mother and brother.
But what had happened over there? Was it something really bad? It must have been, right? Why else would he have left his homeland in a rush? And what was all that business about having only one brother now?
I wanted answers. It would have been only too easy to call Vivian. She would have told me anything I wanted to know, but I wanted to hear the story from Sergei. I needed to sit across from him and stare into his eyes as he came clean about his past. I didn't think he would lie to me, but I had to concede that I didn't really know him well enough to make that call.
But that wasn't exactly true, was it? Maybe I didn't know every single minute detail of his life but I knew him. It was almost a sixth sense that allowed me to read him in the same ways he seemed to be able to read me. Were we on the same wavelength because we had both survived something dark and terrible?
Years ago, before anything even remotely romantic had occurred between them, Vivian had tried to explain the connection she shared with Nikolai. I hadn't understood their intense bond then any more than I truly understood it now. That they loved each other was plain enough to anyone who saw them, but they seemed to be bonded on a nearly soulful level.
Even though I worked in the wedding industry, I had always scoffed at the idea of soul mates and considered the idea fantastic and fanciful. Watching Nikolai and Vivian together had cured me of those doubts. Some people were just meant to be together. Some couples simply couldn't be broken apart, no matter what the world threw at them.
I didn't dare hope that something so incredibly wonderful awaited me. After the long line of ho-hum dates and relationships that fizzled after a few months, I wasn't exactly a prime candidate for an epic love story. I had all but given up on the prospect of meeting a man who made me ache with desire or throb with need.
Until Sergei…
That night at Faze, when he'd stood watching me from the corner of the VIP section with those outrageously strong arms of his crossed in front of his broad chest, I had tingled with the most deliciously sinful awareness of him. No man had ever looked at me like that. He looked at me as if he wanted to just strip me naked and worship every last inch of my body.
And he had done exactly that last night, hadn't he? Sergei didn’t need to make elaborate speeches to tell me what he felt about me. He had shown me his feelings in a way that had left me shuddering with ecstasy and feeling beautiful and special.
Okay. So, kicking down my door was a bit over the top, but I understood why he had done it. Realizing he was that protective of me had thrown me for a loop. He had been willing to do anything to get to me when he thought I was in trouble. After so many years of being independent and on my own, there was something awfully enticing about having such a strong, protective man in my life. Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew I could count on Sergei for anything.
I was still thinking about the possibilities when I turned down the narrow alley that provided access to the rear of my property. The gate noisily creaked open, reminding me I probably needed to have someone out here to service it, and I pulled onto the half-moon gravel drive. Eventually, I hoped to be able to use the carriage house as a garage but the dilapidated structure needed a lot of work.
"When was the last time the slide chain on that gate was greased?"
Sergei's deep voice startled me as I stepped out of my car. Jumping, I spun around and found him standing next to the ramshackle carriage house. Hand on my chest, I grouched at him. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
He offered an apologetic smile. " Prostite . Sorry," he added quickly. "I didn't mean to scare you."
I closed my car door with a bump of my hip and listened for the locks to engage. "What are you doing out here anyway?"
"I was taking a look at this structure. It's in terrible shape, Bianca."
"I
But what had happened over there? Was it something really bad? It must have been, right? Why else would he have left his homeland in a rush? And what was all that business about having only one brother now?
I wanted answers. It would have been only too easy to call Vivian. She would have told me anything I wanted to know, but I wanted to hear the story from Sergei. I needed to sit across from him and stare into his eyes as he came clean about his past. I didn't think he would lie to me, but I had to concede that I didn't really know him well enough to make that call.
But that wasn't exactly true, was it? Maybe I didn't know every single minute detail of his life but I knew him. It was almost a sixth sense that allowed me to read him in the same ways he seemed to be able to read me. Were we on the same wavelength because we had both survived something dark and terrible?
Years ago, before anything even remotely romantic had occurred between them, Vivian had tried to explain the connection she shared with Nikolai. I hadn't understood their intense bond then any more than I truly understood it now. That they loved each other was plain enough to anyone who saw them, but they seemed to be bonded on a nearly soulful level.
Even though I worked in the wedding industry, I had always scoffed at the idea of soul mates and considered the idea fantastic and fanciful. Watching Nikolai and Vivian together had cured me of those doubts. Some people were just meant to be together. Some couples simply couldn't be broken apart, no matter what the world threw at them.
I didn't dare hope that something so incredibly wonderful awaited me. After the long line of ho-hum dates and relationships that fizzled after a few months, I wasn't exactly a prime candidate for an epic love story. I had all but given up on the prospect of meeting a man who made me ache with desire or throb with need.
Until Sergei…
That night at Faze, when he'd stood watching me from the corner of the VIP section with those outrageously strong arms of his crossed in front of his broad chest, I had tingled with the most deliciously sinful awareness of him. No man had ever looked at me like that. He looked at me as if he wanted to just strip me naked and worship every last inch of my body.
And he had done exactly that last night, hadn't he? Sergei didn’t need to make elaborate speeches to tell me what he felt about me. He had shown me his feelings in a way that had left me shuddering with ecstasy and feeling beautiful and special.
Okay. So, kicking down my door was a bit over the top, but I understood why he had done it. Realizing he was that protective of me had thrown me for a loop. He had been willing to do anything to get to me when he thought I was in trouble. After so many years of being independent and on my own, there was something awfully enticing about having such a strong, protective man in my life. Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew I could count on Sergei for anything.
I was still thinking about the possibilities when I turned down the narrow alley that provided access to the rear of my property. The gate noisily creaked open, reminding me I probably needed to have someone out here to service it, and I pulled onto the half-moon gravel drive. Eventually, I hoped to be able to use the carriage house as a garage but the dilapidated structure needed a lot of work.
"When was the last time the slide chain on that gate was greased?"
Sergei's deep voice startled me as I stepped out of my car. Jumping, I spun around and found him standing next to the ramshackle carriage house. Hand on my chest, I grouched at him. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
He offered an apologetic smile. " Prostite . Sorry," he added quickly. "I didn't mean to scare you."
I closed my car door with a bump of my hip and listened for the locks to engage. "What are you doing out here anyway?"
"I was taking a look at this structure. It's in terrible shape, Bianca."
"I
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