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From the determined expression on her sweet face she would have dragged her father the whole twenty miles on foot, if necessary.
Varushka was breathtaking in her mother’s wedding dress, a handmade gown that was so intricately beaded and embroidered it looked almost too heavy for Varushka to carry, and yet she wore it as though it weighed nothing. With her red hair pinned up in loops and coils and covered with a pretty veil, she looked every inch a princess.
With his friends standing for him and their women and Antonia standing for Varushka, things were perfect. Baba and Anatoli seemed to have come to a truce. Lyuda was beaming. Varushka’s brothers were aware of why the wedding was being rushed, but were apparently also pleased to have a rich sister to visit in America.
The ceremony was long and entirely in Russian, but even Ambrose managed to behave himself. Konstantin had wondered whether Ambrose would burst out laughing when the priest placed the huge golden crowns on his and Varushka’s heads, but his friend hadn’t made a sound. Her father had stared daggers at him the whole time, but he’d make it up to the man eventually. Hopefully, for Varushka’s sake.
He was the conqueror and had stolen his bride fair and square. How much more traditional could a wedding get?
After changing into a sundress and kissing everyone good-bye, Varushka dragged Konstantin away from the small luncheon reception and practically shoved him into his rental car.
“Go, go, go!” she barked, thumping on the dash.
Konstantin laughed too hard to comply.
“Sorry, Husband. I’ve always wanted to do that.” She grinned at him. He leaned over and kissed her, glad to finally be able to do it without all the chaperones. It went on longer than was appropriate for a public parking lot, but although Kon slid his hand up her dress, it was only to finally touch her still-flat stomach.
Varushka was his, and the beginning of their family was growing inside her. The awe and reverence it inspired in him every time he thought about it stole his breath. Varushka and their baby filled a gap in his life he’d never realized was there. Not all men needed a woman and children to make their lives meaningful, but his life had gone from a path of meaningless entertainment to one that was deeply spiritual.
When they finally pulled away from each other, Varushka wiped the corners of her eyes with the hem of her dress.
“This was supposed to happen,” she said simply. “We didn’t plan it, but here we are. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Konstantin didn’t trust himself to speak. His throat felt thick, so he nodded, then busied himself with driving out of the parking lot. They drove in silence for a while. Their flight didn’t leave for hours, but after being kept apart so long, he was glad she’d dragged him away from the party early, even if only to be quiet and alone together.
“I almost tore your suit off at the altar,” she admitted. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are? It isn’t fair to mortal women.”
“You wouldn’t rather have Banner or Ambrose? They were wearing suits too.”
She paused as though she was mulling it over. “I like them well enough, but I doubt either of them can do that thing you do with your tongue. And I’m sure they wouldn’t play vodyanoy with me or call me malish the way that makes my toes curl. I’ll have to settle for you.” She eyed him slyly. “Besides, Ambrose is too big. He’d probably flatten me if he laid on top of me.”
Konstanin humphed at the girl, who only laughed again. “Is that why you married me? Because of the oral sex?”
“I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.”
Sassy little brat. She was buzzing with adrenaline from the day.
Without a word, Konstantin pulled off the main road and onto a deserted-looking side road. It was overgrown with trees and brush, which were perfect for what he had in mind.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, mock disapproval in her tone.
She grabbed his free hand and kissed the palm, then rubbed it meekly against her cheek. Konstantin melted a little inside before moving completely into Dom space. It was shocking how fast that part of him responded to the smallest signs of submission from her. When he glanced over, the girl’s eyes had fallen shut, as though being under his hand was her favorite place in the world.
“I just wanted to see what was down this road.”
Varushka looked at him and grinned, her eyes shining. “Am I going to need my safeword while we’re on this detour, Master?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We can’t believe we completed our third book already. It wasn’t that long ago that we started writing together yet it feels like we’ve been doing it forever. We have several people to thank for the inspiration and motivation to write Konstantin and Varushka’s story.
Thank you to Lina Sacher, our usual beta reader, who didn’t get to read this book because we ran out of time, but she did help us with the Russian language, names, and culture. And for that, and her help on our other books, we’re thankful.
Also, thanks to our agent, Nicole Resciniti, who encouraged us to write our dirty books for a publisher in the first place. Without her telling us how appealing our perversions were, we wouldn’t have ever risked trying to get a publishing contract.
Our amazing editor, Kristine Swartz, also deserves thanks for giving us the much-needed feedback to take this book from good to the final version you’ve just read. It might actually be our favorite book in the series and we have her to thank for that as well as a great many other things she’s done for us throughout our journey.
