so hopeful, that she’d reacted defensively. And when he’d called her an open book, it too eerily echoed her own thoughts. She’d suddenly felt the urgent need to escape before she embarrassed herself any further.
She was a strong woman. She’d been strong all her life, and she’d taken care of herself and her sister since their mother had died. She’d sacrificed and scraped, and she was independent and moderately successful. So why did she dissolve intoa puddle of mush around a man she barely knew? Why did he make her feel so vulnerable?
A glance at her watch told her it was nearly four in the afternoon. It felt earlier since the sun usually set so late here in the spring and summer—though you wouldn’t know it was spring with the snow outside. But her stomach growled and she realized she hadn’t eaten since grabbing a pastry and coffee this morning before going to the meeting. She thought about ordering room service, but decided that going to the hotel restaurant was a better idea.
She’d locked herself inside since she’d returned a few hours ago, and it was time to get out, among people. Perhaps then she would stop thinking so much about one Russian prince.
Chad and Emma were off somewhere, and would be spending their free time together for the rest of the time they were here. Now that Paige knew about the relationship, there was no need to keep up the pretense. Chad had apologized to her on the ride to the meeting this morning. He’d wanted to tell her, he’d said, but he hadn’t been sure she would approve.
She’d admitted that she wouldn’t have, and—without a care for possible job ramifications—had told him that if he hurt her sister, she’d gut him. He hadn’t fired her, as she’d half expected, but had instead assured her that he loved Emma and would never hurt her.
While they were at the meeting, Emma had moved her suitcases to Chad’s room.
Which left Paige alone and feeling kind of blue. Though Emma was in college, she’d continued to live at home. Paige was accustomed to having someone there. Of course she’d taken business trips before, and of course she’d stayed alone. But this trip seemed so different, and Emma’s absence so final, that it bothered her more than she’d thought it would.
Paige hadn’t changed out of her suit earlier, so she grabbed her jacket and took the elevator down to the lobby. Fifteenminutes later, she was seated in a corner booth and contemplating the English menu a waiter had brought.
“Don’t order the
borscht,”
a deep voice said. Her head snapped up, her gaze colliding with icy gray eyes. Her pulse shot skyward.
He slid into the booth seat opposite her. “Everyone who comes to Russia orders
borscht,
but there is far more to our cuisine than cabbage.”
“What are you doing here?” Paige demanded. “Go away before you get me in trouble!”
“Do not worry, Paige. No one will see you talking to me.”
“You don’t know that,” she insisted. “What if Chad gets hungry? What if he comes in here?”
He shrugged. It infuriated her the way he so casually dismissed her fears. He was rich, and he didn’t have to worry about losing his job. But she had so much more to worry about than her job now that Chad was planning to marry her sister. She would
not
cause problems between them.
“You should have agreed to come to dinner with me. Then we would not be here, but elsewhere.”
Paige gritted her teeth. “Go away.”
He leaned back against the cushions and shot her an arrogant grin. “Only if you go with me.”
Her heart leaped into double time. “I’m not going with you, Alexei.”
“Then I will stay with you,” he said, reaching for the menu.
She held it tight, refusing to let go.
“This is a nice hotel,” he said, “but it caters to tourists. Wouldn’t you like to try real Russian food? See more than the inside of your room and the airport?”
“I’ve already been to Red Square,” she said primly.
His grin could
She was a strong woman. She’d been strong all her life, and she’d taken care of herself and her sister since their mother had died. She’d sacrificed and scraped, and she was independent and moderately successful. So why did she dissolve intoa puddle of mush around a man she barely knew? Why did he make her feel so vulnerable?
A glance at her watch told her it was nearly four in the afternoon. It felt earlier since the sun usually set so late here in the spring and summer—though you wouldn’t know it was spring with the snow outside. But her stomach growled and she realized she hadn’t eaten since grabbing a pastry and coffee this morning before going to the meeting. She thought about ordering room service, but decided that going to the hotel restaurant was a better idea.
She’d locked herself inside since she’d returned a few hours ago, and it was time to get out, among people. Perhaps then she would stop thinking so much about one Russian prince.
Chad and Emma were off somewhere, and would be spending their free time together for the rest of the time they were here. Now that Paige knew about the relationship, there was no need to keep up the pretense. Chad had apologized to her on the ride to the meeting this morning. He’d wanted to tell her, he’d said, but he hadn’t been sure she would approve.
She’d admitted that she wouldn’t have, and—without a care for possible job ramifications—had told him that if he hurt her sister, she’d gut him. He hadn’t fired her, as she’d half expected, but had instead assured her that he loved Emma and would never hurt her.
While they were at the meeting, Emma had moved her suitcases to Chad’s room.
Which left Paige alone and feeling kind of blue. Though Emma was in college, she’d continued to live at home. Paige was accustomed to having someone there. Of course she’d taken business trips before, and of course she’d stayed alone. But this trip seemed so different, and Emma’s absence so final, that it bothered her more than she’d thought it would.
Paige hadn’t changed out of her suit earlier, so she grabbed her jacket and took the elevator down to the lobby. Fifteenminutes later, she was seated in a corner booth and contemplating the English menu a waiter had brought.
“Don’t order the
borscht,”
a deep voice said. Her head snapped up, her gaze colliding with icy gray eyes. Her pulse shot skyward.
He slid into the booth seat opposite her. “Everyone who comes to Russia orders
borscht,
but there is far more to our cuisine than cabbage.”
“What are you doing here?” Paige demanded. “Go away before you get me in trouble!”
“Do not worry, Paige. No one will see you talking to me.”
“You don’t know that,” she insisted. “What if Chad gets hungry? What if he comes in here?”
He shrugged. It infuriated her the way he so casually dismissed her fears. He was rich, and he didn’t have to worry about losing his job. But she had so much more to worry about than her job now that Chad was planning to marry her sister. She would
not
cause problems between them.
“You should have agreed to come to dinner with me. Then we would not be here, but elsewhere.”
Paige gritted her teeth. “Go away.”
He leaned back against the cushions and shot her an arrogant grin. “Only if you go with me.”
Her heart leaped into double time. “I’m not going with you, Alexei.”
“Then I will stay with you,” he said, reaching for the menu.
She held it tight, refusing to let go.
“This is a nice hotel,” he said, “but it caters to tourists. Wouldn’t you like to try real Russian food? See more than the inside of your room and the airport?”
“I’ve already been to Red Square,” she said primly.
His grin could
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