Page 152 of Lost & Found

He knelt beside the tub. “You okay if I go order lunch for us? I’ll request new sheets and change the bedding myself.”

I blushed profusely at the realization. My hand snaked out of the warm depths of the water and I grabbed his arm. I knew I had to ask. It was the only way to know for sure. Drawing a shaky breath, I mustered the courage to speak.

“What are we doing?” I whispered. It felt surreal and uncertain.

“We’re going to have lunch and then we’re going to talk about things.” He pushed my hair back. “Communication is one of my love languages, Bella. Which I realize may be a hard one for you, but I don’t want you to ever be afraid to talk to me. When couples stop talking or never figure out how to talk to one another, relationships die.”

“But that’s just it…”

He narrowed his eyes. “Do you not want to be a couple?” He rocked back on his heels.

“Do you?” I asked, my heart pounding hard inside my chest.

A look of tenderness crossed his face. “Isabella, I came inside your pretty little pussy not once, but twice. I’ve never done that before. May mean nothing to you, but what if you’re pregnant with my son or daughter? I only want children with the woman I love.”

I felt the shock of his words deep. “Oh shit, I didn’t think about that. We could get a Plan B. Marcel got one for Tori once. They have those here, too.” I gulped, my hands going protectively around my stomach.

“We could. I’ll run out and get it now.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m sure we’re fine. I’m not as clockwork as Kins is, but next time you can pull out.”

He looked relieved, and that, in turn, calmed me down. Kinsley had so much unprotected sex that I was more than confident if she hadn’t accidentally gotten pregnant. Neither would I. It was only twice.

“Next time?” he taunted, dipping his hand into the warm water.

“Pretty sure you said you’d order me some lunch. I’m famished. Be a good boy and feed me,” I said with a wicked grin.

“I aim to please, princess. But know I will have some demands of my own for you.”

“We’ll see about that,” I teased before reaching out to touch his face. “Did you really mean what you said?”

“What that I want you to be the mother of my children?” I sputtered as he gave me the most serious expression I’d ever seen on him. “Yes, Bellaruso, I did.” His hands immediately moved from my breasts to my stomach. “When the time is right, I would love nothing more.”

That first day we spent together, Pasha took excellent care of me, both mind and body. He already owned my soul. In retrospect, the disclosure of Hannah and Chase had pointed us in a direction that I wasn’t sure if it played out differently, we would have gone down.

At least not this quickly. And as quick as it was, it didn’t seem rushed. Maybe because we were so familiar with one another already, it was just—easy. We both decided to wait to say anything to the family until we got home and enjoyed our time together.

I was supposed to be getting dressed. Pasha planned a picnic on the beach today, and I wished I had something more feminine to wear. I chuckled and picked up my phone, feeling like this was revelation enough that my girls needed to know.

A part of me wanted to slowly leak how things were going to them. Not only did it feel right, but in my heart I knew Tori already suspected I had feelings for Pasha, and Kinsley would be overjoyed. I dialed Tori, and she picked up immediately.

“Is Kinsley nearby?” I asked.

“She is actually. She’s determined to show me how to bake once again. I keep telling her it’s useless, but you know how tenacious she can be. And I don’t think she understands there are box cake mixes for a reason. I’ll put you on speaker,” Tori said.

Soon Kinsley’s voice rang out, and I smiled in response. “Homemade is better, that’s why and you can do this. Quit complaining because it’s not like you’re not challenging me. Let’s learn Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. It’ll be easy.” Kinsley scoffed. Hearing her made me miss home.

“Ha, the piano is easy. This is too much measuring, pinching, leveling and ugh. Anyway, how are things?” Tori asked.

“What would you say if I told you I wished that for once I had one of your dresses to wear today?” I answered.

There was a brief pause, and then both of them started talking a mile a minute. Kinsley was bewildered, and Tori took a more direct approach.

“Who wants to see you in a dress, and why?”

I could hear the mom concern and laughed. “Why does Andrew like you in dresses?”

“Easy access,” Kinsley exclaimed. “Oh, oh, now I get it. Now wait just a minute. Who did you meet over there in America that you want to have easy access to you? You better not think about staying. England is your home, we are your home. Answer me, young lady.”