Page 104 of Close Protection

I look up and Daphne has effortlessly transformed from Midwife Daphne to regular Daphne.

She’s wearing a pale pink midi dress with the diamond earrings I bought her as a graduation gift. Her hair is in a curly half-up, half-down style and she’s applied a lightcoating of make-up to her face, just highlighting her beauty.

‘I think you look hot, Mrs Petrova.’ I walk over to her and grab her waist, my hands costing her soft curves.

‘I wasn’t going for hot, I was going for classy.’ She pouts.

‘Fine, then you look regally hot, Mrs Petrova,’ I murmur against her neck, dotting soft kisses down her throat.

‘Regally hot,’ she sighs. ‘I like that, you should say it more often.’ Her hands find my hair as she directs me where she wants me.

‘Will do, Mrs Petrova.’ I stop kissing her and look up at her. ‘You’re right, by the way, Mrs Petrova is better.’

She laughs. ‘I never said it was better, I just said you should start calling me that.’

‘Well then,Mrs Petrova, let’s go before we’re late.’

‘Good idea,Mr Petrov.’

She takes me by the hand as she leads me out of the apartment, back to the car.

All I can do is smile.

This girl transformed my black world into one of love, laughter and pink. Every day she finds a new way to amaze me and every day I remind her of that fact.

I stop her short of the door, spinning her around to look at me. ‘I love you, Mrs Petrova.’

She smiles softly. ‘I love you too, Mr Petrov.’