He glanced at me, pausing to take a breath. “And you? Are you helping?”
“I’ve been busy helping at the new school that’s opening,” I replied. I told him the basics about what I was doing. Kostya didn’t like computers, so I kept it simple, but he looked impressed, if not a tiny bit jealous.
“So I’ll be working at the inn while you have a job elsewhere? Will you keep living at the palace?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “We’re taking things one day at a time.”
“You’ll just move in with that bodyguard,” he said, finishing his reps and letting the therapist take the weights from him.
I was startled because I hadn’t thought about that. Axel and I hadn’t even spent the night together, much less had a conversation about moving in together. But since I didn’t have a car and didn’t drive, it would be complicated for me to work at the school if I didn’t live at the palace. I was going to have to talk to Shannon or Jonas about this the next time I saw one of them.
“One day at a time,” I said out loud. “There’s a lot going on for everyone.”
Kostya nodded. “Did I tell you I’m going to see Magda?”
Magda was his ex-girlfriend and I raised my eyebrows. “Really? Have you been in touch?”
“I called her once we got settled here. I thought I’d be out and about by now. I didn’t expect the lung to be taking so long to heal, so she’s coming here tonight to have dinner with me.”
I cocked my head. “You still love her?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t know what the future holds, and if we’re going back to Vinake in the spring or summer, it’s not worth it to get back together.”
“Don’t do that,” I told him. “We have opportunities now that we’re here. Follow one of your dreams. Find a career. You don’t have to go back just because Mama and Papa do.”
“You know they can’t run the café or the inn on their own.”
“They can hire help. There are so many young people without work. Don’t use them as an excuse because you’re afraid to step out of your comfort zone.”
He sighed. “You’re the brave one, Solange. Not me.”
“Join the military,” I told him. “It’ll be good for you. You’ll learn a skill, get in shape, earn a good living. Those deferments Mama kept putting in for you are going to run out, so why not do it now while there’s essentially nothing else to do?”
He shrugged. “I’m in no shape for that right now, but I’ve been thinking about it.”
He seemed a little dejected and I reached out to squeeze his arm. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll see.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, Solange, you should start working out with us,” Natalia said, coming over to me. “A group of us do yoga on Sundays and I’m usually here five mornings a week.”
“You’re here at six in the morning,” I told her with a chuckle. “That’s early for me.”
“Yoga on Sunday is from ten to eleven. Then we have brunch. It’s a girls-only thing. Maybe we can talk you into other workouts too. Lennox will totally kick your ass into shape. She’s badass.”
“So I hear,” I said with a grin. “Maybe I’ll get up early one day a week and then work out on my own the rest of the time.”
“That’s a plan. I’d also be down for swimming, if you feel like it.”
We talked another few minutes, but I took my leave as Kostya headed back up to his room so I could walk with him.
“Have fun with Magda tonight,” I told him.
“Are you seeing Axel?”
“I think so.” I nodded. “He works crazy hours so we only spend time together every few days. I see him every day, but we don’t always have time to hang out.”
“And that’s okay with you?”
I frowned. “Well, yes. I’ve been busy helping at the school and then at night I study the books and online courses Jonas has given me.”
“You really love that computer stuff, huh?”
“I do.”
“You’re different,” he said quietly, eyeing me as we got to his door.
“What do you mean?”
“You smile more, your eyes always sparkle with mischief, as if you have a secret.”
I wasn’t sure what to say about that. “Well, I love being here at the palace and in Hiskale. I don’t have any secrets, though.”
“You’re in love.”
His eyes met mine and I smiled. “I don’t know about that, but I’m having a lot of fun figuring it out.”
“Guys like him, they’ll hurt you,” he said softly.
“I know you’re saying that because you care about me, but I’m fine. Let me worry about my heart.” We said our goodbyes and I was lost in thought as I walked towards my room. It was way too late to protect my heart. While I wasn’t head over heels in love, I was getting there, so it would be pointless to pretend otherwise. I refused to believe Axel was going to hurt me, no matter how disparate our lives were.
22
Axel
Between work and Solange, I wasn’t getting much sleep, but I didn’t give a damn. I’d pick sex over sleep any day, and I was getting so much, it was a little embarrassing. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other and I was starting to feel a little guilty because that was essentially the bulk of our relationship. I hadn’t bought her dinner or taken her on a date or even spent the night with her. The last thing was by design, because everyone knew everything that went on at the palace, and though our relationship wasn’t a secret, I wasn’t going to put her reputation at risk.
On the other hand, she was intoxicating. I thought of little else but her big blue eyes and the taste of her pussy, the way it felt to be inside of her, the way she screamed my name when I made her come. I’d had more than my fair share of sex in my thirty-five years, but this was the kind of shit that made teenage boys think they wanted to get married. And maybe not just teenage boys.
I wasn’t naïve enough to think mind-blowing sex was the basis for anything long-term, but it was the first time in over a decade I’d even considered getting serious with a woman. I regularly reminded myself of all the important talking points, the things that made it impossible for us to do that, but my heart wasn’t even on the same planet as my brain. My heart was definitely getting invested and I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with me. She was eleven years younger and at a totally different place in life. Settling down with her would be… I didn’t know what it would be, I just knew I wanted to be with her all the time, hear her laugh, teach her yet another new sexual position. She really loved those.
I smiled to myself as I headed down to the gym. To my surprise, Solange was there with Natalia, Casey, Lennox and Elen. Casey was a black belt in karate and tried to keep up with her skills no matter how busy she was with her duties and her kids, and Elen was trying to stay in shape until her pregnancy no longer allowed it. Lennox usually worked the rest of us out, but once or twice a week she worked out with the other women, challenging Casey and Natalia, giving Elen lighter workouts, and sometimes even coaching the kids if they decided to come down.