“Okay,” I said, closing the door as I got in. Glancing at Zhen, I smiled. “I think we have everything we need.”
She nodded, smiled, and turned her head away as she replied. “I think so.”
The drive to the airport was quiet and felt longer than usual. She’s my PA; that was the reason I was taking her with me, I told myself. This out-of-town project could lead to more work.
The Morozov jet was waiting on the tarmac as we arrived. I wanted to book two first-class tickets, but Sergei Morozov insisted I take their jet. Their investment in the company was important, and the Morozov family took business seriously. Everything had to be done correctly.
I was glad for the assistance and wanted this project to be flawless. Yes, I thought as we boarded, that was the main reason I had invited her along. She had a lot of insight and could be great on this project.
“Have you ever been on a private jet?” I asked as we strapped in.
“Sure,” she replied without looking at me.
Once again, my mind went swirling through a ton of questions. How could she afford a flight on a private jet? This plane belonged to the Morozovs and was only used for business trips. Who was she mixing with that had that kind of money? Who was she?
Once the plane was in the air and stable, we could unstrap ourselves. The flight attendant brought us a bottle of wine and two snack plates. I watched her as she took a biscuit and cheese from the plate.
Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, breathing through my nose. Maybe one of her family members owned a plane, just like her condo was family-owned. I should keep myself in line.
She sat staring out the window the entire time. I kept on finding myself staring at her, wondering what it was she was hiding.
“Are you scared of flying?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
“No, I’m not scared,” she replied as she glanced at me.
“May I then ask why you’re so quiet?” I asked.
“I’m just not in the mood for talking or having any form of conversation,” she said, placing the headphones over her ears.
The flight went quicker than expected with no weather issues. As the pilot announced we were about to land, she looked at me again. Her eyes seemed cloudy, or rather darker than usual.
The plane touched down, and we could get off. There was a car waiting for us on the tarmac to take us to our hotel. I would then hire a car from the hotel services so we could get around town.
Zhen stared out the window again. “I’ve made a booking for us at the top hotel here. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with their service as they are the best,” I said, watching her. I was trying to get her attention.
“Thank you,” she replied. Her tone was half cold.
“Once we’re booked in, I was thinking we could go to the finest restaurant and, if you like, visit one of the top museums in the country.”
“Please,” she breathed out sarcastically. “We’re here on business. It’s not a vacation or social visit.”
Flabbergasted by her response, I was at a loss for words for a second. “There is nothing wrong with having a decent meal and seeing relaxing art,” I huffed. Feeling slightly annoyed, I turned and looked out the window.
The driver stopped at the main doors for us, and the bellboy collected our bags. I walked ahead of her to the front desk.
“Good day, sir,” said the man standing on the other side.
“Good day, Akim Dubow,” I replied, glancing back to see where Zhen was.
“Yes, I see your booking. Please wait just a moment. The porter will be with you in a second.” He replied before ringing a small bell.
Turning to Zhen, I saw her waiting where the bellboy had placed our luggage a couple of feet behind me. “The porter will be here now,” I said, joining her. “This place is stunning, don’t you think?”
She glanced around and nodded. Yet, she appeared to study the people more closely than the building.
“Excuse me, sir,” I heard someone saying behind me. Turning swiftly, I held my hand to my chest. I didn’t hear him approaching, and he scared the shit out of me for a second. But I was met with a wide smile from the young man, surely no older than twenty. “May I take your bags?”
Nodding, I glanced at Zhen. She was holding her hand over her mouth, trying to cover the grin. As we entered the elevator, I leaned closer and whispered to her. “You found that amusing?” She didn’t say a word and kept her eyes focused on the door.
Stepping out on the top floor, we followed the porter to one of the last doors. He slid the keycard through the slot, pushed the door open, and pushed our bags inside. I followed him in unsure why he was putting all the bags in one room, as I had booked two.
“Here’s your key, sir,” he said, holding out the card.
Looking around, I felt my mood change. Glancing at Zhen, I was met with a death stare. I was glad that she didn’t say anything at that moment. I paid the boy and waited for him to leave.
Before I could even open my mouth, she came at me. “What the hell is this?” she spat, holding her hands in the air. “This is a business trip! I will not be sharing a bed with you!”
She stormed towards the bed in the far corner. Swiping the roses to the floor, she continued to rage. “What are these for? Did you think you were going to get laid while we were here? I’m not like other women, you know. This might work with your secretary or whoever else, but not me, pal. There is no way I am sleeping with you, not even to keep my job!”
Now this, this I found amusing, but I kept my smile inside. “Zhen!” I huffed, raising my voice slightly.
She instantly stopped talking. As she looked at me, I could see a hint of fear in her eyes. “Just calm down. This is not what I booked. I will go down and get it sorted. I’m sure it’s just a mix-up. Please, don’t fight with me about something I have not done.”
I turned and left before she could get in another word. Wow, she nearly bit my head off in there. She surely had some extra strong fire in her bones.
The man behind the front desk was busy with another client, and I had to wait. Once he was done, he looked at me. I was sure he could see the confusion on my face. “Is something the matter?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied. “I want to know why we are booked into a room that looks like the honeymoon suite. I booked two rooms, and we are here on business, so this won’t do!”
“Oh,” he replied, his eyes widening. “I am terribly sorry about that. Please give me a moment to check the system again.”
He typed on his keyboard, looked at me, and typed again. I could hear him swallow before speaking again. “Sir, I’m terribly sorry, but the booking was made for one romantic evening.”
“That can’t be. My receptionist made the booking,” I huffed, slamming my fist on the counter.
The man jumped a little before he started rambling. “I am sorry, but that is the booking.”
“Is there any way I can get an extra room?” I asked, stepping closer. “Sorry, but one room will not do.”
The man typed and typed. After what felt like forever, he glanced at me. “I’m sorry, sir. We’re fully booked. There is no other room available.” His voice was shaky, and he took a step back.
Looking at him, I realized I might have been a bit too much. “Okay then,” I said, trying to sound calm. “Thank you.” I turned and headed back up. Stopping outside the room, I took a deep breath as I mentally prepared myself for the monster inside, about to devour me alive.
Entering, I found Zhen on the bed with her laptop open before her. She looked up at me as she spoke. “So, you got another room or one with two beds at least?”
Walking to the bottom of the bed, I smiled at her. “The man said that they are fully booked, so unfortunately not, sorry.” I waited for her to freak out again, but she didn’t.
She nodded, looked at the laptop screen, and started typing again. As I started turning away, she cleared her throat. Here it comes, I thought, turning back. “Okay, it’s fine, but you will sleep on the couch,” she said.
I nodded, picked up my bag, and carried it over to the couch. Sitting down, I took out my phone. There was still plenty of time before the meeting. I didn’t feel like staying cooped up, but I didn’t want to leave her alone.
Walking to the end of the bed, I waited a moment before speaking. “We have a lot of spare time. Would you like to do something, grab something to eat, or stay here and work?” I knew she had basically already answered it in the car, but I felt asking again couldn’t hurt.
Zhen looked at me, turned her head to the side, and smiled. Seeing her this calm suddenly made me nervous. “No thanks,” she replied calmly. “I must ensure this proposal is perfect before the meeting.”
Nodding, I walked back to my couch and called room service. I ordered a meat platter for two. Collecting my papers, I went to sit down next to her. She looked at me, and I could see she was a little confused. “Well, you said this must be perfect,” I whispered. “So, let’s go through it and make sure.”
She smiled, moving her laptop between us. We went over the papers, files, and graphs, ensuring everything lined up. We were about halfway through when room service arrived.
We ate while we continued working. It was a strange breakfast for normal people, but we were far from normal. The grilled cheese salad included a couple of fruits and vegetables. It had a sweet and savory taste. It was nice working with her outside of the company. She was more relaxed, and before we knew it, we were done. Looking at my watch, I realized we had to get moving.
“It’s almost time,” I said, getting up.
“Okay,” she replied, sounding cheery. As she headed to the bathroom with her bag, she spoke. “I think we’ve nailed this one.”
“I’ll be glad if we do,” I replied, grabbing my jacket. I quickly called to confirm the car was ready while I waited for her.
Heading down, I collected the keys at reception before we could leave. Entering the basement parking, I pressed the alarm to see where the car was. I held the door open for her before getting in on my side.
The meeting was about ten blocks away, so the drive was short. Glancing at her as I stopped at the traffic light, I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so comfortable and good around another person.
We arrived at our destination with some time to spare. Inside, I spoke to the man at the desk. “Good day, Morozov Estate, Akim Dubow here for the meeting.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, stepping out behind the desk. “They are waiting, please follow me.” We followed him down a short hallway. He stopped before the second-to-last room. Turning to us, he spoke, holding out his hand. “The meeting room, sir.”
I nodded my thanks, and he left. Looking at Zhen, I spoke again. “Are you ready?”
“As I’ll even be,” she replied, smiling.
I opened the door and held it for her to enter. She walked in with her head held high. I followed her as she walked to the middle of the room. Everyone fell silent and looked at us. “Good morning,” Zhen said. “It’s a lovely day today.”
Everyone nodded and greeted her in return. Just like that, in one smooth move, she had grabbed the attention of the room.
She set up the graphs on the sideboard and then started explaining the concept. I stood to the side, allowing her to take the lead. Watching her, I felt a warmness filling me. She was dripping with confidence, and her body language was one of passion.
She clearly loved what she was doing, and the clients could also see it. She was natural at this. About halfway through, I could see she had them all hooked. It was a done deal. The second part of the presentation was just for safety measures, but she didn’t need it.
As she concluded, she handed out the documents we had prepared for them to sign. As she gave them their contracts, she ensured she made eye contact with each one. There were no questions, and the clients all signed eagerly.
Seeing her in her element, I understood why she would rather spend extra time working than exploring the city or going to fancy restaurants. We shook hands with each member as they left. Closing the door behind them, I looked at her as she collected her things.
I caught myself smiling at her. She appeared to have this shine about her. Once she was done, we headed out. “You did well,” I complimented her as we got to the car. “Let’s grab something to eat before heading back.”
“Sure, that sounds nice,” she replied. “What did you have in mind?”
“You’ll have to wait and see. I have a place in mind that I think you will love,” I responded, grinning at her.
I was in such a good, uplifted mood that I felt sure nothing could go wrong. Zhen looked at me, smiling. “It was a good meeting, don’t you think?” she said in her soft, sweet voice.
Smiling warmly at her, I nodded as I spoke. “Yes, I think it was.” Her smile lit up the car, and I was glad to be able to make her so happy. She seemed to need confirmation now and then. I wondered what had happened to her, causing this need for approval.
The drive wasn’t the shortest one ever, but I could see the park entrance as we rounded the last corner. Parking, Zhen looked at me, confused. What are we doing here?” she asked as I got out. “I thought we were going for supper?” she added as I opened her door. “I don’t see any place around here.”
I laughed lightly as I replied. “Well, you will just have to wait and see then. I am confident you will like this.”
We entered the park gate and headed down the long, winding path. She kept glancing at me as if she were waiting for an answer. But I just smiled and kept on walking. It was a bit of a distance, but if she reacted the way I expected, it would be worth it.
Distracted by her inquisitive looks and vibrating smiles, I stumbled over a tree root sticking out of the ground. I waved my arms out to the sides as I tripled around, trying to get my footing. Zhen started laughing hysterically.
Once I found my balance, I glared at her. “Really?” I said lightly. “You think it was funny?”
She nodded as we started walking again. I bumped into her lightly as I spoke again. “I almost bought a piece of land here with my face, and you found it funny. You evil thing.”
She smiled at me and then bit down on her bottom lip before saying anything. “Sorry, but you looked like a bird trying to find some wind.”
Smirking, I nodded, seeing how funny that could have looked. “Here we are,” I said as we passed the last tree, and the place lit up before us.
Zhen looked around, her mouth hanging open. Glancing at me, I could see the sparkle in her eyes. “I have never seen anything so beautiful,” she said.
Before us, between the trees, was a path leading to a lookout over the city. On one side was a row of about six food trucks serving food, drinks, and desserts. On the other side, there was an opening with a couple of tables and chairs.
There were also four footpaths leading out to the lawns on the edge. On these were a couple of tables and chairs as well for those seeking some privacy. String lights hung from the trucks to the trees and down, lighting up each path. In the opening and from the edge, you could clearly see the sky. It was like a perfect picture from a dream.
“What do you feel like eating?” I asked, watching her. She seemed to transform before my eyes. Her excitement was contagious.
“Wow, I don’t know. Would it be fine if we first looked at all of them?” she asked in a childlike tone.
Grinning, I nodded. I had never seen this side of her. She was suddenly filled with energy and joy, I could only contribute to someone half her age. She was so cute. I wanted to pick her up.
We started at one end and slowly made our way toward the edge, reading every menu. I could barely make out the sign of the last truck when Zhen took my hand and rushed towards it. “This is what I want!” she huffed. She stood beside the truck with her arms stretched out. One above the truck name and one below.
“I can’t even remember when I last had one.” She bounced towards me, smiling like a spoiled child.
Smiling back, I nodded as we stepped up to the opening. “You have to order the Special Supreme,” she whispered, hanging on my arm.
Looking at the guy inside the truck, I decided to go with her choice. “Can you please give us two of your Special Supreme wraps?” I said, holding out money to pay.
He nodded, took the cash, and started. I watched for a moment as he fried some steak, onions, and mushrooms. “Want to sit?” Zhen asked, squeezing my arm.
“Yes, sure,” I replied, turning to her. While waiting for our food, I went to get myself a beer and wine for her.
The man inside the truck rang a bell, and we went to collect our food. We found an empty bench closer to the lawn area. “I have to admit that I have never had one of these,” I said, opening my wrap.
“You are going to love it,” she replied before taking a bite.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back as she moaned. “Oh, my, this is so good,” she mumbled before taking another bite.
“I’m glad you liked it. During the day, it occurred to me that you might prefer something like this over a fancy dinner in a stuck-up restaurant filled with the rich,” I said, winking at her.
She blushed. Glancing around, she spoke in a softer tone. “Thank you for doing this. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
Nodding, I felt proud of myself and relieved that it worked out.
We finished our food and sat looking up at the sky. It was going to be a clear night, and the stars would be visible. “Have you ever thought what life could have been like if we were all the same?” she asked out of the blue.
“No, I have not. But come to think of it now, I would say life would be boring as hell. If we all did the same things, ate the same things, and did everything like each other, there would be no excitement in life,” I responded.
“If you look at it that way, yes, I can see why it could be boring. But then, on the other hand, there would be less violence and fighting, don’t you agree?” she asked.
I moved closer to her as I replied. “Yes, I agree, there would be a lot less fighting. But I think a bit of fighting sometimes is a good thing. But I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. It is good to share, and I believe we have a right to say what we think.”
I got up and headed towards the trucks.
“Where are you going now?” she asked.
“You’ll see,” I replied, heading to the sweet things truck. I bought two bowls of ice cream and asked them to add loads of candy to hers. Walking back, I noticed she wasn’t looking towards me. Her attention was on something out there.
I sneaked up behind her and howled. Zhen screamed as she jumped up and turned.
“That’s not funny,” she grumbled.
“It was a little funny. You make a funny sound when you get frightened,” I replied, handing her a bowl of ice cream.
She bumped into me lightly as I sat down. “Thank you for the ice cream, but why is yours plain?” she inquired, raising her brows.
“Well,” I said confidently. “That answer is easy. You see, I’m already sweet enough.”
Her lower jaw dropped as she looked at me, shaking her head. She glanced at her ice cream and back at me, shaking her head.
Zhen leaned in closer. Using her spoon, she poured some of the candy into my bowl. “There you go. Believe me, you need them. You’re not as sweet as you may think,” she said teasingly.
Smiling at her, I considered her words. She looked over the city into the distance, biting her lower lip. I loved seeing her like this.
She slowly swirled her spoon through her ice cream before licking at the spoon. I found it enthralling to watch her. Every time she licked the spoon, I couldn’t help but wish it was me she was licking like that.
Getting up, we threw our ice cream containers in the garbage can before walking to the lawn area. Zhen lay down, and I joined her. We just lay in silence, looking at the stars in the sky for a while. Rolling to my side so I could face her, I spoke softly. “Sorry if I have come across as being overly harsh.”
Zhen smiled as she turned towards me. We were merely inches away from each other. “I am the one who should apologize to you,” she whispered. “I know I can be a little bitchy at times.”
“Only a little?” I asked sarcastically.
Zhen slapped my chest as she made a clicking sound with her tongue. “Okay,” she said, smiling. “Maybe I am a tab bitchier at times than usual.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” I replied, unable to pull my eyes from her.
We smiled as we stared into each other’s eyes. Tenderly, I moved a strand of hair out of her face, pushing it behind her ear. I caressed her cheek, feeling the fireworks show within me ignite. She didn’t pull back; I took it as a good sign. My entire body was reacting to her.
She closed her eyes as I leaned in to kiss her. But before our lips even touched, it started to pour down. Looking up, I couldn’t believe my luck. It was clear mere seconds ago. Jumping to my feet, I held out my hand and pulled her up. Taking off my shirt, I held it over her head as we ran towards the car.
Her hand was around my waist, and her other was planted on my chest. My chest and middle felt like they were on fire from her touch. It wasn’t a burning fire. It was more like a sensual one. Having her so close and her arm around me made my dick pay attention.
As we got to the car, I opened her door and waited for her to get in before running around. We laughed as I stumbled into the car, both of us breathing heavily from the exertion of running. Leaning back, I grabbed the spare shirt I had placed in my bag, glad I had. As I pulled it on, I saw her watching me, but she didn’t say a word.
Once I was again appropriately clothed, I smiled at her. “Ready to head back?” I asked in a light tone.
“Yes, that sounds good,” she replied, turning to face the window.
I wish I knew what she was thinking. It suddenly felt like there was nothing left to say. But, my mind and body wouldn’t settle down. A fierce war raged within me. I didn’t know what was happening, what had come over me. I wanted nothing more than to reach out and kiss her. I craved her lips like the air I needed to breathe.
My body craved her. I wanted to feel that warm sensation vibrating through me as our lips met. My body longed for her touch like flowers longed for the rain. Yet, my mind was putting up a fight. We worked together. For fuck’s sake, she is my PA. Plus, for all I knew, it wasn’t something she wanted.
But I had to put my thoughts aside as I noticed the car following close behind us. Something deep inside me sounded an alarm as a feeling of dread suddenly entered. Something wasn’t right. Looking around, I scanned our surroundings. I quickly analyzed the buildings, cars, and people.
Spotting two idling cars, I swallowed the lump intrusively growing in my throat. “Zhen,” I said, trying to keep my tone calm. “Don’t react, but I think we’re being followed. I’m going to take a turn up front and speed up slightly to confirm, okay?”
Glancing at her, I saw fear rising in her eyes as she pulled her brows up and looked back. She took a deep breath. But I could still hear the slight quivering in it as she spoke. “What? Are you sure?”
Turning down the next street, I pressed down on the gas. Looking in the rearview mirror, I saw the car speeding up. “Yes, I’m sure,” I breathed out. My mind raced through all possible scenarios. I wanted to keep her safe, but wasn’t sure how to do that.
I considered dropping her off at the hotel and then driving these people to a secluded spot to take care of business. But that wouldn’t work as they might attack her there to get to me.
Driving around the block, I also spotted a white van. The lights were off, but it was idling. “You see the van?” I asked as we passed the second time. “It is running but appears to be waiting with the lights off. That’s not normal.”
She turned in her seat as we passed it. I could hear her inhaling sharply. Turning up the next block, I decided to take this mess further away. I needed open roads with less traffic and fewer civilians. “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine,” I tried reassuring her as I sped up.
Looking in the mirror, I saw two identical cars following. “Another one joined the chase,” I said, glancing at her.
Zhen turned back and held her seatbelt as I tried getting out of the traffic. I had just turned onto another street when I saw the car coming out of a side street. It was going at full speed. Swerving, I managed to miss it and not be rammed.
Cursing under my breath, I knew we were in trouble. Up front, I saw two more cars waiting at the next intersection. They were surely going to try to block us in. As we neared them, they came out of the side streets, simultaneously closing up the road.
“Hold on,” I huffed as I climbed the curb and sped past them. Speeding up, I weaved through a couple of cars on the road. I knew this chase was an accident waiting to happen. But with her in the car, I didn’t dare take unnecessary risks.
