Page 196 of Ghost Ribbon

Alexei’s hands stayed on my waist. He gave a small shrug, the motion careful so he wouldn’t dislodge me.

“Just meetings. Nothing worth bringing home.”

I nodded, accepting the answer the way I always did. There were parts of his world I still didn’t fully understand, and parts I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to. What mattered was that he had come back to me.

I rested my forehead against his chest for a moment, listening to the beat of his heart. His arms adjusted automatically, one hand sliding up to cradle the back of my head. We stood like that for a long time, swaying the tiniest bit whenever the wind moved across the balcony. The music continued to play behind us. “You’re quiet tonight,” he murmured eventually, voice low against my hair.

I smiled into his shirt. “I’m happy.”

Alexei’s hand paused in my hair, then resumed its slow stroke. I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I tilted my face up again so I could see him properly. “I am so happy when I am with you.”

A faint flush touched the tops of his cheeks. It was still one of my favorite things - watching the most dangerous man I knew get a little flustered over something so simple. I reached up and traced the line of his jaw with my fingertips. “I missed you.”

Alexei’s eyes softened even further. He caught my hand and turned his head just enough to press a kiss to the center of my palm.

“I missed you too, Malyshka.”

The pet name made my stomach flutter the way it always did. I ducked my head for a second, suddenly shy, then peeked up at him through my lashes. He was still watching me with that same gentle expression, like I was something precious he couldn’t quite believe he was allowed to hold.

We stayed like that for a while longer - talking about nothing important. I told him about the book I had been reading on the couch earlier. He listened like every word mattered. I asked if he had eaten. He admitted he hadn’t, and I scolded him softly until he promised he would later. At some point his hands slid under the back of my sweater just enough to rest against the warm skin there, thumbs stroking circles that made me melt further into him.

The music shifted into another slow song.

I listened to it for a few seconds, head still resting against his chest, and felt a small, shy idea take shape. My fingers toyed with his shirt again.

“…Do you want to dance with me?”

Alexei blinked, genuine surprise flickering across his face. “Dance?”

I nodded, suddenly very aware of how quiet the balcony had become. “Hm.”

Before I could lose my nerve I reached for one of his hands and carefully guided it to my waist, settling it there firmly. My other hand found his free one and laced our fingers together.

“Like this,” I said softly, and a small giggle escaped me at how stiff he suddenly looked.

I started to move, slow steps that matched the music drifting around us. Alexei clearly had no idea what he was doing. His movements were careful, like he was afraid of stepping on me or somehow doing it wrong. But he tried.

“You’re supposed to lead,” he muttered after a particularly awkward step, though there was no real complaint in it.

I grinned up at him. “I’m teaching you. Be patient.”

He huffed a soft laugh and adjusted his hold, following my next step more smoothly. Then, without warning, he spun me.

It was clumsy and imperfect. The night air brushed across my face as I turned, stars blurring for a second, and when I came back around he was still smiling. If heaven ever touched the earth, I think it did so in the shape of his smile.

I rested my cheek against his chest again while we swayed.

“See?” I whispered. “You’re already better.”

Alexei’s arms tightened around me. He pressed another slow kiss into my hair.

We kept dancing long after the song ended, moving to whatever melody came next, the rest of the world forgotten beyond the circle of his arms and the endless scatter of stars above us.

Then his voice came, lower than usual. “Marco… there is something I should tell you.”

I looked up.