He really was absolutely gorgeous, was all she could think as he stepped into the room. He was wearing jeans again and a loose, white, linen shirt. Carrying a bag over to her, he eyed her grip on the sheet.
“Time to get up, wear this, you have a half hour or we’ll be late.”
“Late for what?”
“Brunch, and then there are a few other things planned for the day.”
“I thought we were going over the Marquez company notes, and I was going to translate for you?”
“It can wait.” With that, he was gone.
Elise picked up the bag, it was from the boutique they had been at last night, and she found one of the pretty, light sundresses he had picked out. She went bright pink as she pulled out the silky light purple bra and matching panties. Jackie had informed her she wasn’t the 36C she always believed she was but was actually a 38D. Elise hadn’t believed her until she tried on the new bra and it had fit perfectly, and was far more comfortable than the one she’d had on. This bra was nearly sheer, with just the slightest coverage in the cups and a light silky soft fabric everywhere else. The thought of his hands on them as he picked them out made her hot, everywhere. Pushing off the bed, she ran to the shower, excited for the day.
Spinning in front of the mirror Elise sighed happily at the reflection, she looked so different. She had a waist and curves and the multicolored pinks and light purples of the dress flattered her pale skin. Fussing with her long black hair, she stuck her tongue out, it was time to cut it. Giving up and putting it in a messy bun, she almost changed her mind. At least the long hair covered some of the skin she wasn’t used to showing. Ellie wished she wore contacts, the black chunky frames she wore didn’t look right with what she was wearing. With a shrug she left the bathroom, she was out of time.
Opening the door, she saw Dmitri outlined against the windows, his focus on the city below. He turned when he heard the door open and looked at her. His expression didn’t change; there was no hint of what he thought. He crossed the room, until he was inches from her. His hand went up to her hair and removed the clip holding up her bun. Fingers tangled in her hair as he brought her up to him, their breath tangled together sweetly before his lips closed on hers. It was a light touch, far lighter than what she wanted.
“Beautiful.” It was all he said as he moved away from her and held the door open. She grabbed her purse and followed, bees buzzing in her tummy.
His hand was at her lower back as he guided her through tables, it left her breathless and aching as he seated her. The edge of his lips tipped up as he watched her and she was annoyed at how easily he read her. He covered her hand with his, “I feel it, too.”
Blushing, she studied his large hand, her own was lost beneath it and she moved to hold his hand. His palm against her own, their fingers woven together. He tightened his grip and smiled. Their waiter arrived and she tugged to free her hand but he wouldn’t allow it. She relaxed and didn’t even notice she was rubbing her thumb along his hand until she noticed him staring.
“Sonia gave me the number for her doctor, she’s sure they will be able to get you in tomorrow.” His voice was husky and his grip tightened. Her body reacted with anticipation of what he really meant.
“Tell me about Sonia.” The words were out before she knew it and she shocked herself.
A shrug, “Sonia is only a friend, I guess you would call her my best friend. We grew up together in Tula, it’s far south of Moscow, there isn’t much to Tula.” He ended with a shrug again.
“Dmitri,” His name was a whisper and his eyes went up to hers, she was scared to ask for more, but she needed it. “Tell me more. I want to know more about you. I need to know more about you. Please?”
His grip tightened then he caressed her again, as if to apologize. “Tula isn’t a city that is easy to live in unless you work in the administrative oblast. Those who don’t, work in the factories where the work is hard and grinds you down. My father worked two jobs, my mother died in the hospital from an infection when she gave birth to my little sister, Anfisa. My father brought my sister home for me to take care of and went right back to work. Misha was four and I was ten, until then Sonia had just been the annoying girl who lived two doors down. I knew nothing about taking care of a baby and Sonia taught me how. We kind of stuck together after that.”
“Where is your sister now?”
“She died in Tula, when she was seven. She had always been sickly; she had a heart problem. It destroyed my father and he died only six months later. I knew I had to get out of Russia, so I worked to get money together to get Misha and me out. Sonia made it clear she was going with us, and so I made sure we all got out. We ended up in New York, completely broke for the first year. Stuck in a one-bedroom apartment, the three of us worked hard just to pay the rent.
I managed to make it onto the estate of a retired raider, Dan Eischer, as a gardener. Sonia was a housekeeper and Misha commuted for school. We could save money, and for reasons I’m not sure of, he took to me and talked to me about the business he had done. He lined it all out for me, how to find the companies, what set the finds apart from the trash. A year with him, money saved, I started out and bought my first company and it just started from there.
The reports about my past in Russia are greatly exaggerated. To this day, I don’t know where half of the stories about me came from, though I’ve thought about clearing them up. Sonia thinks it’s much funnier to let them stand, so I’ve given up on it. I did work for a loan shark, collecting money; I never killed anyone or hurt someone so badly they wound up in the hospital. He was one of the few men who would hire me. I only did it for a little over a year to get the money together. He offered to set me up in business but I didn’t take him up on it. It would have come with conditions I wouldn’t have been able to complete.”
Stunned by his blasé manner as he spoke, Elise noticed that his jaw was hard. He wasn’t as unaffected as he worked to appear. The waiter was back with their food, he at last allowed her to have her hand back and she smiled as she began to eat.
As they made their way out of the restaurant, with Dmitri at her back, it wasn’t easy to ignore the stares of women looking his way. Twin points of jealousy and anger lit her. Then she remembered the way during their time at the table he had looked at no one but her. They could look all they wanted, Dmitri wanted her.
She was happily surprised at how easily the time passed, she enjoyed hearing him talk just the sound of his voice soothed her. He had teased her and gotten her to talk about her own years befor
e she lost her mother and the fun they had together. As they exited the restaurant she slipped her hand into his, not wanting to break their connection. He smiled and pulled her after him.
He saw that she was settled into the back of the cab, having left the car that usually drove them at the hotel. She was so lost in her thoughts she wasn’t aware they had stopped until Dmitri tugged her out of the back of the cab.
“What’s the matter?”
Self-conscious, she looked around and he tugged her to the side of the building. The street was oddly quiet for a Sunday afternoon.
“Tell me.”
“What if, what if I’m not good enough?” She could tell her words confused him. “In bed, what if I’m not good enough in bed? I know you have more experience and I’m just worried that I won’t be able to please you. What if I’m only good in your dreams?”