Page 10 of Possession of the Bratva

“This is quite a meal,” I stated plainly.

He lifted his glass and held it up. “Only the best for my wife,” he added before sipping from his glass.

Something was up. I felt sure of it. I just didn’t know what. “Well then,” I replied, lifting my glass in turn. “What about foods I like?”

Aleksandr stared at me for a moment as if unsure of what had just happened. Placing his glass down, he folded his hands as he stared at me. “Okay,” he breathed out slowly. “What kind of foods do you prefer if this is not to your liking?”

I gave a nervous giggle before replying. “Don’t get me wrong, this is very nice. However, it proves that you really don’t know anything about me.”

Raising his eyebrows, he spoke in a light tone. “Do you not like pasta, or is it the cheese perhaps?”

Smiling, I twirled some around my fork and lifted it off the plate. “I have no issues with it. I enjoy most foods. What I meant to say is that it is not a special meal in my eyes.”

“Okay, let’s talk about it then,” he replied calmly. “What would you class as a special meal?”

“I’m more of a platter kind of person, I would say. Calamari rings, chicken nuggets, sausages, breadsticks,mozzarella, with some olives and a side of salad.” Placing my fork down, I sat back as I continued. “We know nothing about each other. What makes you think this marriage will work?”

I could see I had caught his full attention as he sat studying me. He sipped some more wine and placed his glass down. After clearing his throat, he spoke. “Right then, let’s play a little game. We each ask five questions. We must reply honestly. This way, we will know more about each other, don’t you think?”

Grinning at him, I nodded in agreement. My mind flooded with everything I wanted to know. But I had to choose my questions with care. I intended to look for his skeletons.

“I’ll go first. May I?” he asked eagerly.

Nodding, I felt my stomach making a slight turn. I hadn’t seen him so excited before. It was strange, but I also found it intriguing.

“Share with me one piece of advice, the best you’ve ever gotten yourself?”

This was an interesting question. I wondered what he was trying to deduce. Sipping some wine, I thought about all the advice I had received in my life. Looking into his eyes, I spoke firmly. “Be like the river. Flow, and don’t try to rush things. It will all come as it will.”

I could see Aleksandr’s mind sorting through my words. His eyes narrowed as he thought about it. His lips pulled up at the sides, and his eyes appeared to be sparkling as he replied. “So, you can be patient when you need to be. You will wait for things to fall into place before moving?”

Surprised by his assessment and intelligence, I felt energized suddenly. I couldn’t keep the smile from forming on my lips. Aleksandr turned his head to the side as he stared. “Youliked that,” he mumbled. Lowering my gaze, I wondered why it felt like I was lit on fire. “Your turn,” he added.

Placing my elbow on the table's edge, I rubbed my chin as I thought about it. Grinning, I asked my question. “Name a quote, famous or not, that best describes you?”

“One stone can cause a cascade of ripples if aimed correctly. One person can make a change in many lives.” Aleksandr replied, grinning.

“That’s a version of Mother Teresa’s quote,” I spat, feeling very proud of myself.

“Correct,” Aleksandr replied, beaming.

My stomach turned as I looked at him across the table. He was a handsome man. He was maybe more than attractive, with his black hair, golden eyes, and clean look. Feeling the heat pushing up my neck, I looked down as my cheeks reddened.

Why was I feeling so overwhelmed? Shifting in my chair, I felt my heartbeat quickening. I had to get out of the room. Glancing up, I spoke softly. “Thank you for a lovely dinner. I think I’ll turn in for the night.”

“Are you sure, we’re not done yet?” Aleksandr responded as I rose.

“Yes, I think the cheese was a bit rich,” I added as I moved to the door.

“We will continue tomorrow then?” I heard him asking behind me. I had not even heard him standing up or walking closer. I felt his hand on my shoulder and froze.

“Good night, dear,” he whispered as he kissed the top of my head.

“Good night, Aleksandr,” I replied before rushing to our room.

I quickly changed into my nighties and climbed into bed. I didn’t want him to come in while I was busy or even still awake. My stomach was still turning. It felt like I had too much to drink, but I knew that was not the case.

As I lay in bed, I wondered about our conversation. I could still feel his energy. My hormones were betraying me. Taking a couple of deep breaths, I hoped to calm the sexual tension before he came up. After a while, I felt my body relaxing and fell asleep.

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