Sophia’s POV:
“Glad you could make it,” Ivan said as he moved closer. He leaned down and his gaze locked with mine, causing my heart to beat faster than normal. “You look breathtaking, solnyshko,” he said as he brushed his lips against my temple.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You look amazing yourself,” I croaked out.
He smirked, placing his palm at the small of my back. My skin heated up underneath his touch and I tried my best not to squirm. He led me to the table, pulled my chair out for me and I took a seat.
He helped me scoot the chair up to the table, but his fingers lingered on my bare shoulders and neck for a moment before he finally returned to his side of the table. And I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
He sat down and cracked open the bottle of champagne. Once both our glasses were filled, he took the metal tops covering the plates and revealed our meals. Roasted chicken, potatoes, broccolini. I’d always loved this meal, it was simple, yet tasty.
“This looks amazing,” I whispered.
“I figured you’d like it,” he said as put the silver metal tops to the side. “I would have let the hotel staff serve us tonight, but I wanted you all to myself.
He reached across the table and took my hand in his, the hear from his body mingled with mine. He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it so softly, it was like a feather had been dragged across my skin.
I’d wanted to ask him why he’d done all these, asked me out on a date, but I was waiting for the right moment to do so. Or maybe I just didn’t wanted to be disappointed by what his response would be.
“Why are we here, Ivan?” I asked cautiously unable to reign in my curiosity any longer.
His expression is unreadable as he caresses my hand. “We are on a date, Sophia. That’s why we are here.”
No shit.
I rolled my eyes at him.
Was he intentionally ignoring my question?
“I know we are on a date, Ivan. I’m asking why we are on date,” I explained. Although, I think he knew exactly what I meant.
His gaze locked with mine, boring into my soul, keeping his eyes firmly on mine, he kissed my hand once more before he reluctantly released me. I tried to compose myself, taking a small sip of champagne, making sure I looked indifferent to what had just happened.
His gesture had been unexpected and it did things to my insides.
He shrugged. “Because I wanted to go out on a date with you,” he said finally. “And I know you’ve been stressed these last few days so I throught you needed this.” He gestured around us.
Ivan cares about me?
He did this because he knew I was stressed about the scandal?
Does this mean he feels the same way? Does he have feelings for me?
No, I shouldn’t conclude and then get my heart broken when it turns out I was misunderstanding him.
He was just being nice, that’s it. No need to read meaning into this.
Easier said than done. A big part of me wanted all these to be real, wanted his genuine affection also.
“Thank you,” I managed finally, my voice a little above a whisper. I chuckled nervously. “That’s really thoughtful of you, never took you for a nice person,” I joked trying to ease the tension between us.
He smirked. “I’m not usually nice, but thoughtful, yes. Let’s dig in,” he said gesturing to our meals that had been temporarily abandoned.
I picked up my fork, and began to eat just as Ivan did. Silence settled between us, punctuated only by the soft clatter of the cutlery.
“How did the interview go?” Ivan asked, breaking the silence.
“Huh?” I asked, I was too deep in thoughts, my brain tried to catch up. “Oh,” I said when his questione finally registered in my brain. “It went well, I guess?”
He regarded me carefully. “You guess?”
Thinking about the way the interviewer had put I and Harry in a tight and incomfortable spot actually made me pissed all over again. I stopped cutting into my chicken.
“Actually, it wasn’t great but not so bad. The interviewer kept disrespecting us, it’s like all she wanted was to trigger us or get a new story out of us there and then,” I explained.
He grunted. “It’s not surprising, that’s how the media is. But I thought his team had everything in control?”
I let out a sigh. “Yes, but I guess the interviewer had a mind of her own and if it wasn’t for Harry, she’d have eventually got what she wanted cause I was so close to strangling her to death,” I huffed.
He barked out a laughter.
Like a genuine one and it softened his features, making him more handsome than usual.
My heart fluttered. “Why…why are you laughing? What is so funny?”
I’ve never ever seen you laugh this way before.
He seemed to struggle as he tried to control his laughter. “Nothing, luchik. You just look so cute when you pout and your hands are too dainty to strangle anyone, I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to get your hands wrapped around anyone’s throat, let alone, strangle them to death.”
I frowned. “I don’t pout, also, I am a grown woman, I can’t be called cute,” I pointed out. “My hands are not dainty, I can strangle anyone, just try me and see for yourself.”
His expression softened as he smiled at me, he reached over and touch my lips and it felt like I had an entire zoo and not just butterflies in my stomach.
“You’re still pouting, solnyshko,” he said softly. “And who says grown women can’t be cute? I think you’re very cute as well as beautiful and insanely gorgeous.”
Is it possible to die from a heart attack at twenty-four? ‘Cause my heart couldn’t stop beating rapidly in my chest.
I was so lost in my head, that I didn’t notice Ivan walk up to me, he pulled me to my feet and wrapped his arms around me.
“Dance with me,” he said.
He could ask me for anything at this point and I would let him have it. Because when it came to Ivan, I couldn’t say no.