Page 51 of Preferential Treatment

“That’s better than it was. I’ve been sitting at a hundred and two for the last day or so.”

A satisfied smile quirked one corner of his mouth. “I told you, tea is good for fevers.”

“It was probably the cold medicine I’ve been taking.”

“The cold medicine that didn’t do anything until after you had tea and a mustard compress?”

Kate narrowed her eyes at him. He smirked. Slowly, both their expressions shifted into genuine smiles. Abashed, Kate looked away from him, shifting herself to sit up.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Just past six.”

“Did you spend all day here?”

“Yes.” His gaze tracked over her. “You are looking better, Katya. Your color is coming back.”

“Must’ve been all the mustard.” She stretched, surprised by how much less her joints ached.

“I will make more tea and heat up the soup.”

“There’s more soup?”

“Yes. I brought several.”

After Kate had eaten and had more tea, she was genuinely feeling better. She wasn’t sure she believed that mustard and hot orange juice had cured her, but she wasn’t confident enough to argue against Mikhail’s broody caretaking.

“Tired?” Mikhail asked as he cleared away the empty mug and bowl.

“No. Not yet.”

“Would you like a game of chess?”

Kate scowled at him. “You always win, even when I’m healthy. Right now, my head’s all buzzy with cold medicine. You’d beat me like a drum.”

Mikhail grinned. “We’ll even the odds. I’ll play blindfolded.”

Kate didn’t answer right away. She was still too run down to be entertaining any thoughts of sex, but she couldn’t deny the little frisson of interest at the idea of blindfolding him.

Mikhail apparently read it in her gaze, because he shook his head. “You need your strength, knyazhna. One game of chess?”

“If you’re going to be blindfolded, then yes. I’ve never seen anyone play without seeing the board.”

“I’m not very good at it. Where is your chessboard?”

He fetched it from the hall closet—a cheap little wooden box that unfolded to form the board, all the pieces contained inside when it was closed. It was nothing compared to the gorgeous marble set in Mikhail’s study.

He flipped the board open on the coffee table and began setting the pieces up. When everything was in place, he pulled his necktie loose and tied it over his eyes. That little zing of excitement chased over Kate’s skin again, and she bit her lip on a wolfish smile.

“Ready?” Mikhail asked.

“Yes. You first.”

“Pawn to d4.”

Kate moved his piece for him, then her own. They played like that, slowly, Mikhail making halting declarations for each move, growing more and more uncertain as the game progressed.

“Bishop to g7,” he said slowly, still thinking on it even as he spoke.

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