“Next time?” My voice shakes.
Andrej cups my face in both hands and kisses my eyelids and then my lips. “I promise that I will always come home to you, baby.”
I want to believe it, but a part of me knows that this isn’t a promise that he can commit to. Ivana is still in the hospital. She might never work again, and that could’ve been Andrej. He could’ve been killed.
But it’s Christmas, and I don’t want to spoil the day I’ve planned for us.
“I promise that I’ll always be waiting for you to come home.” I kiss him back and extricate myself from his arms. “But first: breakfast!”
I feel his eyes on me while I whisk eggs and milk in a bowl.
“And after breakfast?”
“After breakfast, you’ll get your Christmas present. I know it’s a day early, but it can’t wait.”
“You got me a gift?”
I can see it in his eyes, the disappointment that he has nothing to give me.
“You could call it a joint effort.”
We eat breakfast to a soundtrack of Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, and Bing Crosby, then decamp to the den where I leave him watchingWhite Christmaswhile I prepare his gift.
In the bedroom, I undress, studying my reflection side-on in the mirror. My stomach is still flat, but my breasts are unmistakably larger, and when I brush my nipples, they’re so tender, my breath catches in my chest. I always wanted children one day, I just never expected it would be so soon. Because until I met Andrej, I’d never met a man I even wanted to date let alone have babies with.
It has been a whirlwind, so much has happened that I can barely keep track of it myself, but I’d better get used to it because this is my life now.
This isourlife.
Opening the chest of drawers, I remove a wide, red satin ribbon that I set aside from the decorations Ivana purchased and wrapit around my naked body, fastening it with a bow across my abdomen. I slip a robe on over the top in case I bump into a bodyguard in the hallway and make my way back to the den.
My heart is thudding as I open the door and step inside.
Andrej is still sitting where I left him, facing the TV, his back to the door. So, I tiptoe around the couch, stand in front of him, and shrug the robe over my shoulders letting it slink into a pile behind me.
His eyes darken as he studies my body, tracing the ribbon until they settle on the giant satin bow just above my pussy.
“Cartier.” His voice is husky with desire. “You’re the only gift I ever want.”
I lick my lips. “It isn’t only me though, Andrej.” I peer down at the bow suggestively.
He follows my gaze but doesn’t speak.
“I did a pregnancy test while we were at the hospital. It was positive. We’re going to have a baby.”
His smile is so wide his cheeks must ache as he offers me his hand. “Come here.”
I go to him and straddle his lap on the sofa.
He smooths my hair away from my face. “I don’t think you have any idea how happy you make me.”
“Hmm…” I peer above his head and pretend to ponder the idea. “Perhaps you could show me.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Holding my hips in place, he lies on the sofa and shuffles his body down so that his mouth is directly underneath my pussy. I’m already wet. My clit is pulsing at the thought of his tongue inside me, and my nipples are hard.
“Merry Christmas, baby.”