Page 60 of Witness Protection

“Don’t say that name. Please.”

He tensed. All week, he’d wanted to bring up the other man, but pushed the desire away. Today was her birthday, so he wasn’t going to start any shit tonight. “Okay.”

“I’m tired of living in a hotel,” she said a while later. “We have to start thinking of the future.”

“The house is for sale. Everything’s in the works now. It won’t be long.”

She shifted in her seat to face him better. “Will we be together? I don’t want to live alone.”

“I’ll never leave you alone,” he said.

She wasn’t a child, but she’d also been sheltered from the world. He couldn’t imagine her living alone in a big house, fending for herself. The world was a dangerous place, especially for the only heir of Vasily Morenov. But was she looking for comfort or a companion? He wanted to be her everything, but he refused to push himself on her, to force her into a life she’d regret.

They pulled up to the restaurant, and he left the car with the valet. The lights and glamor cut the darkness of the evening as they walked up the grand steps to the restaurant.

“Mr. Tesino. Please follow me.” The hostess led them to their private alcove in the restaurant. The very best for his Sophia. Her father would have done the same. Hawk would say that fucker was incapable of love, but even monsters managed to love their own.

Once seated at their table, he waved away the other staff. He wanted alone time with Sophia. She sat across from him at the small table, her dark eyes luminous in the candle light.

“Mr. Tesino?”

“I did some calls. That’s my real surname, my parents’ name. Turns out I have Italian blood, not Russian.” He chuckled. What a clusterfuck.

“I like it. Sophia Tesino,” she whispered, tasting the words.

“You’re a Morenov.”

“Until I’m married. I won’t miss losing the name.”

He fucking loved the sound of her having his name. Imagining her as his wife seemed to make all the wrongs of the world disappear. He’d keep his promise and keep tonight about them.

Hawk leaned over and pressed a finger to her lips. “Happy thoughts, baby.”

She took his wrist and kissed his fingers. When she wrapped her lips around his thumb, he sat back in his seat, bracing the table with both hands, trying to will his hard-on away.

No such luck.

Sophia smiled. “We should move away from here. Far away. Maybe by the ocean. Or even the wilderness.” She toyed with her napkin, folding and unfolding it. “Not a big house like ours, something cute and cozy. Something to call home.”

“Sounds nice,” he said.

He wasn’t overly focused on her words. He was busy eyeing the fullness of her lips, and the soft swells of her breasts rising and falling with each breath. She was anything but a little girl in that dress.

“I have a present for you. I’ll give it to you tonight.”

“You never asked me what I wanted, though.”

“You want something?”

Sophia was never one for material possessions. Her father always bought her the best, but it never impressed her. She put her weight on her forearms, getting as close to him as she could without lifting out of her seat. “I want you.”

“You already have me, baby. That’s not much of a wish.”

“Hawk, I want you to kiss me, to touch me, to take my virginity. Tonight.”

He looked to both sides, making sure they weren’t overheard.

“Sophia, I won’t do that.”

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