Chapter 3
Vivian
“That is insane,” I said with an eye roll, emphasis placed on the crazy part.
“The only actor capable of playing Indiana Jones was Harrison Ford. Hands down. No other actor could ever be good enough, which is why a sequel with another actor would be terrible.” Seeing the absent look on Kirill’s face allowed another laugh.
“You women are all alike,” he tossed out as if frustrated with me.
But I knew better.
“And here I thought I was entirely different than every other woman you’ve spent time with.”
As he inhaled, a wildfire of heat sparked between us, explosive and wanton in nature. “You are certainly one of a kind, malen’kiy yagnenok.”
“I’m fearful to hear what you called me.”
“Little lamb.”
“And why is that?” All I could think about was a lamb to the slaughter.
“Perfectly innocent.”
He offered the words as if challenging me to prove him wrong. “Nice try, but I don’t think you know women very well.”
Kirill snapped his fingers, his entire face lit up by the easy conversation. “Women require big, strong alpha men to handle all the dangerous work.” He surprised me by being animated. Holding his arm out and flexing like Popeye would do.
“Do you blame us?” I purred. “Big, strong, dangerous men do make for more powerful…” I stopped myself before going down a road that would only lead to the fires of hell.
“More powerful… Finish your sentence.”
The command in his voice was not to be denied. “More powerful lovers.”
“Ah. That is very true.”
“Are you suggesting you could be in the running?”
“For the part in the adventure movies or in real life?” Every time he asked a question, he picked another lock. I’d told him silly things no one had ever bothered asking me about before.
Including the only man I’d considered special in my life. That had been a long time ago.
“Maybe both.”
Heat spiked once again, tickling sensations crawling up my neck. When his nostrils flared, I concentrated on the last oyster on the plate. The selection he’d made had been fabulous, keeping the hangry monster satisfied.
However, the woman inside, the one who’d shut down any concept of passion as well as anything emotional was suddenly awake and more in need than before. How unfortunate since I was in an airport.
“I guess you would need to find out,” he said with the same control in his voice, but with more of an invitation.
He was enjoying the easy banter exactly the way I had. No pressure. No lies. No pretense. Just two strangers acquiescing to intense hunger.
With the turn to flirting, every inch of my body was aching in a way I’d thought impossible to feel again.
His breathing was uneven as I picked up the oyster shell, my halfhearted offer for him to take the last one pushed aside as if no food could replace the physical torment we were inflicting on each other.
My thong was damp, my nipples aching from the constant flickering of lace every time I moved.
Even as I allowed the last oyster to slide down my throat, every slight movement he made displayed the increasing attraction.
As I dragged my tongue across my bottom lip, catching the drops of juice, he took and held a deep breath. I tugged my napkin from my lap, covering my mouth as I chewed.
While I wouldn’t admit to anyone the filthy thoughts in my mind, I couldn’t lie about how easy it would be for me to forget all my good girl convictions. Alas, we both had a flight to catch.
Another fantasy unfulfilled.
His chest rose and fell, his brow pinched as he watched me intently.
“Oysters,” I murmured while toying with an empty shell, fingering the edges without looking Kirill in the eyes.
“A powerful aphrodisiac,” Kirill said more in passing. Yet he was fully concentrating on every movement I made, every breath I took.
The handsome Russian was that consuming and in control. He made doing so appear effortless, including how he refilled my wine at just the right moment. Or when he offered a thoughtful remark at just the right time.
Never interrupting.
Always locking eyes with mine.
We’d spent the better part of two hours together, not only because apparently we enjoyed each other’s company but also because my flight had been delayed by forty minutes.
I hadn’t bothered to ask him about his travel plans, far too interested in challenging him on everything from poetry and music to politics and great thriller movies.
While no subject seemed off limits, we also hadn’t broached anything personal about our lives, our professions, or our countries of origin.
He was a fascinating man, his wealth of knowledge impressive although he seemed far more interested in learning my answers.
“Does that mean you’re trying to seduce me?” I continued tracing the rough shards, only lifting my gaze when he didn’t answer me right away.
Every time he leaned over the table, I was teased with the feeling of rapture. Maybe because of his intoxicating aftershave, but more likely from his sheer prowess. The man’s eyes were more expressive than any I’d known.
The way he was looking at me, almost as if he was able to peel away the soft, vulnerable layers of protection to capture a glimpse of my soul was captivating.
“Would you mind so terribly much if I told you that I was?” he asked, his deep baritone now barely audible.
The interruption had been expected, my phone pinging to indicate the plane was ready to board.
“I guess we’ll never know.” While I tugged my phone from my purse to confirm my suspicions, he didn’t bother.
“You don’t believe in fate?”
“Fate is what cannot be changed. Unfortunately, it’s likely we won’t see other again.”
“Sometimes fate provides an opportunity that would not normally exist,” he countered. “Apparently, our meeting was intentional.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning we will see each other again as it would seem we’re both headed to New York.”
There was no reason for my throat or stomach to tighten, but they both did.
While my mind was processing excitement from a distant possibility he’d been brought into my life for a reason, the same twinge of fear that had taken four years to dissipate made a surprise return visit.
“How do you know that?” My voice was much sharper than I’d wanted.
He seemed surprised by my change in attitude, clearly searching for the reason without asking.
When his line of sight changed, I followed his gaze to where my ticket was lying in plain view, the flight number and destination easy enough for him to read.
When I took a deep breath, he pulled his ticket from his leather case, placing the folder in the center of the table.
Now he was smirking as if he’d held the secret the entire time we’d been talking.
“I’ve heard New York City is lovely this time of year. ”
“You’ve not been before?”
“Yes, but a very long time ago.”
The rush of adrenaline from my earlier hint of fear shifted into excitement, which was also ridiculous. In a city of eight and a half million people, we certainly weren’t going to run into each other. And I wasn’t eager or ready to give him a single link to the real girl.
Maybe I never would be.
“Fall can be quite beautiful. Cozying up by a warm fire, the scent of smoke lingering in the air. Leaves turning yellow and orange, littering the soft terrain with vivid color. Steaming chai lattes. Taking long, peaceful walks just before twilight. The crispness of the sky and the incredible stars twinkling brighter than they’ve ever been before.
” I tossed my napkin on the table, fighting the inevitable disappointment.
“A truly glowing representation. Perhaps I’ll enjoy a portion of my stay.” He motioned for the waiter, who was there within five seconds.
After he scribbled his name, he tossed several hundred-dollar bills on the tray for a tip.
In my mind, there were three distinct and excellent ways of judging a man’s character.
One was passing the dog test. If random dogs were unafraid or even better graced him with their presence, one point given.
If he was an excellent tipper, not simply a usual twenty percenter, he obtained another point.
Now, if he was a cheapskate, my opinion was not to let the door hit him in the ass.
The third and most personal thing that I’d found more of a challenge than not was whether he put the seat down. If he did, a gold star.
With all three, that could mean forever.
As we stood, we both seemed more awkward than before. I grabbed my purse, reaching for the handle of my suitcase.
“Nonsense. I prefer leaving you with a decent opinion of strange, flirtatious men in airports.” He shoved his ticket into his pocket and for some reason, I hadn’t paid any attention to how tall he was.
I wasn’t short by any means, standing at five feet eleven in flat shoes.
Yet he towered over me. That had been one of my many issues with men before.
I’d always been a couple of inches taller and when I was in heels, the men had been completely uncomfortable.
Given my often brazen attitude as gleaned from my mother, no one could ever call me demure.
His shoulders were so broad I tried to envision them fitting in typical doorway, his long legs with muscular thighs exactly what I would expect from him.
The wave of disappointment fractured my thoughts. He was all but saying goodbye. A ten-hour flight in a pod meant for two, far too much time with only one decent book on my Kindle and no one to talk to.
My fantasies would go amok.
As we walked from the club, his presence was even more oppressive. However, I felt completely protected, which was silly in an airport crawling with security personnel.
“If you don’t mind me asking, why are you heading to New York?”
He took a deep breath, his exhale loud. “Business. I’m always working. This time helping a friend’s cousin get a recently renovated and newly purchased hotel off the ground.”
“Oh, wow. You’re a marketing expert?”