Page 24

CHAPTER 23

ALEXEI

The kiss consumes all of my thoughts until we get to the hospital mid-morning—and I find out the window on quality alone time with my temporary nanny has just slammed shut.

“What do you mean, they’re discharging you?”

My mother shrugs, as if she didn’t just have a heart attack less than a week ago. “They say I can go home.”

“But you’re sick!”

“I can be sick at home.” She rattles a pill bottle. “They say I’ll recover better in my own bed.”

But her bed is two doors down from where I dry humped Emery against a bookcase this morning.

“Great,” I say weakly.

And it is great, of course.

I don’t want my mother to spend a minute longer in the hospital than she needs to, I just thought she needed to for a few more days.

I thought I had more time.

Alexei

My parents are coming home today

Emery

I just got back, I’ll move my stuff back to the basement

The basement. Two floors away is too far. What are you going to do when she’s on a whole other continent, asshole?

Fuck.

No, you can’t

Why not?

My parents need it

…

She literally spells out the ellipses. I laugh out loud, drawing my dad’s attention.

“What is it?”

I shake my head. “Nothing. Just Emery being funny.”

“Emmy funny,” Inessa repeats solemnly, nodding her head.

We’ll talk about it when I get home

Nothing to talk about

That’s where she’s wrong. We still have everything to talk about.

* * *

It takes two hours to get the formal discharge. After my mom shows the physiotherapist that she can manage a flight of stairs, we’re given the all clear, and I push her wheelchair out to the car while my dad carries Inessa.

At home, Emery meets us at the front door. She’s showered and done her hair in soft beachy waves, and she’s wearing a new outfit, black high-waisted pants with a belt and a soft, flowy white t-shirt.

She smiles politely to me, then more broadly at my mom. “Mrs. Artyomov, you look great.”

“Not true,” my mom says with a laugh. “Thank you.”

Emery takes her coat. “Let me get you settled on the couch. Do you want tea?”

I translate into Russian, even though it’s probably not necessary, since she’s already nodding.

By the time I get Inessa’s coat and shoes off, Emery’s already in the kitchen, pulling mugs down with her back to me.

Inessa runs into the living room, clambering up onto the couch next to her Baba.

“Let’s be gentle,” I caution.

My mom whispers something to Inessa and she immediately sits down quietly, leaning against her grandmother.

Which means I have ten seconds to go talk to her babysitter, maybe.

“Deda?” I say, and my dad waves his hand.

Yes, go, we’re fine.

Painfully aware that we aren’t alone, I walk into the kitchen.

Emery passes me one of the mugs without looking at me, her hand steady, her expression perfectly blank.

I take it. Our fingers don’t touch.

I hate that they don’t touch.

“Can I speak to you for a minute?”

“I’m making tea.”

“After that.”

“They like it strong.” I put the mug down and catch her wrist. Her pulse leaps against my fingertips. “Please.”

She pulls her arm free, but then nods.

I thought this house was huge when I bought it, but I’m suddenly very aware of how open the main floor is.

And if we disappear upstairs, that will draw attention.

Emery rolls her eyes and grabs my hand, pulling me into the walk-in pantry just off the kitchen.

I close the door behind me. “Okay. This will do.”

“I apologize for reacting the way I did when you told me. Obviously, I understand that your parents can’t be upstairs. Downstairs is quieter, and there’s a kitchenette down there. I’ll arrange to stay somewhere else while you are home and?—”

“Somewhere else?” I back her up, until she’s against the shelves for the second time today, and I’m bracketing her between my arms. “Oh no, Emery. I need you to stay here.”

“I— I can’t .”

“Why not?”

Her mouth falls open. “Are you really going to make me say it?”

“Because we kissed?”

“Because of our history, Alexei. Because of all the reasons the kiss was a mistake.”

“Didn’t taste like a mistake to me.” I drop my gaze to her mouth. “I want to do it again.”

“Not going to happen.”

“You enjoyed it.”

“That’s irrelevant.”

Actually, it’s very relevant.

She repeats her protest. “I cannot live down the hall from you. And now that your parents have returned, we need to find you better childcare.”

“You are the best.”

“I am not .”

“So you think I should hire a nanny, hmm? You want someone else to sleep just down the hall from me? Meet me in the hallway in the early morning, wearing almost nothing?”

“I was not wearing nothing. ”

“You didn’t want me to see how tight your pretty nipples got when I looked at you.”

“It was cold.”

“But I could see feel how hot your pussy got for me, Emery. You couldn’t hide that. And you didn’t want to hide it, did you? You rubbed yourself on me like a happy little kitten.”

She growls under her breath and I duck my head, covering her mouth with mine.

Instantly, her hands come up to clutch at my head, to hold us together as I sip at her, as I taste her lower lip and then tease my way deeper.

It’s only been a few hours, and it feels like it’s been too long already.

This time, though, I won’t take too much.

This time, I’ll leave my sweet sunshine girl wanting more.

I rear back, hating the way she gasps in confusion—but loving the way she clings to me for a second before she finds herself.

Her hands drop to her sides.

“I know,” I grind out. “We can’t do that again.”

She gapes at me for a minute, then finds her voice, even if it’s a bit faint. “You need to hire a nanny.”

“With a no-kissing policy firmly in place?”

Her gaze flares possessively. “You can’t kiss?—”

I cup her face in my hand. “Careful, solnishko. You wouldn’t want me to think you might be jealous.”

“I’m not your…” She make a frustrated little growl in the back of her throat.

I lean in and brush my lips against hers ever so lightly. “You are, sunshine.” I whisper. “And you always have been.”