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“Youare.”
Pyotr doesn’t let go of me right away, instead choosing to hold me pressed against him for the remainder of the ride. We kiss like it’s no one’s business. I have to admit there’s something deeply satisfying about feeling him soften within me, our bodies still intertwined.
I trail my thumb over his bottom lip, smiling to myself. “So, why six? That seems like such a specific number.”
He grins. “It’s my lucky number.”
“Oh?”
“I was born on the sixth of June at six in the evening, exactly six minutes after my brother, Dimitri.”
I circle his neck with my arms, leaning forward to rest my face against the warm crook of his neck. “Sounds nice, actually. Hopefully we can teach our kids to get along.”
It doesn’t occur to me until the words have left my mouth what I just said.We.Our. When did I start getting comfortable with this arrangement? When did I start thinking about our futures as being entwined? Why does the thought of having children with Pyotr, spending our lives raising them together, bring me so much unfiltered joy?
I wink at him. “Let me guess, you’re the kind of guy who already has his kids’ names picked out?”
The smile he gives me is downright goofy. I drink it up like a parched woman stranded in the middle of the desert. It should honestly be illegal for anyone to look this handsome.
“I’ve only picked out the names for the boys,” he says. “I figured I’d let my wife choose for the girls, though obviously it’s all open for discussion.”
“Have you always wanted a big family?”
Pyotr nods. “Yes. I’ve always liked the thought of a lively home. Kids to play with and clean up after. Never a dull moment.”
I think about the penthouse. All that space, cold and lonely. It sort of makes sense that Pyotr wants to fill it with the exact opposite of what he now has.
“Not to mention, having children will help solidify the peace between our families.”
My smile falters slightly. I slip off his lap and take my seat beside him, quickly readjusting my dress. “Oh,” I mumble.
A cold pit sits heavily in my stomach, mild embarrassment washing over me. Now my mind is spiraling and won’t stop. Of course Pyotr would think that. I’ve been so foolish. I’d almost forgotten he’s a businessman through and through.
I feel so silly. Did I honestly expect him to feel anything for me? He didn’t want to marry me in the first place and our union has brought him nothing but a PR nightmare so far. Having children is just the logical choice to secure the Salkov and Antonov’s alliance, that’s all.
“Is something wrong?” he asks me, no doubt sensing the sudden change in my mood.
Will he laugh if I tell him I’m falling in love with him and I’m allowing myself to believe this marriage is real?
“Just a little tired,” I lie. “Who knew playing with kids all afternoon could be so tiring?”
Pyotr’s lips press into a thin line. He nods, offering me his hand to hold. I do end up slipping my fingers through his, but we spend the remainder of the drive in silence.
What am I supposed to do when, at the end of the day, Pyotr is all I have?
Chapter 26
Pyotr
Things have shifted between us, and not necessarily for the better. I thought we were getting along swimmingly, but then everything changed after our conversation in the car.
Did I say something to upset her? Was my bringing up wanting children too much, too soon? Alina seemed so enthusiastic about it, too, which is why the sudden distance between us is so jarring to me.
John Ackerman’s wedding is today, but Alina and I won’t be stopping by until later this evening when the reception is in full swing. This means I still have a whole day at the office. Plenty of contracts to sift through, expense reports to approve… and it’s damn near impossible to get done when Alina is seated on the other side of my office instead of directly next to me like usual.
She’s busy working on her iPad next to Merrybell, planning the charity concert she seemed so excited about. While I’m glad she has a project to keep her busy, I’m not exactly fond of how far away she is. Yes, she’s in the same room, but given that she hasn’t really looked at me all day, we may as well be miles apart. Her obvious discontent has agitated me more than usual.
“So we’ve secured a venue,” Alina says. “And I’ve quoted a couple of places with regards to their catering rates… Now all I have to do is figure out who’s going to play.”
