she was to Dom, and then she would stop
having this kind of reaction to a man she could never have.
The drive to Los Angeles was
fun, with the top down on Toli’s rental car, music blasting on the radio and
them singing at the top of their lungs. Molly couldn’t remember the last time
she’d felt so carefree. Toli was probably the funniest person she’d ever met,
and he’d had her laughing from the moment he picked her up. Her only regret was
the odd look on Dom’s face when she’d left.
“Be careful,” he’d whispered
as she’d been about to step out the door. “Make sure Toli understands how dangerous
Tim is.”
“I will,” she’d whispered
back, as if they had some special secret. He was so sweet and thoughtful, as
well as sexy and mildly possessive, she almost didn’t leave. But he’d already
gone back to the baseball game he had on the TV, so she slipped out. She was
excited about going to L.A. and spending the day with Toli, but part of her
wished it were Dom taking her.
“How is possible Molly never
goes to LA.? Is only three or four hours—if you drive very slow.” Toli looked
at her questioningly once they were on the road.
“We never had any money when
I was growing up, and Tim never took me anywhere.”
“Stupid man.” He shook his
head. “You are beautiful woman—why does he treat Molly badly?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I
used to think there was something wrong with me, but now I know it’s him. His
eyes, they almost turn black when he looks at me, as if I’m evil, and I’ve
never done anything except try to make him happy.”
“Asshole.” Toli touched her
arm. “He loses. Toli wins.”
She couldn’t help but giggle.
“And what about Tatiana? Why have you been together so long without getting
married?”
“Tatiana is a doctor,” he
said with obvious pride. “But never happy. Always more school, more training,
more specialty. Toli asks for this to stop. Tatiana says no. Big fights. Toli
wants wedding, maybe a baby. Tatiana wants success. Not money,” he added
hurriedly. “Just pride and accomplishment. Her parents always say that Tatiana
is stupid, not good enough. They are also doctors, and always trying to prove
Tatiana is not so good. So Tatiana shows everyone she is not just good, but the
best. At everything.”
“Except making Toli happy,”
Molly said gently.
“Yes, very bad at this.” He
sighed. “No more talk about Tim and Tatiana?”
“No more.” She rested her
head against the seat. “This is the best day I’ve ever had.”
“We have done nothing yet.”
“No one is asking me about
dinner, no one is hitting me, no one is yelling or throwing things. I have
sunshine, a friend, good music—for me, this is heaven.”
He smiled. “Yes, Toli thinks
so too.”
Toli obviously knew his way
around L.A. Taking the 405 freeway south towards Santa Monica, he parked and
escorted Molly to the pier, making her laugh with stories from the NHL and the
KHL; about his brother Sergei; and even about Dom, Cody and Brian. Molly
laughed until her sides hurt. They walked on the pier and rode the Ferris
wheel. He bought her a wonderful dinner at a restaurant on the water in Venice,
and then they walked back towards Santa Monica along the shore, holding their
shoes in their hands. He reached for her hand at one point, and she let him
pull her as they ran through the puddles as the tide came in.
“We’re getting wet!” she
squealed.
“Is summer,” he said with a
laugh. “You will melt?”
“No. I just don’t want to
sit in wet clothes all the way home!”
“Toli will buy dry clothes.”
He pulled her close and looked down into her sparkling green eyes. “Molly is
happy?”
“Yes.”
“Toli likes this.” He leaned
forward slowly, and Molly felt herself all but stop breathing. Was he going to kiss her? She had no idea what to do as his lips lightly touched hers. He hovered,
waiting for a response, and she gently returned pressure
having this kind of reaction to a man she could never have.
The drive to Los Angeles was
fun, with the top down on Toli’s rental car, music blasting on the radio and
them singing at the top of their lungs. Molly couldn’t remember the last time
she’d felt so carefree. Toli was probably the funniest person she’d ever met,
and he’d had her laughing from the moment he picked her up. Her only regret was
the odd look on Dom’s face when she’d left.
“Be careful,” he’d whispered
as she’d been about to step out the door. “Make sure Toli understands how dangerous
Tim is.”
“I will,” she’d whispered
back, as if they had some special secret. He was so sweet and thoughtful, as
well as sexy and mildly possessive, she almost didn’t leave. But he’d already
gone back to the baseball game he had on the TV, so she slipped out. She was
excited about going to L.A. and spending the day with Toli, but part of her
wished it were Dom taking her.
“How is possible Molly never
goes to LA.? Is only three or four hours—if you drive very slow.” Toli looked
at her questioningly once they were on the road.
“We never had any money when
I was growing up, and Tim never took me anywhere.”
“Stupid man.” He shook his
head. “You are beautiful woman—why does he treat Molly badly?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I
used to think there was something wrong with me, but now I know it’s him. His
eyes, they almost turn black when he looks at me, as if I’m evil, and I’ve
never done anything except try to make him happy.”
“Asshole.” Toli touched her
arm. “He loses. Toli wins.”
She couldn’t help but giggle.
“And what about Tatiana? Why have you been together so long without getting
married?”
“Tatiana is a doctor,” he
said with obvious pride. “But never happy. Always more school, more training,
more specialty. Toli asks for this to stop. Tatiana says no. Big fights. Toli
wants wedding, maybe a baby. Tatiana wants success. Not money,” he added
hurriedly. “Just pride and accomplishment. Her parents always say that Tatiana
is stupid, not good enough. They are also doctors, and always trying to prove
Tatiana is not so good. So Tatiana shows everyone she is not just good, but the
best. At everything.”
“Except making Toli happy,”
Molly said gently.
“Yes, very bad at this.” He
sighed. “No more talk about Tim and Tatiana?”
“No more.” She rested her
head against the seat. “This is the best day I’ve ever had.”
“We have done nothing yet.”
“No one is asking me about
dinner, no one is hitting me, no one is yelling or throwing things. I have
sunshine, a friend, good music—for me, this is heaven.”
He smiled. “Yes, Toli thinks
so too.”
Toli obviously knew his way
around L.A. Taking the 405 freeway south towards Santa Monica, he parked and
escorted Molly to the pier, making her laugh with stories from the NHL and the
KHL; about his brother Sergei; and even about Dom, Cody and Brian. Molly
laughed until her sides hurt. They walked on the pier and rode the Ferris
wheel. He bought her a wonderful dinner at a restaurant on the water in Venice,
and then they walked back towards Santa Monica along the shore, holding their
shoes in their hands. He reached for her hand at one point, and she let him
pull her as they ran through the puddles as the tide came in.
“We’re getting wet!” she
squealed.
“Is summer,” he said with a
laugh. “You will melt?”
“No. I just don’t want to
sit in wet clothes all the way home!”
“Toli will buy dry clothes.”
He pulled her close and looked down into her sparkling green eyes. “Molly is
happy?”
“Yes.”
“Toli likes this.” He leaned
forward slowly, and Molly felt herself all but stop breathing. Was he going to kiss her? She had no idea what to do as his lips lightly touched hers. He hovered,
waiting for a response, and she gently returned pressure
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