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I jerk away from him and try to give him a disgruntled look. “What if the waitress heard you?”
He shrugs. “She won’t be back until I call for her. I didn’t rent the entire section to be bothered by waitstaff.”
“Why did you rent the whole section, Luka? Having people around wouldn’t be a horrible thing.” And maybe he’d stop trying to make my cheeks burn off my face.
It’s a big maybe, though.
“Because.” He takes another sip. “I wanted to.”
Another non-answer.
I sigh and look down at the square. Crowds move together through the streets, being herded from one bar to another.
“You’re not like them, Avery.” He leans over me to see what I see.
I glance over my shoulder at him. The sparkling lights of the city bounce in his dark eyes. “I’m not different, Luka. I’m just like them. You could have picked any one of those women down there last weekend, and they’d be sitting here instead of me.” The words fall out before I can sift through them and contain them. It’s true, I can’t deny it, but I didn’t want to give them life. Not yet, and not to him.
He grasps my chin in his hand and turns me back to him. “You think I haven’t fucked my way through this city?” The question comes out gravelly, surly. Like he’s mad he even needs to address his past.
“I’m sure you have. That’s my point. I’m just this week’s flavor.” Fuck, saying it makes my chest ache. Why am I even thinking like this? I’m sitting with an amazingly hot man, in one of the most exclusive rooftop bars in the city. This is not the time to nosedive into a future that can never be. Luka and I have an expiration date. When he goes back to Russia, he’ll forget all about the college girl he played with on his trip to New York… and I’ll have to forget about him, too.
“I don’t like the way you’re talking. You’ll stop it now.” He lets go of my chin and grabs my drink, thrusting it at me. “Drink this. Then eat more.” His accent thickens when he’s frustrated.
“When are you going home?” I ask after dutifully taking a sip of my drink. Maybe if I knew our end date, I could prepare myself better for the fall out.
“I don’t know.” His jaw clenches and his eyes dart away from me. “I haven’t decided.”
So, it’s his decision to stay or to leave. How much longer will it take for him to get bored with me so he can head back to his country?
I take a long drink, accepting the cheese he hands me. His nostrils flare slightly as he exhales hard before turning his dark stare back on me.
“No more talk of me leaving.” He leans into the lounge sofa. “Tell me about this new job.”
I shouldn’t fall into this trap. It’s so blatant, his distraction, but I don’t want to fight him tonight.
“It’s not that big of a deal, really. I’ll be the one scanning books and collecting late fees.” I put my glass down. It’s too delicious. If I keep this up, I’ll down the whole thing in one more large gulp.
“Better than you were doing before?” he questions, his eyes focused on me. He’s not making small talk. He’s actually listening.
“I’ll have more responsibilities. Odd things here and there to do for the librarians. It’s more money and more hours, so that’s better.” I nod. “I called Mr. Banks, the owner of the grocery store, and tried to give him notice. He said I can work for him any hours I want, so I’ll be able to pick up a few shifts on the weekends at the grocery store, too. Which is great.” I fold a piece of sliced salted meat into my mouth. We might need to order another one of these things.
“Another job?” He scowls. “I don’t like that.”
“My bank account will.” I grin. “It’s not bad. Working for Mr. Banks is easy. I stock a little and work the register a little. It’s not a bad job. It doesn’t pay great, but every little bit helps.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but his expression actually darkens.
“Luka. I work. It’s not like I stand on the street corner selling my body.” I lay my hand on his knee. “Although, that might actually make it possible to stop working at the bar then.”
It’s a joke, but he doesn’t even crack a smile.
“You shouldn’t have to work like this,” he says. “Let me pay for school.”
Immediately I shake my head. “No. Absolutely not. I won’t let you, and if you try, I’ll never speak to you again.”
He huffs. “I don’t think that will be possible.”
“Why?”
