He glances at Lev in the rearview mirror, then back at me, and instead of touching my face, he takes my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.
“What are you doing today?” he asks.
“I’m going to Blackthorn Ridge for an interview.” I give myself a once-over and wince. “Well, as soon as I change into something a little more appropriate.”
He stiffens instantly, his eyes sharpening a fraction.
“What time?” His grip on me firms.
“Probably in a couple of hours. Why?”
Are you gonna follow me there?
The thought is ridiculous. It was one thing to show up at the club, and I’m grateful he did, but he has no reason to go anywhere near that ranch.
Kirill’s chest lifts on a slow breath, his gaze still locked on me, and whatever I see in his eyes makes my skin prickle.
“I’ll see you later,” I manage, and I hate how hard it is to let go of his hand.
I turn toward the backseat instead and smile at the beautiful boy staring at me. “Love you, buddy. I’ll see you later, okay?”
His smile is small, but it explodes inside my heart into a million pieces that I want to grab all at once.
“L-l-l-love you,” he says, clear as day.
Oh my God. He loves me.
The words hit me so hard my throat closes up.
When I glance at Kirill, something flashes across his expression, unguarded and achingly tender. I make myself look away. If I don’t, I might do something stupid. Like kiss him. Or never leave this car.
“Bye, guys,” I tell them as I open the door and step out.
The morning air is cool against my legs, my mind still tangled up in everything I’m trying not to feel. When I pull the door shut, I catch Kirill through the window, his eyes locked on me. The chill doesn’t stand a chance against the heat in his gaze.
And I know with a certainty that settles deep in my bones, whatever this is between us won’t just go away. It’ll only grow, and I don’t know how I’m going to survive that.
As I start toward the house, Kirill stays parked behind me. I don’t look back, but I feel his gaze on me anyway, like he’s waiting to make sure I actually go inside.
The second Mandy opens the door, she yanks me into a hug, and right over her shoulder, I register the car pull away. Her eyes track the sound, then she lifts a brow.
“So? Did he give you a mind-blowing orgasm, or do I need to kill him?”
I release a sigh and step inside, kicking off my shoes and dropping my bag by the couch. If I don’t give her something, she’s going to explode.
I don’t tell her everything—not the intensity of it, not the way it felt like something in me cracked open—but enough. Enough for her eyes to go wide, her jaw to drop, and her voice to jump into that high pitch it gets when she’s too excited to be cool about it.
“Holy. Shit.” She fans herself. “Where can I get a man who knows how to use his tongue like that?”
Heat crawls up my face. “Mandy.”
“What? I’m asking for a friend…who’s me.”
I let out a laugh, getting the words out before she can build a whole fantasy around what happened. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over. He doesn’t want anything real, and I’m not about to set myself up for heartbreak.”
She lets out a dramatic sigh, like I just told her Christmas is cancelled. “I won’t lie. I’m disappointed.”
I am too…
