Blossom in Winter (Blossom in Winter #1)(46)

“How is it?”

“Mmmm…” I utter, savoring the brownie as it dissolves in my mouth. “The best thing in the world,” I garble. “Oh, sorry. Do you want to try some?”

He chuckles, reaches out to the corner of my lips with his thumb, and wipes some chocolate crumbs away. Then he puts his fingertip in his mouth, closes his eyes for an instant, and smiles. “You are right, Petra. The best thing in the world.”





“Here we are,” announces the driver, pulling up to my building’s entrance.

Painfully for me, this means the end of my evening. I sigh in discontentment. After all, I don’t even know if he’ll be joining me in Rome or not. I just hope my little plan will work. Seated in the back seat with Alexander, in a decisive but risky move, I slide my body close to his, incline my head, and give him a tender kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for the brownie. It was delicious,” I murmur with a gentle voice.

But he looks quite upset and grabs my hand right before I leave. “Petra,” he calls suddenly, his tone deep and severe.

“Yes?”

“Kindly don’t do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Kiss me on the cheek.”

“Why not?”

“Because I said so,” he snarls back.

“You greet every girl this way, why not me?”

Alex lets out a breath, displeased with my typical curiosity and stubbornness, but I wait patiently for his answer.

“I prefer not to have your mouth too close to mine. Can you do that?”

Wow. It seems like only the truth wanted to come out. Amusement twinkles in my eyes and plays with the corners of my lips. I must admit, it’s my guiltiest pleasure to make him feel vulnerable. Alex has always looked so confident, so tough, so rugged, so unshakeable with his “aristocratic playboy” attitude and his piercing blue eyes. Having the power to make him fall from his pedestal with a simple gesture of tenderness feels too divine to stop. The more he says not to, the more I want to come closer and kiss him again. But instead, leaving my imagination behind, I politely nod and leave the car.





Alexander Van Dieren





I should have been happy and delighted to see little Lucy waiting for me naked upon my arrival, kneeling in the hallway of my condo, as always. But my mood is not as playful as I expected. After all, Petra will be in Rome for three nights, far from everyone and dangerously close to Andrew… Damn, that guy is a real douchebag. And she seems to like him. How? Well, they spent three months working in the same office, after all… I bet Andrew is already planning something in Rome with her. And they are staying in the same hotel. I shiver picturing them. Fuck. This time I won’t even be around...

“My lord? Everything alright?”

I look down at Lucy, kneeling just in front of me while I rest on the sofa holding her leash. She wanted to suck me, but I told her I was tired.

It takes between eight and nine hours to get to Rome, maybe if I get a flight in the afternoon… I sigh. Why am I even so worried? Petra is nearly an adult… But I did promise her no one would ever hurt her again. And a long time ago, I also gave her that necklace… I should give it back to her actually…

“My lord?”

I blink again at the sound of Lucy’s voice and let out a sigh. “I have a lot on my mind today,” I snap.

“Maybe I can help you relax…” Lucy lets her words trail off as she tries for the second time to unfasten my belt. I want to decline again, but it’d be selfish. I’ve already rescheduled with her so many times. I take a deep breath and brush my thoughts away. “Show me, then.”





Chapter 11





Teterboro, August 27, 2019

Petra Van Gatt





“Let’s take a group photo. Williams! Don’t be shy,” shouts Andrew while a member of the crew holds up his iPhone, ready to capture the moment.

I hate photos, but what can I say? I join the group and try to put on a smile, but I can’t compete with the excitement of my colleagues, who are all dressed up like successful executives for the sake of traveling in a Gulfstream G650.

We are leaving at eight a.m. from Teterboro—a small private airport but definitely the closest one to downtown Manhattan, just across the George Washington Bridge. I usually travel from here to go to Rotterdam, as it’s less than a twenty-five-minute drive from home.

Jess can’t hide her enthusiasm as she steps onto the plane. Her gaze alights on the comfortable beige leather seats, the perfumed wet towel handed to her, and the champagne already being poured by the friendly female crew. “I’m loving finance. Rach, please take a pic of me for Instagram. Get the seat and the window too.”

In fact, Jess has gone overboard in getting ready for the trip: ivory pantsuit, beige pumps, red lipstick, and some gold jewelry, which makes her look even older than usual. I roll my eyes. Pathetic.

I can’t enjoy the trip. After all, Alexander is nowhere to be seen. Maybe I should have scared him further about Andrew...

Speaking of Andrew, here he is entertaining his other interns by doing a photoshoot with them in the jet, which will undoubtedly be shared on social media in the next few minutes. “Williams, would you like a picture with your glass of champagne?” he asks.