“Greta,” I called, catching Alina’s curious glance.
“Sir,” she answered from the kitchen, rushing out. “Oh, you’re awake. Good morning, milady,” she said, smiling at Alina, who smiled back.
“Good morning, Greta,” she greeted.
“We’ll have breakfast now,” I told Greta, who nodded and went back into the kitchen.
“Milady?”
“It’s a compromise we reached,” she answered, waving a dismissive hand. “She wouldn’t call me by my name, and I didn’t want the ‘madam’ shit.”
I chuckled. It was probably the first time I’d heard a curse word from her.
Greta came back and started serving our food with a barely concealed smile on her face. Alina dug in immediately after she went back into the kitchen. I, on the other hand, watched her eat for a few seconds before bringing my fork to the plate in front of me.
“Thank you. For inviting them yesterday,” she said, making my fork pause mid-air.
She blinked at me as I turned and met her gaze. There was nothing like hatred or annoyance in those warm brown orbs. It made me want to touch her, to hold her, and remain like that. I had to fist my left hand to avoid taking her hand in mine.
“It was—”
“Yeah, the least you could do,” she cut in, half-rolling her eyes, an adorable giggle leaving her lips.
I had no fucking idea what to say in response. I didn’t even want to. I just wanted to look at her, like this.
She ate another forkful of her food before speaking again, her tone more serious.
“It’s almost as if you have a way of knowing what I need. From Russie’s jokes to the ladies’ visit. It’s kinda creepy and disturbing,” she admitted before lowering her voice. “But thoughtful, too. And heart-warming.”
Did she just say all this to me?!
I cleared my throat loudly as I begged my mind to come up with what to say instead of drowning in the warmth of those brown eyes.
“I’m glad,” I finally uttered.
“Glad, Konstantin?” she repeated, a full-blown giggle emanating from her this time. “Do you have something against words?”
Unable to keep it in, I blurted out, “I love it when you say my name.”
Alina’s jaw dropped. Then she seemed to catch herself as she pursed her lips.
“I’m surprised you’re at the table this morning,” she remarked, her voice soft enough to make me see how flustered she was.
I probably was, too.
“Slow morning. Happens that way sometimes,” I answered. We continued to eat in silence, and when I started playing with the idea of staying back at home instead of going to the warehouse, I rose to my feet and bid her farewell.
As we drove out of the gates, I realized something. Something she obviously had no idea of.
She's chipping away at my defenses.
The insane part, however, was that I wasn’t sure I wanted her to stop.
The smile on her face and the sound of her laughter still replayed in my head as I went on with the day's work at the warehouse. Of course, thinking of her at work was gradually becoming normal—but now I could see her face brightened with laughter in my head.
Chuckling to myself, I picked up my vibrating phone.
“Brother,” I mentioned, sitting more upright.
