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He waves his hand dismissively. “I won’t bore you with the details, but a few of the other captains see the value in pursuing another route for peace. I’ve persuaded enough of them to override Sergei.”
I leap out of my chair and throw my arms around his neck. “Oh, Bash, that’s wonderful. Thank you,” I say, pelting his face with kisses. “I can imagine how difficult it must have been, I can’t believe you risked all that for me.”
He gently takes me by the shoulders and stares intently at me with those entrancing eyes. “Mads, you have no idea the lengths I’d go to hold onto you. You’re my world now.” The chilling frisson of excitement and fear courses through me. I want Bash to love me this passionately, but fear what it could mean.
I find myself leaning in to kiss his lips. “And you are mine,” I whisper.
He grins, “Sit down and eat, you’ll need your strength.”
His voice sends a quivering spark right between my thighs. “You know I do have to go to work tonight?” I say as I move back to my chair. “Oh, by the way, Lisa asked me if I could switch shifts with her Wednesday. It will be a double for me, but I’d have Friday and Saturday off.”
His lips curls into a half mocking snarl. “You know I don’t like sleeping without you in my bed.”
Every time he says that a warm, intoxicating feeling swirls in my belly. “And you know how much I love being in your bed. But it’s her birthday and it will give us two days together.”
He sits back in his chair considering the options. “I don’t like this Lisa making a habit of this.”
“I know but she’s this shy little mousy thing and she finally has a boyfriend who makes her light up. He wants to take her somewhere nice for her birthday.”
“Her social life is of no concern to me, I only care that it keeps you from me.”
“I’ll let her know this is the last time, Bash. Let the girl have this. I’m so happy with you, I’d like her to feel at least a smidgeon of what I feel when I’m with you.”
His expression lightens. He liked that. “This is the last time, yes?”
“Yes, no more switching shifts,” I smile and take a sip of my iced tea. “Hey, you know the odd thing is Lisa’s also started seeing a Russian guy. His name is…” I think a moment. “Kristoff. Dark brown hair, medium build. Works on a local construction site. Do you know him?”
He takes his time chewing before he answers. “We have so many workers on the various sites, is quite possible that he works for me. Do you know how they met?”
“I believe he was injured on the site, came in to have his hand stitched up a couple of months ago.” I chuckle. “I just thought the timing was weird.”
“Not so much, I bet if you check your records, several of the guys have come in for various injuries, but you never took note of them before because you weren’t dating me then.”
I consider it a moment. We do get several foreign-speaking patients in the emergency room, it’s quite possible some were of Russian origin. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.”
“Either way, if he’s making this Lisa happy, I think it says a lot for my countrymen.”
I nod. “True. I know my Russian keeps me blushin’.”
He shakes his head at my corny joke. “Wait until I take you on a trip to Moscow. You’ll fall in love with the place.”
“Seeing it with you, I’m sure I will.” The wistful tone in his voice gives me pause. “Do you miss your home?”
“You are my home, Mads.”
My heart melts into warm pools at the sentiment. “How is it that in such a short time we’ve become so close? I feel like I’ve known you forever, like this was always meant to happen.”
He shrugs. “When it’s right, you don’t need months or years to figure it out.” He pats his flat belly. “You feel it here.” He then places his hand on his heart, “and here. What more do you need?”
“You’re preaching to the choir, babe. But just try explaining that too the cops.”
His warm expression falls to the floor. “The cops? Have they tried to reach you again?”
“They showed up at the hospital,” I frown as it dawns on me. “They must be tailing me because how would they know to find me there today?”
His brows knit together in consternation. “What did you say to them?”
“Nothing. They tried to rattle me by announcing that you have a fiancée. I think they were hoping I’d be so angry I’d tell them everything.” I shake my head. “Thank God I found out yesterday or it really would’ve thrown me for a loop.”
