Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 76915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Forever, as my father had said when he gave me the frame, the pictures already in it.
“Good choice,” he said, his smile unguarded and oddly sweet. It was a shock to my system, that sweetness. Something inside me screamed ‘danger’!
Anton Aslanov, sweet? But yes. He was.
He held out his hand. I looked at him in confusion. What was he asking me to do, hold his hand?
“Your passport, please.”
I blushed and handed it over. He was watching me carefully, his expression blank. I felt so foolish for thinking he was asking for my hand. And I was tired of feeling foolish around him! I swallowed the lump of conflicting emotions in my throat, curtsied, and left the room as quickly as I could.
Chapter 19
Anton
Irubbed my chin, settled into the extra wide cream leather seat. We were waiting for takeoff, but I knew it would not take long. And I didn’t mind waiting, however. Not with the delicious view I had.
Mishka was seated nearby. She had scurried away before I could show her to the seat opposite me. I didn’t blame her. She must know that I was ready to devour her at any moment.
I had stopped trying to hide my feelings. Stopped fighting it, other than my actual approach. It was challenging, but I knew I had to go slow.
My Mishka was too precious to handle with anything but the utmost care.
I knew that, but it was very hard to keep the beast inside me at bay. The beast that only wanted one thing.
Her.
I was having trouble restraining my baser desires around her. I felt like a wild animal, trapped in a cage near its prey. A lion watching a gazelle, unable to pounce. Forced to bide his time.
It was only my respect and admiration for Mishka and her father that kept me from doing something rash. I was known for my will power and my cool head. But my once famous control was fraying.
At this point, it barely existed.
“Come sit here, Mishka,” I said. “I want to talk to you.”
She stiffened slightly but did as I asked. I watched every move she made. The beautiful way her muscles worked to lift her body from the seat. The graceful way her hands unbuckled the seat belt. Her legs as she walked towards me, lowering herself into the seat across from me.
It was surprising to me that she was not a classically trained ballet dancer, truth be told.
“Yes, sir?”
I steepled my fingertips together, considering her. She was being a bit naughty. Standing there with her chin lifted. I could sense that she was closing herself off from me. She had been ever since the kiss. Every time I made an inroad, as I had at her apartment, she pulled back again.
Eventually, something would have to give. I was past my breaking point. I expected she was, too.
It was impossible to forget how she had melted into me. How incredible she had felt in my arms. Soft, pliant, and oh-so-feminine.
“You’ll need some other clothes. I expect you to accompany me to meals and some events.”
“I only brought my uniform.”
She looked worried. She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it abruptly. She stared at her knees. They were very pretty knees, but I wanted her attention on me, damnit.
“Is something wrong with your uniform, Mishka?”
“They are all feeling very snug. I think they must have shrank in the wash?” She sounded worried. “I may have put on a little weight…”
I hid a smile. We were feeding her well but that wasn’t what had caused her uniforms to ‘shrink’. I had had her uniforms altered. They were getting closer and closer to a sexy costume caricature of what a maid would look like.
“You won’t be wearing them most of the time,” I said, trying not to think about her out of her uniform too closely. I crossed my legs as blood rushed to my shaft. I prayed she didn’t notice. She might be too innocent to realize what was happening anyway, I reasoned. “We’ll go shopping.”
“Shopping?”
“Yes, Mishka.”
“I thought this was a business trip.”
“I have time to take my charming companion shopping.”
She chewed her lip, looking uncertain.
“I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes.”
I stifled the urge to laugh. I had no doubt about that. She had looked like a delightfully gamine street urchin when I met her. I had seen her tremendous beauty despite her apparel and lack of makeup or feminine wiles. Somehow, she didn’t need it. But I was very curious to see her wearing expensive, well-made clothing. I had a feeling she was going to surprise the hell out of me.
I wasn’t quite sure I could take it.
“This is part of your duties. I need a suitable companion by my side. I will provide the clothing, of course.”
“Duties?”
“I will need someone to dine with, to accompany me to meetings, to make sure I have everything I need.”