Page 49 of Dimitri
"Spring what?"
"We get married in spring. I'll need to contact my family to give them time to attend the wedding."
She stared at him. "I..." She swallowed her saliva. "That's not quite two months away." She toyed with the hairs on his chest. "Look, we need to talk about this in a rational manner."
Tilting her chin up, he planted a kiss on her mouth. "You're not reneging."
"Renege... This is not some business deal..."
"No, it is not," he agreed, amusement coloring his tone.
"I'm not living in Russia!" she burst out. "I'm sorry. I know we're supposed to discuss this kind of thing..."
"I like living here, and I never expected you to uproot your life to move halfway around the world."
She blinked at him. "You don't?"
He smiled at her look of surprise as he brushed back her hair. "No. I'm not the firstborn. Alexei is, and he's already taken uphis position of heir to the company. I will be required to go back and forth, but my grandparents are hoping and hinting that I will stay. They are already making arrangements to put the farm in my name." He cupped her chin. "I know how important your work is to you and would never ask you to give it up."
Tears clogged her throat and burned the back of her eyes. "I never expected this," she whispered huskily. "I was content to go on without any of it. I never dreamed..." She had to swallow, and even then, could not get the words out. "I don't know if I deserve you."
He touched her cheek gently, eyes soft with unspoken promises. "You deserve happiness, more than anyone I know. I want to give you that, if you'll let me." His words settled between them like a quiet vow, making her heart ache in the best way. She drew a shaky breath, feeling the warmth of his devotion wrap around her, steady and unwavering.
*****
He had called ahead. So, by the time they got to the farmhouse, his grandparents were waiting with open arms and beaming smiles on their lips.
"I'm going up to change." Dimitri extricated himself from his grandmother's arms and looked over at the woman who had brought the light into his life. "Care to accompany me?"
"I don't..."
"Of course," Elizabeth intervened. "Dinner will not be served for another half hour. And I'm sure Dimitri is eager to show you around."
That was not what he had in mind, but it could be arranged.
"We have a bottle of champagne chilling," Alvin told him. "You two go right ahead and leave us to arrange everything."
Taking her hand, Dimitri led the way along the narrow passageway toward the lovely staircase. "You looked like you were going to refuse." Tucking her hand through his arm, he guided her up the steps.
"Because I knew you wanted the opportunity to fool around." She tilted her head to look at him. "And I'm warning you right now, that's not going to happen. I'm not messing up my hair and makeup, and we just spent the entire morning making love. It has to stop."
"Does it?" Grinning like an idiot, he turned swiftly, and before she could protest, she was in his arms.
"Put me down, you moron." A maid scurried past them with wide eyes and a smile before dashing down the stairs.
"You were the one who put ideas inside my head. Here we are." He nudged the double doors open to a large sitting room. "When they realized I was coming here, my grandparents, mostly my grandmother, had the entire suite redecorated. She called Alexei to inquire as to my particular taste and color scheme." He stepped into the huge bedroom, where a fireplace took up one side of the bedroom. Warmth flooded the room, the fire casting shadows over the shimmering gold and tan wallpaper. A king-sized bed was draped with a matching quilt. Pale gold drapes were at the six windows, all of them opened.
"I like to look at the sunrise from here. And if you notice, the fruit trees make a spectacular backdrop."
"It does," she murmured. "It's a lovely suite."
"I promise not to mess up your makeup, but I have to..." There was no need for the rest of the sentence as he laid his lips over hers. With a sigh, she wrapped her hands around his neck and sank into the kiss.
It took more than thirty minutes for them to go back down, and she had to do some repairs to her hair and face.
The older couple did not mind one bit, and there was such an air of celebration among the staff that Dimitri and Allison realized that the news had spread.
The dinner was sumptuous and served in honor of their unofficial engagement in the elegant formal dining room with its teak wood furnishings and fire simmering inside the hearth. The meal consisted of both American and Russian cuisine, which surprised Dimitri.
