YURI (Her Russian Protector #3) by Roxie Rivera Page A

one hell of a libido. Right now, he looked at Benny like he wanted to just eat her right up.
    "He knows I'll make it up to him later."
    Laughing at her naughty innuendo, I whipped out the binder I'd put together and pulled out the laminated, color-coded charts I'd worked on yesterday.
    Benny touched my wrist. "Is it true about your job? I saw your Facebook and Twitter feeds," she explained. "I asked Vivian but she said that you hadn't said anything concrete."
    My tummy clenched just thinking about the awkward conversation I'd had with my boss. "They didn't fire me. Actually, they tried to get me to stay but I just thought fuck it . I'm done. So I quit."
    "What happens now?"
    "I have no idea." My tummy tightened even more. "I really don't. I'm sort of…waiting. I've been careful with my money so I have enough to keep me going for ten or twelve months, maybe even longer if I really cut back to the bare minimums."
    "I don't think you'll have a hard time finding a new job."
    "I've already had a few offers." I didn't tell her that one of them was from Yuri. "I considered two of them seriously but I just keep thinking that maybe this is the push I needed to go off on my own. I can set my own hours. I can work with people who will respect me and not steal from me. I can be the master of my own destiny, you know?"
    "I have faith in you." She squeezed my arm. "You'll land on your feet."
    "Let's hope so. Otherwise Vivi might be in the market for a new roommate." I tapped the schedule to get us back on track. "Mark, the reporter for the Life section of the paper, is coming out with a photographer around eight. I thought we'd feature you, Marco, Adam, Celia and Lupe in that piece. Mark loves your buns—"—I winked at her as she snickered—"—so I know he's going to give you a great write-up."
    "And Flora at Hoy ?" Benny named the major Spanish language newspaper in the city. "Is she still coming today?"
    "She'll be here at nine o'clock but I promised I'd snap pics from the official opening for her to use. Ada Montoya will be here around ten to shoot a package for the noon, six and ten broadcasts on the Spanish channel news."
    Benny self-consciously touched her face. "Should I put on more makeup for that?"
    Before I could answer, Dimitri swept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Holding her from behind, he bent down and placed a noisy kiss on her cheek. "You don't need makeup. You're already so damn beautiful. Put on more makeup and I'll have to grab the bat from your office to fight off the men who will be stampeding down here."
    A blush crept up Benny's neck and colored her cheeks. Dimitri dropped his lips to her ear and whispered something that only she could hear. Her eyes widened briefly and she curled under her lips as if to stifle a frustrated moan.
    Normally, their public display of affection would have inspired such envy in me. It was the same thing I felt when I watched Ivan nuzzle Erin's neck or stroke her hand so lovingly. Today I felt oddly…hopeful. Tonight I would see Yuri—and anything could happen.
    As if reading my mind, Dimitri loosened his embrace of Benny. A mischievous smile played upon his lips. "So—tell me about this picture."
    I groaned. "Please don't tease me, Dimitri. Vivian hasn't let up since the dang thing showed up online."
    He laughed. "I'm shocked. Sweet little Vivian being so mean? Never."
    "Sweet? Honey, don't let that innocent schoolgirl exterior fool you. Underestimate Vivian at your own peril."
    Still smiling, Benny finally found the courage to ask what I'm sure she'd been dying to know since I walked in the front door. "So are you two dating or what?"
    "We're getting together tonight."
    "He asked you out?" She looked so excited I was surprised she wasn't jumping up and down.
    "Not exactly," I said and dropped my gaze. "He sort of told me."
    Dimitri snorted with amusement. "Now that sounds very much like Yuri."
    "Is he coming over this morning?" Benny wondered.
    I shook my