I let out a nervous chuckle as I pull my hand from his. Reverting to my default setting, I joke, “I see the intensity thing runs in the family.”
My comment makes Alexei chuckle.
Another man comes up the stairs, and instinctively, I inch closer to Carson’s side.
Unlike Alexei, he doesn’t stare me down and comes to shake my hand. “Demitri,” he gives me his name before he walks away again.
“Let’s sit,” Carson says, and when I feel his hand on my lower back, I move toward the living room.
Carson takes a seat next to me, and feeling his leg press against mine, I scoot as close to him as I can get. He reaches for my hand, and placing my palm on his thigh, he covers mine with his.
Alexei sits down across from us, and then his eyes lock on me. “You’re from Chicago?”
I nod, assuming Carson told his brother about me.
“Tell me about yourself,” Alexei says with a tone that sounds more like an order.
“I’m a people person, and usually, I can get along with anyone.”
I have my doubts about Alexei, though, seeing as he makes me feel more like prey than a human being.
Alexei leans forward, and resting his forearms on his thighs, he gives me a brooding look. Only when I feel thoroughly uncomfortable does he ask, “Why my brother?”
I turn my head to Carson, and all the awkwardness I’ve been feeling fades like mist before the sun. The corner of his mouth lifts, and he gives me a smile, and it makes me feel safe.
I turn my eyes back to Alexei and answer, “I haven’t dated much, and I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but the moment I saw Carson, I was hooked. He piques my interest like no other. Just seeing him makes me smile. It’s like…” I glance back to Carson, and our eyes meet, “the moment he walked into my life, there was only him.”
Carson lifts my hand and presses a kiss to the back before he settles my palm on his thigh again.
There are so many things I love about Carson, but I want to keep them buried in my heart. I want to treasure them and not share them with the world.
Chapter 11
CARSON
Things are going much better than I expected. Letting go of Hailey’s hand, I rise to my feet. “I’m making beef stroganoff for lunch.”
“You can cook?” Hailey asks as she gets up as well.
I nod, then say, “You can sit and relax.”
She darts to my side and takes hold of my hand with both of hers. “I want to watch you cook.”
She’s uncomfortable with Alexei, which isn’t a surprise. It takes a while for people to warm up to him.
Tightening my grip around her hand, I turn my eyes to my brother. “Come sit by the island.”
Alexei gets up. “I’m just going to check on Demitri. I’ll join you soon.”
I pull Hailey to the kitchen and ask, “Are you okay?”
“Feels like I’m Red Riding hood, and your brother’s the big bad wolf,” she mutters.
I let go of her hand and lift both of mine to the sides of her neck. Locking eyes with her, I say, “Alexei will never hurt you.”
“That’s good to hear.” She pushes up on her toes and presses her mouth to mine. When she pulls back again, she asks, “I can’t cook for shit. Teach me how to make beef stroganoff.”
I lower my hands to her hips, and lifting her, I set her down on the stone slab in the middle of the kitchen.
I take the ingredients from the fridge and cupboards. While I rinse off the mushrooms, I keep glancing at Hailey.
I place a cutting board next to her, and after every mushroom I cut into thin slices, she presses a kiss to the scruff on my jaw.
When I’ve cut the last one, she leans in and whispers against my ear, “Is it weird that it’s a turn-on watching you handle a knife.”
She hasn’t seen me handle a knife yet.
I let out a chuckle, and wiping my hands on a cloth, I ask, “Do you like foreplay?”
There’s still a lot I have to learn about Hailey. Like what makes her burn up with desire. Where she likes to be touched and what will make her scream my name in ecstasy.
Slowly Hailey nods while she draws her bottom lip between her teeth.
Placing my hands on her thighs, I force her legs open and step between them. Leaning really close to her, my eyes lower to her mouth, and I drop my voice low as I say, “Unless you want me to fuck you right here, you’ll stop doing that.”
Hailey lets out a chuckle, and tilting her head, she presses a kiss to the side of my neck. “Yeah? Is it a turn-on for you?”
My hands move up to her sides, and my fingers curl into her shirt. “Everything you do makes me want to fuck you.”