Page 120 of Scarlet Vows

Heat creeps up my neck. “I really don’t hang out much these days with anyone, only when I have to, is all.”

“So no one talks about me?”

“Ilya.”

He spreads his hands. “You’ll have heard. Tell me, is that why you decided to test run me?”

Ilya’s teasing me, but I can’t help tumbling into it, or burning up in shame. Ihaveheard a lot about him, and my brother, for that matter. The girls who’ve slept with them always swooned after them.

“After what the Russian princesses said? I took a risk.” I then hold my thumb and index finger about a quarter inch apart.

He bursts into laughter.

But when he sobers, he says, “Gossip is all fine, but it doesn’t tell me a fucking thing. I still say he’s behind it.”

I nod. Ilya’s angry right now, but I know he’ll trust his gut.

“I’m sorry I said that about your…” I clear my throat.

“Alina, I deserved it for teasing you.”

“Well… if you’re hungry, I made dinner.” My face starts to heat again. “Pelmeni, your favorite.”

His smile is huge. “How can I say no to that? Lead the way.”

Downstairs, I make him sit in the dining room and fetch the bottle, the glass, and then the cheese from the living room.

I bring the salad and the plates, then I rush back to set the stock on the heat so it’ll be ready for the pelmeni.

I turn and almost bump into Ilya, who’s followed me into the kitchen.

“Go,” I say. “Eat.”

“It all looks amazing. Is this for me?”

I huff. “It’s no big deal.”

We go back in and start eating the salad. When I make the pelmeni, he comes too, holding the bowls for them, and he watches as I spoon the soup into them and top it with the chives. I butter the dumplings and arrange everything on a tray, including the sour cream and scallions, and he takes it all out to the dining room.

We don’t talk about anything important, just funny memories, and he challenges me to a poker game one day. He also tells me how he’ll take me dancing and how he likes the music that plays in the background.

“These are as good as my mother’s. I remember those, and none have ever come close. Not even Magda’s. But these…” He does a chef’s kiss.

When we finish, I get dessert, and Ilya follows once more.He loads the dishwasher, and then he slips a hand over my hair.

“I’m sorry,malyshka, for being in such a bad mood. You went to such an effort for me. Pelmeni from scratch with these talented hands… The pretty lights, the music, the candles…”

My breath catches in my lungs. “It’s fine. No big deal at all.”

“It looks like a big deal, Alina.” He raises my chin with a finger. “Dinner for two? With pelmeni? You clearly went to a lot of trouble for me.”

I tremble. “I wanted to do something nice to show you I don’t regret what happened between us.”

“Well, that’s good. Because neither do I.”

“I want to do it again.”

“Malyshka, you’re reading my mind.” He kisses me, lifting me up and putting me on the counter.