*Sephie*
I ran upstairs to change, while Andrei waited outside my bedroom for me. I traded the jeans for a pair of leggings. I threw on a sports bra and a bigger shirt, to make sure Andrei didn’t see anything he shouldn’t see. When I came out of my room, he had his back to the door, like the guardian he was. I took the opportunity to jump on his back like a spider monkey. “Onward, trusty steed!” I said pointing ahead of him. He grabbed my legs and bounced me up higher on his back. He walked down the stairs like he wasn’t carrying a whole ass other person on his back.
He turned at the bottom of the stairs and went toward all the guys’ rooms. “Ohhh, I haven’t been this way yet. It’s an adventure!” I said, trying to be as annoying as possible.
As we passed each room, he pointed out who the room belonged to. Like I was going to remember after just one time.
“Will there be a test on this later? Because I can tell you right now that I’m not going to pass that test,” I asked.
He laughed. “Net, sestrichka. No test. We will all help you when you get lost. It took me two weeks to remember where everything was when we first moved here.”
“That makes me feel so much better.”
The gym came after all the guys’ bedrooms. It was huge and completely furnished with every weight and machine you would find in a regular gym. There was even a boxing ring at the back wall. Andrei pointed to a door behind the boxing ring. “There’s a basketball court through that door.”
“Shut up. You guys have a basketball court here?”
“Da. We don’t really use it that much. In the winter more. Too hot in the summer.”
I looked at him, amazed at this house. “I just can’t believe it’s not temperature controlled,” I said under my breath.
Andrei set me down by the extensive racks of weights. “You do my workout, sestrichka?”
I nodded. I was always up for a challenge. “Please don’t kill me.”
He chuckled. “I’ll go easy.”
While we worked out, we talked about everything. I learned about his childhood, how long he’d been working for Adrik, how he got the job, everything.
During a lull in the conversation, I cocked my head to the side and looked at him, “how long have you had a crush on Tori?”
He paused, blushing immediately. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sephie.”
“Don’t lie to me. It’s literally written all over your face right now,” I laughed.
He put his dumbbells down and walked to me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me deeper into the gym. “Shhhh…” he said with his finger to his lips.
I looked around. There was no one there but he and I. “Who’s going to hear me?” I whispered.
“She comes to the gym sometimes. She could walk in at any minute.”
I gasped. “Is that why we’re working out right now??”
He nodded.
“You dog,” I said slapping his massive bicep.
He looked down, his posture crumbling slightly. “I don’t think she notices me. I don’t think she likes me.”
I scoffed. “Are you blind, son? She might try to hide it, but it’s plain as fucking day that she hearts you,” I said holding my hands up in the shape of a heart against my chest.
“No shit?”
“No shit, Andrei. I saw it right away in the kitchen this morning. Even Adrik saw it. You should talk to her. Don’t ask her out, just talk to her,” I said, now putting my hand gently on his arm. “She notices you, trust me.”
He thought for a minute, then shook his head. “I can’t. I’m an idiot. I wouldn’t know what to say.”
“You’ve been talking to me for like an hour now. You’ll do fine. Hell, you got a marriage proposal out of me within an hour of officially meeting me. You’ve got more game than you think you do, Andrei.”
“You’re different, Sephie.”
“I am not,” I argued. “I’m just like everyone else.”
It was his turn to argue. “I beg to differ. You are different. You’re the only woman that Adrik has ever brought here. He worries about you when he’s not with you. He’s forgotten his girlfriend’s name before in the past. He wants to keep you safe. He wants you by his side, always. He’s never been like this with any other woman I’ve seen him with. It’s like he can’t keep himself away from you, like he always has to be touching you. He’s never been like that with another woman. They usually cling to him like he’s going to run away from them at any moment. But with you, it’s like he’s constantly trying to run to you. And it was like that from the first moment he saw you. I’ve worked for him for a long time. I know him. The second he saw you, he was in love with you.”
I inhaled deeply, not knowing what to say. I was completely at a loss for words. Some part of me knew he was right, but I still didn’t know how to respond. I thought for a moment more and then raised an eyebrow at him, “you’re this observant and you still can’t tell that Tori likes you as much as you like her?”
He cursed under his breath, blushing.
“Okay, Bubba. I’ll make you a deal. How about I talk to Tori and try to feel her out for you first? Find out if there’s a chance before you shoot your shot?”
“You would do that for me?”
“Bubba,” I said, hooking me arm through his, “I was ready to marry you for washing my dishes. Of course, I’ll talk to her.”
He grinned at me, then hugged me tightly. We finished our workout. He escorted me back to my bedroom so I could shower quickly. Once again, he waited outside my door. And once again, I hopped on his back after I walked out of my room. I could get used to this mode of transportation through this giant house…
I was taken to his room, so he could get a quick shower. He walked out of his bathroom in a fresh pair of sweatpants, holding his shirt in his hands. Good Lord, were they all this chiseled? Tori better jump at the chance to get to know this Adonis better.
He pulled his shirt over his head as he walked to his door. “Come. You hungry?” he asked.
“Now you are speaking my love language,” I said standing to follow him. He stopped in his doorway, slightly squatting down, with his arms wide at his side. I immediately jumped on his back, laughing. “Don’t tell Viktor. You’re my new favorite.”
He patted my leg, “your secret is safe with me.”
Once in the kitchen, he backed up to the island so I could sit while he rummaged through the refrigerator. He started pulling random things out and setting them on the counter.
“Is there a plan here or are you just so hungry that you’ll eat anything?” I asked, eyeing the strange combination of food he had compiled on the counter.
“There’s a plan. Trust me.”
“If you say so…” I said, still very unsure about what was going to happen next.
He ultimately ended up being a very good cook. It was unorthodox, I’ll give him that, but his combination of like six different meats, potatoes, and peppers was delicious. Or I was just so hungry that I would’ve eaten anything. It could go either way.