His reply struck me.
“Did something come to you in Russian?” I wondered, feeling my body lean closer.
Vlad took a sip of his water. My heartbeat quickened in anticipation.
“Kraseevaia zhenshchina.”
“And what does that mean?”
It was almost too much to keep my eyes locked with Vlad. There were too many people in the room. An expression like should have been saved for shadowed corners and quiet bedrooms.
“Beautiful woman,” he answered me.
I took in a deep breath. Damn, I really wished I’d agreed to that glass of wine.
Even with the bright light of midday pouring into the restaurant, the sheer energy of Vladimir Pechenko held all the intimacy of a candlelit dinner in the cold evening. I wanted to know what it would be like to link my arm with his, to curl up beside him, and to feel his body heat blend with mine.
All those days of wondering were pent up inside me. I thought they would diminish over the pasta and conversation. With every bite, my desires for Vlad only got worse. Time began to feel irrelevant, and the urgency to hurry back to work slipped away. I was at his disposal, too enchanted by the man I was finally getting to know. I didn’t even think to refute him when he offered to linger longer over espresso in tiny white cups.
Iwas supposed to be the one buying the coffee.
“I still you owe you a cup of coffee for helping me that day,” I finally pointed out as we left the restaurant.
Though Vlad let a serene smile grow across his face, his eyes maintained their dark allure.
“The pleasure of your company is payment enough,” he swore.
I shook my head. “I’m not so sure.”
“Then, let me walk you back to your building,” he insisted instead. “Indulge me, Millie.”
He then held out his arm. There, on the bustling Chicago sidewalk, it felt as if Vlad could read my mind. He let my arm wrap around his before letting his strong hand rest over mine. There was no brisk wind that could chill my skin. Flushing heat warmed me with every step we took. Unhurried, I began to feel that Vlad was stretching out our time together too. I had never been so disappointed to see the astronomy building. With students and staff hurrying up the concrete steps, we stopped and let the world pass us by.
“I hope it won’t take a few weeks for me to see you again,” I remarked while pulling away.
Vlad shook his head. “I won’t let it, but it might be easier if I had a way to contact you.”
“Then, hand me your phone.”
It was easy to slip my information into his contacts, and before he ever put the phone back into his green jacket pocket, Vlad sent me a message of his own, making my cell phone hum in my tote bag.
“This almost feels like a date,” he mused.
I cocked my head to the side. “Almost?”
“Well, I’m not walking you home.”
“No, but this office is starting to feel like a second home.”
With my bedroom at Meara’s still mostly bare, my desk upstairs felt more personal than the apartment, and it was here where I spent more of my time.
“And, when a date goes well, I would usually kiss a woman goodbye.”
A knowing smile stretched across my face. As a breeze blew down the street, my hair brushed over my face, but Vlad fixed it before I ever could. His finger curled around the stray strand and tucked it behind my ear. His gaze remained nothing but intent. It lured my free hand to his chest, feeling its warmth and firm foundation.
“How exactly?” I wondered. “If this was a date, how might you kiss me goodbye?”
Vlad didn’t need to answer with words. Leaning down, I felt his lips press to the corner of my mouth at first. My breath instantly grew labored, and my whole body began to grow so hot I feared I might melt down to the pavement. My lips parted for him as he tilted my chin up with one finger. There was no denying him. The kiss grew fuller and deeper, and I didn’t want it to end. I wanted him to pull me to a quiet room and do so much more. His hand at my waist didn’t feel like enough, and I had to fight back a whimper of disappointment when Vladimir pulled away.