After she let out a dreamy sigh and smiled, she perked up. “Why can’t we do that now?”
I chuckled at her innocence and impatience. “I wanted to talk to you first. To make sure it’s okay with you.”
She stood. “Of course, it’s okay. I love you and I love Mommy.” She held her hands up and shrugged. “It makes sense.”
Yes, Maisie. It sure does.
Loving Natalie made sense.
Cherishing Maisie did too.
It felt right.
“So, when can we have the wedding?” she asked again, with more excitement like it was a done deal.
“I have to ask your mommy first.”
The doors slid open just as I said it.
Natalie entered the apartment, heading straight toward me with a paper in her hand. “Ask me what?”
“Will you marry?—”
I lunged over to hug Maisie to me, propping her on my knee as I clamped my hand over her mouth.
Natalie froze in her step, staring at me.
So much for the romantic getaway to Paris to propose…
I sighed as she slowly smiled.
Maisie pried my hand lower. “He wants to know if you’ll marry him, Mommy.”
Natalie smiled, seeming to fight laughter. “Is that so?”
I nodded. “She doesn’t have the fine art of keeping secrets yet, does she?”
“Nope.” She bit her lip, making that smile even sexier. “And she also lacks a filter.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Does this mean… youwillmarry him?” Maisie asked, unbothered about what we said, if she even understood.
Natalie approached me, sitting on my other knee and looping her arm around my shoulders. She settled in and smiled at her daughter before facing me. “I would love to marry you, Sergei.” She set her fingers under my chin and tipped it up so she could lower and meet me in the middle with a tender kiss.
I smiled under her lips, wrapping my arm around her back and keeping her close.
As soon as we broke apart, we sighed at each other.
“Soon?” Maisie prompted.
We both laughed.
“I haven’t had a chance to give her the ring yet.”
“Is it pretty? Is it a diamond? What does it look like?”
I nodded my head to indicate for her to go to my room. “Look in the first drawer to the right on my biggest dresser and bring it here.”
