Page 25 of Plus-Size Curves for the Bratva

And as I say it, I realize with a jolt that it's true. When did that happen? When did this arranged marriage, this business transaction, become so much more?

I look at Natalia, surrounded by our loving families, her face alight with joy, and I know. I'm in deeper than I ever intended to be.

Just then, she looks over at me with a plea in her eyes. I inch closer, only to hear my cousin Boris ask playfully if we’re planning on giving them some ‘good news’ anytime soon.

Clearly, Natalia needs some rescuing.

I instantly grab her arm, gaze dropping to her glass. “Let’s get some refills, shall we?”

She nods appreciatively, and we leave the group behind to head for the bar.

“Thank you,” Natalia mutters, cheeks still flushed. “That conversation was soon going to reach awkward territory.”

“I can imagine,” I say, rather hoarsely. The truth is, we haven’t discussed children yet and though there are a million things I want to ask, right now seems too soon to discuss the matter. Not when we haven’t even slept together yet.

The thought seeps into my mind with scenes I shouldn’t be imagining and I glance around quickly in guilt, as though afraid someone mightseethat I’m thinking of her naked in my bed.

At the bar, Natalia suggests we order a round of shots. I’m amused. Shots? But who am I to say no? Without thinking twice, I raise my hand for the waiter.

“Two tequilas,” I mouth at him.

Our shots arrive and we down it, salt and lime following right away. I put my back to the bar, facing Natalia now, my head rushing from the alcohol. Just then, I notice Lara’s brothers watching us carefully, as though assessing if we’re truly doing okay.

I lean in close to Natalia, my lips brushing her ear. "We might need to present a more united, loving front. Otherwise, your siblings might try to steal you back."

I mean it as a jest, a lighthearted comment to ease us back into our roles as newlyweds. But Natalia's reaction catches me off guard.

She follows the direction of my gaze to her brothers and then turns back to me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well then, Husband," she says, her voice low and playful as she slides her hands behind my neck and inches closer, "we'd better make it convincing, shouldn't we? Truly give them a show they’ll regret watching?"

My breath catches in my throat from her proximity, from how her waist now fits between my parted legs, from how close my cock is to her. I stiffen in desire, desperate for her.

Is she suggesting what I think she's suggesting? The look in her eyes tells me she is, and suddenly the room feels too warm, too crowded. She wants to put on a show, and I’m going to have to reel it back in before I make a mistake and take it too far.

"Natalia," I murmur, searching her face. The noise of the party fades away, leaving just us in this moment. Her gaze drops to my lips, then back up to my eyes. The air between us crackles with electricity.

One kiss. A quick one. That’s all I’m allowing us in this situation.

I lean in, intending to give her a quick, chaste kiss—something appropriate for the public eye. But as our lips meet, something shifts. The world narrows down to the softness of her lips, the warmth of her body pressed against mine and the blood flows straight to the source of my desire.

What starts as a perfunctory kiss quickly becomes anything but. My hand cups her face, thumb brushing her cheek. Her fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer. I lose myself in the taste of her, the scent of her perfume enveloping me.

The kiss deepens, and I'm drowning in sensation. Natalia's breasts now press against my chest, the awareness of which ignites a fire in my veins to shred her dress to pieces. I trace her lower lip with my tongue, and she responds with a quiet moan that sends shivers down my spine. My arm wraps around her waist, pulling her closer still, as if I could meld us into one being.

Time loses all meaning. I'm vaguely aware that we're in a crowded ballroom, but I can't bring myself to care. All that matters is the way she's kissing me back with equal fervor.

My hands inch down from her waist, resting on the curves of her soft ass. She shudders with desire, and her nails dig into my neck as she flicks her tongue around mine, fighting for more, forgetting to breathe.

When we finally break apart, we're both breathing heavily. Natalia's cheeks are flushed, her lips slightly swollen. She looks up at me with wide eyes, surprise evident in her expression. I'm sure my face mirrors hers.

"I… wow," Natalia whispers, her voice husky.

I clear my throat, trying to regain my composure. "That was…"

"Yeah," she agrees, a small smile playing on her lips.

My heart is racing, desire coursing through me like wildfire. I want nothing more than to pull her back into my arms, to kiss her again and again until we're both breathless. The intensity of my need for her is staggering, bordering on obsession.

"We should probably…" I gesture vaguely toward the party, struggling to form coherent thoughts.

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