It wasn’t hard to spot her. She practically stood out like a beacon. Glowing like a Christmas tree as she stood completely oblivious to the people around her, passengers having to skirt around her. I took a quick glance at the picture I’d saved to my phone just to make absolutely sure, but I knew the blonde with the tight, hip-hugging jeans and shapeless baggy top that somehow did more to show off her curves than anything else could, was her: Anna. My mail-order bride.

God, she was beautiful.

Her photo didn’t do her justice, and I was thrown a little by it if I was honest. Stunned.

Holding the coffees, I’d grabbed in preparation for her arrival, from across the arrival terminal I watched her for a second, indulging in knowing that she’d come all this way for me, to be my wife. Even though it was all a complete hoax. One day Josephine would pay for her involvement in this mess. But right then a small part of me wondered what it would be like to take her back to my apartment and go along with it all. The whole shebang. Take a wife, to have and to hold. Apparently, if Gerard was to be considered an expert on the subject, it was the thing to do nowadays. Settling down, growing up. But that wasn’t me, no matter how hot Anna the mail-order bride was.

Was it?

Anna stepped forward, her courage seemed to be building as she scanned the area looking for me. A frown appeared on her sweet pale face. Confusion setting in as she turned and studied a man over to her right. I followed her gaze to where it landed. Big Jim, my driver, as he liked to be called, stood feet apart, belly protruding with a sign he’d made up from a stash he kept in his professional driver’s kit. I didn’t know such a thing existed, but it seemed like a good idea, and I’d provided Anna’s name so he could write it down and use it for this very occasion.

The emotions Anna’s face went through were a sight to see. And I had to admit the way she pursed her lips—a long stare hardening the blues of her eyes—was my favorite. She looked positively furious.

Then it dawned on me, and I let out a chuckle, startling an old lady waiting by a pillar with a trolley piled high with suitcases.

Did Anna think Big Jim was me? The fury seemed to drive her forward. She took a step toward him. If Big Jim wasn’t careful it looked like any moment she was going to launch herself over there. A feisty one, I thought.

At the last minute, she shook her head and turned in the opposite direction away from Big Jim, toward me, and the exit.

Holy shit! She was going to leg it. The little minx. Obviously, she wasn’t keen on the idea of Big Jim being her husband.

I sprang into action. I couldn’t let her get away. I still had Gerard to think about, the bloody wedding, and his Bridezilla’s need to have seven perfect bridesmaids to go along with the groomsmen. And Anna was indeed the ideal candidate to fit the role and my only hope after Sarah had taken it upon herself to spread those rumors about me. Josephine had at least not let me down on that score. Anna would be a knockout on my arm going down the aisle.

Taking care not to spill the coffees and scald myself, I tracked Anna’s movements toward the exit and put myself on a trajectory course to meet her. My heart was thumping like a motherfucker, a piece of construction machinery gone wild, and I hadn’t even met her yet. Jesus… this woman was going to be the death of me. Or get me fired as Josephine had threatened.

I came to a sudden halt inches away from her; she was about to change course and try and go around me, but I stepped to the side blocking her path again. Anna scowled.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Her mouth popped open, her eyes flying wide open as we made eye contact. I didn’t give her a chance to give me any excuses.

“Anna? It is Anna, isn’t it? Or should I call you Anastasia?” I said thinking of her full Russian name detailed on the correspondence Josephine had shown me.

She shrugged still gazing up at me. Maybe she was just as stunned by me as I had been with her when I first laid eyes on her. Then I remembered what my secretary had said.

“Oh, that’s right. You don’t speak English, do you? Well, we’ll figure something out. Maybe you could learn? Good thing I caught you before you made it outside, I could’ve lost you,” I said not knowing quite what my mouth was playing at, rambling like a fool. I could’ve lost her? Pull yourself together. And yet I continued, still not knowing if she could understand me. “My driver’s just over here. Come on. Or do you have bags that we need to pick up?”

Sensing her hesitation and noticing the worry in her green eyes I smiled at her. “It’s okay. My name is Sebastian. You’re here to meet me, right?” I said each word super slowly, because of course that always worked. Thankfully though, she nodded and I gave a sigh of relief. “So you do understand English?”

Visibly Anna swallowed then nibbled on her lip. “A little,” she managed to reply, her voice so quiet I could barely hear her amongst all the noise of the busy airport and the morning rush. Her accent was cute too… maybe I could get used to having her around for a while.

“Bags?” I asked again, miming and pointing, wanting to make sure we didn’t leave anything behind.

“This. No bags.” Anna clutched her rucksack, hands tight around the shoulder straps, indicating that was all she had. I hid my surprise well, I hoped. She’d come all this way with literally only the things on her back. She was a brave one.

We stared at each for another long moment. I couldn’t quite make my feet move or create sounds with my mouth. The urge to wrap this small creature in my arms was beyond anything I could’ve expected. How dire had life been back in Russia for her to answer a mail-order ad? I couldn’t imagine. But she’s here now… mine to protect, I caught myself thinking.

The spell was only broken when a man in his mid-forties accidentally bumped into my arm, almost knocking the coffee out of my hand. He apologized and quickly moved on.

“Oh, right, yes. This is for you. A small welcome to America. Don’t worry, though, we’ll go for something more substantial if you want. Some breakfast, if you’re hungry?” I handed her the cup, and she took it, our fingers passing alongside each other for a split second. I took a deep breath as a shudder went through me. God, I wanted her.

Anna took a sip and smiled at me from above the rim of the cup. “Mmm,” she said pleasingly, but then was rudely interrupted by her growling stomach. Her hand flew to her belly, and the blush that crept upon her cheeks was a delight to witness.

“I take that as a yes then. Let’s get you fed, come on.” I waved over to Big Jim, got his attention, and led the way, glancing back every microsecond to see if she was still following me. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. Surprisingly she followed.

“Here let me take that,” I said and reached for her bag. She slipped it off willingly and rewarded me with another tiny but cock-hardening smile. Too cute.

“Sebastian?” a female voice cut through the crowd. On instinct, I turned toward the sound, then cursed myself as I realized who it was. “Sebastian, it is you!”

“Shit, shit, shit,” I muttered under my breath. What the hell was she doing here? And at the worst possible moment too. No one could know about Anna, or more precisely, her original origins. If it got out that I’d ordered a mail-order bride all the way from Russia—even if it wasn’t technically my doing—I would be made into a laughing stock and Sarah or any other woman would never want anything to do with me ever again.

“I thought that was you,” Sarah said as she got closer. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same question,” I ground out, attempting to shield Anna from Sarah seeing her.

“I’m here on business, of course. You know fine well that I always grab the early morning flight back to Boston from New York office. And if I didn’t know any better I would think you were here following me. Waiting for me to arrive. Stalking is not romantic, Sebastian. We’re over. I thought I made that clear?”

“I’m not stalking you! Jesus, Sarah. I get it. There’s nothing I can do to win you back. But I’m not following you. I’m not here for you.”

“Mmmhmm, funny way of showing it. Why are you here then and who’s this?”

“Who?”

Sarah rolled her eyes and pointed to Anna who peered around my arm. From the way Sarah was giving her the evil eye I could’ve sworn there was a hint of jealously there. Did I dare pull on that thread?

A sudden and utterly stupid idea entered my head. I tugged Anna beside me and slipped my hand into hers. “You want proof I’m not stalking you, well here she is. This is Anna. She’s my fiancée.”

Sarah’s mouth dropped open as if a screw in her jaw had been taken out, the hinge free to move. “Your…”

I nodded and stood taller. Trying not to pay attention to how perfectly Anna’s hand fit into mine. How right it felt.

“That’s right. My fiancée. We’re getting married soon.”

Sarah shook her head, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t understand. When did this happen? There’s been no time… Is she another one of your bits on the side? Were you sleeping with her when you were still with me? “

“No! Of course not.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“There’s been plenty of time since you ended it between us and broke my heart, Sarah.”

“Oh please.” She looked from me to Anna then back again, searching for the truth. “You’re such a fucking liar, Sebastian. I don’t know what I ever saw in you. Besides she doesn’t even have a ring.”

“So?” I sputtered trying to come up with an excuse quickly. “We wanted to pick out one together.”

“This is crazy. I don’t have time for this, I have deadlines to meet.” Sarah looked at her watch. “Whatever he’s promised you, honey, don’t fall for it. And he’s definitely not worth it.”

Anna’s eyes narrowed, then like a trooper, she shrugged her shoulders. She squeezed my hand pulling me closer, and rose on tiptoes as she leaned into me, kissing me right on the mouth.

From that moment, everything faded away. All the passengers around us disappeared, Sarah melted amongst the crowd, forgotten. The whole airport could’ve been transported to another dimension and I wouldn’t have noticed.

I deepened the kiss, feeling the urge to pull Anna closer to me. A moan escaped her as I sank my tongue into her mouth, never wanting this moment to stop.