“What are we going to do about that?” she murmured.
“Push each other to our limits,” he replied.
HALSTON
Halston loved holdingGabriel’s hand. She could only describe it as “feeling right”.
Whatever that means.
Even with generators powering the massive building, the spacious hotel lobby was bathed in shadows. The giant Christmas tree sat dark, the chandeliers too. The front desk was half-juiced, the hallways the same.
But it was eleven thirty on New Year’s Eve and the boutique hotel was packed with partygoers that spilled from the Bohemian lounge into the two-story lobby.
She made her way toward the elevator bank.
“The lounge is open,” he said.
“I have booze in my room.”
He directed her out of the flow of guests moving through the lobby. “I don’t want a drink.”
While peering into her eyes, he ran the back of his finger down her cheek. He looked sincere, but he was ten minutes from getting laid. Rather than overanalyze the situation… or him… she waited.
“Dance with me,” he murmured.
Always on the lookout, she glanced around.
“Why do we do that?” he murmured. “Who do we expect to see?”
“Anyone from the embassy,” she whispered.
“Would they even recognize you?”
She shrugged.
“I won’t put you at risk.”
Again, he looked sincere.
“I’ll dance with you,” she said.
Into the Bohemian lounge they went, with the purple sofas, orange chairs, and wall of vinyl records. He led her onto the crowded dance floor. The beat was fast, but he pulled her into his arms, held her snug against him. They were pressed together, no air between them. It was good, but not good enough.
She would wait. Though her heart beat wildly in her chest, she would savor this moment. With this man.
A violent criminal worth millions who argued with his brothers, was at war with the Russian mafia, and ran his empire like the alpha boss that he was. He was charismatic and confident. He was ruthless and fearless. Was he the person shehadn’tbeen searching for, but that destiny had placed in her path?
In this moment, this precious moment, he was hers.
Nothing more, nothing less. Not forever, not for all eternity. Just for now.
She fastened her arms around his neck, raked her fingers through his wavy hair and, when she peered into his eyes, she felt the weight of the world lift. Allowing herself to float on a fluffy white cloud, she got lost in his dark, mysterious eyes, now black as midnight.
“You smell good,” he whispered before kissing the top of her head.
She was afraid of getting close to him, terrified of caring.
She’d trained herself to accept the end of assignments and the relationships she’d built while working them. Those gigswere artificial, built on a pillar of lies. Nothing more than dust in the wind.
