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“Yes ma’am,” he saluted. Fuck, that was sexy too. The way his arm flexed when he saluted, I could just imagine him in a uniform ... I forgot what I was doing for a moment and almost ordered him to give me five.
He rattled around in the drawers and cupboards, gathering everything we needed.
“The suits ... well, I can’t decide which one to wear, so I brought the three tuxes I have over to let you pick,” he said. He filled our glasses with cold water from the fridge.
“Who on earth has three tuxes?” I asked, pausing from serving the casserole long enough to frown in his direction.
He shrugged. “I’ve had to do a few appearances. I liked one of the suits so I bought it; the other two were given to me. But I don’t know if the cuts go out of style or whatever.”
I grabbed our plates, leaving The Russian to follow with the cutlery and water glasses. I wondered if he was checking out my butt – I wouldn’t have missed the opportunity if the situation had been reversed. He followed me onto the balcony.
“This is great,” he said, again, taking in the view.
Oh yes, it sure is, I thought. As for the other view, it was of the district – high and airy with plenty of twinkling lights. A balmy breeze made the night just perfect. We sat at my large outdoor timber table, both on the same side, facing the view. I raised my water glass and clinked it against his.
“To wins for the Saints and Suns,” I said.
“To wins,” he agreed, tapping his glass. I tried the casserole first.
“Yep, you’re lucky I didn’t cook,” I said.
He smiled and tried some. “That housemate is a keeper,” he agreed.
“So what’s your place like? Got a housemate?” I asked. I was finding it really difficult to eat and breathe with The Russian less than a foot away from me. I could smell him; musty, masculine and manly.
“I live by myself ... I like to come home and not make small talk. It’s a big apartment, but I have a cleaner who comes in once a week and keeps the place in good condition. Besides, occasionally my sisters crash with me so I have spare rooms ready. Ana’s eighteen; she sometimes stays over when I’m at an away game ... gives her some privacy to see her friends, although I suspect there’s a boyfriend in the mix too,” he said, in a not-so-happy voice.
“How many siblings have you got?” I asked.
“Three younger sisters,” he said.
“Ah,” I said, with a nod.
He turned to look at me. “Ah ... what? What does that mean?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Sasha said you were one of the girls; now I know why ... you know how to talk to girls. I bet you were spoilt rotten being the only boy,” I said, feeling sorry for his sisters.
“Brooker, you can’t spoil a good thing,” he said. I rolled my eyes accordingly.
“Suits,” I said, bringing the conversation around. “I wouldn’t have a clue what’s in and what’s not, sorry.”
The Russian turned to look at me like I was an alien.
“Is there something you’re not telling me? You are a chick aren’t you?”
I grimaced at him again. “I have other interests besides fashion. It’s like art ... I know what I like, not necessarily what’s in.”
The Russian raised an eyebrow in my direction. “Let me get this straight – at the gym you managed to shower and be ready in ten minutes, now you’re telling me you don’t know a lot about fashion ... how do you feel about social media?”
“Take it or leave it,” I said, with a shrug. “I hate that I have so little control over what gets posted about me.”
He didn’t say anything for a minute and I reached for my water, sipped and then asked, “you prefer your female friends to be really girly and into shopping, make-up, and selfies?”
“No, definitely not. I’ve been there, had enough of that to last me a lifetime,” he said. “I was just shocked by your revelations ... I think I’ve met the female version of myself.”
I laughed. “At least our mothers can tell us apart.”
“Never said you weren’t an attractive, feminine woman,” he added, and I didn’t know where to go with that. He had touched a sore spot with me – my mother was always saying I was too independent, feministic, a tomboy and add my height to that, I’d never attract a man.
