Mary’s shoulders shook, and she glanced at me. “He’s not so scary right now.”
I chuckled, slapping his shoulder. “Come on. We need to move.”
He cleared his throat and stood…with me still in his arms. “I want to dance.” He glanced at Mary, his eyebrows snapping together, ordering sternly, “Sing something slow if you can handle that.”
Mary snorted. “Funny man.”
His lips twitched, but his gaze was back on mine as he moved, carrying me off the stage and down the stairs to the dance floor. His gaze was heated and possessive, and no one got in his way. As soon as my feet hit the floor, his lips were on mine, and I barely noticed when the music began and we started moving. It was one hell of a kiss.
The night wasn’t even ruined when some jackass from the audience, apparently the one person knowing who we were, videoed the entire stage performance and even some of our dancing, and then plastered it all over YouTube before we even got home. And honestly, other than the fact that there were actually reporters waiting outside Daniil’s home for a week straight didn’t even bother me. I took the opportunity given, and asked Artur to help me take some still shots of the performance online, and print them out. He was even kind enough to buy a frame for me since I stayed around the house instead of going out into the mess.
I handed over my gift to Daniil late one night when he was up working late. He stared at the photo of me wrapped around him from behind on the piano. The one of us smiling at each other as I sat on his lap while he played the guitar. And, the final one in the triangle of us kissing on the dance floor.
He got up wordlessly and moved into the bedroom, placing the frame smack on the top of his bare dresser. And then he wordlessly threw me on the bed and followed down right on top of me, murmuring how much he loved me. Yeah, in darkness, there’s always a light somewhere. You just have to find it. And we did. Very much so.
Nothing could beat that night when I realized I was in love with Daniil. The very same day he had professed his love for me. Every day thereafter had been damn near perfect as my mom and I worked throughout the day trying to decide what to do with the babies’ room and fixing that picture for Daniil…but there was a day that beat it.
Daniil held my hand but leaned over me again as I lay on the doctor’s table while Dr. Wisser moved that weird contraption around on my stomach again and we all stared avidly at the screen. I was officially seven weeks pregnant, and Dr. Wisser said we might hear the babies’ heartbeats today. At least, he said it was a possibility.
“Anything?” Daniil asked gruffly, clearing his throat hard.
“Just a second. I’m measuring first.” He moved the contraption around, thumping on the keyboard. “You’ll be pleased to know you can keep having intercourse until I say otherwise. The babies are positioned fine for it. But, keep it gentle like I said before.”
Daniil’s hand was actually a little clammy, and he had mine in a death grip, but I didn’t mind. I was probably cutting off his circulation, too. Daniil nodded at the doctor’s comment, sparing me a glance to grin with a come-to-papa expression. I snorted and went back to watching the screen.
The doctor flipped a switch of some sort, and suddenly, there were red and blue colors on the top of the screen, and he studied them, and hit another button, stating, “Here’s Baby One.”
Whooshoo-whooshoo-whooshoo.
I closed my eyes, hearing the most beautiful sound in the world.
Daniil asked suddenly, “That’s the heartbeat?” I glanced up at him, smiling, but he looked worried when the doctor nodded. “It’s too fast, isn’t it?”
“No. That’s normal.” He paused hitting another button on the screen. “It’s actually a very nice strong heartbeat for only seven weeks.”
Daniil breath rushed past his lips, and he abruptly leaned down, kissing my neck. “Hear that?”
“Mmm-hmm,” I murmured, closing my eyes again.
“It’s beautiful,” he whispered, breathing heavily. I was afraid he was going to pass out again, so I didn’t tell him his chin was killing my collarbone. The man was seriously tough as shit but put him in a doctor’s room, talking about his babies, and he was a nervous wreck. I’d never told anyone he passed out before, and I didn’t want a repeat performance and have to call one of his kids to tell them we were going to the hospital. It had freaked me out too badly the last time.
“Okay, let’s see if we can find baby—” the doctor stopped moving the little contraption and chuckled. “Well, that was easy. Here’s Baby Two.”
And we heard another little fast-paced whooshoo-whooshoo-whooshoo.
Still against my neck, Daniil breathed in heavily and out slowly.
I just lay there and started petting his hair, silently listening to my baby’s heart and feeling the sweetest glow and warmth start in my chest. And I recognized the feeling like it was inert—just a simple part of me.
Love. Unconditional love for the little ones inside me. But, also a possessive feeling, which I thought odd until Daniil murmured quietly, “Those are our babies. Yours and mine, my sweet.” His gaze was so forcefully, I understood he was feeling it, too. It wasn’t just a connection of two people joining together…but…a parental connection. It was new and surprising, but I welcomed it nonetheless and let it in without a fight. We were going to be parents for these babies together. Two people working and loving as one unit for these babies.
“Okay, on to Baby Three,” Dr. Wisser murmured, moving the contraption up and slightly tilted. He moved it around for forever. Daniil and I both knew the odds. Having three was more than risky.
Daniil’s frame stiffened as one minute passed.
Two minutes.
Dr. Wisser said, “Here’s Baby Three.”
