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It could only be Oleg with an update on the situation with Dryga moving men from Russia to Miami, which was important. Definitely the most important thing. I turned and pulled Karine closer, letting my eyes drift shut and falling asleep with her breath tickling my neck.
Chapter 12 - Karine
Our honeymoon week was a romantic whirlwind once we got on the right foot with each other. Every day was a new adventure, no matter what we were doing, as long as we were together. And we stayed glued to each other’s sides.
Even though our house was fully furnished by a professional decorator, we both agreed it was a little bit impersonal and stuffy. There were things we both loved about the place and things we both agreed had to go, like the giant art deco painting above the white stone fireplace. We also got rid of a lot of the stainless steel sculptures that dotted the bookshelves and went out shopping at small antique stores for softer and more homey items to put up instead.
With every vase or picture frame or other knick-knack we found, we had to make up a story that went with it. For the early twentieth-century cut crystal inkwell I had to have for the desk in the library, I told Roman that it had belonged to a woman who started writing mystery novels after her husband left her for a much younger woman. He’d abandoned her with nothing and she scribbled her books by hand in her dark little boarding house room since she couldn’t afford a typewriter.
“But she could afford this crystal inkwell?” he asked, holding back his laughter.
“It was her grandmother’s,” I said. “The only thing her bastard husband didn’t take when he ran off with his young tart.”
“Fine, get it. That’s too much history to leave behind.”
His stories were just as good, and it was nice to find out he had a fun side. Besides shopping, we frolicked on the beach, took a windsurfing lesson, and crashed an anniversary party barbecue, rushing off with our paper plates full of ribs and sausages and corn on the cob before we got found out. We made brownies from scratch, smearing the batter all over each other and finding ourselves on the kitchen floor again, winded and sweaty.
I swore up and down I didn’t need anything when he pulled me into a swanky jewelry store on one of our days out, but he lavished me with an expensive present anyway.
“Nobody needs jewelry,” he said, putting the gold necklace with the diamond and sapphire pendant around my neck. “But admit you love it.”
I had to admit I did love it, and the color of the sparkling gemstone made me think of his eyes. When he wasn’t looking, I had the jeweler put a watch aside that Roman had admired. Now that he was about to return to work, I’d have time to have it engraved as soon as I could think of something special enough.
I might have actually been falling in love with my husband. At least well on the way. Since we got off on the wrong foot, I was beginning to believe it was never going to be possible, but I just might get my happy ending after all.
“Do you have to go?” I clung onto him in the foyer as he got ready to leave for work. “You said you’d take more time off.”
He kissed my forehead, then tugged on my hair until my head tipped back so he could plant a more thorough one on the mouth. “I’ve got to drum up some business now that I’m staying in Miami permanently.” He squeezed my bottom, pulling me close and sliding his tongue between my lips. “You’ll just have to wait until this evening. Hopefully, that will tide you over until then.”
I went weak in the knees like I always did when he held me so forcefully, but regretfully pulled away to let him go. I liked that he was independent and didn’t rely on my father for our livelihood.
He reached around and gave me a playful tap on the backside, a wicked grin on his face. “I’ll video chat you later, so wear something sexy.” He winked as he headed out the door. “Or nothing at all,” he called over his shoulder.
“I can’t wait,” I called back.
Once he was gone, loneliness overtook me, which I tried to brush off. After all, I liked that he had a job outside our organization, and even if he didn’t, he’d have to spend time away from me anyway. I wandered around, trying to find something to do to pass the time. I was used to acting as my father’s secretary, setting up his meetings and making sure things went smoothly, even accompanying him on many of them. Was that over now that I was married?
I thought I’d die of boredom if I had to be a housewife, with a staff of people so there wasn’t even any cleaning to do. Maybe one day when we had children…
My phone rang, interrupting my daydream.
“Karine, come have lunch with me,” my father boomed. “I’ll send a car.”
I agreed, glad to have something to do and thrilled I’d be able to give him a good report about my first week of married life when he inevitably asked me if I was happy. I definitely was. Happier than I’d ever dared to hope. Thinking back on when I used to worry and wonder who I’d end up with, I usually only hoped to be less than miserable.
However, as soon as I sat down and ordered at the beachside restaurant, instead of asking how things were going, Papa started grilling me.
“So, what have you two talked about?” he asked.
“I don’t know, this and that. We started decorating the house a little.”
He scowled. “Does he ever talk about his brother? Have you spoken to him at all? Seen him?”
I had to admit that Roman rarely brought up his twin, and I hadn’t had a phone conversation with him, let alone a video chat. Then Papa asked me if I knew anything about Roman’s childhood and upbringing.
“A little,” I said, confused. “He was raised by a single mom, went to school in Calif—”
“Yes, I know all that,” Papa interrupted. “Anything deeper?”
