Page 62 of Sexting the Single Pakhan

I nod, throat tight. “Okay.”

He pulls back, brushes his thumb across my cheek. “Now sit. Eat. Before it gets cold.”

I smile. “Okay.”

He sets a plate in front of me: perfectly crispy bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, toast with butter.

As we eat, I realize something terrifying and wonderful at the same time.

I’m falling. Hard.

Chapter Eighteen

Leonid

“I told you to be discreet!” I slam my palm against the desk.

“Discreet. Not parading yourself in plain sight so she has to confront you about it. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Dmitri shifts his weight, eyes on the floor. "I’m sorry, Boss. I swear, I had no idea she'd figure out I was following her. I kept my distance."

"Of course she figured it out." I lean forward, palms flat on the desk. "She's smart. Smarter than you apparently gave her credit for. That's the problem."

He mutters an apology, head dipping lower. I turn to Sergei, who's been silent in the corner. "You're taking over. Start following Laurel. Stay in the shadows this time. She can't know. Understood?"

Sergei nods once. "Understood, Boss."

They file out, footsteps fading down the hall. The door clicks shut, and Igor, sprawled in the leather chair like he owns the place, lets out a slow whistle.

"Why don't you just tell her?" he says, tilting his head. "Let Laurel know what you actually do. So she's aware of what she's getting herself into."

I narrow my eyes. "What do you mean? I'm a businessman."

Igor leans back farther, smirking. "Come on, Leonid. You know that's not what I'm talking about. Tell her what we really do. She needs to know."

"No." The word comes out sharper than I intend. "I don't want to scare her off."

He studies me for a beat, then shrugs. "If she gets scared away, maybe she's not meant to be in your life."

I throw him a warning look. He raises both hands in mock surrender.

"I'm just saying."

"I'll tell her when the time is right," I mutter, turning toward the window so I don't have to meet his gaze.

Igor lets the silence stretch, then chuckles under his breath. "Whoa. You're scared of losing her."

I whip back around. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Yeah. It's true." He leans forward now, elbows on his knees, grin widening. "I've never seen that look on your face before. You're in love, brother."

He throws his head back and laughs, full, loud, delighted. "I didn't think I'd live to see the day."

"Shut it," I snap. "Don't you have better things to do than poke your nose into my business?"

"Nope." Still grinning.

"Well, I do." I point toward the door. "Get out. I have work to finish before I go pick up Alexei."