrow and leaned a little to the side so he could set his glass on the dining room table. “Not make mess before dinner.”
Sean hooked the fingers of his right hand into Alexei’s front pocket, keeping him from moving too far away. “Hey. Lyosha.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you happy?”
Alexei went still, his gray eyes never leaving Sean’s face. “Where this come from, hmm, Senya?”
“I just…need to know. If you’re happy. With us. With me.”
Alexie framed his face with both hands, kissing him slow and deep, as if he were drinking the taste of wine from Sean’s lips.
“Always happy with you, Senya,” Alexei said roughly when they parted.
“Marry me?”
The words tumbled from Sean’s mouth before he could stop himself, but they weren’t ones he wanted to take back. Alexei went still, his hands unmoving on Sean’s face as he stared at him in shocked silence.
Then he threw back his head andlaughed.
That wasn’t what Sean was expecting.
“You think it’s a joke?” Sean asked flatly, feeling heat rush into his cheeks that wasn’t from Alexei’s touch.
“Nyet.Nyet!” Alexei got out, hands settling onto Sean’s shoulders as he leaned in to kiss him quick and hard. “Tell Kilyusha at lunch want to marry you. Buy youringduring lunch, Senichka.”
“You bought my ring while at abar?” Sean couldn’t even muster up any outrage at that, because it was so very Alexei. Get the job done quick and efficiently while multi-tasking—shark darts and all. “Please tell me it’s same-day delivery.”
Alexei shook his head, still chuckling, but the wide, happy smile on his face made it impossible for Sean to even find his anger. “Tomorrow.”
Sean dug into his pocket and pulled out the ring box, using his thumb to pop it open. He held it up so Alexei could see. “Guess it’s my turn to beat you for once.”
Sean watched as Alexei’s mouth dropped open at the sight of the 24-karat gold ring nestled in black velvet. The thick band expanded upward into a flat top where four vertical rows of glittering diamonds, each with four stones, were precisely placed in grooved channels. Two smaller diamonds were set on the sides of the raised band, adding an extra flair to the flashy design.
Sean swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. “Will you marry me, Lyosha?”
The sound Alexei made wasn’t English, and it certainly wasn’t Russian.
