Anything for Her - Complete

Chapter 34

"I'm so glad we're on the same table!" Mia said, looping her arm through Rose's as they moved into the reception hall. Decorated with wildflowers, the space was pretty and artlessly elegant. Finding their place cards on what was obviously a 'friends' table, Mia, Gus, Rose, and Dimitri took their seats. Rose was seated between Gus and Dimitri, the latter seated beside one of the only other Dhampir guests.

"Easton," the Guardian in his mid-forties said, holding his hand out to Dimitri. "I've been with Douglas and his family for twenty-five years."

"Belikov," Dimitri said, nodding his head in acknowledgment of the older Guardian's loyal service. "Currently on leave of absence."

"Everyone knows who you are," Easton said with a deferential smile.

Dimitri shrugged. Did Easton mean his restoration? His open and unashamed protection of and relationship with Rose? The Tasha situation? Was it that he had once been Guardian to the Prince Consort? Or the fact he'd turned his back on it all for a chance of a life with Roza?

"Youngest Blood Master Seven ever... Twenty-two! That's pretty impressive!"

Shrugging again, Dimitri turned to fill his glass and Rose's with sparkling water, offering Easton the same.

"That was a long time ago," Dimitri said, smiling as he remembered the man he'd been pre-Rose. Sometimes it was hard to recall there had been a time before Rose. Of course, he treasured his time with Ivan – he'd never forget his first charge and best friend – but the last seven years with Roza eclipsed almost everything else. Dimitri honestly felt as though his world started and stopped with Rose, and now their children.

"I love you," Dimitri said softly, leaning over and placing a kiss in Rose's magnificent dark mane. Not usually publicly demonstrative, Rose simpered at her man's blatant affection.

"I love you, too," Rose replied, turning to face Dimitri. Cupping his face in her hands, she leaned forward – lips meeting his in a soft, tender kiss. Looking up, almost the whole table was staring at them.

"You two have it bad! How long have you been together?" Gus teased.

"Longer than we have," Mia said, slapping her husband playfully. "In fact... I heard a little story that love was blooming even before we graduated!"

An uncomfortable assertion they'd come across more than once over the years, Rose gave her usual reply.

"Oh, I had it bad for Dimitri – but he never paid me the slightest notice in that way at St. Vlad's," she mock lamented. "Nothing happened until after I graduated, more's the shame. I mean – St. Vladimir's is a great school, but it doesn't rank high on the excitement scale. An illicit romance would have made things much more interesting than they were..."

Rose held Mia's gaze silently telling her to drop it. There was already more than enough gossip and rumor about Rose and Dimitri – they didn't need to give anyone more ammunition!

"Yes, I keep forgetting you all know each other from school," Gus said, deftly steering the conversation in a new direction. The discussion about the beginning of their relationship diverted, Rose moved her chair closer to Dimitri's, smiling as he draped his arm possessively around the back of her chair.

"Do you think we might get a chance to visit our cabin?" Rose asked softly. The place where it really started for them, Rose would love to see the place again.

"If not tonight, then next visit to Dr. Olendzki," Dimitri promised, stealing another gentle kiss from his woman.

Looking about the room, Rose noticed Christian sitting at the bridal table with an artificial smile plastered on his face. In an act of kindness, Jill had seated Adrian at the same table. He was placed between Lissa and Douglas' sister, who had served as a maid of honor. Along with Douglas' parents, Emily and John, plus Sonya and Mikhail Tanner, they made up the main table. Christian was seated on a forty-five-degree angle to where Rose and Dimitri were sitting. Unfortunately, her Majesty was seated in a position that gave her an almost direct line of sight to their table.