Chapter 11 #2
"Playing with the other children." He settled beside me. "Your friend's keeping an eye on her."
Silence stretched between us. I could feel the warmth radiating from his body, that intoxicating masculine scent that made my pulse race.
"Anna," he said quietly. "I need to ask you something."
I regarded him nervously. "What?"
"Five years ago," his voice was soft but deadly serious, "that morning—why did you run?"
The question stopped my heart cold.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about..." I stammered.
"You know exactly what I mean," he turned to face me fully, those penetrating brown eyes boring into mine. "After that night, you left that pathetic note and vanished. Why?"
My throat constricted. "I... that was just... just a one-night stand..."
"Just a one-night stand?" Something dangerous flickered in his voice. "Anna, tell me the truth. That night... didn't you enjoy it?"
"Yes!" I blurted out defensively, then immediately realized my mistake, my face flaming red.
A predatory gleam sparked in his eyes.
"So you're saying... you enjoyed it?" His voice dropped to a husky whisper, laden with dangerous promise.
I tried to bolt upright and flee, but he caught my wrist in an iron grip.
"Alexander, let me go—"
My protest was silenced by his mouth crashing down on mine.
His lips claimed mine with devastating intensity, forceful and searing. This wasn't a gentle kiss but one of pure possession, as if he intended to consume me entirely.
My mind went completely blank while my traitorous body melted into his embrace, instinctively responding to his hungry mouth.
Five years of suppressed longing exploded in that single moment. I found myself clutching his broad shoulders desperately, surrendering to the deepening kiss.
When he finally broke away, I was gasping for air, my legs threatening to give out entirely.
"That's your answer," he growled against my lips. "Your body can't lie to me."
His powerful arms encircled me, pulling me flush against his chest. I felt his hand slide from my waist, moving deliberately lower...
"Alexander..." My voice came out as barely a whisper.
His hand cupped my bottom, fingers kneading the soft flesh through my swimsuit, drawing a muffled whimper from my throat.
"See?" he murmured against my ear, his breath sending shivers down my spine. "You want this just as much as I do."
My face burned with mortification, but my body responded with shameless honesty to his touch. Five years of celibacy had left me hypersensitive to this kind of intimate contact.
"We can't... this is a public place..." I protested weakly.
"What about when we get home?" he asked, his lips brushing my earlobe with maddening lightness.
"Mommy! Alex!"
Sofia's voice rang out like a bucket of ice water, making us spring apart instantly.
I practically launched myself away from him, frantically smoothing my hair and adjusting my swimsuit, my face burning crimson.
Sofia bounded up to us, completely oblivious to what she'd interrupted. "What are you doing over here? I looked everywhere for you!"
"We were... we were just talking," I managed to stutter.
"About what?" she asked with innocent curiosity.
"Adult matters," Alexander replied smoothly, though I noticed his breathing was still uneven. "Did you have fun playing?"
"The best!" Sofia exclaimed. "I learned so much about swimming! All the other kids were super jealous that I have such an awesome... um..."
She paused, looking momentarily confused.
"Friend," Alexander supplied helpfully.
"Right, friend!" she brightened. "They all said we look exactly alike. Is that really true?"
Alexander and I locked gazes, the air crackling with renewed tension.
"People often imagine similarities," I said carefully, "even when there's no actual relation."
Sofia seemed deflated by this explanation, her lower lip jutting out slightly, but children's emotions are mercurial. Soon she'd forgotten her disappointment and launched into an animated account of her games with the other kids.
But I noticed she sneezed mid-sentence.
"Sofia, are you feeling alright?" I asked with growing concern.
"I'm fine, just a tiny bit chilly." Then she sneezed again.
"We need to leave. Now." I stood abruptly, already gathering our belongings. "You need to get into dry clothes immediately."
"But I still want to play..." she whined.
"Another time," I said firmly, brooking no argument. "Right now we're going home. Go say goodbye to your godmother."
Alexander rose as well. "Let me drive you—"
"Absolutely not," I cut him off sharply. "We can manage perfectly fine on our own."
I guided a reluctant Sofia through her farewells with Yekaterina, then headed for the changing rooms under Yekaterina's knowing gaze.
...Naturally, I could feel another pair of eyes tracking our every move.
In the changing room, Sofia sneezed several more times.
"Mommy, I really don't feel good," she said pitifully.
My maternal instincts kicked into overdrive. Was she catching a cold?
"It's alright, sweetheart," I soothed while helping her into dry clothes. "Once we're home, Mommy will draw you a nice hot bath and make you some warm milk."
But my mind was already spinning with worry. Today's swimming event, Sofia and Alexander's undeniable connection, the surrounding speculation, and that earth-shattering kiss...
Everything was becoming impossibly complicated.
And now Sofia might be getting sick on top of everything else.
I scooped her up and carried her out of the community center, my heart heavy with dread and uncertainty.
Everything that had transpired today felt like the calm before an inevitable storm.