Page 37 of Dimitri
Her brows shot up. "You discussed this..." She scissored a hand between them. "Us having sex with them?"
"Darling, be reasonable. Surely you did not expect her to think we were here playing bridge or watching old movies for an entire night?" His amused tone made her want to dump the rest of her stew over his head. "They're far from senile."
She shoved the tray into his stomach and caused him to wince. "What else did you tell her?"
Putting the tray on the table, he eyed her cautiously. "She wanted to know my intentions where you're concerned."
Her brow creased. "And what did you tell her?"
"That my intentions are noble."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Wine?" Turning, he picked up the glass and gave it to her.
"Dimitri."
"Hmm." He sipped, eyeing her over the rim. Clearing his throat, he lowered the glass. "I was hoping to wait a few more weeks... all right, another week before saying anything."
Tension had her gripping the slender stem of the glass and had her heart pounding. "For what?"
"To tell you how I feel."
"We're attracted to each other and we're having fun." She was desperately willing him to agree.
"Fun?" His tone was wryly amused. "You're a very intelligent woman, too smart actually to even think that." His levity faded as he continued to stare at her. "I think I knew it from the very first moment I laid eyes on you."
Lifting the glass to her lips, she gulped the wine and almost choked.
He took the glass from her and set them both aside. Taking her hands, he held on even when she started to pull away.
"Don't!"
His thick dark brows lifted.
"Don't what?"
"Don't say what I think you're going to say." She tried to tug her hands away, stopping when he held on tight. "We only just met and this is already insane. Yes, the sex is great and we're enjoying each other, leave it at that."
"And if I can't?" he asked her quietly.
She hesitated, searching his face for any sign that he was joking, but there was only sincerity in his gaze. The room seemed to close in around them, the intimacy suddenly sharper, almost overwhelming. She let out a shaky breath, realizing that this moment could change everything between them.
She tried again. "Look, I'm not interested in a relationship. Like I said before, the sex is great, and I have no problem continuing what we have."
"I'm not." The calmness and determined light in his eyes frightened her and made her want to run and hide. She had loved once before, and that did not include her beloved parents. She had tried with Michael and that had gone to hell. At that point, she had sworn never to put her heart out there again. She had struggled. First after her parents died and then when she lost Michael. She could not do it again. What's worse was the sinking feeling that with Dimitri, her emotions were so intense, she had a challenging time keeping them at bay. And she was trying to convince herself that it was attraction, plain and simple.
"I'm in love with you."
"No, you're not!" Her voice was sharp, eyes feverish. "Are you insane? We only just met."
His fingers gripped her, eyes steady. "I'm head over heels in love with you. Irrevocably. I've never said that to another person before. I lived my life flitting from one casual and meaningless relationship to the next and never thought I would ever fall in love. But here I am. Here we are and I know you feel it too."
"What I feel is good old-fashioned lust. Desire if you may." She was desperate to bring her point across. Her chest was hurting, temple pounding and she was trying valiantly to bring up a mental picture of Michael to remind her of the folly of getting her heart involved. But the image was fading away. Ever since she met Dimitri, she was having a challenging time thinking of Michael. "Soon, you'll be gone. We're not compatible. You live in Russia; I live here in the states. You're wealthy and entitled. You don't have to work for a living. I love my job..." She added fiercely. "This... I cannot do this. Why did you have to spoil things?" She wanted to cry and rail at him.
"You're afraid..."
"I'm not!" She snapped. "I want you to take it back." She was breathing too fast, her chest painful. "Take back what you said. I don't want to hear it. Take it back."
