Page 73 of Always Yours

I’m not, but I don’t want to be near my peepaw right now. “Absolutely.”

“Be careful with her, Mr. Titov.” Peepaw’s words are low and dripping with all kinds of warnings.

Dimitri looks over at him, an easygoing smirk on his lips. “Honestly, Mr. Davenport, I’m more scared of her than you, but I’ll remember your warning for sure.”

I look up at him. “You’re scared of me?”

He nods. “More than I’d like to admit.”

“Why?”

“Too many reasons. Come on,” he says, pulling me along. Before we can reach the dance floor, a breathtaking girl steps in front of us. She favors Dimitri completely, and her eyes are just as intoxicating as his. Her long black hair is well past her bottom, and the bodycon dress she wears hugs her thin, model-like body in a way I’ve never seen. Lord, she is stunning.

In Russian, she tells her brother, “I am ready to go. Can you take me home?”

Dimitri rolls his eyes. “No, I’m busy.”

Her eyes cut to mine. “She doesn’t look like your type. Though, I do like her dress.”

I chuckle at that, and they both look at me. I clear my throat and reply in Russian, “Thank you. I love yours.”

Her eyes widen, and Dimitri chokes on a laugh. I look up at him. With an amused expression, Dimitri asks, “You speak Russian?”

“I do,” I answer. “It’s one of five languages I know. Like I told you, I had nothing to do growing up, so I taught myself different languages.”

His eyes widen. “You are incredible.”

My lips curve as I look back at the girl in front of me. “Sorry for stealing him away.”

Her eyes search mine. “It’s fine. This is the happiest I’ve seen my brother in a while.”

“Ah, Katarina?” I ask, and she nods. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

She taunts, “I’m sure my brother has no nice words to say about me.”

He doesn’t, but I won’t share that. “You’d be surprised.”

She doesn’t seem to be convinced but doesn’t say so. Instead, she says, “Enjoy.”

As she walks away, Dimitri looks at me. “You couldn’t tell me you speak Russian?”

“It never came up,” I say, and his lips curve.

“I am going to enjoy getting to know all your secrets, Austen,” he says, and I kiss his chin, though I do fear some of my secrets.

“Same.”

He brings me to the dance floor, spinning me out and then back in, which I’m sure would have looked way cooler with someone who knows how to dance. Me, I flail around like a bag of bones, unsure of what is right or left. I knew I would look stupid, but then Dimitri grins down at me and I feel slightly less stupid. He wraps his arms around my waist as mine go around his neck, and we sway to the slow song. I want to ask why he isn’t worried about what my peepaw said, but I think I may know the answer. He doesn’t care.

“Have I told you how gorgeous you are?”

My chest flutters. “Not really.”

“Well, you are,” he says, bringing me closer. “Most gorgeous woman in every room.”

A gasp leaves my lips, and I go to my tippy-toes to kiss him, not because of his kind words but because I need to. Before my lips can touch his, though, the music ends, and a voice fills the hall.

“Shelli was supposed to sing for the happy couple, and we all know why—she’s extremely talented and sings like an angel.” The guy at the mic is tall, with wide shoulders and long legs. His tux is blue and fitted to his body in the most delectable way. His dark hair falls into his eyes, but even so, I can see the pain in his gaze.

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