Page 14 of Love to Defy You
He folds his arms and leans against our booth. “Good evening, ladies.” He has a light German accent mixed with something else I can’t pick up.
“Oh, hello, Enzo,” Josie says. “Are you out with Birgitta?”
“No, I’m just having drinks with the guys.” He turns his dark eyes onto me. “Who’s your lovely friend?”
“This is Willow. Willow, meet Enzo.” She gestures between us. “He’s in third year with Mikhail and me.”
I hiccup. “Nice to meet you.”
He scans the empty glasses piling up on the table. “Did you two drink all of these by yourselves?”
“No, we had some help,” Josie says with a shimmering laugh.
He flags down a server. “Another round for my friends.” Then he slides into the booth beside me. “Is that an American accent I detect?”
“It is,” I answer.
Holy cow, he smells good. His cologne isn’t too strong, but it has an aquatic quality to it that reminds me of my tranquil days spent by the Mediterranean Sea.
“First time to Zurich?” he asks me.
“First time to Switzerland. First night here, actually.”
Enzo runs his hand over his clean-shaven jawline, scrutinizing me with an intense gaze. “Fondue on your first night. Excellent choice. Mikhail’s suggestion, I imagine?”
Josie nods from across the table. “You know how he is. Once Mick finds something he likes, he’s obsessed.”
“Very true.” He reaches for one of the skewers and stabs a pickle. “Have you tried the gherkins yet?”
“The what?” I ask.
“Oh, you must. It’s a Swiss staple.” He dips the skewer into the fondue pot and stirs the cheese at the bottom. When he removes it, he brings it to my lips. “Try it. It’s delicious.”
Even though I already tried the pickles, my mouth falls open automatically, and he sticks the food inside. When his dark eyes meet mine, I wrap my lips around the pickle and hold his gaze. His pupils dilate as he licks his lips and inches closer, drawn to me like a magnet.
“Get your filthy hands off her.”
All three of us startle to find Alek standing at the end of the table, his piercing blue eyes narrowed into slits. His voice cuts through the air like a knife, sending a chill down my spine.
Enzo sets the skewer down and stands up, smoothing his sweater before holding out his hand. “I apologize for the intrusion. My name is Enzo. And you are...?”
“Willow’s boyfriend. Now get lost before I cut your hand off for bringing it near her mouth.”
At that moment, Mikhail appears and steps between the two, putting his hand on each of their shoulders to defuse the tension. “What’s going on here?”
Enzo drops his offered hand at his side. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding—“
“There’s no misunderstanding,” Alek cuts him off. “Get out of my sight, and if I ever see you near my girlfriend again, I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you do in your miserable, pathetic life.”
Mikhail lets out a nervous laugh. “Alek, let me introduce you to Enzo. He is, ah, well-acquainted with the Prince of Lichtenstein. Enzo, this is Aleksandr Kurochkin.”
Enzo quirks an eyebrow. “Of the Andarusian Kurochkins, yes?”
Mikhail nods. “Yep.”
“Well, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Aleksandr.” Enzo steps out of Mikhail’s hold and smooths his sweater once again. “I apologize for the misunderstanding. Please, allow me to cover your bill tonight to make amends.”
“We can pay for our own meal,” Alek snaps.
