But he looked at her with sincere bitterness in his eyes.
«I can’t be jealous,» he voiced gently. «I just pity you.»
«Why?» Lana murmured.
«Because,» he whispered quietly, coming close to the building. He lifted his arm and touched the mosquito screen. «You are a beautiful princess, locked up in a palace, and a huge dragon guards you…»
«Wait.» Lana rushed outside. When she reached the street, she saw how Ruslan slammed the door entering his apartment, and she knew it would be stupid to start to knock. Lana was one hundred percent sure Ruslan would have not opened.
Joe Jones had always thought that McDonald’s was only for kids. But when his friend with a son visited the town, they went to this place. While the boy was climbing and playing in the play area, Joe and his friend were talking, recalling the past and sharing later events.
Joe noticed a new girl cleaning the room. She did it very quickly, skillfully, and even artistically. Although she was not his dream girl, her work impressed the man, and Jones leered at her.
She was wearing a light blue long-sleeved blouse and jeans, and these clothes softly emphasized the curves of her slim body. She may have felt his searching look as she turned toward him.
The glare of her strange icy-gray eyes thrust him through like a spear, making Joe feel heat and cold had enveloped him at the same time. It was a luster similar to the shine of the brightest stars in the Galaxy – mysterious, awfully distant and this is why they are more desirable to be reached, because, you know, the stars only look cold, but they are extremely hot when you go close to them.
She left the room, and Joe barely came back to the talk with his friend.
But before leaving, Joe went to the cashier, and saw her again, passing a meal to the next customer. Joe read her nametag and called her. «Marina!»
She looked at him, and he smiled. «Hi! I’m Joe. Are you new here?»
«Here, yes,» she answered.
«Well.» Joe struck a pose. A brunette, he was not very tall, but nevertheless could boast an athletic body. With wild masculine charm, Joe Jones was good-looking, and he knew it. «And what are you gonna do after work?»
«I’m gonna rest,» she voiced indifferently.
«Right! „Poor Cinderella was working and working and had no fun.“» He gave her a wink. «How about if we go out… to rest? Together?»
Not replying, she just stared at him, and Joe felt irritation.
«What’s the matter? Nobody ever asked you out?»
«Americans, no,» she replied, and Joe realized that she was one of these Russians he had heard about, but had not met until today.