“No, for fulfillment. You don’t need money. I have more than we’ll ever use. I want to know what you’re passionate about. What do you enjoy?”
“It’s not cooking.” I cringe, and he laughs out loud, making my whole body come alive.
He has the best laugh.
“Playing the piano.” I look down in embarrassment. “I’d like to teach children how to play.”
“Done. I’ll buy you a building tomorrow.”
I scoff and shake my head. “Yeah, right.”
“Why wouldn’t I? You’re not a prisoner here, Natasha. If you want to teach music, that’s what you’ll do.”
“I don’t need a building. Most music teachers go to the client’s home to teach.”
He’s already shaking his head. “I can’t have that. It’s too risky. Puts you in dangerous situations. But I’d love to arrange for your own space. The clients will have to come to you, and you’ll have guards with you at all times. That’s my compromise.”
My jaw drops and then closes again.
“Nothing to say?”
“I—you’d do that for me?”
“Without hesitation.”
I search his face, but he’s not bluffing.
“Can I have some time first? I’ve had a lot of changes, and I’d like to settle into this new life before I add on a music school.”
“That sounds fair.” Julian reaches over to wipe something off the corner of my mouth, and I don’t flinch.
Progress.
He sucks the sauce from his finger and then takes another bite of beef and points at my necklace.
“That’s beautiful.”
I fiddle with the pendant and smile softly. “It was my babushka’s. My grandmother. Papa gave it to me the other day, told me she’d want me to have it. I was kind of shocked because he’s not typically the sentimental type, but I didn’t ask questions because I loved my babushka, and now I have something of hers.”
Julian nods thoughtfully.
“Can I ask a personal question?” I set the Chinese container down and lean back in the chair, stuffed from the delicious food.
Julian does the same, and then we’re just sitting in this big, masculine office, facing each other in these soft brown leather chairs, as if we’ve known each other for a long time.
“There’s nothing you can’t ask me, Angel.”
“I have two, actually.”
He reaches over to take my hand and threads his fingers through mine, and it sends a thrill up my arm.
I love his touch.It’s been one day, and I already really love the way he touches me. It’s the biggest surprise of all.
“Only two?” His lips tip up into a wry smile, and I can’t help but smile back at him.
“Okay, to be fair, I’ll likely have way more than that as time goes on, but for now, it’s two.”
“Shoot.”
