Something in Maxim’s face shifted and his brows drew together slightly. There was a darkness, an exhaustion in him, that took a moment to fade. “I tie in with the local presence. Get hold of all the equipment I need, or the funds to procure it myself if they’re inadequately kitted out. Sometimes you get to meet some interesting people. There’s a pretty decent cop we have out in Brooklyn keeping everything ticking over there.”
I smiled. “Yeah?”
“Mmhm. I’m sure he’d love to meet you. He was a little paranoid I had an eye on his girlfriend – well, his wife now.”
“What were you doing in Brooklyn?”
“Ironing out some wrinkles. Helping him with a bit of a territory dispute. It all sorted itself out.”
“So we don’t get to go back to New York any time soon then?”
Maxim laughed. “Never say never. I plan to take you everywhere.”
“I definitely like the sound of that.” I stretched up on my toes to meet his mouth as he kissed me and I let out a slow, satisfied sound. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been as happy as I was now. Maybe it was the sunshine and the beauty of the place, but I think it was a whole lot more than that. My heart was so full with love for the man who was going to be my husband and give me the entire world, that it felt like it was going to burst.
“So… when you land in a new place and you make contact with the people you need to make contact with… what happens then?”
“Are you taking notes Ms Harringt- oh, no it’s Ms Toropova now, isn’t it? Mm I do like that.”
His hand roved over my arse, settling on the small of my back and I felt the heat of his palm zing all the way through me. “You’re supposed to be teaching me everything.”
“Oh, I am. I’m just taking my sweet time, darling. Never rush an artist.”
There were more yachts than I could count in the harbour. Sailing boats and motor boats. I wondered whether our banker friend had one. After seeing Valentin’s money magician on his yacht out in Florida, I’d been hankering for open sea. It didn’t look half bad, bobbing about on the water, sipping a few drinks, sunbathing. That was the kind of sailing I could do.
These boats all looked a little more serious and the people milling about the marina were all dressed in tastefully muted brands like Helly Hanson, with sturdy waterproofing and trendy deck shoes. It all reminded me a bit of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge with their ongoing sailing competitions. All a bit too serious for me.
I felt his thumb stroking my waist and heat flushed through me as I imagined his bare hands on my bum, pulling me in against him, hard.
“What happens when you make contact?”
“Then comes the most important part.”
“Yeah?” I met his eyes, all blown pupils and lust. Whenever he was close I was tuned to him, honed in and hyper aware of what the proximity of his body did to mine.
“Finding the right hotel.”
I let out a laugh as he pulled me in close again, lips against my throat. “That does sound very important.”
“Got to have a good view. No nosy neighbors. Housekeeping staff who won’t walk in on you in the middle of… who knows what.”
I caught my breath as he trailed his fingers along my collarbone, raising goosebumps to the surface of my skin as every nerve ending in me strained for more contact.
All through the receptionist checking us in, I felt myself squirming, desperate for her to hurry up and finish so I could get Maxim upstairs and have him for the first time, as my fiance.
CHAPTER 31
Elizabeth
I stood in the bathroom of our room in the hotel by the window, behind the glass wall that divided the bath from the rest of the room, meaning you could look out over the city rooftops from the tub, if you so chose.
Right then, the only thing I was watching was Maxim, stalking about the bedroom, taking it methodically apart on the hunt for bugs and trackers. I was on bathroom duty, and the sweep I’d made hadn’t turned up anything. I hadn’t really expected it to, but maybe I hadn’t had enough experience to be so suspicious.
“Did you watch me?” I asked, and Maxim looked up from taking the back off the TV.
“What?”
“Did you watch me in the bath, on the middle floor landing.” I reached out and closed the door, leaving me shut into the small glass cube of the artfully designed bathroom.
Maxim stood fully up, turning square on to face me, and I slipped the strap of my dress off slowly. Just like I had done that night in the window when I’d wanted him so badly and hadn’t known what to do about it, other than throw myself at him.