Epilogue
Mikhail
six months later
Iwatched the florists and gardeners work together below to arrange all the floral decor and chairs in the garden, as I sipped on a steaming cup of coffee on the balcony to the master bedroom. The fog was clearing out over the sea, and I didn’t want to jinx it, but we might actually have been on track to enjoy a clear day for our wedding.
Two arms slipped around my bare waist, and I grinned.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Impossible with you pawing at me all night,” Sadie said, planting a kiss on my spine. “What a beautiful morning.”
I pulled her around me so I could hug her properly, handing her the cup of coffee I’d been drinking as she wriggled her fingers at it.
“What a beautiful bride,” I said, kissing the top of her tangled curls.
“You know, some people think it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before she walks down the aisle,” Sadie said. “Other people don’t have sex for weeks leading up to the big day so the night after is that much more special.”
“I didn’t see you for four years,” I said. “And didn’t fuck you for that long either. I don’t want to spend a night away from you for at least the next four years.”
Sadie flushed, but she gave as good as she got. “I think we’re going to have to consider ourselves lucky that I’ll even be able to walk down the aisle after last night’s session.”
I was already half-hard just by virtue of having her next to me in a short, silky robe. It didn’t take much to imagine her on all fours, like she’d been last night, screaming and grabbing at the pillows as I slammed into her, again and again.
It was like we’d been on our honeymoon this entire time. I didn’t expect the fireworks to fade anytime soon.
“I could go again,” I said. “What do you think? Can you be quiet enough for me to take you right against the railing of this balcony?”
“Behave yourself, Mr. Turgenev.” Sadie handed my coffee back before giving my cock a cheeky little squeeze that I’d make her pay for later. “I’m going to go pretend to be waking up in another bedroom before my mom gets here with the munchkins to help me get ready.”
“Mamachka’s not going to be convinced,” I warned her. “Why even try?”
“It’s all about appearances,” Sadie said. “Besides. After today, we won’t be living in sin anymore.”
“There’s nothing sinful about this place,” I said, holding my hands out and turning to follow Sadie back into the bedroom. “This is a dream home.”
“It had nice bones,” she agreed, grabbing her phone from the nightstand. “Cleaned up well.”
Sadie and I had been living in the old estate even as the renovations were being completed. The kids were staying with Mamachka until everything was finished and their rooms were perfectly comfortable.
It was just as well. Sadie and I had christened nearly every room of the place with our own special kind of blessing. It was starting to more than feel like home.
“Don’t go,” I groaned as Sadie tapped at her phone and pushed her feet into fluffy slippers. “This is stupid. Just stay with me until they get here. I’m sure we can squeeze in a quickie.”
“There is nothing quick about the things you do to me,” she said, tapping my chest with her perfectly manicured nails. She tipped her chin upward and I kissed her long and deep just to prove a point. “See?”
“Let’s elope,” I tried. “No need to have all those people in our house. And no reason to get dolled up just to take a stroll down a red carpet. You want to do that? I have connections in the entertainment industry. I can make it happen.”
“Our wedding is today. We’ve been planning it for months. Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet, Misha.”
“Me? Never.” If anything, I wanted it over and done with so we could go back to business as usual — exploring each other’s bodies and loving each other and hanging out with the kids.
It was strange. I missed them when they weren’t around, and I craved the time I got to spend with them. They might’ve been an energy drain with all their shenanigans, but I wouldn’t trade time with them for anything.
“It’s going to go great,” she said. “Just think: the next time you see me, we’ll be getting married.”
“Looking forward to it, Mrs. Turgenev,” I said, giving her one last kiss before reluctantly letting her go to a spare bedroom just as the doorbell rang.