I loved hearing her say my name. For someone who rarely used it, I loved hearing it roll off her tongue. My name was one thing that not many people knew. Even Tori didn’t know my name and she’d worked for me for a few years now. I preferred to remain anonymous. It allowed me more freedom. But thinking back to that first night in the parking lot of the restaurant, talking to Sephie, I didn’t hesitate to tell her my name.
She was the only one I wanted. For as long as she would have me. Sephie
The second week of my bed rest went much better than the first. With the daily acupuncture, I felt so much better. I felt stronger, more like myself. My appetite had returned, even though I was still slightly paranoid about eating too much. I still had a week to go before the ball and fitting into that dress.
Adrik was on the phone with Armando. He was pacing back and forth in the kitchen as he talked to Armando. Not because he was angry, it was just his habit to walk back and forth on long calls. I watched him from the couch, where I was waiting for the acupuncturist to show up for my session of the day.
I smiled, thinking about the events of last weekend. We had spent Sunday night together with all the guys and Tori. It was a nice time, but I noticed that Misha was struggling. Adrik hadn’t told me that Misha had been beating himself up me ntally about what happened. I managed to catch Misha slightly away from everyone else so we could have a private conversation.
“Misha, you look like blo ody he II. You’re beating yourself up over what happened, aren’t you?” He just nodded, without saying a word. “Misha, look at me. Listen to me. Stop it. Stop it right now. Nothing about what happened was your fault. Stop replaying it in your mind. Stop keeping yourself in a me ntal prison because you feel responsible. You did everything right. I’m grateful you were there. I’m grateful you were at the hospital with me. I’m grateful for you, Misha.” I saw him struggling to keep it together, so I reached up and hugged his neck. He latched onto me tightly. Poor guy. I didn’t know he’d been struggling all week while I was mostly sleeping. I should’ve had this conversation with him sooner. “You’re my favorite. Don’t tell the others.”
He laughed and stepped back slightly. He wiped his eyes as he stood up, which made me have to wipe my own. “Thank you, gazelle.” “Anytime, kiddo.”
I walked back to Adrik, who was looking at me with even more adoration than usual. He pulled me to him, whispering in my ear, “I’m in love with you. Completely in love with you.” I was shocked that he said it. knew he loved me, just as I knew that I loved him, but he hasn’t said the words yet. Nor had I.
I laughed at myself for not knowing what to say to him. It didn’t even bother him that I hadn’t said it in return. I just kissed him with as much passion as I could transmit in one kiss. I think he knew that I loved him, but I needed to tell him. I was just waiting for the right moment to tell him and as always, he was giving me the space to be unapologetically me.
That was one thing I adored about him. He was so confident in my love for him. He had five chiseled, handsome men working as his bodyguards that he would leave alone with me regularly and he never once acted jealous. I was allowed to goof around with the guys as much as I wanted and he would just laugh at my antics. I never looked at any of them the same way I looked at Adrik, but not every man would’ve been okay with my goofiness around the guys. He accepted me for me, and I loved that about him.
He had ended his call and caught me staring at him, completely lost in thought. He walked to me, leaning down to kiss me. “What are you thinking about, solnishko?”
I sighed, smiling up at him. “How much I love you.”
His breath caught. He stared at me intensely for a moment, then pulled me off the couch to stand in front of him. His hands pulled me close, his blue eyes never leaving mine. “Solnishko, you’ve made me the happiest man.”
“I can say the same. You make me the happiest woman,” I said, standing on my toes to kiss him. He kissed me passionately, lifting me off the ground without breaking the kiss. As he spun me around, I smiled against his lips, laughing.
I heard Ivan come in with the acupuncturist. Adrik set me down, still holding onto me. The acupuncturist smiled broadly when she saw us together. “You’re feeling better, Miss Sephie.”
I nodded. “Much better, thanks to you.”
She nodded toward Adrik and said, “not only thanks to me.”
I looked up at him and grinned, knowing she was right. I kissed him again, quickly, before walking to the spare room with the acupuncturist.
Sephie
Once the session was done, I asked her, “um, do you think it’ll be okay for me to start doing more stuff? Like can I leave the building now?”
She nodded as she was packing up her things. “You’re much clearer now. You feel stronger, no?”
“I do. I’m just paranoid about the headache coming back. I also, uh, want to do more physical activities.” I was thinking about Adrik when I said that but trying so hard to make it sound like I wanted to workout again.
She gave me a knowing look. “Your boyfriend.” My cheeks flushed and I nodded. “He will help you heal, Sephie. You two find balance within each other. You need him as much as he needs you. You’re good for each other.”
I smiled and hugged her. I couldn’t help it. This was the best news I’d gotten in two weeks. She laughed and continued to pack up her things. “If your headache comes back, you call me. Your boyfriend is paying me extremely well to come here. Even if it comes in the middle of the night, I’ll be here to take care of it.” She looked at me seriously, handing me her card.
“Thank you,” I said.
We walked out of the spare room, finding Ivan and Adrik in the kitchen talking. Ivan stepped toward us so he could walk the acupuncturist out. Adrik thanked her, then looked to me, smiling but slightly perplexed. I couldn’t stop smiling.
He raised his eyebrow, looking at me. I walked to him, “is Ivan coming back?”
He shook his head no. “He’s taking care of a few things for me this afternoon.” He still had a look of slight confusion on his face.
“Good,” I said, standing on my toes to kiss him. I kissed him gently at first, having fun keeping him confused. It didn’t take very long and I couldn’t help myself. I deepened the kiss. I tugged at his shirt, untucking it. My fingers fumbling quickly to unbutton it. He pulled it over his head, his lips only briefly leaving mine. He picked me up and set me down on the counter. I could feel the fire in his kiss, like he was incapable of holding back anymore.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.