Next she checked her phone for her daily horoscope sent via text. She opened it and read:
The planet Virgo is in your house of Scorpio. Expect an intellectual lover to be mysterious and romantic.
I wish, she thought longingly.
As a Pisces with Gemini rising, you thrive in social situations. Today is the exception. Due to Mercury in retrograde, expect all things related to communication and travel to go awry.
“Ugh, tell me something I don’t know.” She couldn’t begin to guess when their luggage would finally arrive.
On a bright note, this is a good day to reflect on the meaningful people in your life and express your gratitude for them. Also, today is excellent for opening your mind to experiencing exotic locales. Explore the magic in the world around you, and your troubles will disappear.
At least this astrologer tended to balance bad news with good. Maybe while shopping she’d find a stellar dress to take back with her as a memory of the positive experiences from this trip. She wished they had more time for sightseeing.
With a longing sigh, she glanced out her window at the city below. The culture and beauty and history of this place called to her spirit. Maybe she’d convince Isaac to take a few detours if something interesting caught her eye.
As it turned out, during their initial shopping excursion, everything drew her attention. First, she dragged him across the cobblestone street to a museum. It boasted paintings attributed to Russian artists like Ivan Aivazovsky , Léon Bakst , and female forerunner Maria Bashkirtseva, followed by a Russian-French artist Alexandre Benois. She adored the mixture of Russian classics combined with feminist artwork, as well as works of artists still alive today.
Then she steered him into a grand cathedral, with glorious faded murals on every wall. Then on to a darling inn that had maintained its eighteenth-century charm, from Peter the Great. So much rich cultural heritage to be explored in so little time. She wanted to weep at how much she was missing.
When so much splendor lay in wait for her discovery, how could she care about the cold biting into her cheeks?
Only when she started shivering uncontrollably and her fingernails turned blue did Isaac steer her into the nearest designer clothing store. The scent of pricey cloth enveloped her, tinged with a hint of expensive smelling perfume. Normally, she’d never set foot in such a place, but in this exciting international venue, she wanted to explore everything the culture had to offer.
As she eyed the foreign labels, she drew close to him and him, “Why does this language try to cram half the alphabet every word?”
“Prestige.”
“Oooh,” she said in a hushed response. As if she’d stepped into the presence of foreign royalty.
Amused by her novice enthusiasm, Isaac laughed. Not at her, he wasn’t making fun of her guile, but this was the first time he’d seen his home country through the eyes of a tourist. “I was just kidding, sweetheart. I’ve never studied the etymology of the Russian language.”
Apparently, his lack of etymological education didn’t concern her when she faced racks of gorgeous garments worthy of distraction. He couldn’t blame her. This particular store offered exceptional linens for the female form.
They passed through a set of heavy curtains drawn back by gold tassels. Instantly, a saleswoman appeared and greeted them in Russian. Welcoming them, she asked how she might be of assistance.
He responded in his native tongue that his lady required the latest fashion collection—and that money was no object.
The woman’s eyes went wide. She nodded mutely and went on a dedicated hunt to gather clothes that met his exacting standards. Yes, American dollars went far here, but this boutique was on par with Saks Fifth Avenue in terms of quality and price. He was glad Mindy scrunched her face when she tried to read the price tags. She didn’t need to know the exchange for the luxurious garments stacked up in the back for her approval.
Because he’d never allow her to spend her own money in his presence. Even if she could conceive of his net worth, she’d probably still demand to reimburse him, and he didn’t want that argument. He simply wanted to enjoy her relaxed, confident beauty as she accompanied him while they met their new clients.
The clerk finished gathering the ensembles, and she shuffled Mindy behind an antique tri-fold screen. When he saw her bare feet peek out from the gap at the bottom, his mouth went dry and his body went hard. The exact same reaction he’d experienced the day he saw her in a bikini at the company pool party. He’d tried his damndest not to stare, and to keep his hands to himself as they’d played pool volleyball. But his eyes and body had been magnetized to her creamy skin and perfect proportions. Her bubbly laughter had kept him in check, reminding him that her bright personality held the greatest appeal. Still, his sex drive almost overrode his more noble intentions.