Page 26 of Wishing Stone

Ten minutes later, I had scrubbed my stained sweater and left it soaking in the laundry room. Wrapped in an ivory satin robe, I returned to our master suite. My bare feet quietly padded across the bedroom carpet as I made my way to the bathroom.

I slowly pushed open the door and saw Alexander sitting on the edge of our large soaking tub, pouring jasmine-scented bubble bath into the steaming stream of water. A towel was draped around his waist, leaving his chest bare. I took a moment to admire the chiseled lines of his pectorals and abdomen. Even after four years, I’d yet to tire of looking at him. His Adonis-like torso could make any sculpture weep.

Stepping inside the bathroom, I closed the door behind me. Moving past the twin pedestal sinks, I made my way to him. As I walked, I noticed a dish of chocolate-covered strawberries sitting on the tiled ledge surrounding the tub. When I reached Alexander, he plucked one of the strawberries from the plate and stood.

Moving so we were toe-to-toe, I took in the predatory look in his eyes. He was so close, and his nearness sent my heart racing. Blood thrummed loudly in my ears. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, his delicious scent mixed with the jasmine bath tantalizing my nose and taking over my senses. It was making my head spin. His warm breath mingled with mine as he leaned in and pressed a chocolate-covered strawberry to my lips.

“Open,” he said.

I obeyed his command and parted my lips. He urged it just past my teeth, and I took a bite as his free hand untied the belt at my waist. Parting my robe, he pushed it from my shoulders until it pooled onto the floor. Standing completely naked before him, we simply stared at each other for a long moment as I slowly chewed. When I swallowed, he leaned in closer until his mouth was only a whisper away.

Drawing in a deep breath, he snaked an arm around my waist and drew me in. Then, lifting me until I was balancing on my tiptoes, he slanted his mouth over mine and took what belonged to him. His lips were tender at first, soft and delicious until he deepened the kiss and demanded more. Our tongues danced and twisted until I thought I might drown in everything that was Alexander.

His hands moved over my body, every caress telling a story—that I was beautiful, cherished, and sexy. His touches spun such a tale of love and devotion that he could make poets weep. I was desperate to feel him—on me, inside me—until I was lost in the sensation of falling over that blissful edge. Soft, pleading sounds poured from my throat.

“I want to be inside you, Krystina. It’s all I’ve wanted all night.” The rough timbre of his voice made goosebumps pebble on my skin.

“So, what’s stopping you?”

His sharp intake of breath let me know that he was hanging on by a thread. What little shred of control he had left was only a façade, and he left me no time to react. His hand threaded through my hair, roughly pulling my head back. Within seconds, his mouth crushed against mine once again. He kissed me with such passion that heat exploded through my veins. I surrendered to him, returning his kiss with a fervent hunger. There was just something about this moment—this night—that reminded me of all the reasons I fell in love with this man. He was my husband and the father of my child. It didn’t matter if he didn’t know about the baby yet—I knew it, and knowing I was growing a part of him inside of me amplified my love in the most inexplicable ways. All that existed was him.

I moaned into his mouth, tasting him with flicks of my tongue as a heaviness began to build in my chest and well in my throat until I thought I might burst. And as the two of us slid into the tub, the water around us lapped, and the rest of the world disappeared.

10

Krystina

Aweek later, Vivian and I sat at the table in the breakfast nook with a fat three-ring cookbook filled with mine and Alexander’s favorite recipes. It was meal planning day, a Thursday routine we’d established over a year ago when daily trips to the grocer had failed Alexander’s so-called ‘risk assessment.’ While I still thought these controlled outings were unnecessary, I’d learned when not to challenge my husband. This was one of those times—especially now that I had better insight into what was driving Alexander’s fears.

In the end, Vivian didn’t seem to mind Alexander’s rules, and I liked being a part of the grocery selection process. Being involved made my kitchen feel less like a restaurant, which is how it had felt for the first two years after I’d married Alexander. Plus, I enjoyed spending time with Vivian. She understood Alexander in ways most people didn’t, and I’d often used her as a sounding board when he was having one of his over-the-top moments. The aging housekeeper was as sweet as she was feisty—but absolutely terrible with technology. She still utilized a spiral notebook to create handwritten grocery lists, which I would then take and input into the grocery store’s online ordering app.

“We should get the ingredients for the parmesan risotto with spinach and tomatoes. Alex and I both liked that,” I told Vivian.

“Oh, that recipe was a great find!” Vivian said with a clap of her hands, then quickly picked up her pen to write down what she would need. “I haven’t made that in a while. I have most of the ingredients too. I’ll just need to pick up the produce for it. Now, what about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner? Any thoughts about that?”

I felt my shoulders involuntarily sag at the thought of what Christmas would be like this year. Two years ago, we’d had a houseful. My mother, Frank, and Justine had come over. Our friends, Allyson and Matteo, Bryan, Stephen, and their perspective dates, had also joined us. All were invited to a Christmas feast prepared by Vivian that most top chefs would envy. Together with Vivian, Hale, and Helena, the fourteen of us sat around the dining room table indulging in a delicious surf and turf meal suitable for royalty. After dinner, a few of my ex-coworkers from Wally’s had joined us for cocktails, and we stayed up late sharing laughs and good company. It was how Christmas was meant to be.

But last year, it had only been Alexander and me because of the pandemic. We both agreed that having a large gathering wasn’t wise and had opted to take a trip to Vermont instead. Since flying was out of the question, we took our time driving from New York to Stowe. We enjoyed the scenic views of the snow-covered mountains and small villages until reaching the cozy one-bedroom chalet Alexander had rented for us for the week. It had been an incredibly romantic getaway, but without my family and loved ones around, it didn’t feel like Christmas to me. After that, I vowed to never spend a Christmas without them again—yet here we were.

If it weren’t for Alexander’s rules…

I understood why he had them, but I didn’t at the same time. It was stifling. If I weren’t pregnant, I’d be fighting him tooth and nail over this. The baby was the only reason I continued to abide by his rules.

While Alexander’s controlling instincts were often the source of arguments between us, I’d learned how to rein him in. I may grant him total control in the bedroom, but it ended there. I was, and always would be, my own person. The problem was that the holidays made my isolation seem that much more pronounced.

Still, perhaps Alexander would loosen up and make an exception for Christmas Day if we took precautions. We didn’t have to have a lot of people over. Maybe just Allyson and Matteo. The two of them seemed to have become a package deal over the past few years, even though they both denied that there was anything romantic between them. It was doubtful that Alexander would agree to even a small get-together, but I could try. After all, it was Christmas.

“Let me think about it, Vivian,” I eventually said. “I’m not sure what Alex wants to do. So don’t order anything yet, even if it means having to place a second order next week.”

Vivian nodded. She knew Alexander almost better than anyone and could understand my predicament.

“Yes, Miss. I’ll wait for you to let me know.”

“As soon as I talk to him, I’ll get with you. Other than Christmas, I think we’ve got all the meals for next week covered. You’ll just need to get with Helena’s nurse and therapist about anything they might need.”

“They should be all set. I already have their food requests, and Hale took a supply list from them. He’ll be gone most of the day tomorrow picking up what they need from various places.”

“Well, good. That makes it easier for you. Once you finalize the list, I’ll place the online order for you. What time do you want the pickup scheduled for tomorrow?”

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