have melted an iceberg. “I have fond memories of your trip to Red Square.”
Paige tried not to blush, though she could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. For once in her life, she wished she’d slept around more. Then she wouldn’t be so affected by Alexei Voronov’s wicked grin.
“You didn’t really come here to make me go to dinner with you,” she said, trying to interject some reality back into the situation.
“No. I had to meet with someone. But I saw you enter the restaurant, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see you again.”
“Stop saying things like that.”
“Why not? You are a beautiful woman, and I wanted to see you.”
No one had ever called her beautiful. She was passably pretty, but she was too plain to be beautiful. Fashion confused her, makeup was a mystery that she’d only partially solved—blush, lipgloss and mascara usage were pretty simple—and her hair was so long and thick that she usually just ended up with a ponytail. Emma tried to get her to wear trendier clothes, but she never felt quite right in them. Emma’s style was wrong for Paige, and since she didn’t really know how to find her own, she settled for business suits and jeans. It was a safe wardrobe. Conservative.
“I can see you do not believe me,” Alexei continued. “This shocks me, Paige.”
She lifted her chin a notch while she clutched the menu between her hands. “I don’t trust you, Prince Voronov. You have an ulterior motive.”
His face split into another of those jaw-dropping grins. “How well you know me already,” he purred. “I do have an ulterior motive.” Then he leaned forward and caught one of her hands in his. “The motive is that I want you to come withme now. I promise Chad will never know. He may speak Russian, but he does not know this place like I do. He will not venture beyond the more trendy districts.”
“And you want to take me somewhere that isn’t trendy?” She pulled her hand away, though her heart continued to beat overtime. “I’m not sure if I should be insulted or relieved.”
Oh my God, she was bantering with him.
His sensual mouth curved, showing impossibly white teeth. “I would take you to the finest restaurant in the city, if you would allow me. But since you will not, I want to take you somewhere even better.”
“Better than the finest restaurant in the city? That doesn’t seem possible, now does it?”
“It is very possible, I assure you. You have only to say yes, and you will find out. Come with me now, Paige.”
She liked talking to him. He took away the loneliness, and he made her insides churn with excitement. Warmth flowed through her like she’d submerged in a hot bath. It made her languid and less uncertain.
Was it truly wrong to consider going to dinner with him? Chad and Emma were very likely locked in their suite, ordering room service and making love. Why couldn’t she see the city and enjoy herself for a while? What was the harm in that?
“I can’t,” she said, a hint of desperation creeping into her voice. Because she wanted to go. She wanted to spend more time with this man who told her she was beautiful. He made her feel like she was someone special, even if it were an illusion. It was a new feeling and she liked it way too much.
“That is Chad Russell talking,” he said disdainfully. “I want to hear what Paige Barnes wants.”
Paige closed her eyes. She wanted to see the city, and she wanted to have dinner with a handsome man who gave her compliments. “It’s too complicated. I shouldn’t go.”
“What is complicated about eating together?”
But why couldn’t she have an evening of fun? Emma was with Chad, and they were so happy with each other that they wouldn’t notice if Paige went out for a few hours. So long as the restaurant was far from the hotel and not a place likely to be frequented by tourists, what was the harm? She’d already spent the night with this man. It couldn’t get any worse
Paige tried not to blush, though she could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. For once in her life, she wished she’d slept around more. Then she wouldn’t be so affected by Alexei Voronov’s wicked grin.
“You didn’t really come here to make me go to dinner with you,” she said, trying to interject some reality back into the situation.
“No. I had to meet with someone. But I saw you enter the restaurant, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see you again.”
“Stop saying things like that.”
“Why not? You are a beautiful woman, and I wanted to see you.”
No one had ever called her beautiful. She was passably pretty, but she was too plain to be beautiful. Fashion confused her, makeup was a mystery that she’d only partially solved—blush, lipgloss and mascara usage were pretty simple—and her hair was so long and thick that she usually just ended up with a ponytail. Emma tried to get her to wear trendier clothes, but she never felt quite right in them. Emma’s style was wrong for Paige, and since she didn’t really know how to find her own, she settled for business suits and jeans. It was a safe wardrobe. Conservative.
“I can see you do not believe me,” Alexei continued. “This shocks me, Paige.”
She lifted her chin a notch while she clutched the menu between her hands. “I don’t trust you, Prince Voronov. You have an ulterior motive.”
His face split into another of those jaw-dropping grins. “How well you know me already,” he purred. “I do have an ulterior motive.” Then he leaned forward and caught one of her hands in his. “The motive is that I want you to come withme now. I promise Chad will never know. He may speak Russian, but he does not know this place like I do. He will not venture beyond the more trendy districts.”
“And you want to take me somewhere that isn’t trendy?” She pulled her hand away, though her heart continued to beat overtime. “I’m not sure if I should be insulted or relieved.”
Oh my God, she was bantering with him.
His sensual mouth curved, showing impossibly white teeth. “I would take you to the finest restaurant in the city, if you would allow me. But since you will not, I want to take you somewhere even better.”
“Better than the finest restaurant in the city? That doesn’t seem possible, now does it?”
“It is very possible, I assure you. You have only to say yes, and you will find out. Come with me now, Paige.”
She liked talking to him. He took away the loneliness, and he made her insides churn with excitement. Warmth flowed through her like she’d submerged in a hot bath. It made her languid and less uncertain.
Was it truly wrong to consider going to dinner with him? Chad and Emma were very likely locked in their suite, ordering room service and making love. Why couldn’t she see the city and enjoy herself for a while? What was the harm in that?
“I can’t,” she said, a hint of desperation creeping into her voice. Because she wanted to go. She wanted to spend more time with this man who told her she was beautiful. He made her feel like she was someone special, even if it were an illusion. It was a new feeling and she liked it way too much.
“That is Chad Russell talking,” he said disdainfully. “I want to hear what Paige Barnes wants.”
Paige closed her eyes. She wanted to see the city, and she wanted to have dinner with a handsome man who gave her compliments. “It’s too complicated. I shouldn’t go.”
“What is complicated about eating together?”
But why couldn’t she have an evening of fun? Emma was with Chad, and they were so happy with each other that they wouldn’t notice if Paige went out for a few hours. So long as the restaurant was far from the hotel and not a place likely to be frequented by tourists, what was the harm? She’d already spent the night with this man. It couldn’t get any worse
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