"I didn't tell you because we weren't actually dating until very recently. Like, you know, yesterday." My cheeks grew hot as I imagined what my father was thinking. "It's not like that. I mean—this thing between us has been a long time coming. It just wasn't the right time until yesterday."
Yuri's big, warm hand idly stroked my leg. I found his touch incredibly reassuring.
"I understand. He must care about you a lot to get dragged into this."
I glanced down at Yuri and smiled. "Yes, I think he does."
"I'm glad."
A gruff voice shouted in the background.
"I've got to go, mi'ja. I'll call you tomorrow."
"Same time?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
"I love you, Lena."
"I love you, too, Dad."
The line went dead. Still clutching my phone, I let my hand drop to my lap. The crushing weight of my fear and sadness engulfed me. I didn't want to cry in front of Yuri again—I'd been mortified when it had happened last night—but I couldn't stop the painful sob clogging my throat.
"Kitten," Yuri whispered and dragged me down into the bed. He slid his arms around me and cradled me against his chest. "It's going to be all right. We'll track down the painting and Nikolai will help me make the arrangements to do a swap."
I nuzzled my nose against his neck and inhaled his comforting scent. "You make it sound so easy."
"I'm not going to lie to you." He wiped away the wetness clinging to my cheeks with his thumbs. "It's probably going to be a complex process, and it may take longer than either of us like but I'll get it done."
"How?" I didn't know how anyone could do what he'd promised. "Finding a hot painting like a Galán isn't going to be easy. Especially if word has gotten out that it was stolen from a Mexican drug lord!"
"I have a friend who knows everything that happens in the art world—on both sides of the law. If anyone can find this painting, it will be him."
"And then what, Yuri?" I caressed his cheek, the raspy stubble on his skin pricking my fingertips.
"And then I make an offer on the painting." He brushed hair away from my face. Our gazes met in the dim, purplish light streaming in through the balcony windows. "Once the painting is in my hands, it will be a very simple, straight-forward transaction."
I burrowed closer to his soothing heat. "I hope you're right."
"I am."
All I could think about were the ways it could all go badly. If Yuri couldn't find the painting or if the new owner refused to sell it, what would Lorenzo Guzman want? Drug lords weren't known for being the most honorable of men. What if Guzman double-crossed Yuri? What if he killed my father to send a message to other people who thought they could rob from him?
"I should have asked Tommy which fence sold them the painting in the first place. I bet Lorenzo Guzman would like to know the name of the person who originally stole it from him."
Yuri hummed with agreement. "It was probably an inside job. These kinds of things usually are."
"Like your pipeline sabotage?"
He let loose a deep sigh. "Yes."
"Did Anna ever call back last night?" After we'd made love and fallen asleep, the commotion in the hallway had started. Once Yuri had calmed me down in the bathroom, he'd carried me to bed and held me until I'd drifted off in his arms.
"If she did, I didn't hear it." He yawned and stretched an arm overhead. "I should probably get up and touch base with her."
I snuggled closer, not wanting to be away from him just yet. "But it's so early."
He laughed and placed a noisy kiss on the top of my head. "Sweetheart, this actually qualifies as sleeping in for me."
I glanced at the clock again. "Wow! And I thought I was an early riser."
"I like to get up, work out, shower, dress and have breakfast by six."
"Ugh." I threw my arm over my face. "If I stagger out of bed and down a cup of coffee by seven, I feel like a champion. If I manage to wade through a page of my social media alerts, I feel like I can conquer the world."
Chuckling, Yuri threw his leg over mine and pushed up onto his arms. He peppered ticklish kisses along the side of my neck. "Maybe I can use some positive reinforcement to convince you to move onto my schedule."
I sifted my fingers through his hair. "You're going to have to be awfully persuasive."
His sexy grin made my tummy flip-flop. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
"I bet you do." I couldn't help but smile as his lips descended toward mine. The idea of waking up like this every morning was so incredibly tempting. I knew Yuri wasn't offering that—yet. Someday…
A loud snort and a whine interrupted our morning kiss. We both looked over to see Sasha sitting impatiently at the bedside. He looked rather annoyed by the sight of Yuri on top of me and made his displeasure known with a smack of his massive paw to his master's side.
"All right," Yuri said with a frustrated huff. "I'll let you out."
I sat up and enjoyed the view of Yuri's ridiculously hot body as he strode to the door to let Sasha out of the room. That was another thing I wouldn't mind waking up to see and feel pressed against me every morning.
"I'm going to have to rethink Sasha's sleeping arrangements."
I giggled as Yuri slid back into bed with me. Just when he started to kiss me, his phone rang. Groaning, he kissed me hard and deep before shoving out of bed again and grabbing the black phone rattling across the bedside table. He answered a bit gruffly and instantly started speaking Russian. I had a feeling it was Anna and whatever she was telling him was something he didn't want to hear.
Certain that our amorous moment had just been tanked, I climbed out of bed, grabbed my overnight bag and made my way to the bathroom. The walk-in shower with its gorgeous aqua blue and turquoise glass tile beckoned me. The showerheads mounted in the ceiling and the walls provided such a luxurious experience. It was like showering in a warm rainfall.
I used my travel kit of toiletries to scrub and shave. I took my time, hoping Yuri would join me for another shower like the one we'd shared at my place, but eventually there was nothing else for me to do. I was stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around me when Yuri finally entered the bathroom.
"Take off the towel."
My surprised gaze flicked to his face. That hungry, intense gaze made me break out in goose bumps. I unwrapped the towel and bared my damp body to him. "Now what?"
"Go about your morning routine. I don't have time to properly make love to you this morning but I'm damn sure going to enjoy the view while you get dressed."
"Really?" I had to laugh at his request. "You want to watch me moisturize and put on my makeup and style my hair?"
"Very much," he said before dropping a kiss right on the sensitive spot where my neck curved into my shoulder. "There's a hair dryer in that drawer, if you need it."
"Thanks."
Feeling a little self-conscious, I started my normal after-shower routine. I could feel Yuri's gaze following me as he showered. Emboldened by his obvious desire for me, I embraced my inner sex kitten as I slathered on my favorite lotion. I caught him staring at my bottom as I rubbed the thick lightly-scented cream into my legs.