I open my closet and rifle through the clothes Elena has been buying for me.
Most of them are practical, comfortable things designed for a pregnant woman on bed rest.
But in the back, I find something I’d forgotten about.
A silk nightgown in deep emerald green, purchased months ago before everything became complicated.
It’s elegant and sensual, with a low neckline and a hem that falls to mid-thigh.
Perfect.
I lay it out on the bed and continue my search, finding matching lingerie, a pair of heels I probably shouldn’t wear but will anyway, and the perfume Mikhail once told me drove him crazy.
My heart races as I plan.
I’ll take a long bath, do my hair and makeup, transform myself from the worried pregnant wife into a seductress.
I’ll remind him that I’m not just the mother of his child. I’m his wife, his partner, his lover.
And I’m not going to let fear and overprotection destroy what we have.
I glance at the clock. Mikhail usually returns around nine. That gives me three hours to prepare. Three hours to create an evening he won’t forget.
Elena knocks softly before entering with a dinner tray. “I thought you might be hungry.”
“Actually, I’m not very hungry right now.” I gesture to the nightgown on the bed. “But I could use your help with something.”
Her eyes widen as she takes in the scene, understanding dawning on her face. A slow smile spreads across her features. “Mrs. Artyomov, are you planning what I think you’re planning?”
“That depends. Do you think I’m planning to seduce my husband?”
“Then yes.” She sets down the tray and moves to the closet. “And I think it’s about time. Mr. Artyomov has been walking around here like a man who’s forgotten what it’s like to truly live.”
Together, we begin to prepare.
Elena draws a bath with scented oils while I select candles from the bathroom cabinet.
She helps me wash my hair, her fingers gentle as she massages my scalp.
The warm water soothes my tense muscles.
For the first time in weeks, I feel myself relax.
As I soak, Elena lays out everything I’ll need. “You know he’s going to lose his mind when he sees you like this,” she says with a knowing smile.
“That’s the idea.” I sink deeper into the water, letting the heat penetrate my bones. “I need him to remember that I’m not just someone to protect. I’m someone to love.”
“He does love you. Anyone can see that.”
“I know. But love isn’t enough if we can’t connect. If we can’t be together in all the ways that matter.” I meet her gaze in the mirror. “I’m tired of being treated like I might break. I’m stronger than he thinks.”
Elena nods approvingly. “You are. And it’s time he remembered that.”
After the bath, she helps me dry off and slip into the lingerie.
The silk feels decadent against my skin, a reminder of sensuality I’d almost forgotten.
She blow-dries my hair until it falls in soft waves around my shoulders, then helps me apply makeup with a light touch.
