The impatience and frustration of not having what he wanted.
It mixed into a confusing blend of emotions I couldn’t begin to decipher.
Why?
What just happened?
Why on earth… would he wantme?
What got us to this point?
Me?
And him?
How…
I would be left lingering with all those questions. He was leaving me with all those bombarding thoughts. Because too soon, he backed away, taking all that delicious body heat and backing up, out of reach. His hand fell from my face and he put a couple of feet between us at the increasing volume of his brothers and cousins in the large foyer space downstairs. He turned to focus on their approach as they called for him.
“No, I haven’t forgotten about our plans, Alexei,” he yelled out in reply.
I think I’ve forgotten my name.
One kiss. It rocked me to my core, yet here he was, acting like it was nothing now.
“I’ll be ready for the meeting. Perhaps you can walk Elena to the guest house.”
I ducked my head, wishing I could hide what had to be an instant frown on my face. I wished I could duck further down and let a hole in the floor swallow me up, too.
Disappointed that he could swing between confessing his need to kiss me and the knee-jerk reaction of regretting it, I licked my lips and tried to keep it together.
It was just that I’d never been kissed.
Never been held.
I was twenty-six, still a virgin, and so starved for approval and love that I was doomed to never get either, not really.
After this sexy, rugged Mafia boss kissed me, I should’ve been celebrating and pumping my fist with the revelation of how it felt to be wanted.
But as Alexei showed up and looked at us, he arched a brow. “I can escort her.”
“Fine.” Adrik brushed past him and exited the room without another look back. Without a single word.
Oh, my God.
Am I that terrible?
Is it such a turnoff that he has to practically run from me?
“Everything all right?” Alexei asked. He didn’t sound concerned, just curious.
“Yes, Mr. Volkov.” He would never lighten up enough to let me refer to him by name. I clung to the strap of my tote bag and exited the room, keeping my head down.
We didn’t speak the entire way to the guest house, and for once, I was glad for the silence. It was nice and quiet on the short walk while it was loud and chaotic in my head.
He had to ruin it, though, asking at the door once more, “Are you sure everything is all right?”
“Yes. Of course,” I lied.
