Peter’s just looking out for you. God save me if I have daughters as beautiful as you. Turn my hair gray with worry before they’re out of the cradle.” He winked with a rakish grin, and she swore one of the nearby servers sighed.
That mollified her somewhat, but she still shot a glare in the direction of the stairs leading to her uncle’s home, only to find Oleg sitting at a table nearby and watching them with a decidedly unhappy expression. She blinked, wondering what had her friend upset, but before she could give it any further thought, John drew her attention back to him by gently tugging at her hand.
“Jessica.”
His expression was unexpectedly grave, and she frowned at him. “Yes?”
“Are you involved with Alex Gorev?”
“What? No, no. He’s my bodyguard.”
He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in Oleg’s direction. “Then why does one of his men look like he’s thinkin’ about cuttin’ my throat?”
Oleg had indeed been looking at John like he was thinking about violent things. She shrugged, used to the men’s overprotective nature with her. “That’s just Oleg. He’s a friend of mine, and my bodyguard, but he’s also kinda overprotective. Says I remind him of his daughters. But don’t worry, he’s not mad at you. He always looks like that.”
“He’s your bodyguard and your friend?”
“Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t we be friends? Alex lives across the hall from me, and they come over and hang out a lot. They’re really nice guys once you get to know them and get past the language barrier.”
John’s expression became serious. “Jessica, you don’t need to be around the likes of them. Let them guard you, but do not get personally involved with any of them. I know your uncle has his reasons for them being here, but I don’t want you getting hurt by Alexandr…Gorev.”
“He’s been nothing but nice to me.”
His lips twitched like he wanted to say something, but he finally shook his head. “Just trust me when I say Alex isn’t the kind of man that’s nice to a woman without wantin’ something.”
She tried to pull her hand away, but he held tight. “What are you trying to say?”
“I just worry about you is all. I like you. You’re sweet, the sweetest girl I’ve ever met, and I don’t want anyone to take advantage of your good nature. No offense, but you aren’t used to men like Alex.”
Irritated now, she jerked her hand. “Look, I’m not stupid, okay? I know how to take care of myself, and Alex and his men have been nothing but polite with me. Is it so hard to believe that someone would want to be my friend?”
“No, that’s not hard to believe at all. Any man would consider himself lucky to have you smile at him, but he’d want you as more than a friend.”
“Well, I can assure you that Alex and his buddies don’t think of me that way.”
“Yes, they do.”
She snorted, and his expression softened. That little thrill of warmth stirred in her belly again.
“Ahhh, I see it now. You have no idea how lovely you are, do you? A man can’t help but look at you and wonder what it would feel like to have your soft lips pressed to his, your cheeks pink from his kiss.”
Heat suffused her face with her blush. She knew she was pretty, though she wouldn’t go so far as beautiful, and totally did not see herself as the kind of woman guys would fantasize about. They sure as shit hadn’t in high school. For one thing, her body type wasn’t the curvy kind men seemed to go gaga for, and for another, she certainly didn’t draw attention like Gwen, the stunning bartender who had slept with Alex. Whatever that woman had, Jessica obviously didn’t. If she did, Alex would be in her bed instead of Gwen’s.
“Thanks for the kind words, but you don’t have to blow smoke up my ass.”
He laughed, then reached across the bar, and cupped her chin in his hand. With desire darkening his gaze, he leaned in close enough that she could feel the warmth of his
That mollified her somewhat, but she still shot a glare in the direction of the stairs leading to her uncle’s home, only to find Oleg sitting at a table nearby and watching them with a decidedly unhappy expression. She blinked, wondering what had her friend upset, but before she could give it any further thought, John drew her attention back to him by gently tugging at her hand.
“Jessica.”
His expression was unexpectedly grave, and she frowned at him. “Yes?”
“Are you involved with Alex Gorev?”
“What? No, no. He’s my bodyguard.”
He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in Oleg’s direction. “Then why does one of his men look like he’s thinkin’ about cuttin’ my throat?”
Oleg had indeed been looking at John like he was thinking about violent things. She shrugged, used to the men’s overprotective nature with her. “That’s just Oleg. He’s a friend of mine, and my bodyguard, but he’s also kinda overprotective. Says I remind him of his daughters. But don’t worry, he’s not mad at you. He always looks like that.”
“He’s your bodyguard and your friend?”
“Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t we be friends? Alex lives across the hall from me, and they come over and hang out a lot. They’re really nice guys once you get to know them and get past the language barrier.”
John’s expression became serious. “Jessica, you don’t need to be around the likes of them. Let them guard you, but do not get personally involved with any of them. I know your uncle has his reasons for them being here, but I don’t want you getting hurt by Alexandr…Gorev.”
“He’s been nothing but nice to me.”
His lips twitched like he wanted to say something, but he finally shook his head. “Just trust me when I say Alex isn’t the kind of man that’s nice to a woman without wantin’ something.”
She tried to pull her hand away, but he held tight. “What are you trying to say?”
“I just worry about you is all. I like you. You’re sweet, the sweetest girl I’ve ever met, and I don’t want anyone to take advantage of your good nature. No offense, but you aren’t used to men like Alex.”
Irritated now, she jerked her hand. “Look, I’m not stupid, okay? I know how to take care of myself, and Alex and his men have been nothing but polite with me. Is it so hard to believe that someone would want to be my friend?”
“No, that’s not hard to believe at all. Any man would consider himself lucky to have you smile at him, but he’d want you as more than a friend.”
“Well, I can assure you that Alex and his buddies don’t think of me that way.”
“Yes, they do.”
She snorted, and his expression softened. That little thrill of warmth stirred in her belly again.
“Ahhh, I see it now. You have no idea how lovely you are, do you? A man can’t help but look at you and wonder what it would feel like to have your soft lips pressed to his, your cheeks pink from his kiss.”
Heat suffused her face with her blush. She knew she was pretty, though she wouldn’t go so far as beautiful, and totally did not see herself as the kind of woman guys would fantasize about. They sure as shit hadn’t in high school. For one thing, her body type wasn’t the curvy kind men seemed to go gaga for, and for another, she certainly didn’t draw attention like Gwen, the stunning bartender who had slept with Alex. Whatever that woman had, Jessica obviously didn’t. If she did, Alex would be in her bed instead of Gwen’s.
“Thanks for the kind words, but you don’t have to blow smoke up my ass.”
He laughed, then reached across the bar, and cupped her chin in his hand. With desire darkening his gaze, he leaned in close enough that she could feel the warmth of his
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