Page 39 of Deceptive Vows
He pressed his lips to my cheek. “Each minute without you feels endless.” His breath caressed my skin, and it took everything in me not to physically respond and lean into him.
His mouth hovered next to my ear. “You look beautiful today.”
“You told me this morning.” I also knew I looked exhausted.
“Itneeded repeating.”
I palmed his chest, forcing back a smile. “I’m sure I look exhausted.” At least I’d changed clothes and fixed my makeup.
He gave a slight shake of his head. “Nyet. Always a vision of poise and grace.”
This was a ruse. I knew that was a fact with every fiber of my being… but more and more, I questioned the line we’d drawn. There was such confidence in his voice. Every word seemed to be infused with longing and desire. “Nazar…”
Leaning back, his eyes locked with mine. “How about we go home?”
The whispered sentence made me shiver.
“Um…” Claire’s voice broke through the bubble he’d instantly created. “I guess we’ll let you spend time with your fiancé.”
When I turned, I found her grinning like she’d won a trophy. Anna as well. The traitors.
Anna eyed Claire and rolled her lips in. “Since you’ve got your hands full dealing with the house, we’ll set up the appointments with the vendors. If that would be helpful.”
It sounded sweet enough, but I knew better. They were both meddling little rats. Worse, they actuallybelievedthis engagement was real, thought they’d witnessed something romanticand meaningful, not a carefully orchestrated farce.
“That would be wonderful.” Never. Never would I allow myself to lose a bet with Claire. “I appreciate that.”
Anna smiled. “You bet. Anything to make things easier on you. That way you can gohomeand relax.”
“Yes, how sweet.” I returned the grin and tilted my head. “We should visit Lake Michigan and have a picnic sometime. You know… I do have a… spot.”
Anna ducked her head, but I knew she was struggling not to laugh.
“Oh, that would be so wonderful. We should make it a double date,” Claire said. “Or a triple date. Right, Anna?”
My sisters were making me stabby.
I felt the tiny rumble in Nazar’s chest. Fine, it was amusing. But I still wanted to toss their bodies into the lake.
“Yes, delightful,” I said through my teeth.
Claire bounced on her toes. “Okay, I guess we’ll talk to you later.” She wiggled her fingers in a wave. “Have fun, you two.”
Not five steps away, they begancackling. Yes. Lake Michigan was getting two more permanent residents. I went to pull away, but Nazar held me still.
“I like them.”
“I’d love… to kill them.” I kept my eyes on them as I said it, watching as they disappeared into the crowd of holiday shoppers bustling along the street.
Taking my chin, Nazar forced me to look at him. “Mytyomnyy angel, let’s go home.” He kissed my cheek. “We’ll plot their demise over dinner.” A glint of humor and mischief danced in his eyes.
I still wondered what that Russian phrase meant—dark angel, maybe? I should have already looked it up, but I hadn’t.
For now, I chuckled. “With gruesome detail?”
“It’ll be a horror movie.”
“When you put it like that… take me home.”
