Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
Mikhail shifts my focus back to him. “While you shower, I’ll cancel the truckload of chocolate I ordered to tame the beast I thought was pulverizing your uterus and replace the extravagance with a table for two at Tsar’s.” It’s already a fight to hold back my grin, and I lose the battle when he says, “We need to fill our bellies before our second stakeout, and what better place to do that than at the very restaurant our target is scheduled to visit.”
Almost an hour later, I exit Mikhail’s bedroom under the whistling approval of its owner.
“Hot fucking damn, Sunshine. My shirt has never looked so good.” When he signals for me to twirl around, I can’t help but oblige. I still feel horrible for overstretching his hospitality, so I’ll be just as indulging while vying to show my gratitude. “This is hot…” He tugs on my high ponytail. “And this is hot…” His college shirt I knotted into the middle of my stomach with a hair tie is awarded its own yank this time. “But when they’re combined with that…” He playfully growls when his eyes lower to the pleated skirt I’m wearing sans panties since Andrik appears to have taken them with him. “Fuck me. Naughty is the only appropriate word.”
I smile to express my thanks for the confidence boost before I drop my eyes to his mug of coffee. “Would I be pushing the boundaries if I asked for one of those?”
Mikhail cranks his neck to the kitchen island before replying, “Not at all.” He makes me a coffee with the same flare Andrik used last night to make us dinner, before almost handing it to me. I say almost as he pulls it back before I take it. “Did you finish your orange juice?”
“Orange juice?” I murmur, acting stupid.
I’d rather portray an idiot than a lovesick chump who thought her one-night-only bed companion left her post-sex recovery supplies.
I can’t believe I thought the juice and tablets were from Andrik. I’ve never felt more foolish.
My daftness works a charm on Nikita, but Mikhail needs more than puppy dog eyes to pull the wool over his eyes. “You didn’t raw dog those fuckers. They’re the size of horse tablets and taste just as nasty.”
I pout like a child when he returns to his room to fetch the barely touched glass of orange juice.
“Drink this. Then you can have as much coffee as you want.”
“I’m not really a fan of orange juice,” I say through twisted lips.
“And I’m not a fan of emptying used condoms out of my trash cans after a one-night stand I was excluded from, but you don’t see me complaining, do ya?”
I snatch the glass out of his hand and down the entire contents, hopeful the ghastliness of the pulp sliding down my throat will excuse the look of repent trying to cross my face.
I’m not apologetic he was left out of the festivities. I regret that disappointment was the first emotion I felt upon being reminded again that last night was a one-night-only affair.
I’m not looking for anything permanent—it isn’t in the cards for me—but I’d be a liar if I said I wouldn’t take Andrik up on any offer he tosses my way.
Last night was so unreal my uterus isn’t the only thing shuddering in the aftermath of its brilliance. My entire existence is reeling.
When Mikhail winks at me after I hand him the empty glass, I realize I’m getting played by more than one source.
“You play dirty.”
He couldn’t look more shocked if he tried. “We met yesterday, so how are you only just noticing this?”
Realizing I must match wit with wit, I reply, “Probably your marshmallow heart. Soft men usually play it safe, so you caught me off guard. It won’t happen again.”
I return his wink before helming our exit. Tsar’s sells coffee. That isn’t the sole cause of my eagerness to visit the Broadbent Hotel, though. I’m also hopeful the boutique bordering the overpriced restaurant stocks underwear. Aleena exhibits the innocence I was unfairly stripped of when my worth was valued on my fertility status. Meeting her sans panties would only give our mother more reason to burn bridges.
“As I said yesterday, my heart is the only thing soft about me.” As he shadows my walk out of his apartment, Mikhail’s eyes flick up to the camera in the corner of the large space for the quickest second before he says, “But I’m sure you’re aware of that now since you’ve seen me naked.”
He guides me into the elevator before I can offer a rebuttal.
11
ANDRIK
My fists ball when the security server monitoring Mikhail’s apartment displays an error. I’m meant to be going over last quarter’s profit and loss statement with the CFO of my company, but I’ve spent the last forty-five minutes scrolling through the surveillance I had my security team hack into minutes after arriving at my hotel for a meeting I couldn’t get out of.