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I was confused why Arlo was here… so close and watching me so intently

“I’d like to take you out to dinner to silence

My heart raced faster than it should at such an innocent state my lips He was so close that I could reach out and touch the stubble along his chiseled, square jaw “Dinner? Like a date?” I felt stupid right after the words left ht it was funny, or maybe cute in a childish way “Of course I didn’t mean a—”

“Yes, Lina I’d like to take you to dinner for a date”

My entire body hu on a dinner date with Arlo shouldn’t havea blush steal over my face “Okay,” I whispered and duckedme A second later I felt the bed shift as he ingat him once more

I glanced into his eyes that looked far too dark in the shadowy rooer we stared at each other, the row shallow

“Dlya tebya ya sdelayu eto bezopasnym”

I almost moaned at the way his deep voice moved over me as he said the Russian words

And as if he just realized he’d spoken in a language I couldn’t understand, he murmured, “I’ll make it safe for you, Lina”

“Galina” My real name fell from my lips al that part of , but as I looked into Arlo’s eyes, this inherent part of me knew this man would live up to his promise to protect me Even from myself “Please, call me Galina It’s my full name” Not a lie, but also not totally the truth Yes, it was my full name, but I’d made it sound like Lina was a nickname instead of what it really was An alias

Things started to feel weird then,becoht-headed When Arlo’s gaze dipped down tothat had pressure and heat settling between s