I'd never been the kind of girl who enjoyed holding hands but there was something comforting in the way Yuri clasped mine now. Was this what Erin and Benny craved so much about their big, sexy Russians? Though Yuri wasn't quite as tall or muscular as Ivan or Dimitri, he still towered over me. His dominating presence made me feel…secure.
Standing here with Yuri, our hands entwined, I felt as though I could let my guard down a little. His hawkish gaze moved around the crowd, constantly assessing for trouble. Normally, I was the one doing that. Growing up in one of Houston's hardest neighborhoods, I'd been baptized by fire, so to speak.
Though I doubted he'd eaten street food in years, he surprised me by just rolling with it when it was our turn to order. We picked out a few tasty things from the menu and slid down the line. Yuri found a cozy spot at one of the picnic tables. Sitting across from one another, we tucked into our late night dinner.
"This is very good."
I laughed at how shocked he sounded. "Did you think I would bring you to a total dive?"
"No! Of course not," he quickly replied. "I didn't mean—"
Waving my plastic fork, I smiled and assured him, "I know what you meant. I was just teasing."
Yuri tipped his head to the side as if studying me. "I can't always tell with you. Other people are so easy to read but you…" He shook his head. "You remind me very much of Nikolai. Even after all these years of being friends, I still struggle with reading him."
I reached for my cup of iced tea. "Vivian says the same thing to me all the time."
"Since she knows you both so well, I'll have to ask her for pointers." He picked up one of the tiny egg rolls. "I haven't had a chance to see Benny or Dimitri in almost a week. How is the future Mrs. Stepanov?"
"Wouldn't that be Stepanova?"
He laughed. "Well, not here in this country but back home? Yes. I've learned to conform but I'm surprised you knew that. Are they making you learn Russian now?"
"Vivian makes Benny and Erin talk in Russian whenever they're all together. I'm basically being forced to learn so I can contribute to our conversations."
"Is it such a hardship to expand your horizons?"
I heard the teasing in his voice. "No, I suppose not."
"How is Benny's bakery coming along?"
"She opens on Monday. The place looks fantastic. You won't recognize it."
"And your PR for the launch?"
"I've been able to line up a ton of press for her. Don't get me wrong. The fire was terrible. What Jonah Krause did to threaten her was just awful—but it's been damn good for business."
Yuri didn't seem very scandalized. If anything, he seemed to understand perfectly. "People like a good underdog story."
"Yes!" I practically squealed with delight that he got it. He laughed at my enthusiasm. "Sorry." I felt a bit sheepish. "It's just that I've been saying the same thing to Benny for weeks. People want her to succeed. They want her to thrive. I keep telling her that she's like a phoenix. She's rising from the ashes."
Yuri got the funniest look on his face. He laughed hard. "That's too funny."
Confused by his reaction, I asked, "What is?"
He motioned toward his back with his fork. "Dimitri has a phoenix tattoo on his back."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Huh." I sipped my tea. "He doesn't have any tattoos on his hands or forearms like Ivan and Nikolai. I assumed he didn't have any ink anywhere." I gazed at Yuri and wondered what he had going on under his shirt. "Do you have any tattoos?"
He held my questioning gaze. With a mischievous smile, he said, "You'll have to get me naked and see for yourself."
Rolling my eyes, I giggled softly. "I walked right into that one."
"Have I embarrassed you?" His playful tone made me smile.
"Me? Hardly. Had you said that to Vivi? She would have crawled under the table."
"If I'd said that to Vivian, I would be ducking under the table to escape Nikolai."
"He does seem to take his guardian role rather seriously." I watched Yuri's face as I made my comment. His eyes glinted with the same suspicion I had. "Of course, Vivian doesn't seem to mind in the least."
"No, I don't think she does."
"We're not going to come right out and say it, are we?"
"That Nikolai cares deeply for Vivian and she cares for him?" He shrugged. "What's there to say? You know as well as I do that their relationship is complicated in the extreme."
"To say the least," I murmured.
Changing the subject and putting an end to our speculation, he remarked, "When you talk about your work with Benny, you seem much more excited than when I've heard you discuss 716. Do you not enjoy your work in the night club scene anymore?"
I blinked with surprise. Just like that, he'd nailed the question that gnawed at me every night. "I'm bored with it. Or, maybe, I'm fed up with it." I crumpled up my paper napkin. "When I got started in this line of work, being a PR girl for a hot night club was, like, my dream. I went after it and I got it. I've proven that I have what it takes but now I feel so…so…"
"Stagnant?"
I nodded at his suggestion. "Yes. I'm not growing. I'm simply…existing."
"You need a challenge." He held my gaze. "Come work for me."
My tummy fluttered wildly at his offer but not for the reason it should have. It wasn't the prospect of the big salary and working for an international organization that made my pulse race. No, it was the prospect of working alongside Yuri every day. "No, thank you."
His eyes narrowed for the briefest moment. What was he thinking? "I'll double the salary I offered the first time."
"The answer is still no."
He sat forward and assumed a negotiating position. "You can have any office in the building downtown that you want. There would be a car and the best travel accommodations money can buy. The opportunity for bonuses and advancement are unmatched by any other company."
My lips twitched with amusement. I wondered when he'd last found himself in the losing position of a negotiation. "It's not about the money, Yuri."
He studied me intently, those hazel eyes of his boring into me and making my skin prickle with heat. "What is it about, Lena?"
I dropped my gaze to the picnic table and ran my finger around a knot in the wood. I couldn't think of a single reason to dance around my attraction to him anymore. "I like you."
He grasped my hand and coaxed me to meet his piercing gaze. "And I like you."
My belly quivered. Trying to get a grip on my wild emotions, I asked, "Yes but for how long? Your reputation—"
He cut me off with a string of Russian that sounded suspiciously like cursing. Clearly remembering my earlier chiding, he hastily apologized in English. "Forgive me." With a heavy sigh, Yuri said, "Look, I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I haven't played the field. Heavily," he added with a touch of regret in his voice. "That doesn't mean that I can't change."
"Have you? Changed, I mean."
"Yes—or, rather, I am changing. Seeing Ivan and Dimitri so happy? It's made me evaluate my own life. I have so much wealth, so many material things, but I don't have anything that matters."
The idea that I could be someone who mattered was incredibly seductive. I projected a confident persona but deep down inside I struggled with feelings of inadequacy. Watching my mother walk out on me and listening to her say the awful thing she'd said on her way out the door had crushed my self-esteem. I'd managed to cobble together the pieces but the cracks were still there.
Sitting up straighter, Yuri embraced the role of successful magnate. He exuded such power and control. A bit imperiously, he informed me, "We're going out Monday night." Gesturing toward me, he said, "We're going to give this dating thing a try."
His unilateral decision should have annoyed me much more than it did. For some reason I couldn't quite fathom, I found his declaration oddly enticing. There weren't many men brave enough to tell me what to do but he hadn't done it arrog
antly or coldly. I sensed he understood that even though I wanted to see where things between us might go I was too afraid, too hesitant, to say yes. He'd just taken away my control—and left me vibrating with excitement.
Clearing my throat, I said, "I need to look at my calendar."
Amusement glinted in his eyes. He held out his hand. "Give me your phone."
Wondering what he was playing at, I pulled my phone from my purse and slapped it into his hand after unlocking the front screen. He tapped away at it and then handed it back. "Now you have my private number."
I heard his emphasis on private. I figured I'd made it onto a short list of people with access to those digits. "Would you like my number?"
"I already have it."
"Oh really?"
His mouth curved in a devilishly sexy grin. "There's nothing I can't get my hands on when I want it, Yelena."
When he said my full name, his Russian accent highlighting and stretching out the three syllables, I experienced the most delicious tingle in my chest. Considering what he'd said about getting his hands on the things he wanted, I gave a nonchalant shrug. "We'll see."
Chuckling, Yuri glanced around the parking lot. "That food truck serves ice cream. Would you like some?"
"Sure."
We gathered up our trash and chucked it into the various recycling and refuse bins at the edge of the eating area. The line at the dessert truck wasn't very long. We chose a cup of sweet, creamy homemade vanilla. Sharing something as simple as a paper cup of ice cream with Yuri felt somehow more magical.
"You've shown me a different side of Houston tonight," he said as we headed for his car. "I should get out more."
I considered the two guards shadowing us. Though he was alone tonight, he typically traveled with an army of assistants. "You'd have to leave your babysitters at home to really enjoy this side of the city."
He gave my hair a playful tug. "Only if you're my tour guide."
Smiling, I slid into the backseat of the waiting car. Yuri moved in from the other side. This time there was no pretense of accidental touching. The moment we were both buckled in, he grasped my hand and stroked his thumb over my skin. My gaze skipped to the tinted window. I could just make out the bright lights of the food trucks. An idea began to form.
"What are you thinking about? I can practically hear the gears turning."
"I'm thinking that Benny should find a way to partner up with a successful food truck."
He made a humming sound in agreement. "It would be a good way to cross-promote businesses. One brand could feed another. Sharing costs might be attractive to all parties." Yuri wound wavy strands of my hair around his finger. "It's an idea worth feeling out and getting some solid numbers."
Hearing him talk business made me so hot. "Okay," I said a bit breathlessly. "That was ridiculously sexy."
He laughed. "Kitten, if you think that's sexy, I've got piles of quarterly earnings estimates in my briefcase that I'd be happy to read to you."
"Tease." I thumped his chest. "I do love a good bedtime story."
Yuri's hand moved to my knee. Our gazes clashed as his palm slowly glided along my bare skin to dip just under the hem of my skirt. "Come home with me tonight and I'll read you anything you want."
I shivered as his hand inched along my thigh. "No."
"You can pick the language—English, Russian, Mandarin or Arabic."
My lips parted with surprise. "You speak Mandarin and Arabic?"
"Passably," he said with some self-deprecation. "I'm no scholar but I can negotiate and communicate clearly. It suits my business needs."
"That's amazing."
His sensuous mouth curved with a mischievous grin. "If you think that's amazing, you should see the other tricks I've mastered."
His playfulness infected me. Gripping his wrist, I halted the achingly slow slide of his hand. "You're tenacious. I'll give you that."
"I'll give you everything if you come home with me."
"Is that a time sensitive offer?"
He held my gaze for a long moment. "For you? There's no expiration." He peppered ticklish kisses up the side of my neck and across my bare shoulder. "Come home with me tonight, tomorrow, next week or next year." He punctuated each word with a feather-light kiss. "My offer will always stand."
Inside, I trembled violently. This wickedly sexy, outrageously powerful man had just offered me the world. Was I brave enough to say yes?
Swallowing hard, I met his intense, unnerving gaze. "I've never been more tempted in my life to go home with a man." I trailed my fingers down the front of his shirt. "But I won't break that rule, not even for you."
Yuri's reaction convinced me that he wasn't playing games with me. He'd meant every word he said. Nuzzling my neck, he whispered, "I like a woman with principles." His lips skimmed my jaw. "Do I get a goodnight kiss at least?"
"Well…I suppose one kiss wouldn't hurt."
As our lips touched, we both knew this wasn’t stopping at one kiss. Cloaked in the privacy of the partitioned backseat, I surrendered to Yuri's masterful mouth. His strong hand roamed my body with such appreciation. He awakened the lust and desire hidden deep within me.
Yielding to his insistent mouth, I relished the sweet sugary vanilla clinging to his tongue. Our mouths mated with such ferocity it stole my breath and left me shaking. We were lost in the wonder of our feverish kisses as the car swiftly navigated the bustling Houston streets.
Too soon, we arrived at the gated complex where I shared an apartment with Vivi. With a growl of frustration, Yuri reluctantly pulled away from me. I sensed he wanted to try his charms on me again but he didn't. Instead he swept his thumbs across my cheeks. "I'm walking you to your door so I can get one more kiss."
"Just one?"
He groaned dramatically. "You're going to kill me."
Giggling, I grabbed my purse and grasped the door handle. One of the bodyguards took hold of the door and pulled it open before reaching inside to help me out of the backseat. I noticed the way his sharp, calculating gaze scanned the parking lot. He kept his body between me and the open street.
It occurred to me suddenly that this man, this total stranger, protected me with his own body simply because I was with Yuri. I couldn't believe how well Dimitri had trained him or how far this man was willing to go to protect Yuri. Although it was crass, I wondered how much he was paid to take a bullet, if necessary. It must have been an outrageous amount.
"What's your name?"
The guard glanced down at me. "Jake, ma'am."
My eyebrow arched at the ma'am. "It's nice to meet you, Jake. Thank you for watching over me tonight. I appreciate it."
He nodded but didn't make eye contact again. By now, Yuri stood nearby. He held out his hand and I happily grasped it. As we stepped onto the sidewalk another realization struck me. I hadn't said anything to Tony, the driver, about where I lived or how to get here.
My gaze fixed on Yuri's shadowy profile. "You already knew where I lived. Your driver already had my address."
"Yes."
"But…why?"
"Why not?" He glanced at me. "Let's not kid ourselves, Lena. I knew the moment I first saw you that I'd be making this walk to your front door someday. I didn't know how soon it would happen but I wanted to be prepared."
"I can't decide if that's incredibly romantic or borderline stalker behavior."
Yuri laughed and slid his arm around my waist. His lips brushed my temple. "You have such a way with words, Yelena."
His playfully sarcastic reply coaxed a smile from me. As we neared my apartment, I reached into my purse for my keys. I was still digging around for them when the door suddenly opened to reveal Vivian in a paint-stained tank top and shorts. Paint splatters dotted her bare feet and hands. Her expression turned comical and it was all I could do to bite back a laugh at the shock on her face.
"Oh!" She glanced at me with wide eyes. "I heard voices and thought you were on your phone. I didn't want you to have to jug
gle your keys and purse." Her gaze turned to Yuri again. "Anyway. I'll…uh…I'll just go now."
Yuri chuckled softly as she scampered out of view. "Ten dollars says she's running to her phone and calling Erin or Benny."
Smiling, I agreed. "Definitely." Feeling a bit awkward, I said, "So…"
"So this is goodnight." His fingers tangled in my hair and he dragged me close for another one of his sensual, toe-tingling kisses. When his lips finally left mine, he traced my swollen pout with his finger. "I'll see you Monday night."
I couldn’t speak. I simply nodded. Yuri stepped away from me but didn't leave immediately. We stared at one another, both of us desperate to take this to the next level but fully aware that waiting would make our first time even hotter and more significant.
Gulping, I turned my back toward him and stepped into the apartment. I shut the door with shaking hands and flipped the deadbolt. Overcome by the night's strange turn of events, I pivoted toward the living room and collapsed back against the door.
My gaze met Vivian's questioning one. Curiosity radiated from her in waves. Grinning, she said, "I'm going to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses. You kick off your shoes and get comfy. I have a feeling we're going to be talking late tonight."
"Girl," I shook my head and toed off my pumps, "you aren't going to believe this…"
Chapter Three
"We headed home, Boss?"
Yuri caught Jake's gaze and shook his head. "Take me to 716."
"The back door?" Jake's expression told Yuri that his bodyguard had overhead what that pig had done to Lena.
"Da." Yuri slid into the back seat and fastened his seatbelt. He interlaced his fingers and tried to calm the rage threatening to overtake him. That any man should put his hands on any woman was despicable enough but for that prick Danny to put his filthy paws on Lena was unforgiveable.
He finally understood what Ivan and Dimitri had experienced when faced with defending their women. The fury burning his gut stunned him. He couldn't get Lena's brave, beautiful face out of his mind. She'd spoken so calmly about being violently manhandled, as if was a common occurrence, and it pained him.