The Russian's Dangerous Game by Elizabeth Lennox Page A

don’t you just go about your business like I’m not even here?”
    He chuckled. “What kind of a host would I be if I ignored you?” he asked, leaning forward. He reached out and, before she knew what he was going to do, pulled a lock of hair away from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. The gesture would probably be sweet and kind if anyone else had done it, but when he did it, she felt all those terrifying tingles in her cheek that quickly radiated outwards towards every part of her body. Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn’t breathe for a long time.
    “I know what I’d like to do,” he said softly, his eyes holding hers, captured and not relinquishing his hold.
    She felt his words, and the intention behind them, all the way down to her toes. “Not that,” she whispered back, telling herself to look away, but she couldn’t move. She felt stranded, gasping for air while he controlled her somehow.
    He smiled wickedly. “I know you’ll like what I’m going to suggest.”
    “Not that,” she repeated and somehow, deep within her, she found the will to pull her eyes away. “I’ll never do that again with you.”
    He watched her as she pushed the remnants of her omelet on her plate back and forth, finding her nervousness very telling. She was startlingly beautiful in the morning light. She didn’t have any makeup on and her eyes were bright with anxiety. He almost wished he could ease her concern, but he didn’t know what was bothering her so much. Well, besides the fact that she thought she was consorting with a criminal. He couldn’t help but enjoy the irony of that idea but focused on the day ahead.
    “I was only going to suggest a game of chess,” he said and almost laughed out loud at the surprise in her eyes. “What did you think I was going to suggest?” he asked, already knowing the answer but wanting her to tell him. He wanted to see if she would actually say the words out loud.
    And he was right. She looked down, still playing with the food on her china plate. “Chess would be lovely,” she finally got out, the telltale blush moving up her neck and flaring into her cheeks.
    “Excellent. Are you any good at chess?” he asked, rubbing his hands together in excitement.
    She leaned back, taking a sip of her coffee so she could hide behind her coffee cup. “Not at all,” she lied.
    He chuckled and finished off his coffee. “Good. More lying. I’m glad to know that you’re consistent at least. Let’s me know where you stand.”
    He stood up and Brianna downed the rest of the coffee as fast as she could. “Why do you think I’m lying?” she asked, knowing she should feel affronted, but somehow, she was only intrigued.
    “Come along,” he told her but didn’t wait for her reply as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her seat. She almost choked on her coffee but was able to put it back down on the delicate saucer before she was launched out of her chair.
    “I guess we’re playing chess now?” she asked, but it wasn’t really a question since he was leading her down a very long hallway covered in black and white tiles. She’d always wanted a room with black and white tiles but they were surprisingly hard to find lately. She would have done her entire kitchen in the tiles. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to admire the décor since the illustrious and suspicious Rocco Antoniv was dragging her through the doorway and into a smaller room. She was about to sit down in the chair when he stopped her and pulled her around. She was startle d when his arms moved around her, holding her close to his hard physique. “What…?” she was about to say, pushing her palms against his chest, trying to hold him away if not push him away so there was more space between them. As it was, they were connected from knees to stomach and the feeling was not so much disturbing as…terrifying.
    Her surprised eyes moved warily upwards. “I want to know why you left my place the other