I laughed. “Whatever you got me is perfect, Timofey. Thank you.” I reached into the bag he held out, accepting a chocolate-covered donut. “Oooh! And chocolate-glazed donuts! A man after my own heart!” I teased. “Think I can entice you away from your girlfriend?”
I swear Adrik grew even tenser off to my right, but Timofey’s sharp bark of laughter pulled my gaze back to him. “Not a chance, Miss Annika. As pretty as you are, my heart belongs to my Evelyn.”
I giggled, patting his arm. “That’s nice to hear. Fidelity is rare these days. How long have you been with Evelyn?” It occurred to me that I’d known Timofey for probably ten years or more, and yet I didn’t know anything about him.
“Going on five years now.” Timofey smiled. “Can’t believe she’s put up with me this long, especially with my work schedule. I never know when I’m going to have time to see her. I’m a lucky guy and not too proud to admit it.”
“That’s sweet.” I glanced at Adrik, who was leaning against the car a few feet away with his head bent. “What about you, Adrik? Got a girl back in L.A.?”
Adrik jolted, giving a swift shake of his head from side to side. “No.”
Timofey sent Adrik a look that I couldn’t interpret before clearing his throat. “Do you need a bathroom break before we head out? We should be there in about an hour.”
“I do, actually.”
Timofey smiled. “Want me to carry you, or would you like me to bring your chair around?”
Heat flamed in my cheeks. Ihatedbeing dependent upon others. But it would probably be faster and easier for Timofey to carry me to the bathroom. Though, secretly, I’d rather Adrik carry me than Timofey. So I could get a closer look at his face. Feel those hard muscles I’d glimpsed earlier. Breathe in his clean, masculine scent again. Maybe then I could figure out what it was about him that intrigued me so much and drew me to him so strongly when I rarely even noticed other men.
But asking Adrik to carry me after Timofey had offered would be rude.
I set my coffee in the middle cup holder and situated the donut on a napkin beside it. “Will you carry me? I’ll try to be quick.”
“It’s no trouble, Miss Annika.” Timofey turned to Adrik and shoved the coffees and the pastry bag at him. “We’ll be right back.”
I scooted to the edge of the seat and waited while Timofey leaned in and picked me up. Laughing softly, I wrapped my arms around his thick neck. Timofey was a large, muscular man, easily six-four or five and way over two hundred pounds. Though I wasn’t small by any means at five-eight and a hundred and twenty pounds, I felt dainty next to Timofey’s bulk.
I glanced at Adrik and caught him peeking at us from behind his messy hair. He ducked his head before I could get a good look at his face or figure out what color his eyes were.
What a strange, yet fascinating man.
Though Adrik didn’t speak as Timofey carried me toward the building and the restrooms inside, the weight of his gaze followed after us the entire way. My spine tingled with awareness and something else I couldn’t quite name.
Tim pulled open the door and stepped into the building. At this early hour, there was only one other customer in the store, an elderly man who was paying the cashier for his fuel. Timofey gave him a once-over, presumably making sure he wasn’t a threat, then strode across the store toward the restrooms.
He gently deposited me outside the door to the women’s restroom. “You got it from here?”
“Yes,” I said gratefully. “Thank you.”
Though he tried to hide it, he was obviously relieved he didn’t have to go inside the women’s restroom with me. “Take your time.” He stepped back to wait.
Using the wall to balance myself, I hobbled inside on my good leg.
Several minutes later, we were back at the car where Adrik had resumed his position in the front passenger seat. He kept his face averted as Timofey set me onto the backseat and closed the door. I buckled in and picked up my coffee, taking a sip as we left the gas station and continued on our journey.
“Any sign of trouble?” Timofey asked Adrik.
“Negative.”
That was good. We hadn’t been followed.
Gazing out my window, I sipped coffee and nibbled on a donut, and tried to sneak peaks at Adrik in his side mirror. But the man kept his face turned away, as if he knew I was trying to see him. Frustration swelled inside me. Didn’t he know he was only making me more curious and more determined to see him?
Giving up for the time being, I stuffed my earbuds in and selected a playlist on my phone.
Before I knew it, we were in Tahoe, the cold, snow-covered landscape a sharp contrast to the sunny warmth and tropical flare of L.A. The sun was just peeking over the mountains as we reached the lake house.
This trip wasn’t a vacation. It was simply to keep me safe.