“It’s my greatest gift,” he smirks.
I blow out a breath. “It was nice.”
Jules squints at me. “Nice how?”
I lean back in my chair. “First of all, Ivy named the puppy, Winston.”
Jules presses a hand to his chest. “An icon already.”
I smile despite myself. “Then she spent half of dinner insisting Winston is basically a guard dog now.”
“He weighs less than my handbag.”
“Exactly.” I point at him. “That’s what Alexei said. He looked right at her and said, ‘He’s six pounds.’”
Jules snorts.
“And Ivy informed him size means nothing when you have instincts.”
“That child is my favorite Agapov.”
Mine too.
The thought arrives so fast it nearly startles me. I glance down before Jules can read my entire soul off my face.
Too late.
“There it is again,” he murmurs.
I rub a hand over my forehead. “Stop lookin’ at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re two seconds away from stagin’ an intervention.”
“I’m considerin’ it.”
I let out a small laugh. “It felt…” I pause, looking for the word. “Easy.”
Jules grows quieter. “That surprises you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” he asks.
I shrug lightly. “Because it shouldn’t feel easy sittin’ with a man who looks like he could order a hit between courses.”
Jules presses his lips together like he’s trying not to laugh. “But it was.”
I nod. My mind goes back to Ivy giggling over dessert and Alexei watching us with that look that makes my stomach flutter.
“He paid attention,” I say quietly.
Jules studies me over his iced coffee. “To you?”
I nod again. “To everything. He listens. Like every little thing matters.”
Jules leans back slowly, crossing his legs. “Well, that’s unfortunate.”
