“Chief, say hello,” he said, and I heard the man say hi.
“Hello. If you’re really the chief of police, I’d like to open a harassment charge against Aleksandr King.” Irritation flashed through me as a chuckle sounded on the other end.
“I see. And how is heharassingyou, if you don’t mind me asking?” he questioned, almost like he thought this was a joke.
“He came to see me at my place of employment and demanded that I speak with him. Somehow got my cell phone number without asking me for it. Then, today, he’s here at my dance class,clearlynot here to dance. And is now saying he’s going to bring me to a gala event. Not asking me, but bringing me,” I listed out his transgressions while Aleksandr grinned.
“So, you’renotinterested, I gather?”
“Not in the least. So do I need to come to the station to file an official report?” I asked.
“Yes, you could do that. Or I could bring it to the event. Whichever would be easier for you,” he concluded.
“The station it is. Thank you, Chief.” I bristled at his somewhat dismissive tone.
Mr. Dulaine’s voice reached my ears, so I gave him my attention instead of only half listening. Aleksandr King was very persistent. If he knew the chief of police, chances were, nothing would come of filing a report. I was at a loss about what to do with this situation. But I didn’t feel threatened, so I decided the best course of action was to ignore him.
Surely, he’d get bored and go away. He mentioned eating the same thing every morning was boring.If I continued to ignore him…Yup, that was the way to go.I smiled thinking about it.
It wasn’t like Pasha could stay here forever either; he had upcoming shows booked. I’d checked out his tour schedule and knew he was only here for a week or two more. As soon as Pasha left, maybe Aleksandr’s interest in me would go away too.
I just wanted to live a normal life, go to work, dance, and maybe even try dating this year. But I most definitely wouldn’t be starting with a man like Aleksandr King.
“Great class, everyone. Next week, we’ll start ballroom. Come prepared, ladies and gentlemen.”
Choosing to stay the course and ignore the creeper, I made my way to the locker room and showered. When I checked my phone, I saw a text from the manager of my second shift asking if I could come in now. I quickly responded, gathered my things, and walked to the front door.
Aleksandr was waiting and followed me out. I sighed heavily.So much for ignoring him.
“Wow, you really are clueless. What do you want from me?” I demanded.
“I want you to have dinner with me.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“One thing you’ll learn about me is that I’m always serious. Go out on a date with me.”
I shook my head at him.It’s official; he’s crazy.
“You’re mental.” I tried walking away from him, but he grabbed my hand.
I knew virtually nothing about dating, but ask me obscure facts about the dancing world, such as what the world record for the longest conga dance line was, and I could spout out the number in my sleep: 119,987 people in 1998. It took place in Miami, Florida.
While being kept, I’d been trained with a basic knowledge of how to entertain men, both at dinner and in the bedroom, but I had never found myself in a situation where I had to put that knowledge to the test, thank god.
And despite how handsome Aleksandr King was, there was something about him that warned me I would be playing with fire. I knew that I’d need to discover how intimacy worked at some point in my life, but, again, not with this man.
He was intimidating in so many ways. Plus, I hoped that I’d meet a man who would cherish and love me like my father did my mother. And for some reason, Aleksandr didn’t give offI’ll cherish you forevervibes.
“I haven’t forgotten your insolence in not answering my question last night. Would you like a second chance? I rarely give those, but I’m feeling generous.” His voice was husky as he eyed me questioningly.
I boldly stepped up to him, putting my hand on his chest, right under his heart. I looked up into his beautiful blue eyes and said, “Do you really want to know what I’d like from you?” I fluttered my eyelashes at him.
His arms went around me, instantly pulling me closer to him as his face lowered to my neck. “I know what I’d like todoto you, but ladies first.”
He inhaled me like I was a flower, and small goose bumps broke out over my arms. There was something intimate and possessive in the way he nuzzled me. Frozen in place, I gasped at the sensation of his nose and lips rubbing a sensitive part of my neck.
I gripped his arms and felt his muscles flex. His sandy-colored hair was contrasted by a slightly darker beard, one I wanted to touch and tug on. His deep blue eyes, combined with his golden skin tone, made him look like he’d recently returned from a beach vacation.
