Page 78 of Daniil
“Of course.”He nods, the weird look in his eyes gone like it was never there.“That’s a lot of work.”
“I remember.”I turn to Courtney.“Ready to go?”
“Yup.”She’s pulled on her bathing suit and has the towel wrapped around her middle as well.
“Have a good night, you two!”Jesper calls after us as we head toward the exit.
“What was that all about?”she asks once we’re in the elevator.
“I don’t know—but I’m going to find out.”
Chapter32
Courtney
Daniil has never beengrumpy or distracted when we’ve been together, so I’m not sure what’s going on with him when I wake up alone in his bed.He’s still here, I can hear him on the phone in the other room, speaking quietly, but there’s no mistaking the annoyance in his voice.
“…no, it wasn’t blatant like that… not that I know of.”He goes quiet.“She’s asleep… I don’t want to worry her.It’s still too new… No, I’m going to talk to him…”
I slide out of bed and make my way into the bathroom.
We made love after we got back to his suite last night.Then we showered and fell asleep in each other’s arms.He was warm and attentive, only briefly mentioning his irritation with the way Jesper spoke to us while we were fooling around, but I’m not sure what he saw that I didn’t.Apparently, they don’t comment when they watch each other have sex—and Jesper seemed to be going out of his way to do just that.
Obviously, I barely know Jesper, but my woman’s intuition tells me he’s jealous.It makes sense even though he’s in a new relationship now.I’m sure, no matter how long it’s been or that they’ve both moved on, there is some lingering jealousy since my understanding is that Jesper didn’t want the divorce.Technically, this is none of my business.They are fully and legally divorced and I’d bet my last dollar Daniil doesn’t have any feelings for him.
At the same time, they live and work together.If Daniil and I are going to be together—and I’m still not sure where we’re going with our relationship—that would mean Jesper is going to be part of my life too.
“Did I wake you?”Daniil disconnects as soon as I walk into the room.
“No.And why did you hang up?I heard what you were talking about—is this thing with Jesper a secret?”
He holds out a hand to me.“I wasn’t hiding anything, merely didn’t want to wake you.”
“What’s the deal?”I ask bluntly, even as I allow him to pull me into his lap.
“I truly don’t know, but I’m going to talk to him today.”
“You know he’s probably jealous, right?”
He looks startled.“Why would he be jealous?We’ve been divorced a long time… and he’s with Joe now.Not only that, we talked about this when we made the decision to live at the palace and he was fine.And not to be insensitive, but I’ve been with… a lot of people since the divorce.Many of whom he’s watched me fuck.Why would it be different with you?”
“Were you serious about any of them?”
He hesitates.“No.”
“That’sthe difference.”
“You really think so?”He looks so mystified I almost want to laugh.
I reach up and gently caress his cheek.“As long as it was just sex, he was okay.But now that it’s something more, I think the divorce is hitting him all over again.Weren’t you guys in the middle of the revolution when that happened?The fight to get Erik back in power?There was a lot going on.Maybe he never truly processed the end of not just the marriage but the relationship itself.”
He seems pensive.“I have to talk to him.”
“That’s up to you.All I’m saying is, he’s used to seeing you love ’em and leave ’em.Now he’s seeing something different, and it might be triggering for him.”
His voice drops, eyes never leaving my face.“Doyousee something different?In me?Being with me the last weeks, I mean.”
“Of course I do.I wouldn’t be here otherwise.You’ve been trying really hard to convince me that this thing between us is real.That we might have a future.”
