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“And drool on our furniture and tear up our leather shoes and knock Milaya over when she learns to walk,” I finish, counting off my reasons one by one.
“We’ll make sure it is friendly and good with kids,” Eve says.
“That only solves one of the three issues I brought up.”
She turns, stretches up on her toes, and kisses me with her entire body.
Her chest arches into me, her hips circle against mine, and she drags her fingernails through my hair and down my neck, sending shivers down my spine. When she pulls away, she smiles up at me.
“How about that?” she asks. “Did that solve your other two issues?”
In a daze, I nod. “I can buy new shoes and furniture.”
She laughs, and I kiss her again, picking her up for a second until she kicks in protest. “You shouldn’t be picking me up on your bad leg. It is never going to heal if you keep that up. Put me down, mister.”
I slap her butt as she walks back to the stove. “Worth it.”
Eve carries out a board of steaks in a row, and I grab Milaya. The doctor told me I couldn’t carry anything heavier than our daughter for a few days, so I have to leave the heavy lifting to Eve.
In the dining room, Eve is swatting Grigory’s hand, telling him to keep away from the steak until everyone has been served. And the women from the auction, plus Kari, are grouped together at the far end of the table, looking nervous but happy.
“Let me get the sauce and potatoes before these men go rabid,” Eve teases.
As she passes me to go back into the kitchen, I see her luminous smile. The one she saves for when she is truly happy.
It is the same smile she wore the day she got the phone call from Kari.
After sending the women away from the inn, Eve kicked herself for not finding a way to contact them. She gave Kari her number, but she couldn’t reach out to any of them or find out where they were. She insisted she was fine, but I could tell she worried.
When Kari called last night, Eve almost cried with relief. She invited all of the women over for dinner, as well as Grigory, Vito, and a few of the other Bratva members who helped with the escape.
“Everything looks delicious,” Maddie says, wafting some of the steam from the steak in her direction.
Vito is sitting next to her, staring at Maddie like I’ve never seen him stare at anyone. “It does,” he agrees, though I’m not certain he is talking about the steak.
Eve tells everyone I helped her cook the meal even though it isn’t remotely true. Unless standing around and lusting after her while she cooked counts as helping, in which case, I was essential to the operation.
“I’m surprised you are cooking, let alone standing up,” Grigory says. “How is your leg?”
“Thanks to Kari, it’s great,” I say. When I turn to her, she is blushing a deep shade of red that makes her blonde hair look even paler. “Have you thought about my offer?”
If possible, her face goes even redder. “I have.”
“What offer?” Grigory asks.
“I thought we could use an emergency surgeon. Someone who will work for us and keep us all out of the emergency room.”
“That would be a great idea,” Vito says. “Maybe Maddie could help her.”
Maddie frowns. “I don’t know anything about surgery.”
Vito shrugs, looking disappointed.
“Well?” I ask, turning back to Kari. “What do you say?”
Eve leans forward, biting her lower lip. “It would be nice to have another woman around.”
Kari smiles warmly at Eve and then turns back to me, looking less certain. “I need more time to think about it. I’m not sure yet.”
