A Laird for All Time by Angeline Fortin (best motivational books for students .TXT) 📕

evening coming along?” he asked, raising his voice to speak above the crowd in her background. He sat across from Anatoly and a few of his men having a quiet dinner in the hotel.

Royal scanned the room. “It’s too much.”

“Too much?”

“It’s amazing.” She grabbed a glass off the tray as a waitress passed by. “There are so many people here.”

“Are you afraid? Where is Nadia?”

“No, I’m not afraid. She’s around here somewhere. I’m fine. Really.” She paused. “I’m excited!” She put her digital camera back in its satchel, allowing it to rest from overuse. “I’ve never in my life been to anything like this. I’m still high on a super adrenaline rush.”

“Good.” He sat back in his seat and relieved the ten-sion growing in his body at the mere thought of her being uncomfortable. “Are you going to buy something?”

“Yes. A few somethings actually. We won’t be able to fit all the stuff that I’ve purchased on the plane. I’ll have to mail it back home.” She took a sip of her champagne.

“Thisis not a big deal. Just enjoyyourself. Let someone else deal with the logistics.”

“Okay. What are you doing?”

“Having dinner with my son.”

“Good. Tell him I said hello.”

He smiled. “I will.”

“Okay. I’ll be back as soon as it’s over. Can we spend some time together?” she pleaded.

While the trip had been called a vacation, Dmitry had worked the entire time, going into meeting after meeting with Anatoly.

“I was just about to ask you the same thing. I know that I’ve been really preoccupied. My apologies.”

“It’s fine, baby. I’ve had a ball.”

“You’re a very understanding woman, Royal.”

She blushed. “I try.” She saw her escort, Nadia, mak-ing her way across the crowded floor to her. “Well, look. I’ve gotta go, but thanks for calling.”

“See you soon,” Dmitry said smiling. He closed the cell phone in his hand and looked over at Anatoly. “She said to tell you hello.”

Anatoly smirked. “She talks too much.”

∞♥∞

While Dmitry did not attend the show, he did introduce her to the wife of a good friend of his who happily escorted Royalto the VIP event. She could barely understand the Russian woman Nadia, but she was very nice. She spoke with a heavy accent, always nodding her head and smiling as she talked. She wore a wedding ring that resembled the hope diamond and donned the finestfurs and leather that she had ever seen.

Nadia looked like she could have gotten up from her seat and walked down the catwalk with the other models. No one would have known. She was extremely beautiful and tanned. Royal found that odd. She was tanned in this type of frost-biting weather.

They had seats by the catwalk, where they watched all the skinny, beautiful women prance around in front of them, showcasing the finest in Russian designs by thecrafty heiress and teenager Kira Plastinina.

Royal had purchased a few of Plastinina’s collections to put in her store a few months ago. She liked Kira’s whimsical dresses and bright colors, but she was now sitting at her show, preparing to order off the runway.

After the show, as they were being escorted out of the building by their bodyguards into the cold brisk night, Royal caught a glimpse of an attractive man in a gray wool sailor’s coat and a pair of jeans coming towards her.

As he neared closer, Royal realized that it was Dmitry, towering over the others in the crowd like the gentle giant that he was. He smiled when he knew that she had recognized him. He was without bodyguards or an entourage.

She moved away from the car in her long black gown towards him. Nadia’s bodyguard quickly reached for her, stopping her from attempting to wander through the crowd. She looked up at the man and pointed over at Dmitry. He quickly released her, apologizing in his native tongue.

“Did you enjoy it?” Dmitry asked, nodding at the body-guard as Royal walked up to him.

“Yes.” Royal looked back over at the man one last time, before she took Dmitry’s hand.

“Take Nadia home,” Dmitry ordered him. “And Nadia, thank you so much for escorting Royal.”

“It was pleasure,” she said with a toothy smile. “Poka!”

Winking at Royal, she got into the back of the limo.

Royal looked over at the car as it pulled off. “I guess we’re walking.”

“This will be fine. You have insulation,” Dmitry pulled at her coat. He leaned into her, talking under his breath and looking into her eyes. “I just wanted us to begin our private time as soon as possible. Tomorrow, we leave for Memphis, and we’ll be stuck on a small plane with ten people for many long hours.” His minty breath tickled her nose.

“I know,” Royal huffed. “Moscow was starting to grow on me too. Oh well.” She hunched her shoulders and smiled. Her eyes sparkled nearly as bright as the diamonds on her ears.

Dmitry motioned away from the crowds of people out-side loading into fine cars. “Shall we?” he asked, graciously offering his arm.

Royal wrapped her arm around his large bicep and stayed close as he whisked them through the crowd. They walked towards the lights of their hotel. Their footsteps could be heard on the bricked pavement as they moved further and further from the crowds into the silence of their own company.

Royal walked close to him, under his embrace. She was a little afraid to be out so late alone, having been used to the bodyguards now. But Dmitry walked carefree, unworried with being alone. His solace calmed her.

“Where are we going?” Royal asked.

“Up to the room, so we can get rest for tomorrow. Maybe we can have nightcap.”

“Are you being a dirty old man,” she asked, raising her eyebrow at him, recalling the night before.

“What? I didn’t do anything.” He smiled at her. “This time, I really do want drink. But I just felt like walkingfor change.” He took a deep breath. “Slow down finally. It’s been long time since I could do that, you know.”

“I see you have on your Christmas gift,”