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7
After creeping out of Cat’s bedroom, I worked out to burn off the extra energy I was storing from having a hard dick after sleeping next to her luscious body. I showered, grabbed food from the buffet laid out in the dining room, and sought cover in the library to brood in peace. The bright morning sun streamed through the open French doors leading out into the garden, lighting the dark leather furniture and shelves of books that lined one wall.
Waking up in Cat’s bed, with her sexy little body beside me was something else. Her arousal didn’t escape my notice when she crossed her arms over her chest to hide her peaked nipples. Her deep brown eyes were heavy-lidded with lust, her pouty lips red from gnawing them. The potent desire between us was a palpable thing. Still, I was impressed that she didn’t jump out of bed screaming when she woke up beside me.
Then again, I shouldn’t have been surprised. The girl had a spine of steel. I suppose one had no choice, growing up in her family. When she’d told me that her father had been so sloppy as to murder some fucker in her presence, I almost blew a gasket. Violence was endemic in our society, but there was a time and place for torture and death. Which meant that he’d brought one of his quarries home. What kind of father was so careless? My blood started pounding hard just thinking about it.
I’d never reacted to a woman like I did to Cat, even when I was young and the desire to fuck rode me hard. But this one…this one was special. That undeniable fact made her dangerous. Ravenous didn’t begin to describe how I felt. I wanted to gorge myself on her. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, which was why I was hiding out in the library, avoiding her at all costs.
While I was eating, Alex strolled into the library with a chessboard under his arm. He sat down, propped his smartphone up against a green-shaded lamp on the huge desk, turned it on to Twitch, and moved the pieces as he followed along with an online game. He was the perfectionist in the family, constantly working on his moves. I watched for a while, and then we started a game together. Later, Nicu strolled in and took a seat nearby, poking at his cell phone while throwing a glance at our game every once in a while.
That was how Mama found us.
“I have two things I’d like to discuss with you, Alex,” she began as she took a seat on the oxblood leather couch closest to him, taking my attention away from my wayward thoughts of Cat.
Carefully placing the knight down on the board, he turned to her and said, “What’s up?”
“I think we need to have Tasa’s wedding first,” she began. Her reunion with Tasa had been dramatic, to say the least, but they had made up. “With the baby coming, it would be wrong for Nicu to be married first. You’ll have to make Nelu understand.”
Alex’s brows gathered. “How long do you intend for the Popescus to wait?”
“It’s only fair that it will take three months, like for Nicu’s wedding. Tasa would like to have her marriage at the Orthodox church in Manhattan. Afterward, it will take months to prepare a wedding that will make the right statement for Nicu.”
“Fair enough,” he replied with a nod. “I’ll speak to Nelu. It won’t be easy, especially since he will not want to concede for Tasa’s sake.”
“I think I have something that could make it go down easier,” replied my mother.
“Which is?” Alex prodded.
“I was talking to Cat and her mother yesterday…and she mentioned that she’d like to take summer classes at Barnard College. You know, the women’s college on the Upper West Side? I have to say that it speaks well of her that she wants to continue educating herself. Apparently, she went to a prestigious prep school and took her studies seriously. Perhaps you can use that as leverage. Make it seem like a concession. Insist that it is a point of honor for us to take care of her protection since she’s Nicu’s fiancée.” She gave a little shrug. “Just an idea. I haven’t really thought it through.”
Alex placed his elbows on the end of the desk, steepling his fingers together as he reflected on her suggestion.
“Hmm, I could work with that. What kind of classes will she be taking?” he asked.
“Something about Anthropology and Feminism.”
Nicu rolled his eyes. “Feminism?”
My eyebrows lifted. Huh, I didn’t know much about this girl, but I was intrigued. She was smart and into academics. Alex and I took to our studies like fish to water, whereas Nicu struggled to finish his B.A.
“Maybe she wants to major in Gender Studies,” I taunted.
“Oh, please,” he grumbled, returning to his phone.
Mama gave Nicu a withering look, and emphasized, “Like I said, it speaks well of her. She’s obviously invested and isn’t wasting her summer going to parties or clubs. She seems like a serious girl. She’ll be good for you, Nicu. Get you to settle down.”
Nicu snorted.
Mama narrowed her eyes on me and jabbed a finger at me. “And you. You’d do well to find yourself such a fine girl. Popescu or not, she’s a woman of quality. Not only is she sweet-natured, but she’s clearly lively and intelligent.”
Yeah, that wasn’t the only thing about her that was lively. Her nipples poking out of the silk nightie she was wearing were pretty damn lively as well. Given half a chance, I’d live between her tits.
“Don’t worry about me. You have your hands full trying to convince Nicu that she can rise above her status as a Popescu,” I retorted. “I’d be willing to give her a chance, but he hates them with a passion and doesn’t see anything beyond her last name.”
“I’m a little worried about that, Nicu. You make no effort whatsoever to get to know her. Any time I try to bring you two together, you go out of your way to snub her.” Her eyebrows knitted in worry. “She’s noticed, and I see her retreating into her shell around you.”
“Don’t push him, Mama,” Alex advised. “That’s not going to help the situation. They have to find their own way to live together. If you start butting in now, it will only take them longer to find their footing in the marriage.”
