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and that was enough.
 I would like to talk to Vera.
He rolled his eyes and called over his shoulder.  Vera, babe, you got company. He didn t move to
let her in but stood in the doorway blocking it off like a barricade.  What do you want with her? The
way he asked it made her feel like he was a cop interviewing her for a crime she d committed.
She stood straight and tried to keep her voice steady under his intense scrutiny.  I just want to
talk...girl stuff, she hedged.
An eyebrow flew up and before he could say anything, Vera elbowed his side and squeezed in front
of him. Her cheeks were flushed a pretty rose color, and her eyes were bright.
Being mated must be suiting her well. Christine had never seen the Kategan sister so happy, and that
was even with the occasional fights she and her mate got into.
 Hey, what s up, Christine?
 I came to talk. If that s okay.
Vera s mouth formed a little circle as understanding settled in. It made Christine shift back and forth
on her feet. She never talked to other girls about men, probably because she didn t have many friends
and because she never had  relationships as Dmetri enjoyed pointing out.
The bastard.
 I completely understand, come on in. She turned to Jackson and gave him a little push.
 You, too, move big guy. He grunted but moved.
 Is this about Dmetri? he asked.
Christine bit her lip, which did nothing to help the awkwardness of the situation. Talking to a girl
about her ex when her mate was in the room was not easy.
Luckily she was saved from answering.  Of course it is, babe. Why don t you give us some room?
She snuck up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He looked down at her with a stern frown
on his face.
 I don t like this.
 I know sweetie, but I promise it won t take long and besides I ll repay you tonight with something
special.
His eyes darkened as he looked down at her. The love and heat in his eyes was enough to make
Christine blush and jealous all at once. It took some more promises and sweet kisses, but then finally
Jackson grabbed his jacket off the rack and left.
 Good, now down to business, Vera said, rubbing her hands like an evil doctor.  Take a seat. I ve
been waiting for you to stop by. I knew it was only a matter of time. Christine laughed.  Really, it s
that obvious?
 Of course, and I think this calls for a drink. What do you prefer?
 Tea is fine.
Vera s eyes lit up.  Wait, I have a bottle of wine that Sarina gave me as a wedding present. I ve never
touched it and we don t keep much alcohol in the house because Jacks has a past with it. He s fine
with social drinking a beer or two but no hard stuff in the house. What do you say I pop that baby open
and we give it a taste?
 That d be great.
Vera all but ran into the kitchen in her excitement. She had the bottle popped open and glasses filled
in under a minute.  Sarina said this is expensive wine. That means it s good, right?
Christine shrugged; she had no clue. Then, she remembered.  Well, I have had expensive wine once,
and it was delicious. Of course that had been with Dmetri in the French restaurant.
They took their glasses and sat on the couch. A small fire burned in the fireplace creating a soothing
warmth and orange glow in the room. Vera set the bottle of wine on the coffee table within easy
reach.
 So, let s talk about Dmetri. He s something, huh?
Christine nodded, slowly.  Oh yeah.
 He s a dick.
Surprise lead to laughter and soon they were both laughing together. There was no indignation at
hearing him called that, because after all, it was just so accurate.
 He is. He really is but it s...different. I don t know how to describe it. Vera nodded quickly.  Oh, I
do. He s an endearing dick. You can t help but love him. Vera s eyes rounded.  Not that I mean I
love him, anymore. That s ancient history. Honestly, I never even think about him anymore. Not with
Jacks in my life.
 Don t worry about it. I wouldn t have come here if I thought you were still harboring feelings for
him.
Vera sighed.  That s good, because honestly I used to love him. I did. But then when I got to know
Jacks, I realized that...the love I felt for Dmetri doesn t even come close to what I feel for Jacks. It s
just so different. I never knew it could be like that. So intense. Christine downed the glass of wine
and let Vera refill it. The wine was red, warm, and had just a hint of sweetness that reminded her of
grapes and apples.
Lost in her thoughts, Christine hadn t realized Vera was watching her until she glanced over. Vera
smiled slow and sure.
 Ah, you love him.
She wanted to deny it. She really didn t want to have any feelings for him above  like but it was the
truth.  I m afraid I do...the bastard.
 So tell me what the problem is, not that I don t already have a pretty good idea, Vera said, twirling
the glass in her fingers.
Christine finished her second glass of wine as she thought about it. Honestly, she didn t know where
to begin. She held out her glass for a third refill. The thought that it might be a bad idea mixing
drinking and gossiping about Dmetri never crossed her mind. Hell, the more she drank the better she
felt. Soon she lounged back in her seat feeling warm and fuzzy like a teddy bear. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]