His hand tangles in my hair, not to stop me though. “Staking a claim,katyonok?”
“Living up to my nickname.”
“Sounds about right.”His fingers stroke through my locks as I mark him. “I have a present for you.”
“You do?” Delighted, I stop biting him. He laughs then reaches for his nightstand and retrieves a box. “Can I?”
“Seeing as you asked nicely, yes.”
I snatch it from his hand, open the lid, and then gasp. “Aren’t these for when you’re married over a certain amount of time?”
The eternity band is elegantly slimline with emerald-cut diamonds. Studded with enough of their beauty that it glitters like a disco ball.
He snags my hand and settles it on my left ring finger. “You bite me, and I buy you rings.”
I smirk. “I like your way better.”
“I thought you might.”
As I lift my hands to study how, with both rings, he’s satisfied Russian and American cultural traditions, he states, “Tell me when you’re going to visit your family today and I’ll schedule time to?—”
“No. I’ll handle them on my own.”
“Not a chance.”
“Yes. They’ll huff and puff and try to blow your house down. Well, it’s my house now and I’m not letting anyone blow it over. You don’t need my protection from them, but if you’re there, there’ll be posturing and honestly, I don’t have any patience for that?—”
It’s like I wished it on myself.
Sheesh.
A tap sounds on the door and Maxim stiffens. “I told you not to disturb me.”
A meek voice mumbles, “Your wife’s family’s here, sir. They’re insisting they see her.”
I groan. “Nooooo.”
“Do you want breakfast?”
“Of course.” My head pops up and I shout, “Come in!”
“Victoria,” he growls, covering me with the duvet until I have to fight to see over it.
“A bit much, Maxim, no?” I grumble as a woman peeps around the door. Then, to her, I beam a smile that has her eyes widening. “Can you make breakfast, please? Tea. Lots of it. Is Inessa there? Young woman? Just starting to show?” At the soft nod, I ask, “Do you have decaf? Then decaf. Lots of it. Oh, and blinis. Caviar? Good. That’ll shut them both up.” To Maxim, I explain, “They’ve never seen a fish egg they can’t devour. It’ll break their concentration.”
“Anything else, ma’am?”
I grimace at the moniker but murmur, “Are there men?”
“No.”
“Oh, good. They must have locked them up back at home then.” Happily, I declare, “Please make food fast though. It’ll save me so much grief. And if you can throw in some milletkashawith mushrooms, I’ll love you forever.”
The maid, still a touch wide-eyed, fades away, leaving a disgruntled Maxim studying me.
“Hey! You’re the one who wanted to be around for the big reveal. At least there’ll be no posturing. I can’t stand posturing on an empty stomach.” When he keeps on scowling at me, I roll my eyes. “What is it?”
His jaw works but whatever he’s bottling up, he releases on a grunt. “I’m going to shower.”
