and black. I held his stare for a few breaths. Tonight he didn’t look disgusted like he usually did. Instead, his countenance seemed to be coiled tight, like an animal about to strike. Tense. Two words that typically described him when he was around me: tense and disgusted. It was at that moment I realized something I would never admit to another soul. I was scared of Dragan Mikhailov. I turned away quickly, disappointed in myself. I feared nothing and no one.
He unnerved me. That was all. And I would analyze the emotion and then cut it into tiny little pieces and bury in my mind where I entombed everything that threatened my resolve.
Pivoting away from the door, I spied Evie lick the icing from her fingers.
“Can I have a taste?”
“Of course, I was wondering when you would stop staring at the boys and notice I made your favorite.”
I stood next to Evie and dipped my finger into the bowl of mocha frosting. “Oh, God,” Chocolate, creamy with a hint of coffee. Evie was an amazing cook. And though I’d tried, I was awful. Though she’d taught me to bake, I wasn’t as good as she was. I licked my finger clean and groaned, “Mmm. That is so good.”
“Usually I’m in the room when a woman says things like that.” A deep voice came from behind us.
The covert meeting were coming through the back door. A man, unknown to me, Dragan and then Sergey. Evie’s man chuckled. “Toni!” H e waved to the man next to him. “This is my little brother Nicolai.” Sergey’s eyes shined a grin wide and contagious spread across his face. Yep, he had the Evie effect all over his face. She had that way about her.
Nicolai Mikhailov stood taller than both his brothers. His shoulders were wide, his face all planes and edges. Tan, blonde, muscled. He looked like something out of a fitness magazine. He was a tasty combination of Sergey and Dragan. Woof.
“You sound pleased to say that,” I responded with a chuckle. The man’s love and affection was contagious. I couldn’t resist and planted a kiss on Sergey’s cheek and offered my hand to the little brother. “Very nice to meet you Nicolai.”
The big man took my hand and placed a kiss on my knuckles. “My God, you are a beauty,” he sighed, studying my face. He pulled my hand to bring me closer and grinned. He smelled really good. Clean with hints of vetiver and sandalwood. He continued. “I’ve been wondering who had the Dragan tied in knots.” I smiled but felt oddly uncomfortable with the attention. My eyes cut to Dragan. Apparently he’d shared his dislike for me with his little brother.
“Enough Nico! ” Dragan said. “And let go of her. Now.” I heard Dragan growl from beside me. I felt his hand hit my waist and guide me to his side and back a few paces.
Nicolai gave a hard laugh and looked around the room. All eyes, including mine, on Dragan . “Don’t worry Drago! I remember your warning. Antonina is off limits. I gotta tell you though, wouldn’t have made such a deal if I’d known just how beautiful she was.” He winked at me and smacked Dragan on the shoulder before turning to Evie.
“Can I help with anything? I’m on the verge of getting in trouble. I think I have awakened the Dragan,” he joked with a raised brow.
Evie eyed Dragan and I for a moment. I could see her mind working. Don’t go there Evie .
“Yes, sweet Evelyn, give Nico something to do with his hands,” Dragan said without inflection.
Evie laughed then, happy to deflate the bubble of tension expanding in her kitchen and ordered Ni colai and Sergey to finish setting the table.
“Dragan,” Evie said warmly, turning back to us . “If you wouldn’t mind, would you get the lasagna out of the oven? It’s heavy.”
He squeezed my hip and released me. Going to Evie, he planted a kiss on her cheek. “Of course, sweet Evelyn.” He kissed her cheek again and went to work on his task.
“What about me?” I asked.
Evie gave me a grin. “Open the wine, fast!”
A few
He unnerved me. That was all. And I would analyze the emotion and then cut it into tiny little pieces and bury in my mind where I entombed everything that threatened my resolve.
Pivoting away from the door, I spied Evie lick the icing from her fingers.
“Can I have a taste?”
“Of course, I was wondering when you would stop staring at the boys and notice I made your favorite.”
I stood next to Evie and dipped my finger into the bowl of mocha frosting. “Oh, God,” Chocolate, creamy with a hint of coffee. Evie was an amazing cook. And though I’d tried, I was awful. Though she’d taught me to bake, I wasn’t as good as she was. I licked my finger clean and groaned, “Mmm. That is so good.”
“Usually I’m in the room when a woman says things like that.” A deep voice came from behind us.
The covert meeting were coming through the back door. A man, unknown to me, Dragan and then Sergey. Evie’s man chuckled. “Toni!” H e waved to the man next to him. “This is my little brother Nicolai.” Sergey’s eyes shined a grin wide and contagious spread across his face. Yep, he had the Evie effect all over his face. She had that way about her.
Nicolai Mikhailov stood taller than both his brothers. His shoulders were wide, his face all planes and edges. Tan, blonde, muscled. He looked like something out of a fitness magazine. He was a tasty combination of Sergey and Dragan. Woof.
“You sound pleased to say that,” I responded with a chuckle. The man’s love and affection was contagious. I couldn’t resist and planted a kiss on Sergey’s cheek and offered my hand to the little brother. “Very nice to meet you Nicolai.”
The big man took my hand and placed a kiss on my knuckles. “My God, you are a beauty,” he sighed, studying my face. He pulled my hand to bring me closer and grinned. He smelled really good. Clean with hints of vetiver and sandalwood. He continued. “I’ve been wondering who had the Dragan tied in knots.” I smiled but felt oddly uncomfortable with the attention. My eyes cut to Dragan. Apparently he’d shared his dislike for me with his little brother.
“Enough Nico! ” Dragan said. “And let go of her. Now.” I heard Dragan growl from beside me. I felt his hand hit my waist and guide me to his side and back a few paces.
Nicolai gave a hard laugh and looked around the room. All eyes, including mine, on Dragan . “Don’t worry Drago! I remember your warning. Antonina is off limits. I gotta tell you though, wouldn’t have made such a deal if I’d known just how beautiful she was.” He winked at me and smacked Dragan on the shoulder before turning to Evie.
“Can I help with anything? I’m on the verge of getting in trouble. I think I have awakened the Dragan,” he joked with a raised brow.
Evie eyed Dragan and I for a moment. I could see her mind working. Don’t go there Evie .
“Yes, sweet Evelyn, give Nico something to do with his hands,” Dragan said without inflection.
Evie laughed then, happy to deflate the bubble of tension expanding in her kitchen and ordered Ni colai and Sergey to finish setting the table.
“Dragan,” Evie said warmly, turning back to us . “If you wouldn’t mind, would you get the lasagna out of the oven? It’s heavy.”
He squeezed my hip and released me. Going to Evie, he planted a kiss on her cheek. “Of course, sweet Evelyn.” He kissed her cheek again and went to work on his task.
“What about me?” I asked.
Evie gave me a grin. “Open the wine, fast!”
A few
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