Page 19 of Caught By the Bratva Beast

Shrugging one shoulder, I smirk. “Does it matter? It all ends in you naked in my hot tub.”

She laughs and all I can think about is how much I'm going to make her giggle over the weekend, how I never want to stop hearing that sound in my hallways.

The plane starts its descent toward the little airfield out back and within half an hour we're landed and standing outside the plane.

Pearl wanders down the stone path, looking up the trees that line it. “I've never seen a place so green.”

“Did you live in New York City for your entire life?”

“Most of it, but you know, I've traveled. I've just never seen somewhere so green with the mountains right there. It looks like I’ve stepped into some sort of fairytale land that only exists in movies.”

“Well, if this week goes to plan, you're welcome to come here whenever you'd like.”

“Are you trying to make me a kept woman, Maxim?”

“Pearl, I doubt that there is a single man in this world capable of making you a kept woman. But if there was, it would be me.”

She gives the most unladylike snort I've ever heard, her cheeks coloring with that beautiful blush.

This is the real her. Not a put-together escort who spends her time charming men. She's not the woman who laughs in all the right places and says what you want to hear.

No, she's the woman who gives me a run for my money.

It couldn't be more attractive. Especially, when I get the opportunity to tame her.

“My men will be bringing the bags to the house so we can walk down there now if you'd like, or we can arrange for an ATV to take us.”

Pearl looks around at the wildflowers growing. They sway with the breeze. Their muted colors shine brightly beneath the morning sun. “If you don't mind, I'd rather just walk to the house and try and take all of this in. I looked at pictures online before we came. Your property is astounding though. It looks even better than the pictures. Aesha isn’t going to believe it. I hope you don’t mind if I send her some pictures.”

“Aesha?”

“My best friend. She’s a NICU nurse back home.”

“Send her some pictures as we walk down to the house then.”

Pearl bounces on her toes, looking like I’ve given her the greatest gift ever. Her girlie youthfulness warms my heart, she’s like the breath of fresh air enveloping us. It makes me happy to see her like that, even if she doesn’t realize she’s letting her guard down.

I can't remember the last time I walked from the airfield to my house. It has to have been years, but walking with her now and watching the way she takes in the world around her is something to be cherished.

She looks out over the mountains as if they are the first time in her entire life, she's ever seen formations that tall. For a moment she stands there so long I'm sure she's counting the trees, even though that would be impossible.

She points to one of the rivers cutting down the side of the mountain, descending into a lake below. “Can you swim down there?”

“It's cold water since it’s coming from the top of the mountain. I doubt you would want to get in it.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. I mean, of course, I know that the mountain spring water is going to be colder. But I didn't realize it would be that cold.”

“If you wish to go dive in the water one morning, then we will go jump in that lake. But I must warn you that you may shrivel up. I would hate to have to return a prune to New York. There are probably some laws against shipping fruit-shaped humans.”

Dimples are on full display as she shakes her head. “This is going to be a constant game of back and forth between us, isn't it? Aren't you ever going to tire of teasing me?”

“That depends on if you're going to get tired of taunting me.”

She gives me a cheeky smile. “I wouldn't hold my breath.”

“Well, that's what I thought then.”

Every so often on the journey down to the house, she stops to take a couple of pictures. There's a part of me that likes knowing that she's going to think about this trip long after it's over, that she wants memories and not only of what I've built here.

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