Two Months and Three Days (Sinister Romance #1)

Chapter 4 (Part II)

The coffee shop with glass doors was almost empty. The menu was displayed outside so as not to embarrass those who couldn't afford the prices. The patio with wrought-iron tables was heated with gas heaters. The chairs were covered with soft pillows and rustic lamps softly illuminated the green foliage in the park.

Arina sat in front of a huge plate with an elaborate three-layered dessert that was impossible for one person to eat, especially when trying to do so under the gaze of a man's beautiful, thoughtful gray eyes. Maxim barely ate anything. He smiled and asked questions that made Arina go hot and cold all over. He seemed to be playing hide and seek with himself. It was impossible to understand what he wanted, why he ran after her there in the street. Why had he brought Arina to the coffee shop?

He was acting strangely as if waiting for her to do or say something.

"So, you are an animal rights activist?" he asked, in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"No," Arina shook her head.

"So, how many animals," he continued, still sarcastic, "have you personally saved from death?"

"When?"

"What do you mean, when?" he didn't understand her at first.

"When exactly are you talking about?" Arina clarified. Maxim hesitated.

"Well, let's say . . . last week," he stared at her, patiently waiting. Arina spooned out a little piece of the endless dessert and put it in her mouth. Yummy! She couldn't tear herself away from Maxim's eyes.

"Three," Arina said calmly. How do you like that? Damn, what a delicious dessert! She had never tasted anything like it.

"What?" he raised his precisely contoured eyebrows.

"Two cats and one terrier," she continued, feeling even more confident. "The life of the others was not in danger."

Maxim paused, confused, as if he had forgotten what he was thinking or talking about. He examined Arina from head to toe which immediately gave her goose bumps.

"But you are just a kid! How old are you?" So, that's how he saw her! Nellie was wrong: people didn't see a hedgehog when they looked at her; they saw a child. That was even worse!

"Nineteen. What about you? How old are you?" Arina replied defiantly. Strangely, the question surprised Maxim more than Arina expected. He choked drinking his tea and had to clear his throat. Then he stared at her with suspicion.

"You don't know how old I am?" he asked.

"How would I know that?" Arina was taken back. Maxim went silent as if wondering whether he should reveal his big secret to her. His showing off like a girl seemed almost funny to her.

"I told you how old I was, didn't I? Are you afraid you're too old?"

"Oh, so this is how it is now, huh? How old do I look?" Maxim asked, and his eyes playfully sparked again.

"I don't know. Twenty? Thirty?" she guessed and he burst out laughing.

"Your guess is flattering and killing me at the same time. I'm twenty-nine years old. Which means that I'm exactly ten years older than you are. You don't find it too scary? I don't have fake teeth yet, I promise!" he assured her, pretending to be worried.

Arina began to smile, blushing as he looked at her with his dark gray eyes. Unwanted thoughts about what his lips would taste like inflamed Arina's imagination. She was seriously worried that he could read the thoughts in her eyes.