And even though I knew she wasn’t doing it to be seductive but to cool down, it was instantly erotic. Thrusting my hands in my pockets, I felt my cock throb and harden at the sight of her.
“Do you really want to spend your five minutes talking about my life choices, Alexei?” she snapped. “Choices that have nothing to do with you I might add.”
Repositioning myself, I took a step towards her. “You’re my wife,and you’re carrying my baby. I think it has everything to do with me, actually.”
“Alexei,” she sighed, frustrated. “What do you want?”
“To talk like I said.”
“I really don’t think we have anything to talk about. Our marriage is over.”
It might have been my imagination, but I was sure I could hear tears in her voice. I searched her face quickly, and there it was. She was trying to hide it, but she was sad.
“I’ve missed you, Amy.” Another step took me right in front of her. So close that she had to crane her neck up to have any chance of looking into my face. Reaching up, I tilted her face up further. She didn’t blink or look away, and neither did I. Had she always been this beautiful?
“Tell me you’ve missed me, too.” I lowered my head, swiping my thumb against her bottom lip. It was such a kissable lip.
Amy sighed, and for one fleeting second, her eyes closed, and she leaned into my hand. And then her eyes flew open, and her hand went down to her stomach.
“What?” I glanced from her face to her stomach. Totally confused.
There was a completely new kind of smile on her face now, and I didn’t understand it. It made her whole face come alive.
“It’s nothing. She just kicked.”
Instantly, my eyes were on her stomach again. “A girl? We are having a girl?” I couldn’t help it. I reached for her stomach again. “Can I?”
The last time I had tried to touch her stomach, but she had slapped my hand away angrily. I didn’t want to make her mad, but I did want to feel my child move. My daughter.
“Yes.” Grabbing my hand, she pressed it over the apron of her uniform. At first, I didn’t feel anything, just the warmth of her skin through her clothes, and then—my head snapped up. “I can feel her. She’s strong.”
“Yeah.” Amy seemed to shake herself and stepped away, breaking the spell. “She’s very active.”
“And she’s healthy?”
Another step, and suddenly, she was too far away from me. I closed the distance quickly. Closing my hands around her hips. If I could have my way, I would have crushed her to me, but I didn’t want to hurt the baby.
“She’s perfect.”
“That’s because she has you as a mom. I mean it, Amy. Any child would be so lucky to have you as a parent. I was so lucky to have you as my wife, and I ruined it. I know that now.”
She didn’t answer me. Instead, she looked away. As gently as I could, I turned her back to face me. “Can you ever forgive me, my love?”
“I don’t know.” Wildly, she looked into my eyes. “I think it’s too late.”
“No.” I knew I’d said I would respect her decision, but I couldn’t, not now that she was right in front of me again. “I’ll beg on my knees if I have to.”
Keeping my eyes glued to her face, I fell onto the threadbare carpet, my arms around her, and my cheek pressed to her stomach. Inside, I could feel our baby moving.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you, Amy. These last few months have been hell without you.” Every word ripped its way out of my mouth, and every single one of them was the truth. “I know I messed up. But I want you to know that those first few months, those weeks we spent every morning together were the best in my entire life. I don’t blame you for running, for punishing me. I deserved that.”
“Get off the floor, Alexei.” Even as she said the words, her hands tangled in my hair. “You don’t belong on the floor.” Reaching down, she helped me to my feet. And this time she didn’t move away from me.
“And you don’t belong in a place like this.” I mirrored her movements, my hands reached around her head and loosened her ponytail so that her wayward curls fell over my fingers.
“There you are.” Curling my hand around the base of her skull, I drew her mouth towards mine.
The first taste of her lips after so long was like the sweetest honey. Addictively soft. Just like I remembered them to be.
