She said it like she meant it. Like the world hadn’t already tried to wear her down into something smaller. Like she hadn’t spent years being told she was too much and not enough in the same breath.
Like she was still willing to believe she could take something broken and make it better.
And God help anyone who mistook it for weakness.
I tightened my grip, not enough to hurt her, but enough to make her exhale.
“You’re not changing my organization with muffins,” I murmured.
She raised her eyebrows playfully. “Watch me.”
I almost kissed her to stop the argument.
Almost.
But I knew I’d lose myself in her again, so instead I rested my forehead against hers and breathed her in to steady myself.
“We’re not finished with this.”
“No,” she agreed softly. “We’re not.”
Neither of us pulled away.
The argument remained unresolved, but the distance between us had disappeared, and it felt as thrilling as it was dangerous.
Chapter 31
Addy
Twoheavilyarmedandtattooed men were literally standing under palm trees with assault rifles at the edge of the infinity pool while I reapplied SPF 50 as though I were at a dubious all-inclusive resort.
I would like this to be noted for the record.
To be fair, this was an improvement. A week ago, they wouldn’t have acknowledged me at all. Sasha had been reluctant, to say the least, about letting his men speak to me. But evidently, even he recognized the unsustainability of keeping me in a state of conversational isolation all day.
I adjusted my sunglasses and peered over at them. “Be honest … is guarding me considered a perk, or did you both lose a bet?”
Neither of them smiled, though I caught the faintest twitch at the corner of Misha’s mouth.
The other one — Danil, I think, or maybe Dmitri, I was still learning — shifted his weight slightly and stared resolutely at the horizon like the ocean might commit a crime at any moment.
Rude.
Another new development was being allowed to “choose” my own guards. This sounded empowering in theory until one remembered the selection pool consisted entirely of large, heavily armed Russian men who looked as though they had been carved out of concrete. Still, Sasha had presented it like a concession, and I’d taken it. If I had to be watched, I was at least going to choose the ones who blinked occasionally.
“I’m just trying to understand the job satisfaction level here,” I continued, rolling onto my stomach with a small grunt. “Because from my angle it looks like you’re supervising sunscreen.”
Neither of them reacted.
“Wow,” I sighed. “Tough crowd.”
I propped my chin on my arms and squinted up at them. “You know, if you’re going to guard me while I tan, we could at least make it a team activity.”
Still nothing.
“You know, most pool days involve at least one person pretending to enjoy themselves.”
Misha finally glanced down at me. “Youare comfortable.”