Dance With Me by Hazel Hughes Read Free Book Online Page B

table reserved at Carlito’s. I hope you will join us for dinner, also.”
    “Sorry, bro.” Randall shook his head. “I’m meeting up with some friends in the Village. Gotta bounce.” He opened the door.
    “That’s a shame. Another time,” Alexi said.
    “For sure. Carlito’s is huge right now. You have to murder someone to get a rez there.”
    “My friend is the maître d’. We’re from the same town. If you want to go, let me know. I will, what do you say? Hook you up?”
    “Really? Thanks, man.” He punched his sister lightly on the arm. “This one’s a keeper. Later, Mom.” He kissed her on the cheek. “High-five, Dad.” And he was gone.
    Sherry could feel her mother’s eyes boring into her. The air in the small space was charged, but the men acted as though they were oblivious to it. Randall might think Alexi was a keeper, but she knew her mother well enough to guess that she did not agree.
    “Mrs. Wilson-Wong, Dr. Wilson, surely you will join us. If you like Italian food, it is the best in the city.” Alexi had finished removing his makeup. He tossed the cloth toward a hamper on the opposite side of the room, landing a perfect layup.
    “Well, that sounds great,” Richard started, but his wife put a hand on his arm.
    “We wouldn’t want to interrupt Sherry while she’s working.” Victoria inclined her head, glittering eyes on her daughter.
    “We are finished, aren’t we?” Alexi asked Sherry. “With the interview?”
    She nodded her head, arms crossed and looked at the floor. “Yep. Filed it at four.”
    “Oh,” Victoria said. “I see.” Sherry could feel her mother’s stare like two sharp skewers, trying to piece her skull. She wouldn’t look up. Her hands were balled into fists.
    “In the Ukraine we have a saying. After business, pleasure,” Alexi said.
    “We have the same saying,” Richard said. “Except we say, business before pleasure. I can’t remember the last time we had really good Italian food, can you, Vicky?”
    “Unfortunately, we have plans,” Victoria said, her eyes still boring into Sherry.
    “We do?” Richard asked. “Can’t we change them?”
    Victoria glared at her husband and linked her arm through his. “Let’s leave this poor boy to get dressed. Excuse us. Sherry?”
    “Um,” she said. She looked up through her lashes at Alexi. He was watching her with a tiny smile on his face, his eyes glinting with challenge. He ran his hand over his torso, slowly, suggestively. Sherry bit her lip.
    “I’ll see you later,” she said to her parents. “Thanks for coming.”
    Victoria grabbed her daughter’s arm and pulled her to the door. “Don’t be a fool,” she hissed in Sherry’s ear before releasing her. Her eyes searched Sherry’s. “This is a mistake.”
    Sherry took a step back. “Bye, Mom.” She shut the door and leaned against it.
    Alexi tilted his head to the side, the smile still on his lips. “This was a surprise. A good one.”
    “You didn’t think I’d come?”
    “Oh, I knew you’d come. I didn’t think you’d bring your family.”
    “Well, you did give me four tickets. Were you hoping I’d bring my girlfriends? Then you could have your choice.”
    He arched a brow and shook his head, smiling and closed the distance between them. “Why do you say these things? You are my choice.” He touched the back of his hand to her face and ran it down her cheek. She shivered.
    Her mother was probably right. It was a mistake. But right now, with Alexi’s naked torso so close she could feel its heat, she didn’t care. She hooked her fingers into his waistband and tugged him toward her, lifting her face to his.
    His smile widened. “What’s this? Always in a hurry?” He looked from one eye to the other, searching. “In New York, always hurry, hurry, hurry. In the Ukraine, we like to take our time.” With the back of his hand he drew a line down her cheek and neck to her breast. He let it linger there, lightly. Her nipple hardened