I tighten my hand around the bedroom door handle, glancing once toward the hallway before looking back at him. “You said she wakes up early.”
“She does.”
He steps further into the room, the white towel hanging unreasonably low on his hips. My heart is pounding. I drag my eyes back to his face.
“And I don’t want her seein’ me sneakin’ out of your bedroom.”
A small smirk appears on his lips as he comes closer, which somehow makes it worse. “You keep using that word.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” I press my free hand against my forehead before pointing at him. “You cannot stand there lookin’ like that and act confused about what I mean.”
His expression eases into quiet amusement, and I hate how attractive that is. Actually, no. I hate that I like being the reason for it.
I glance toward the door again, tightening my grip on the handle before I do anything foolish, like walk back toward him instead of out of this room. “This whole situation feels like one of those movies where the woman climbs out the window before the kids wake up.”
One corner of his mouth lifts higher. “You think I would put you out a window?”
A laugh slips out of me before I can stop it. “No, but I think you’d probably hold the ladder for me.”
His smile deepens just enough to make my heart race.
“I’ll have Viktor drive you home,” he says.
Relief rushes through me so fast my shoulders loosen for the first time in the last five minutes. “Thank you.”
“But only on one condition.”
There it is.My stomach drops as he steps closer again. This is the part where he says last night can’t happen again. Or that Ivy can’t get attached. Or that I was a mistake.
I straighten slowly, trying not to let any disappointment show on my face, even though my chest already aches.
“Okay,” I say carefully.
His eyes roam over me slowly, making a tingling sensation zip down my spine.
“Take the dress off.”
I blink once. “What?”
His eyes hold mine. “You heard me.”
The breath leaves my lungs all at once. My entire body lights up with nervous heat.
“That,” I manage weakly, “was not the condition I expected.”
“You say that like you object to it.”
I should probably say no. I shouldabsolutelysay no. Instead, my fingers tighten around my purse strap while my heart beats itself into chaos. I wet my lips once, buying myself half a second that doesn’t help nearly enough.
“That depends. Are you always this bossy, or am I gettin’ special treatment?”
Alexei reaches for the bag and gently slides it from my grasp before setting it on the nearby chair. Then his hand comes to my waist, holding me there like he already knows I’m staying.
“You’re thinking too much again,” he murmurs.
“I’m from Savannah. Thinking dramatically is part of the culture.”
His thumb brushes lightly against my side. “And running away?”
