I suppose it’s a natural response, given that this is my first genuine encounter with men.
Until this point in my life, I had managed to keep men at arm’s length. It didn’t help that I’d spent years living off grid with Owen. Urban living had given me a jolt, but nothing quite like this. I was out of my league with Alek. If I hadn’t had the past I did, maybe it would have been different.
If I were anyone else, like Jenna, I would absolutely indulge, but I wasn’t blessed with a faulty memory. No, that would have been a gift from the universe, and I learned early on that I was not one of the universe’s favorite people. I pushed the bathroom door open and found Sarah and Jenna chatting like old friends.
“Does this mean Ivan is free? I’d better get back out there before someone else steals him,” Sarah said, laughing while checking her reflection one last time.
She rushed out, leaving me with Jenna.Perfect.
“Alek has specific tastes. Let me know if you need any tips,” Jenna said, applying some lipstick.
“Excuse me?”
“Yes, I assume you’re the new flavor of the week. He’s been very fickle lately. He likes it when—”
“I don’t need tips on how to please Aleksandr,” I retorted.
Who the hell does this woman think she is?
And why did she even care? I narrowed my eyes.
“Touchy. I was just trying to help. It’s probably wasted energy, anyway. You seem, I don’t know, what is the word? Inexperienced.” She washed her hands and moved to grab some paper towels. “You mind?” she asked rudely.
Realizing I was standing in her way, I moved, mumbling an apology. My face flushed; she seemed overly invested in Alek. I sighed, unable to help but catch Jenna’s thinly veiled disdain.
And as if she couldn’t resist, her malicious tone continued, her words dripping with contempt. “Enjoy it while it lasts,” she sneered. “You won’t be around for long. You’re not even in the same league as what Alek requires. You’ll fold under the weight.”
This woman had to be mental, and I tried not to let her words rile me up. I had enough of my own doubts rattling around inside my head. Who knew, maybe she was sleeping with one brother while secretly pinning for the other? In the end, her rude behavior didn’t deserve to take up any more space in my head. I went into one of the stalls to get away from the hateful look, though.
“Mental,” I mumbled to myself.
I sighed in relief when I came out and she was gone. Another downfall to leading a sheltered life. The only mean girl I’d ever dealt with was Deborah from dance class. She had relented some, especially because I wouldn’t dance with Pasha. She’d been paired with him several times, from what I was told.
Choosing again to ignore Jenna’s comments, I vowed to ask Alek to take me home. I knew he wanted me to stay the night, but if my thoughts about him were true, it seemed prudent not to push things. At the end of the day, Jenna was right. If Alek thought I’d make a good sub, and that was what he was aiming for, he’d be majorly disappointed. I studied my face in the mirror and channeled Summer bear.
“All you need to do is tell him the truth. Everyone wins when honesty is practiced. He’ll see you’re right and appreciate the fact you didn’t waste any more of his time.”
Making up my mind, I opened the bathroom door. Alek stood outside the ladies’ room, lounging casually without a care in the world. He pushed off the wall and walked toward me.
“I was about to come in and see if you needed help with anything.” He grinned, causing me to smile.
“And there she goes, folks. Her resolve has dissolved like sugar in a cup of hot tea,”Autumn shouted inside my head.
Winter quickly followed.“One smile, and she’s forgotten he wants to dominate her.”
Shut it, you two, it’s just a smile,I thought.
“You and your brother work out whatever issue was upsetting him?”
He yanked me to him and ran his fingers through my hair. Gathering it together, he asked, “Do you have another hair tie? I can’t believe he pulled it down.”
I nodded, opened my clutch, and handed him one, feeling like I was in another dimension.
“He was worried that you’re putting yourself at risk by not carrying your blade on you at all times. I guess that’s somehow my fault.”
As Aleksandr’s nimble fingers fixed my hair, a wave of confusion washed over me.
“That’s absurd. How is that your fault?” I mumbled, equally puzzled by how effortlessly he seemed to know how to fix my hair, as if he’d been doing it for years.
