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When another fast song comes on, she raises her hand in surrender. “I need a break.”
Thank god. I’m ready to collapse and still have quite a night planned for us. I need my strength. We both do. The crowd has cleared out, leaving only those diehard wedding partiers to close down the reception. Even my cousin and his new bride have left. “Perhaps another drink?”
“No,” she says with a wave, slurring. I’m sure I’m not speaking any clearer. “No more vodka.”
“Water, then?”
“Da,”she replies and then snorts. “I mean yes.” She laughs again. “I guess being around all this Russian has me speaking the language.”
“Would you like a private lesson?”
She loses her smile and blinks up at me. “Seriously? Like, um…back in that room?”
“In my room,” I clarify. Close enough. She doesn’t need to know my room happens to be the penthouse apartment in an entirely different building, one walking distance from the shores of Lake Michigan.
“Are you…”
“I’m asking you to accompany me back to my room. If you say yes, then what happens next is up to you.” My entire life is now completely up to Raina, and she has no idea of it. But I know. I will move heaven and earth to see her dance, to see her smile. To watch as her eyes lose that soft, hidden sadness that colors their depths once and for all.
Now it’s the color splashing her beautiful cheeks that holds my attention. “And then what?” she asks, slightly breathless.
“Tonight, we stay in each other’s arms. Tomorrow, we shall see.”
“I really shouldn’t.” Even as she protests, she’s already slipped her shoes on. “I mean, we barely know each other.”
“That was true—but it isn’t any longer. I know you better than any other man.” I look at her, and her eyes widen as she absolutely understands my meaning.
She drops her gaze and clears her throat. “Yes, that’s true.”
“So, shall we?” I offer my arm.
“Well…I definitely shouldn’t drive,” she says and accepts my arm. “We’ve been drinking.”
“And dancing. And having a great time.”
“We have, haven’t we?” Laughing, she shrugs. “And it’s just for tonight, right?”
“We shall see,” I repeat. I have no intention of it being for only tonight, but I will do nothing to set my swan princess to flight. Not this evening—not ever, if there’s anything good in this world. I can’t explain the powerful sense of knowing that’s swamped me since the moment she crashed into my world, but I believe in fate…and I more than believe in Raina.
“We shall see,” she echoes. “I like that.” We start to walk out, but she suddenly stops us. “How do you say that in Russian?”
“My uvidim.”
“Mooveedeeumm,”she attempts to recite.
I chuckle and kiss the top of her head. “Close enough.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it. Nothing is more important than the beautiful swan princess on my arm. It then buzzes repeatedly, signaling a call. Again, I ignore it and lead my date to the elevator.
“You sure about this?” she asks.
I cup her face and relay how sure I am in my kiss, not breaking our contact until the doors whoosh open. “Does that answer your question?”
“Ah…yes,” she sighs dreamily. Her head rests briefly against my chest, where if she listens very closely, she can’t miss my heart nearly exploding with joy. “That about sums it up.”
