Biting her lip, she nodded. “I’m sure.”
I nodded once, but it wasn’t enough. Not yet. “I want you to be sure that I know the difference between you fighting me and you fearing me.”
A tear slipped down the side of her face. I caught it with my thumb. “I know the difference,” I repeated.
Her lips trembled. “I know you do.”
“Good, because I might get a lot of shit wrong. I might be a little too controlling, a little too jealous, a little too used to making decisions before I ask for input.”
She kissed her teeth. “A little?”
I tapped her nose. “Hush. I was saying, I might not be perfect. But this? I won’t get this wrong,moya zolotse.”
She reached for me, fingers brushing my wrist.
“Come here,” she whispered.
“You in a tub.”
“So?”
I leaned down because I was apparently weak where she was concerned. I honestly had no interest in improving. She kissed me softly, no challenge in the soft pressure. It was just her mouth on mine, all warm and sweet and trusting. When she pulled back, her eyes were clear, certain.
“I liked it. I need you to know that. I liked it. I wanted it. I pushed you because I wanted to see if you’d push back.”
“I know.”
“Targen.” Her fingers tightened around my wrist. “Listen to me, for real. I liked it. You didn’t hurt me.”
I studied her face, then nodded. “Okay.”
“And…” Her gaze slid away, a little shyness coming into her expression now that we were talking. “I liked saying your name.”
A slow smile pulled at my mouth. “Which one?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t start.”
“I’m asking a serious question,” I lied.
“No, you being annoying.”
“And you avoiding.”
She sighed. “Jones-Sidorov.”
I leaned closer. “Say all of it.”
“You so greedy.”
“With you? Always.”
She shook her head, like she really was annoyed, but she gave in. “Theory Grace Miller-Jones-Sidorov,” she said softly.
I looked at her. This might be the best moment of my life, her in warm bath water, hair damp at the edges, skin marked by me, looking up at me all soft and giving me her name mixed with mine without a fight.
I kissed her knuckles. “That’s my wife.”
“Don’t make me regret being sweet.”
