Four years ago, Dimitri Petrov had his leg blown off by a landmine while in military service. Suffering from PTSD, he doesn’t do crowds, and he doesn’t do people. If he had his way, he’d never leave his house at all. Dimitri’s sister, Irina, runs a dating agency, and despite that it would be better for business if they had a pretty woman working the front desk, Irina insists Dimitri’s the man for the job.<br><br>In a whirlwind of pink shirts, flapping hands, and outrageous flirting enters Elian Hubert. Elian needs a date. Invited to speak on love through time in fiction at a Valentine dinner, there is no way he’s showing up alone. When Dimitri tells him The Single Pursuit is unable to help on such short notice, Elian suggests Dimitri be his date.<br><br>Dimitri doesn’t do dates, and he doesn’t do dinners, but Elian’s made him happier in the last few minutes than anyone’s been able to do in years. He might not do Valentine's, and he might not do gatherings, but maybe he can do Elian ... a favor and accompany him to his presentation? If things go too badly, he can always hide behind a curtain and pretend he’s somewhere else.

Be Still, My Heart

“What do you think, love?” Elian squeezed his hand.


“Sorry, what?” He shook himself, aware he hadn’t been paying attention to the surrounding conversation.


“About the new interior design.” Elian gestured around, and Dimitri scanned the walls. Perhaps they’d been another color the last time he’d been here. He nodded.


“It’s too dark.” Douglas met his gaze before putting food into his mouth. Dimitri glanced down at his untouched plate and grabbed his cutlery. Steak and some potato cake. He cut a piece, popped it into his mouth, and chewed without tasting it.


“I like it.” Elian grinned at him, and Dimitri suspected he’d said it to annoy Douglas.


“It looks like a bordello.” Douglas glared at Elian.


Chapter 9