I’d let my guard down.
And it always ended ugly.
“Vanya,” I murmured, trying to find my courage to say something—anything—that would distract me from wanting to climb over the leather lump separating us and kissing him breathless.
“You okay?”
Fuck him for checking in.
“Fine.”
He said nothing. It was probably his version of calling me out on the lie. But after a few moments, his fingers traveled from my palm, up my arm, grazing over the bend in my elbow, then back down again.
Over and over, he touched me. Over and over, his fingers moved higher until he was eventually stroking over my pulse and just below my ear. I let out a shuddering breath and turned my face toward him.
“Vanya,” I said again. I didn’t know why I kept invoking his name. It felt like a prayer. I swallowed heavily. “Thank you for tonight.”
“For rescue?”
I bit back a grin and nodded. It wasn’t just for the rescue, but that was easier than the truth. And safer. His fingers ghosted over my jawline, pulling back and forth, back and forth like the tide on the shore.
“You like rescuing people?”
“No. Because it mean someone get hurt. I don’tlike that. I can be bad guy, you know? Not on purpose. When I have to be. Is not my favorite thing.”
I leaned into his touch. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to help it at this point. I hadn’t felt this good in…god, so long. The last time was…maybe the train? When Hugo and I were on our way to Montreal.
Except with Hugo, I didn’t want to crawl into his lap and kiss him and fuck him until I forgot my own name.
What the fuck was this man doing to me?
“Do you want to tell me who that guy was?” Vanya asked very slowly, like he was taking care with his words.
“No.”
“Okay.”
“Just like that?” I asked. “Okay?”
“You don’t want to tell, is okay. The only thing that matter to me is you’re safe. And right now, you’re with me.”
“You think that makes me safe?” My voice came out a strained whisper.
His thumb grazed a line just under my lower lip before it was gone, and I only didn’t protest because the car slowed and began a turn, and I knew then we were at the hotel.
“I think is up to you, pretty goalie.”
There the fuck he went again with that name. Goalie, yes. But pretty?
The SUV rolled to a stop, and Vanya turned theengine off, but neither one of us moved. I wasn’t brave enough. I didn’t want this to be over.
“I need to say something,” Vanya murmured in the quiet space between us.
I was still facing him, but I twisted my body a bit more in his direction. It took every ounce of willpower not to reach for him. “Okay.”
“I like you.”
I scoffed. “Really?”
