Everyone rushes forward. Hugs and congratulations and chaos. Jemma is pulled into embraces by aunts and cousins. My mother won't let go of her, crying and babbling in Russian about weddings and babies and happiness.
Dimitri appears at my side. "Did you actually just propose? In front of everyone. Very public. Very permanent."
"That was the point." I watch Jemma laughing with my family, the ring catching the light. "No backing out now."
He shakes his head, grinning. "You're the luckiest bastard alive."
"I know."
The party continues for hours. More food, more drinks, more toasts. Everyone wants to talk to Jemma, to see the ring, to offer unsolicited wedding advice.
***
Finally, near midnight, I manage to extract her from the crowd.
"Escaping?" Dimitri asks as we head for the stairs.
"It's been a long night."
"I'm sure it'll be an even longer one." He smirks. "Congratulations, cousin. Truly."
We make it to our room. I lock the door behind us and turn to find Jemma staring at the ring on her finger.
"Your mother is already planning the wedding," she says.
"She started planning the moment she saw you."
"She told me she's thinking spring. Or maybe summer. Definitely white roses. And she has opinions about the cake."
"We can plan whatever you want."
"What do I want?" She looks up at me, eyes shining. "I want to marry you. That's all I know for sure right now."
"Then that's all that matters." I cross to her, take her hands. "Everything else is just details."
"Your family thinks we've been dating for months."
"They know the truth now. I told them it started as pretend. They don't care."
"Your mother is going to want a big wedding."
"Probably. But if you want to elope tomorrow, we elope tomorrow. It's your choice."
She smiles. "I think your mother would actually kill us if we eloped."
"Fair point."
"Besides, I kind of want the wedding. The dress. The family. All of it." She touches the ring, turning it on her finger. "I haven't had family in so long. And now I have this huge, chaotic, overwhelming Russian family that wants to throw me a wedding."
"You're stuck with us now."
"Good." She steps closer, her hands sliding up my chest.
I undress her slowly this time, savoring every moment. The green velvet dress slides off her body like water. Underneath she's wearing the black lace—but no panties, because I pocketed those earlier and haven't given them back.
"You went to dinner with no panties," I murmur, running my hands over her ass. "Sitting next to me with my cum leaking out of you. Did anyone notice?"
"I don't think so. But I felt it the whole time. Felt you."
