Vaska tightened his arm around my waist as he nuzzled my neck. “Skip class this morning. Stay in bed with me.”
I squirmed out of his embrace and reached for my fuzzy pink robe, which was on the floor near the bed. As I shoved my arms into the armholes, I wrapped it around my body before getting out of bed, all the while ignoring Vaska’s knowing chuckle. “You don’t understand; it’s my Foundation of ESL and Bilingual Education class. I need it to graduate this semester, and the professor is—difficult. I can’t be late.”
Rushing over to my closet, I pulled out a pair of deep-cuff dark denim jeans, a black-and-white striped off-the-shoulder shirt, and my favorite black biker jacket. I snatched up my pink metallic makeup case and started down the hall for the bathroom. With a start, I turned and poked my head back into the bedroom. “You can show yourself out, right?”
Vaska raised an eyebrow and just nodded.
“Bye!” I said breezily over my shoulder as I turned back down the hallway.
I raced to the bathroom and slammed the door shut, then leaned against it. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I thought I’d pulled that off. Last night had been so wonderful. I could feel myself falling in love with this man with each passing minute I spent in his presence. He was his own gravitational force just pulling me closer and closer against my will. The problem was I knew I would be torn to pieces by that same energy force if I wasn’t careful. Best to end it now in a laissez-faire casual way rather than show him any weakness of the heart. Besides, a man like Vaska would appreciate a female who wasn’t trying to cling to him. He probably got that all the time. I was determined to be different.
I was leaning over the sink drawing a thin black line of eyeliner over my top right lid when I heard the front door close.
He was gone.
My eyes teared up.
I angrily swiped at my cheeks, ruining my makeup. Damn it. And damn him. I grabbed a cotton swab and dipped it in some makeup remover to repair the damage. Then, plaiting my hair into two soft braids, I tied them off with pink ribbon and took one last look in the mirror before leaving the bathroom.
I slipped on my pair of jeans and jumped around the bedroom, pulling them over my hips and balancing on one foot as I shoved the other into a pink Converse sneaker. Shoving my other foot into the second sneaker, I put on my leather jacket. Dumping the contents of my cherry purse onto the bed, I swiped my arm across the coverlet and pushed it all into the open mouth of my Hello Kitty purse. I glanced at the clock. Fuck.
I hurried into the kitchen and picked up my laptop case off the counter. As I turned toward the front door, it opened. Expecting Emma, it stunned me to see Vaska standing there. He was holding a tray with two coffee cups and a small brown paper bag.
He motioned with his head. “Come on, beautiful. I thought you were late?”
“What… what are you doing back here?”
He winked. “Technically, I never left. I was just getting provisions. Can’t go to class on an empty stomach. Come, I’ll drive you.”
“That’s not really necessary.”
“And yet I still insist.” It was funny how his Russian accent seemed to get heavier and sexier when he was giving a command, even a subtle one.
Knowing when I’m beaten, I threw my arms up in defeat and walked out the door. After he followed me out, I turned to lock it.
“Aren’t you going to arm the security system?”
I shrugged. “What’s the point? There’s nothing in there to steal. Besides, Emma will be here any minute. She has a class at the same time I do.”
Vaska shifted his gaze away. “Which would you like, coffee or cappuccino? And by that I mean, choose the cappuccino.”
I selected the cappuccino as I narrowed my eyes. “What are you not telling me?”
“What? Nothing.”
“Try again. Is Emma okay?”
“I’m sure she’s fine.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You’re sure she’s fine? Fine?” I reached for my phone. “I’m calling her.”
He put his hand over my phone. “You won’t be able to reach her. She’s on a plane with Dimitri. They are on their way to Morocco.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. Did you just say my best friend was on a plane to Morocco? Why?”
“I guess she’s better at skipping class than you are,” he said before smacking my ass and motioning toward the door.
I had no choice but to obey and wait for Emma’s call and explanation. I really couldn’t be late for this class. I pushed open the outside door and stepped into the sunshine. The first thing I noticed was the Ferrari was gone. I blinked rapidly in case any tears threatened. It was stupid. I hadn’t wanted the stupid, ugly thing anyway. It just sent a very clear message that he wasn’t planning on seeing me past shuffling me off this morning.
He opened the passenger door of his car for me and I tried one more time to object. “It’s really only a few blocks. If I hustle, I’ll make it in plenty of time.”
Vaska didn’t even respond. He just gave me that implacable stone-faced stare I was becoming accustomed to. With a sigh, I got into the car.
As we drove the few blocks to Loyola, he clenched his jaw. He then gestured with his hand to the buildings ahead. “You walk all this way every day?”
“It’s really not that far.”
He shook his head. “Net. No. It is too far for a beautiful woman to walk. This is Chicago. What do you do when it rains or snows?”
I played with the plastic top of my cappuccino. “Um… I get wet?”
He turned his head to flash me a glare. “The only time my woman should be wet is when she is in bed with me.”
Fuck. From any other man, that would be a way over-the-top thing to say, but that Russian accent! Damn, it got me every time.
A peevish part of me wanted to fire back that I wasn’t his woman, but he had been nice enough to get me breakfast and drive me to class so I just stayed silent. It’s not like I would be his problem after this morning, anyway.
To distract him, I picked up the paper bag and opened it. “What’s in here?”
“A blueberry muffin.”
I smiled. “I love blueberry muffins. Thank you so much.”
He winked, then turned his attention back to the road.
I directed him to the building my morning class was in. I suppressed a groan when I saw Professor Hadley standing near the door. Before the car had even come to a full stop, I was opening the door. Not giving Vaska a chance to make some excuse about why he was too busy or had other plans for tonight but would call me later this week, I hopped out of the car.
“Thanks for the ride!” I called out and refused to look back.
Professor Hadley blocked my path as I tried to enter the building. The man was easily three times my age and always smelled of garlic and menthol cigarettes.
“You’re late, Ms. Fraser,” he sneered as he stepped closer.
I averted my face. “I’m sorry, Professor Hadley. It won’t happen again.”
He stepped closer. I tried to shift to the left, but another student bumped into me. I was jostled and found myself with my back to the brick wall of the building a few feet from the entrance. Class was already starting, so the quad had mostly emptied. It was just me and Professor Hadley.