She took the bottled water he handed her, the cap off, and sipped it. “You wanted me to trust you with everything, didn’t you?”
He nodded, his silver eyes moving over her face. “I need that from you. To know whatever I ask, inside the bedroom or out, you trust in me enough to give it to me. After all the betrayals in your life, I wouldn’t blame you if you couldn’t, but having your trust is important to me.”
“I’m inside your head, Casimir. It’s hard to lie to someone who can see inside your head sometimes.”
He nodded his agreement. “I know it is, but it’s more than that. You gave me something much more than seeing inside my head, Giacinta. You surrendered to me. That’s something I don’t take lightly. Your surrender is something I’ll always treasure, so that you’ll always know you’re safe with me.”
They shared their picnic lunch, enjoying each other and the beauty of their surroundings. Casimir led the horses to the small stream so they could drink before tying them up again. She had his cock for dessert and then fell asleep in the afternoon sun, sprawled as usual over top of him. He woke her an hour later and made love to her, starting slow and gentle, giving her a sweet, satisfying orgasm, and then flipping her over, yanking her up on her hands and knees and slamming into her hard and fast, her very favorite. They finished together and collapsed again.
Lissa slipped her hand into his. “Best honeymoon ever, Casimir. Thank you.”
19
With the golden domes soaring into the sky, the hotel was considered one of the treasures of St. Petersburg. It was built in the time of masters of architecture, the building a work of art, carefully preserved and modernized. It was clearly undergoing another renovation, but Lissa was surprised it was being done with the utmost care. She had expected the Sorbacovs – both father and son – to be wrecking balls, crude, rude men who stepped on others to get what they wanted.
Neither man appeared to be in the least like that. Both were charming, elegant and very charismatic. She could see how Uri could easily finesse his way to the presidency. Both were dressed in suits and came immediately to meet her, not making her wait even five minutes. Both bowed over her hand. Uri looked her over, his gaze as surprised as hers.
“Your pictures don’t do you justice, my dear,” he said in perfect English. “I thought you attractive, but you’re stunning.”
She smiled up at him and allowed him to tuck her hand into the crook of his arm. “Thank you.”
“Have you eaten? We thought it would be good to take a tour of the hotel first and while we talk business, we have a little something prepared if you’re hungry.”
“I will confess I took a nap and skipped eating, so that would be lovely, thank you.” She flashed a smile toward the older Sorbacov, studying him under her lashes. He was handsome, not quite as good-looking as his son, but certainly handsome. No scars. Not a single one. Every single Prakenskii brother had scars. Sorbacov had been instrumental in putting those scars on them when they were just boys. He didn’t look like a monster. In fact, he looked like the furthest thing from a monster she could imagine – but then, to her, Luigi hadn’t looked like a monster either.
The two men walked her around the lobby, a huge room with very high ceilings and astonishing details along the walls. Little alcoves were carved into the walls where old-fashioned sconces were nestled, adding to the ambiance of the room.
She indicated them. “Those are beautiful. Whatever you get for overhead lighting, or dramatic effect, you will definitely want your chandeliers to incorporate those colors and the designs of the wall sconces. No one has anything like that anymore.” She didn’t have to pretend enthusiasm or admiration. She loved the sconces. They were from another era and yet fit perfectly into the modern world.
Uri and Kostya both studied the sconces as if seeing them for the first time. “I hadn’t thought of that,” Kostya said. “But now that you mention it, they really do stand out.”
“It’s more than that,” Lissa said, excitement entering her voice. “Look at the colors. The outside domes are gold. The domes on the sconces match perfectly. They have that thin stripe of orange…” She broke off. “I’m sorry. I get carried away when I see beautiful glass pieces like that. You have no idea how difficult it is to replicate something that gorgeous.” She looked around the huge room. “They’re worth a fortune.”
Uri patted her hand. “It’s a pleasure viewing our hotel through your eyes. What would you suggest for a chandelier? You must have ideas now that you’ve seen the room.”