Page 71 of Scarlet Vows

He chuckles. “He can’t make me do anything.”

“This is my good friend Isaak, who just might come and work for us, so you can treat him as a piece of the furniture,da?”

She blushes and scurries away, earning a chiding look from Isaak.

He glances around the study.

“Don’t tease her,” he says, picking up a book in Russian, then he flips through it and puts it down. “She’s very nice.”

“And you’re very annoying.”

“Nice pictures. Nice place. Very… Russian oligarch.” He picks up a golden statuette.

“Sit, sit,” I say, gesturing opposite me as I take my seat once more behind the desk.

I reach for the vodka—the cheaper stuff. It’s Belvedere, still top shelf but not Russian top shelf, but I like it enough at room temperature or chilled.

I pour two glasses. “Drink.”

“I can’t.” He wraps his hand around it anyway as I take a swallow of mine. “I have a meeting in the area, and since we were working out hard this morning, and I could only cram in a truncated session, I figure we should catch up. You were… moody.”

I roll my eyes. “Maybe you’re projecting.”

“Nah, I live through others, having no life of my own.” He glances around once more and whistles. “Aside from the heavy aesthetic of old-school oligarch, you’ve done well for yourself. This place is almost as nice as mine.”

I laugh. “Your triplex?”

“Mansion in the sky.”

“This is humble, but… early days.” I sit back and take another swallow of the vodka.

Whoever his meeting’s with must be big, because normally, given the hour, Isaak would have a small drink. But I don’t push it.

“I delivered the bridesmaid home safe and untouched, just so you know.”

“Didn’t ask,” I say.

“And the bride?”

“You didn’t deliver her anywhere.” I narrow my eyes at him, take another sip.

He nods slowly. “How are things going there? I only ask because you were moody.”

This time I sigh. “Not great,” I admit with a wince. “We, ah, kissed.”

Isaak waits.

“It scared her off, exactly what I was afraid of.”

“Scared her off, or maybe you just suck at kissing?” The teasing note in his voice is clear.

I throw a pen at him and hit him in the chest. “I’m aware this is your way of trying to see if I’ll kiss you, but it’s still a no?—”

“Hey, you want to kiss me, but with reports like that, I’m giving it a miss and sticking to pretty girls.”

“I’m a more than adequate kisser. They always come back for more.”

“Except this one.”