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Considering how close they were, it wasn’t a stretch.
“No, it’s not,” Jenna agreed.
Nataliya nodded, like she’d made up her mind about something. “Do you remember what you told me when I thought Nikolai was too good to be true?”
“To tap that?” Jenna joked.
Nataliya’s laugh and the joy on her BFF’s face warmed Jenna’s heart.
“Something like that. You definitely said go for it.”
“But you knew Nikolai wanted to marry you.”
“What do you know about Dima?”
“He wants my body. A lot.”
Nataliya rolled her eyes. “Weallknow that. What doyouknow?”
“He’s ruthless, but he cares about my feelings. He’s arrogant, but he’s not impossible to reason with.”
“Sounds like Dima.”
“You two have been friends a long time.”
“We have, but Jenna, I’ve never been his lover.”
The light went on. “I know he’s vulnerable in ways he’ll never show. I know that his time in the military changed him. I know that protecting his family is paramount, but he considers me part of that family.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere.”
She knew that he wanted sex without barriers between them and had taken that step with her when he had not done so with any other lover, but that was too private to share, even with Nataliya.
“I know he doesn’t think any of the obstacles I see to us being together are insurmountable.” And that was why he hadn’t belabored them.
Because Dima had not seen any of her concerns as things that could not be addressed. Though how he thought to get past her aversion to being part of a royal family in actual fact, she did not know.
“I know he took time off to spend with me here, when he never takes time off.” She smiled at that knowledge.
“You’re going to have to negotiate yearly vacations, or you won’t get them,” Nataliya warned.
“Heisa workaholic. He’s a prince and he’s a billionaire, but that’s not all he is.”
“Isn’t it?” Nataliya goaded, maybe because she’d said something similar a time or two about her own husband to Jenna.
“No. He’s funny and educated, and he is always learning new things. He can be harsh, but he can be really compassionate too. He loves his nieces and nephews.”
“So do you.”
“I do.” How Jenna had even entertained for a minute, much less a couple of days, the idea that she could cut ties with this family, she did not know.
They were as much Jenna’s people as Luke, Lisa and her family and their parents.
“I love you, Nataliya.”
“I love you too, friend. You’re my sister in all the ways that matter. I won’t lie and say making that official wouldn’t thrill me to bits.”
“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Jenna warned. “I haven’t said anything about marriage.” But she was thinking it.
