“So…” He leans on the table, clasping his hands together. “If I learn Russian, we will be friends as per qualifications?”
“We won’t be friends, Archer.” I snort. “Friends don’t do what we do. I quite enjoy what we do. So don’t ruin it with this friendship nonsense.”
“Harsh. Doesn’t hurt to try.”
“What?”
“To prove you wrong.”
I can’t help but raise my eyebrows.
He constantly tries to prove me wrong. But this. Friendship. Nuh-huh. I don’t like the sound of it.
The waiter comes over and sets a glass in front of Archer. Without ever asking. I assume it’s cognac. “Welcome back, Mr. Crone. Would you like to see the menu?”
Here we go—kissing ass at its finest.
“No, thank you. Did you eat already?” Archer asks me.
I nod.
“Right.” There’s that smirk on his lips as he waves the waiter away. “So how do you saywhat’s your namein Russian? We’ll start on that last qualification to see if your theory works.”
He is relentless if he wants to be.
“Informal?Kak te-bia za-voot,” I say slowly, surprised he isn’t asking for swear words. Surprised, because we are talking about something other than work or tossing innuendos at each other.
Archer repeats it slowly, and Goddam if his accent doesn’t sound silly but also incredibly sexy.
“I like you. Say it in Russian,” he says.
“Ty mn’e nra-vish-sia,” I say, taking a slow sip of my cocktail.
I also like where this is going. And I really likehimright now.
Yep, I’m drunk.
Archer’s lips move but don’t repeat the words out loud. “I can’t get you out of my mind,” he says, his smile widening.
I stall. Are we still just playing?
“Oh.” He leans back in his chair. “Sounds like level two.”
“Is it? Too complicated?”
“For now, yes.”
Are we talking about us?
“Let’s try something easier,” he says. “How do you say… kitten.”
I smile. He wants it simple?Yeah, I’ll make it simple, Mr. Chancellor.
“Ka-ra-lé-va,” I say, killing my smile not to raise suspicion.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Ka-ra-le-va,” he repeats. God, I love his accent. “How do you saymy?”
I know where this is going. He doesn’t. That’s the beauty of being bilingual.