The laughter in her blue gaze was contagious. That in itself was beautiful to him. That he could have these moments of intimacy mixed with humor and fun shocked him.
“I’d much rather you kiss me.”
“Kissing you gets me in trouble,” she pointed out, sounding more amused than ever.
“I think it’s the other way around.” He gave her the truth, although he was certain she didn’t understand. That was perfectly fine with him. He didn’t need her to know she would always have all the power in their relationship.
“You’re going to have to go. I’m not moving,” Azelie told him. “I would love for you to stay and chat, but I’m too tired. I’m going to just lie here and contemplate what an idiot I am for letting you distract me from our meaningful conversation.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her. “We were having a meaningful conversation? Really? I thought you were attempting to find reasons not to be with me.”
The blue of her eyes softened, amusement mixing with the beginnings of love. She wasn’t all the way in yet. Reservations were still there, but that only affirmed his judgment that she was intelligent. Despite the overwhelming chemistry and the pull between them, because of her nature and his, she was still struggling with self-preservation. She understood he was totally fucked up and would, at times, be hell to live with.
“I don’t have to find reasons not to be with you; just your views on punishment are enough to make me run the opposite way,” she murmured. “Fortunately for you, I’m too tired to move.”
He laughed. Not a smirk or a smile, an actual laugh. He wound his arm around her waist and tugged until her body was tight against his. “That is fortunate. I’m not leaving tonight. I think spending the night right here is best. That way whenever your fucked-up mind tells you I’m not good for you, I can kiss that thought away.”
She giggled. It was a real girlish giggle that sent little sparks of joy streaking through him. He hadn’t realized how much he needed laughter and joy in his life. It felt as if she gave him gift after gift.
“Your kisses are always going to lead to other things. And you can’t stay.”
“Those other things kissing leads to are good, and you like them.”
“I love them, but that only means you get your way.”
Her voice was drowsy. Sexy. Impossibly, his body stirred in response.
“You’re going to love all the other things I’m going to be doing to you. We’re just getting started. You might not mind me getting my way when I’m making you say my name.”
Her lashes lifted and he found himself looking directly into her eyes again. So blue. So filled with laughter and that look of near adoration.
“Don’t be so sure. You’re already going to get your way because I like giving you everything. I don’t need you adding to my problem.”
He lifted his eyebrow at her again. “Problem? You think it’s a problem that you want to give me everything I want from you?”
“You’re already arrogant and demanding. Can you imagine how much worse you’re going to get if I spoil you?”
He brushed his lips down her cheek to her chin. “No one has ever spoiled me, so no, I have no idea how much worse I can get.” He inhaled her scent and then grinned at her.
Her eyes closed again, and she snuggled into him as she gave an exaggerated sigh. “I guess we’re going to find out, then. As much as I want to wake up to you, you can’t stay. Billows sends a man to watch me. I don’t know why he started doing that, but he threatened any man I might date. His man can’t see you.”
Andrii couldn’t help loving the little command in her voice. She was sleepy, exhausted, probably a little freaked out, yet she was looking after him. He was staying, and not just because he needed to search her backpack for the necklace with the chip that opened the door leading to the offices and possibly to rooms where women were held and trained as sex slaves. He wanted to wake her up in the middle of the night. He wanted to spend the night breathing her in. Feeling her next to him.
“Need to take care of you before we both fall asleep. I told you, leave Billows’ man to me. He’ll never see me.”
She didn’t hear him; she was already asleep.
FOURTEEN
“I’m going to see Andrii again tonight,” Azelie reported to the merry widows. This time Doug Parsons and Carlton Gray were seated with the three older women.
Azelie set her drink on the table and scooted a chair closer to Blanc Christian. The ladies leaned in to hear every word. The older men crossed their arms and sat back in their chairs, regarding her with disapproval.
“Not a good idea,” Carlton said.
Doug nodded his agreement with a jerk of his chin. “Absolutely don’t date that man. In fact, never be alone with him.”
The merry widows gasped in unison. China glared at them. “Seriously? You two don’t have a clue what you’re saying.”
Azelie tried not to smile. She covered her reaction to the long-standing arguments between the five friends by sipping her iced latte. It didn’t matter that they were not in agreement over her developing a relationship with Andrii; it was a standing practice for them to take opposite points of view on nearly every subject. She found it hilarious. If the women said the sky was blue, the two men would take great exception to that color and begin to describe the sky in any other hue but blue. She thought it best to stay out of the disagreement and let them go at it without her.
“We’re men,” Carlton pointed out. “We don’t judge other men by their looks.”
Blanc did her best to look outraged when in fact, the hotter the man, the more she was all for Azelie to take a chance. They’d tried to set her up with countless other males who had innocently come into the coffee shop, unaware the merry widows would be scoping them out for Azelie.
Azelie always hid in her books or writing, pretending she had no idea what the women were doing. At first, their interference had been so upsetting she had nearly stopped going to that particular shop, but it was close to her bus connection to get to the college, the coffee was amazing, and it was smaller and more intimate than one of the popular chains. Once she knew the owners, Shaila and David Manger, she had to support their small business. She liked them that much. In the end, she was grateful she had stayed and gotten to know the merry widows and Carlton and Doug. They provided much entertainment when they weren’t trying to set her up with every available male who walked into the coffee shop.
“Looks? Do you think the only criterion we have for a man to date our beloved Azelie is to be hot?” China demanded.
Doug nodded. “Absolutely. The three of you ogle every man who enters this place and then you discuss whether or not they are good enough for our Azelie. And you do it loud enough that the entire coffee shop can hear every word, including Azelie and the potential male.”
Carlton added his agreement. “The words hot and gorgeous and OMG are in your conversations quite often.”
Azelie nearly spit her latte all over the table. The way the merry widows exchanged outraged looks was hilarious. Carlton and Doug were not wrong. In fact, they spoke the strict truth.
“You’ve scared off many good men,” Doug continued. “And now you’ve got this Russian. He’s Russian.”
