Read Online Lion of Midnight by Aliyah Burke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Aliyah Burke
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through to his soul.
“Planning on coming back to the States with me?” she asked in a tone he knew was forced joviality.
“If that’s what it takes,” he answered honestly.
For a moment, she sank against him completely. Then, she pulled away, and Nik hated the feeling of loss that resonated through him. He wanted to haul her against him and never let her go. There was disbelief in her gaze when she looked over her shoulder at him.
“Right.” Her eyebrows lifted before she turned her attention back to the exhibit.
“You don’t believe me,” he stated, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Not for a second.” Cleo never looked at him. “But it’s a very sweet, albeit kinda freaky, thing for you to say.”
“I don’t say things just to hear myself talk, Cleo,” he promised her as he shoved his hands in his pockets so he didn’t grab her, again.
“Never said you did. Just said I didn’t believe you.” She moved on to another picture on the wall.
He narrowed his eyes as he recognized himself in it standing near the Tsar. There were differences, but there were also many similarities. Nikolas watched her cock her head to the side and look harder. She never said a word, just mumbled a bit under her breath. Took a step away and retreated back before totally heading on to another picture.
Nikolas was content to watch her enjoy Russian history. He stood back and observed as she continued to the end of the section. When she walked by the last bust of Tsar Nicholas the Second, she glanced over at him. He could see she longed to look back at the photo and do another visual comparison. Instead, she looked directly at him, and he was immediately lost in the depths of her eyes.
“Are you sure I’m not keeping you from something? I feel bad you’re staying here with me after the museum closed.”
“Not keeping me from anything. I would be here for a while. I usually come in closer to closing and stay late.”
“Well, I truly appreciate it. This is…more than I could have dreamed of.” She spun in a circle, looking around.
More than I could have dreamed of, as well. I’d move the heavens if it put that smile on your face. “It’s truly my pleasure.”
“How can I repay you?” she asked as her eyes met his.
He shook his head. Marry me. “You don’t need to. It was my pleasure to be able to do this for you.” Shut up, man, see what she’d do for you. No, he couldn’t do that. That was behavior that no longer belonged in this world.
“Can I buy you dinner?”
Nik smiled. For all her knowledge of Russian history, she didn’t understand that no self-respecting Russian male would allow a woman to buy him dinner. Even if he were broke, he’d find a way to pay. “I would be honored if you’d accompany me to dinner.”
That brow arched, again. “Is that your way of saying I’m not paying?”
He flashed a grin. “Beautiful and smart.”
She snorted and walked away from him. Nik didn’t have to be told twice to follow her. He’d pursue her through the pits of hell if he got to be near her. Lengthening his stride so he was beside her, instead of behind her where he was hypnotized by the seductive motion of her hips, he stayed with her as they headed down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, he took the lead and walked to his office where their coats were.
Cleo waited in the doorway, a gentle smile on her face as she took in the décor of his office. Moving toward her, he held her coat for her and was pleased when she allowed him to help her on with it. Nik couldn’t resist taking another whiff of her hair as he allowed the leather to settle across her shoulders.
“I know just the place for dinner,” he remarked as he shrugged into his pea coat.
“Really?” She pulled on her gloves.
“Yes. And, afterward, you can look at some more things from Russian history.”
Her hands paused in the action of buttoning up her coat. “Where might this place be?”
“My home,” he said,
“Planning on coming back to the States with me?” she asked in a tone he knew was forced joviality.
“If that’s what it takes,” he answered honestly.
For a moment, she sank against him completely. Then, she pulled away, and Nik hated the feeling of loss that resonated through him. He wanted to haul her against him and never let her go. There was disbelief in her gaze when she looked over her shoulder at him.
“Right.” Her eyebrows lifted before she turned her attention back to the exhibit.
“You don’t believe me,” he stated, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Not for a second.” Cleo never looked at him. “But it’s a very sweet, albeit kinda freaky, thing for you to say.”
“I don’t say things just to hear myself talk, Cleo,” he promised her as he shoved his hands in his pockets so he didn’t grab her, again.
“Never said you did. Just said I didn’t believe you.” She moved on to another picture on the wall.
He narrowed his eyes as he recognized himself in it standing near the Tsar. There were differences, but there were also many similarities. Nikolas watched her cock her head to the side and look harder. She never said a word, just mumbled a bit under her breath. Took a step away and retreated back before totally heading on to another picture.
Nikolas was content to watch her enjoy Russian history. He stood back and observed as she continued to the end of the section. When she walked by the last bust of Tsar Nicholas the Second, she glanced over at him. He could see she longed to look back at the photo and do another visual comparison. Instead, she looked directly at him, and he was immediately lost in the depths of her eyes.
“Are you sure I’m not keeping you from something? I feel bad you’re staying here with me after the museum closed.”
“Not keeping me from anything. I would be here for a while. I usually come in closer to closing and stay late.”
“Well, I truly appreciate it. This is…more than I could have dreamed of.” She spun in a circle, looking around.
More than I could have dreamed of, as well. I’d move the heavens if it put that smile on your face. “It’s truly my pleasure.”
“How can I repay you?” she asked as her eyes met his.
He shook his head. Marry me. “You don’t need to. It was my pleasure to be able to do this for you.” Shut up, man, see what she’d do for you. No, he couldn’t do that. That was behavior that no longer belonged in this world.
“Can I buy you dinner?”
Nik smiled. For all her knowledge of Russian history, she didn’t understand that no self-respecting Russian male would allow a woman to buy him dinner. Even if he were broke, he’d find a way to pay. “I would be honored if you’d accompany me to dinner.”
That brow arched, again. “Is that your way of saying I’m not paying?”
He flashed a grin. “Beautiful and smart.”
She snorted and walked away from him. Nik didn’t have to be told twice to follow her. He’d pursue her through the pits of hell if he got to be near her. Lengthening his stride so he was beside her, instead of behind her where he was hypnotized by the seductive motion of her hips, he stayed with her as they headed down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, he took the lead and walked to his office where their coats were.
Cleo waited in the doorway, a gentle smile on her face as she took in the décor of his office. Moving toward her, he held her coat for her and was pleased when she allowed him to help her on with it. Nik couldn’t resist taking another whiff of her hair as he allowed the leather to settle across her shoulders.
“I know just the place for dinner,” he remarked as he shrugged into his pea coat.
“Really?” She pulled on her gloves.
“Yes. And, afterward, you can look at some more things from Russian history.”
Her hands paused in the action of buttoning up her coat. “Where might this place be?”
“My home,” he said,
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