CATALINA
I wokeup to a warm body close to me on the enormous bed. As I shifted around a bit, I felt the tenderness on the skin between my legs, which reminded me of all the events that happened last night.
I didn’t know what I had been expecting when my eyes sprang open in the bright morning light shining through the window nearby, but it wasn’t clashing with clear blue eyes.
Judging by the look of him, he had been awake a while and he had been staring at me.
How creepy.
I was sure the thought showed on my face, but if he was offended, he didn’t show it.
He looked amused.
And beautiful. It wasn’t right.
How could a man as evil as him look so beautiful?
It didn’t make sense. It lured innocent people into a false sense of safety.
I flexed my muscles to test him, and sure enough, he tightened his arms around me a fraction.
I let out a small sigh.
His lips twitched.
“Good morning,kotyonok.Did you sleep well?”
I took him in. I wondered what mood he was in this morning. He didn’t seem angry or hard.
In fact, there was something different about him, yet I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
I nodded.
It looked like he’d slept well too. He looked well rested, despite having gone to bed after me, and waking up before me.
A thought occurred to me.
My eyes widened and I could feel my cheeks scorching.
I had gone to sleep in his arms last night!
What was I thinking?
He could have done anything to me.
He could have done anything to me, whether I was awake or asleep, I reminded myself grudgingly.
Mikhail traced a single finger down the side of my cheek, his touch surprisingly not unwelcome.
I resisted the urge to move closer to him.
“What I wouldn’t give to hear the thoughts that are making you blush like this.”
I scowled before I could help it. If he could hear my thoughts about him most of the time, he wouldn’t like me very much.
As if he could tell what I was thinking with one look, he shook with booming laughter. My breath caught as I watched him.
I didn’t think I had ever seen any of them laugh. Any show of happiness on their faces was more sardonic than anything else, but listening to Mikhail laugh right now was something else entirely.