Page 139 of Night's Fall
I nodded again.
“Smile,”MadamGarwahbarked.
I painted on whatIhoped was the approved smile.
MadamGarwahnodded smartly and declared, “She’sgot it.We’redone.”
I hopedIdid.
Gods.
* * *
Several hours later…
Aleksei held my hand as we walked down the stairs from the landing pad to his penthouse, leaving his lavishOpuStarnext to theJetPantherup top.
When we got in, he let my hand go and went directly to the glassed-in wine room that sat opposite the dining room table beyond the stairs.
He came out with a bottle of red and two glasses.
He lifted the bottle my way.
It was barely three o’clock.
I nodded.
He uncorked, poured, handed me one and grabbed the other.
Then he caught my gaze.
“Want to run far away from me yet?” he asked softly.
Oh, my sweet male.
It could not be denied that photo op was nerve wracking.Justthe shouting at us set the hairs on my neck to raising.Butthen there was the jostling of the throng of paparazzi and reporters.Thepushing.Worryingif my smile was too big.IfIwas waving from the wrist.IfIleaned too far intoAlekseiwhen he wrapped his arm around my waist.IfIcould get back to the craft without tripping on a stone.
It was a feeding frenzy, and we were the buffet.
But through it all, he was at my side, and in one way or another, his hand was always on me, wrapped around mine, around my waist, at the small of my back.
Tall, straight, protective, and so, so very handsome.
This was my happily ever after.
No one ever claimed they were perfect.
Just that the hero would be.
And mine, for me, absolutely was.
“Not even close,”Ireplied.
He didn’t drink his wine.
He swept an arm around me and pulled me to his body.
Then he kissed me.
