“I’m not taking any risks where you and Phoenix are concerned.”
Right on cue, I hear a piercing cry from the next room. I smile and Artem shakes his head.
“Speak of the little devil,” he says. “At least he didn’t cock-block me today.”
I laugh and get out of bed, letting the sheet fall away from my body. I feel Artem’s eyes on me and my skin heats up instantly.
As though we didn’t just finish getting extremely filthy with each other.
He reaches out and slaps my ass gently. I dodge his second swipe and wrap my robe around me.
“Hey, now! No tocas,” I reprimand. “Hands to yourself, mister.”
“I’m only human, woman,” he growls. “Put your clothes back on or come over here.”
I smile as I knot the rope of my bathrobe. “I thought you were late, eh?”
“Fuck.”
I follow him out of the bedroom. Artem stomps into the living room, but I make a small detour to get Phoenix.
He throws his tiny fists in the air when he sees me. I pick him up and take him back out to where Artem is.
“Hey, little man,” he says, placing a kiss on Phoenix’s head. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
“You’ll be here for dinner?” I check.
“Yes.”
“Okay, then,” I reply. “Have a good day.”
As if he’s a normal husband headed off to a normal job, and I’m a normal housewife about to embark on a normal day of tending a home and raising a child.
None of this is normal.
But I’m starting to realize… maybe I like it that way.
“You, too,” he says. “And please don’t ditch Alik and Gennadi.”
I smirk. “Fine. But only because you asked so sweetly.”
He rolls his eyes but kisses me once more. “Thank you,” he says when he pulls away. “Now, I really have to go.”
He kisses Phoenix again and whisks out the door.
I’m left standing in the kitchen, holding our baby and buzzing head to toe with the aftershocks of Artem’s tongue between my legs and his kiss on my lips.
It’s a scene of such domesticity that it takes me by surprise and makes me realize that my dreams are closer to reality than I’ve realized.
Yes, I’m still very much a part of the world I vowed to leave, but it feels like a small price to pay for a man like Artem.
My last few months alone had put things in perspective. I know now that it was wrong of me to have deprived Phoenix of his father.
My reasons were valid, of course. But just seeing how my baby’s eyes light up when Artem whirls him around the room is enough to make my heart hurt for ever having separated them in the first place.
“Let’s have a good day, yes, my little angel?” I whisper to Phoenix, tweaking his button nose. He gurgles and squeezes my fingertip.
Artem had floated the idea of hiring a nanny, but I’d nixed it immediately. I just don’t know if I can trust anyone at this time.