‘You can do this, Alina.’
Could she, though? ‘How?’
‘Just be yourself.’
‘I am.’
‘Not quite,’ he said, because he’d seen her pictures, he knew there was so very much more. ‘But you’ll get there. For now, what’s on the menu?’
‘A promiscuous Russian and a naïve farm girl.’
‘Sounds very tempting.’
‘It is.’ She took out her pad. ‘What do you want to eat?’
‘You choose,’ Demyan said. ‘Surprise me.’
‘I doubt that I can.’
‘Oh, I’m sure that you could.’ He confused her, he tested her, he challenged her. ‘Off you go.’
‘What does God want?’ Pierre asked, when Alina had left Demyan’s table. He blinked at Alina’s response but just a little. Demyan could have whatever he liked.
Which was the problem.
Pierre would never guess they were lovers, no one could know the sex that was burning in the room as Glynn brought him his drink.
‘One Nothing Left to Lose.’ Glynn smiled and as Demyan caught her eye, Alina smiled too as he called her over. ‘What’s in it?’
‘I haven’t a clue,’ Alina said. ‘The name seemed appropriate.’
‘It tastes sensational.’ He made her feel weak as he rolled the beverage on his tongue and then swallowed. ‘I taste Yellow Chartreuse,’ Demyan said. ‘It is a liqueur made from a secret recipe by monks...’ He offered her the glass to taste but Alina shook her head.
She was working.
She could feel his eyes on her as she worked and her body thrummed with awareness, all her senses heightened. She was petrified to go to the loo, quite sure that in the smouldering mood he was in Demyan would have no qualms about following her in. She was on a delicious edge, so much so she almost shot out of her skin when the bell went and his food was ready.
Demyan looked down.
‘We’re skipping straight to dessert,’ Alina said. ‘To the best bit. It’s the nicest thing on the menu.’
‘You like crème brûlée?’
‘Yes, but that’s lavender crème brûlée. It’s delicious, one taste and you swear you could eat it for ever, but it’s very rich...’
‘A treat.’
‘An occasional treat,’ Alina said, trying to tell herself that this was not love, jut a delicious dalliance she would soon tire of. ‘Enjoy.’ She went to go but he stopped her.
‘Bring me another.’
All night he teased her, all night they played till Alina’s skin was burning, and she was grateful to end the shift without dropping a pile of plates. She could hardly breathe as she stepped out of the restaurant and to his mouth.