Page 47 of Till Death Saves Me

It's such a simple gesture, but it sends heat pooling in my stomach. I glance up at him, catching the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"What?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I shake my head, grinning. "Nothing. Just... this is nice." The words shouldn't be so scary to say, but I'm not sure where we stand with each other.

He grunts in response, but I see the way his eyes soften. We walk in comfortable silence for a while, the sun warm on our faces. Suddenly, Ivan stops, tugging me gently towards a nearby rosebush.

"Virginia," he says, his voice low and serious. "Look at this."

I lean in, curious. "What am I looking at?"

Quick as lightning, he plucks a petal and boops my nose with it. I gasp, more from surprise than anything else, and he actually chuckles. The sound is rich and warm, like honey.

"You should see your face," he smirks.

I swat his arm playfully. "You're such a jerk."

"Mm, but I'm your jerk," he replies, pulling me close.

As we continue our walk, I'm struck by how different Ivan is when we're alone. The hard edges have softened, the constant vigilance eases. He's still Ivan—strong, intense, dangerous when he needs to be—but there's a lightness to him I never expected.

Back inside, I head to the kitchen for a snack. Ivan follows, leaning against the counter as I rummage through the fridge.

"You know," he says casually, "I could order something."

I turn, an apple in hand. "I can manage an apple, Ivan."

He shrugs, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Just making sure. Wouldn't want you to strain yourself."

I roll my eyes, but I can't help smiling. This playful banter, the easy back-and-forth—it's become my favorite part of being with him.

As I bite into the apple, Ivan's gaze intensifies. He moves closer, his hand coming up to brush a stray curl from my face as some of the juice dribbles down my chin.

"You have no idea what you do to me," he murmurs, his voice low and husky.

My heart races as he leans in, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that steals my breath. I have to wonder if I'll ever stop feeling this way around him. Even when I was 16 I felt the magnetismthat pulls me in now, but I never could have expected it to turn out this way.

"I think I have some idea," I whisper back, and his answering grin is everything. I can't stop myself as I reach up and touch him, marveling at how handsome he is.

"What do you want to do today?" he asks me softly, though the heat in his eyes tells me he already has a plan in mind.

I grin. "Let me show you what I do every day."

Within ten minutes, I've dragged us outside, clad in my skimpiest bikini so far. Ivan's eyes nearly bugged out of my head, his hands tracing along my dark skin.

I stretch out on the lounge chair, soaking in the warm afternoon sun. The sound of water lapping against the pool's edge is soothing, almost hypnotic. I glance over at Ivan, sprawled on the chair next to mine, his eyes closed and face relaxed.

It's still a bit surreal to see him like this—guard down. I know he's still aware, I don't think he's ever been completely at ease, but I still like to see him this way.

"You're staring," he says without opening his eyes, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

I feel heat creep up my neck, and it's not from the sun. "Am not," I mutter, even though we both know it's a lie.

He cracks one eye open, fixing me with that intense gaze. "Liar."

I stick my tongue out at him, feeling childish but not caring. "Maybe I just like the view."

Ivan snorts, but I catch the pleased look that flashes across his face. "Careful, Virginia. Keep talking like that and we might not make it back inside."

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