Marina: 3:55 PM: Sure. I'd love to. I'm on my way now.
Then I catch the first cab north and head that way. When I walk into the cafe twenty minutes later, I hope I'm the first one there so I can settle my nerves a little before Stepan shows up. But I walk in to find him seated at a table with two drinks in front of him and a bouquet of flowers in cellophane. Beside it sits a small red box.
My heart swells as I approach, and he stands up, smiling so warmly it changes the atmosphere of the room. But it does nothing to settle the butterflies in my belly. They swarm like crazy as I walk up, and he takes my hand, leaning forward to kiss my cheek.
"You look ravishing today," he growls in my ear, making a shiver crawl down my back.
"Thank you... What's all this?" I pull away and nod at the flowers which he holds up proudly, like a child showing his parent a hand-drawn stick figure.
"For you... Roses for a woman beautiful enough to capture my attention." I take them as he lifts the red box and says, "And chocolates, because you deserve a treat today."
Everything about this man is so charming. He has such charisma. "Stepan, that wasn't necessary." I hug them to mychest as I sit, and he slides a coffee across the table to me as he takes his seat too.
"I know, but I wanted to. You seemed a little discouraged when you spoke about your family the other day, so I wanted to make sure you never had a reason to frown about me."
I'm so conflicted as I set the flowers, chocolates, and my purse on the table. It's like he's cultivating this perfect environment for me to feel emotionally stable, but he doesn't realize that this can only be a fling to me. He's so sweet and so kind, and I feel horrible knowing I’m going to marry someone else. I don't feel as guilty as I did before, because I have no emotional responsibility to Maksim. I haven't said "I do" yet, so I'm still a free woman.
But Stepan is studying my face with so much attention, I can tell he's not here to have a fling. He really likes me.
"That really is sweet. Thank you, Stepan." I pause, thinking how intense this chemistry feels all of a sudden, and I want to lean into it, but I can't. I don't even know his last name, but I think it should stay that way. The more personal details we exchange, the more my heart settles into feeling like this is a real relationship. It will only cause more heartache in the end.
"Are you okay?" he asks, tipping his head.
"Oh, I'm fine. I’ve just never had a man buy me flowers before. It's romantic." I feel myself growing warmer, the telltale signs of arousal before my body starts a familiar ache I love so much.
"I'm glad you approve. There's only more of that to come." He winks at me before sipping his drink, so I take the moment to have a drink too.
What I taste shocks me. It's warm and sweet, thick and creamy. Exactly what I'd have ordered if I were here before him. I grin and scrunch my face up as he smiles at me over his cup.
"What?" he asks, narrowing his eyes.
"This is asyrnyy raf...It's so good." I take another drink and let the warmth settle in my belly. "How did you know?" It's like he can read my mind or something.
"I guessed?" he says, shrugging. "You had that vodka tonic, and honestly..." His head ducks like he's embarrassed, but he says nothing.
"Tell me," I urge, drinking more. The salty-sweet, creamy goodness coats my tongue and I can't get enough.
"I, uh... I dated this girl once who loved them, and you sort of remind me of her. So..." Now he looks ashamed, maybe a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry if I didn't pick the right drink. I wanted to be romantic and?—"
"Stepan," I chide gently, touching his hand. He stops and lifts his gaze to meet mine. "It's perfect, and so thoughtful. It's my favorite drink."
Instead of pulling away, he turns his hand over under mine and laces his fingers through mine. Then he lifts my hand to his lips where he kisses my knuckles and sends a flurry of sensations through my body at once—warmth, electricity, ache. It's intoxicating when he holds my gaze like this, makes my core scream for some sort of escalation to the interaction.
"You deserve so much more than just that, Marina." There he goes saying my name in that rich baritone again. It makes me shudder with attraction.
I'm speechless now, unable to form any words because I don't think I want to talk anymore. I want to be in a more private place with him to pick up where we left off the other night. And it's early, just after four. I have hours to enjoy whatever he wants to do, and with Elira's blessing too.
"What made you text me?" I ask him, slowly pulling my fingers from his grasp to take another drink of my coffee.
"Truthfully?" he asks, lifting his eyebrows.
I chuckle and say, "Yes, of course."
"You won't laugh?" Stepan sets his coffee down and his gaze grows intense, so much so that my heart beats oddly.
"Why would I laugh? Unless you say it's because your dick is burning for me." I laugh at my own dumb joke but his face is dead serious.
"I texted you because I can't stop thinking about you." He shrugs and finally looks away, then his gaze returns and it's smoldering. "And you really did make my dick burn for you." Then a smirk crosses his face and his jaw works a little trying to hide behind his humor.