Chapter 35 Chapter 35 The Fiance
Gabriella took all my snacks, all of them. She would make a great hound dog, damn brat. I put on my sweatshirt and sweatpants, it's the most covered I have been in the last couple of months.
"Told you!" she says as she holds all my stuff in a bag. "Come and sit!"
Entering the living room I notice there is only one spot available and it's next to Ivan. But of course, no one wants to sit next to him on the love seat. His arm is stretched over the backrest, his knees are spread wide open like he has a tree trunk between his legs. I roll my eyes as I sit next to him. Helena, Elena and Gabriella are on the loveseat across from us. Stanislav, his girlfriend, Elena's boyfriend and some other guy are all on the couch.
Gabriella tosses me my bag and I pull the chocolate out. I sit there like a little racoon eating three whole bars but Ivan doesn't say anything. He doesn't even glance over at me. Just great, now I am going to get pity looks from him. I grunt as I shift in my seat. I take my phone out and post more vacation pictures, tagging myself in my hometown.
It takes Alek thirty minutes to call me. "Fedorov, do you stalk my socials???"
He laughs and everyone in the living room stares at me with wide eyes.
"What do you want Alek?" I know what he wants. "Shouldn't you be watching Sergey fight?"
He asks how long I am going to be in Plovdiv.
"I have not decided yet. Until sometime after my birthday, I guess!" I can almost hear the smile on his face. "No, nope! I don't want to see you or....him!"
They flash over to Alek and Sergey's girlfriend but they call her "his fiance" there is a huge ring on her finger. I am going to be sick. I can feel the bile rise up. I stand up quickly, dropping my bag of junk food on the floor.
"Sergey is engaged??? Are you fucking kidding me???"
Why am I even surprised, he asked me to marry him after a month together? Alek reminds me of that fact.
"Does he propose to everyone he dates?" I am going to chuck that damn ring off of this ten story terrace. I am such a moron, carrying it around like a sad girl still.
He mumbles something inaudible. "Stop calling me! I don't want to talk to you or him!" I hang up and block him.
Stanislav mutes the tv and they all turn to me. "You were engaged to Sergey Fedorov?"
"It's a long story, we lived together for like a month, he asked, I said no. End of story!" I grabbed the remote and turn the volume back on.
He wants to say something else. "Don't poke the bear!" urges my sister.
Gabriella grins at me. "Don't Gaby! Don't ask, I am not going to tell!"
I grab Ivan's glass and take a sip, he watches me like I have lost my mind. My cousins go back to watching the fight. Ivan pours himself another drink while I text with Mason. He has been texting me for months now. He hasn't asked me out but I am sure he is getting close to doing it. Mason wants what every other guy wants from me, from any girl, sex. Sliding my phone into my pocket again I look up at the tv, Sergey is kicking ass. He is amazing, I see him make his move.
"Sergey is about to knock him out!" I say sounding uninterested."Left foot forward, soft right jab, right foot forward, power left hook. Ground!"
I get it, he is creature of habit. Same moves in boxing and relationships. I was just another girl he was with. The fight is over, my cousin and his friends are cheering but I know what happens now. Memories of "fight night" flash across my mind. I know exactly how long Sergey rides his adrenalin high from a fight.
The next fight starts and I feel Ivan's hand slide down and stop on my lower back. I freeze not knowing what to do. Should I move? Was that an accident? His fingers run circles on my back igniting me. Butterflies slam inside my ribs trying to escape. His hand glides up leaving little fires everywhere, he moves my hair over. His fingers drum up and down my spine. My body betrays me, leaning toward him. My mouth is dry, heat starts to form between my thighs. I place my hands under my legs sitting on them, that way they don't reach for him. I close my legs tighter to maybe suppress the wetness from spreading.
I see my cousins elbowing each other as they stare at us.
Stanislav's girlfriend says we should eat before it gets too late. They brought food. Helena asked me if I am hungry, I shook my head at her. Ivan shook his head too. Everyone else left us to go grab food. I try not to freak out, I have been alone with him all week. Why does this feel different? His touch is soft and calculated. My heart rate is picking up, I take a deep breath in and wonder where he is going with this. They come back and sit at the dining room table, they can still see the big tv from there.
Ivan leans forward. "What are you thinking about?" he places his palm flat on my back lighting me up fully.
I turn my head and look into his black eyes, his lips are slightly parted, his blond hair is slicked back, the sides are faded the top is a few inches long. How do I answer his loaded question? I am thinking about everything and nothing at the same time.
"What you look like when you walk around here in your boxers. Where your hand is right now and what your touch is doing to my body." I drop my voice lower. "And how much less space and layers there would be between us if we were alone."
He leans even closer. "I would love to watch you chew your own arm off!" he grins and his hand moves under my sweatshirt landing on my bare skin.
I move toward him, our noses almost brush. "Suit yourself. I guess watching me eat my words as I unravel in you hands is off the table than!"