Page 32 of The Bratva's Plus-Size Bride

Standing there for some time, I didn’t want to move from that spot as I soaked in her touch and the proximity I found myself craving.

Even if I could be stubborn, self-assured to a fault, and oblivious to things I should’ve been more mindful about, I wanted to do better, and to be the man Gemma deserved.

It was the least I could do.

Chapter 17 - Gemma

The thought of not being able to return to work as I wanted still irritated me, but at the very least, I still had my position. My internship was safe with Ben’s help as we came up with an excuse—a clumsy fall down the shoddy stairs in my apartment building followed up with a fake trip to the emergency room and a forged doctor’s note citing I needed to be home for a few weeks—and while it was a bummer, I also knew it was all to keep me safe.

I spent the next little while working even harder with the hope of making up for the exception made for me. Even if I couldn’t be there in person, I was still just as determined to keep my internship and to prove to myself that I could do it.

With the passing days, I found myself sitting with the idea of what Ben had said before—how we might as well make the most of it. I didn’t care to hear him say it at the time, but with the many changes I had to endure as of late, it didn’t sound as arrogant anymore. Instead, I started keeping that idea in mind.

Even if I couldn’t be in the office, we'd managed to find a compromise that helped us meet in the middle. I could be home and away from the Ivanovs while still getting my articles out and doing what I needed to do.

And while I was trying hard to alter my outlook, I could tell that Ben was doing the same. It perhaps took him a little longer to find his stride, but there was no mistaking his change of heart.

Even with the little things, like what we were going to eat that night, or how we wanted to spend the weekend together, he started involving me more and considering my opinions. It seemed so simple, but it was enough for me to notice, and to feel more gratitude about how he was working towards keeping his word.

It meant a lot to me that he didn’t just tell me what I wanted to hear, and that he was being sincere. I could tell that being married was also a big adjustment for him, even if it looked a little different.

But between working while he was taking care of the family business and spending extra time with him, bonding and better understanding each other, I didn’t have much room for dwelling on the past, or anything else I wasn’t satisfied with.

We were doing better, even if the twins were still a threat, and it wasn’t perfect, but it was at least an improvement.

It wasn’t typical for Ben to be gone on the weekends, but that Saturday morning was an exception. He let me sleep in, so I woke up in bed by myself and urged myself to get up before the entire day slipped away from me.

As I had a quick shower and got dressed, my mind wandered to me and Ben.

Oddly enough, we hadn’t had sex since the weekend we were legally married, and I knew it was because he wanted to respect my space. We had given in to each other in the heat of the moment, and while it was great, we seemed to reach a mutual agreement about taking things a bit slower, prioritizing the tender, intimate moments over lust for the time being.

When I was still mad at him, it was easier to resist that temptation, but as time went on and I could see the change in him, I found myself becoming more open to the idea.

While I didn’t want to admit it in the beginning, Ben was far too attractive for his own good, and the physical chemistry between us was impossible to ignore. The thought alone was enough to stir those longings within me, and as I made my way downstairs, I couldn’t help but wish he was home.

It would’ve been the perfect way to spend the day together, and I had the feeling he wouldn’t mind.

By the time I wrapped up my breakfast, I heard the doorbell ring, and before long, Lara and Vivian were poking their heads into the kitchen. They smiled as they noticed me.

“Gemma! Just the woman we were hoping to find,” Lara said as she approached the kitchen island, reaching up to pull her stylish sunnies off her face.

My brows went up at that, and while I wasn’t all that close with them yet, their outward friendliness made it easy for me to lower my guard. “This could either be a good thing or not so much...what’s going on?”

Vivian laughed in amusement at that and gave me a gentle dismissal of her hand. “Don’t worry, we don’t have any sneaky plans today. We were actually wanting to take you out for a girls' day at our favorite spa.”

“We’re talking massages, mud baths, mani-pedis, and anything else you could ever want,” Lara said with exaggerated extravagance in her voice. “What do you think?”

While the thought of going to the spa sounded nice, I didn’t have very much experience in that department, and I felt a bit apprehensive. It wasn’t essential, and given how hard it was to afford my lousy apartment alone, even getting my nails done away from home wasn’t an option.

Something in me wanted to politely decline and retreat, but there was just something about the looks on their faces that made me think again, and I couldn’t ignore the reality right in front of me. The two of them wanted to do something with me specifically—to spend quality time together and bond. That was also something I wasn’t used to.

It made me consider the strides Ben had been making to be more serious about us and what we both wanted, and I knew it would be beneficial for me to get to know the girls some more. Plus, I could use the distraction and excuse to get out.

Regardless of my slight apprehension, I smiled at them. “That sounds amazing. I’ve never been to a spa before.”

At my acceptance, they both beamed, and before I knew it, I was being swept out of the house.

“You are going to love it!” Lara exclaimed, giddy at the mere idea. “I’m in the perfect mood to spoil you with all the high-end treatments.”

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