Chapter Eleven

One eyebrow quirked as she smiled, displaying a cute dimple in her left cheek. “That’s one way to interpret that.” She glanced around the now empty museum. “Thought I was getting a private tour of this place.”

Nik nodded. “Wherever you want to go. If there is a preference, please let me know, and we can start there. But, first, can I take your coat?” he questioned as innocently as he could manage. He was determined to be able to enjoy perusing her body without the hindrance of trying to see through the leather coat.

She scrutinized him for a few seconds, and he was pleased to see the assessing look in her eyes. However, he didn’t want her to hesitate to trust him. He held her gaze and waited for her to make up her mind. Inside, he crowed with victory when her hands went to the first of three buttons on her coat.

He watched intently as she exposed her top to him. She wore a V-neck sweater in a gorgeous shade of arctic blue. Breaking eye contact, she removed her gloves and put them in her pockets. Nikolas was there to help her out of the coat. As his hands settled upon her shoulders, he had to clench his jaw to keep from behaving as he longed to do so. Remain a gentleman was fast becoming his mantra. And, from the way this woman filled out a pair of jeans and the sweater she wore…he was going to be taking a lot of cold showers.

“Thank you,” she said in a voice that was like a gentle rain.

Shoving back his lust, Nikolas stepped back, allowing her some space. Draping her coat over his arm, he nodded toward a door across the main part of the museum, which led to the room he used when he was here. “I’ll go set it in the office, and we’ll get to the tour.”

“I’ll be waiting,” she returned.

As I have been for you. Nikolas turned on his heel and walked away, resisting the urge to look back over his shoulder and ensure she was still waiting. It didn’t take him long to remove his coat, as well, and hang it over his chair. Walking from the room, he paused in the doorway. There she was. Looking at a statue, hands shoved in the back pockets of her jeans, lower lip caught in her teeth and oh so adorable.

His cock throbbed and reminded him it had been a while. He grinned. It could have been yesterday, and it wouldn’t matter. That beauty over there is my woman. Nikolas knew no other woman would ever get a reaction like this from him, again.

Tugging on the bottom of his shirt, Nikolas moved across the floor toward her. As he approached, she turned her head from the statue of Tsar Alexander the Third and looked at him. He watched her eyes rove up and down his form before filling with appreciation, an act that had him fighting down an arrogant grin.

“So?” he asked. “Figure out where you’d like to start?”

That plump lower lip of hers popped out from between her teeth as she walked toward him. He took in the way she moved, athletic and yet seductive. She cocked her head to the side and said, “Actually, yes.” Then, she shrugged. “Well…okay, here’s the thing.” When they stood toe to toe, she stopped.

Nikolas wanted nothing more than to tuck the strands of wayward hair behind her ear. “Ask your question, Cleopatra.”

Pulling a hand from her pocket, she waved it. “Cleo, please. I’m rarely called by my full name.” He nodded his acquiescence and watched her chew on the inside of her cheek. “I’m kind of looking for some information on someone. I don’t have much, and the only lead I have for anything further is here in Novgorod.”

He arched a brow, totally intrigued. “Well, this is one of the best museums for our history. So, I’d bet you could find your answers here or, if not, be sent in the right direction.” Nikolas flashed a smile. “But I think this place is full of information.”

“This isn’t your museum, is it?” she asked.

“No. Although, my family has made large contributions to it.” The familiar lie slid from his lips.

“That explains why you’re allowed here after closing.”

He winked. “Perks.”

“You’re a smooth one, Nikolas.”

“I’m many things, Cleo.” The most important being yours. “So,” he said, “who are you trying to find out more about?” His gaze drifted to where the snowflake pendant hovered just above the valley between her full breasts.

Cleo could feel the heat of his gaze burning her skin. Almost as if he held a brand to her, leaving his own personal mark. Tamping down the urge to squirm under his bold gaze, she focused on his question. As much as she wanted to ask him about this mysterious Lion of Midnight, in some perverse way, she didn’t want to share him.

“I think I’d like to start around Kievan Rus’ if that’s okay.”

His eyes jumped up to her face, and she witnessed surprise and admiration in his gaze. “Most definitely.” He offered his arm, and she took it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him as they headed toward the big staircase. He looked even better than he had at the bakery if that were possible. The man was just flipping massive. And, the way his clothing hugged his body made her want nothing more than to strip them off of him and see if he looked as good without them, or better.

Her pussy pulsed, reminding her that it’d been a lengthy time since a man had paid it any attention. She and her ex hadn’t been intimate long before they got divorced. But, hell, he was getting it on the side. Cleo tensed at the reminder of that day her world had changed.

“Something wrong?” A sexy voice snapped her out of the bad memory she was becoming entrenched in.

Forcing back the depressing thoughts, she smiled at the handsome man staring down at her. “No, just got lost in the past.”

He moved his large body closer to hers, blocking her against the railing of the stairs they ascended. A whimper of desire attempted to slip past her lips, but she swallowed it back and, in doing so, brought the delicious scent that surrounded him into her nose and embedding it into her skin.

“The look on your face tells whatever it was isn’t a pleasant memory.”

He reached toward her with one strong hand and brushed back the tendrils of hair that had escaped the confines of her barrette. Her insides shook like an earthquake as his skin touched hers. The tips of his fingers were rough, and immediately, she wondered what they would feel like caressing her naked body.

“Not all memories are pleasant ones,” she managed to force out. “We should keep going.”

She held her breath as he examined her for a few seconds. Cleo shoved away her disappointment when he backed off and allowed her room to walk without touching him. Jeez, I’m the one who told him we needed to keep going. He was just doing what I’d asked.

“Top of the stairs and we go to the left.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his cargo pants.

There was just something about him that rang familiar to her. It was as if she’d seen him somewhere before. It didn’t make any sense, but that was the feeling she got looking at him. Well, not the only feeling but one of them.