Page 237 of Gilded Cage (Kovalyov Bratva 1)

He sighs. “You minx.”

I laugh. “Is that a yes?”

“Fine,” he says huffily. “But if you’re not back in two hours, I’m coming after you.”

“I like the sound of that,” I say happily, playfully splashing a little water into his face.

64

Esme

After we get out of the tub, Artem slips on a pair of shorts and heads into the kitchen while I get dressed.

When he’s around the cabin, he walks around shirtless most of the time.

That works for me just fine.

We’ve settled into a routine that is comforting and familiar in its domesticity. We wake up and have sex, then we make breakfast together and eat outside if it isn’t too cold for me.

Afterwards, we go for a morning walk, following some of the more obscure trails along the mountain. I pack lunch if we think we’ll be gone for more than a few hours.

Either way, when we get back, I’m always tired. Artem and I usually sit on the porch and talk before dinner.

Other evenings, we spend hours in bed, alternating between power naps and sex.

Artem has his workouts, while I had my books. We both do light housework, mend things that need fixing, and generally keep the cabin as livable as we can.

In fact, by the end of our first week there, it has more or less transformed into a rustic little mountain hideout, complete with all the necessary amenities, barring a few things like continuous hot water.

Every other day, Artem goes down into town for groceries. More often than not, I accompany him. On the odd days where I’d rather stay back, I kiss him goodbye and sit by the fireplace while I compose music in my head.

I’ve fallen into a state of marital bliss I never expected to find.

It’s more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined.

After I’m dressed, I head into the kitchen to find Artem kneeling, as he works on a repair for the table. One of the legs is a little uneven, and he’s putting it back in balance.

“Okay,” I say. “I’d ready for my maiden voyage.”

Artem gets to his feet. I can see the reluctance in his eyes.

“You sure you want to go alone?” he asks.

“I’m sure,” I nod. “I’ll be fine, Artem. Don’t worry.”

“That’s probably not gonna happen,” he sighs. “But I’ll do my best.”

I go to him and kiss him soft and slow on his lips. He grabs me by the waist and pulls me to him hard, deepening our kiss

By the time he releases me, I’m breathless.

“If that’s how you kiss me every time I go into town by myself, I should go more often,” I tease.

He growls. “Two hours tops, okay?”

I smile. “Got it,” I confirm, before placing a final kiss on his cheek.

He releases me with a frustrated sigh and walks me out to the car. Keys in hand, I give him a little wink and set off on my little trip into town.

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