17. Lara
Chapter 17
Lara
M y body jolts awake with a start, images of Radek filling my head as my fuzzy brain struggles to make sense of everything, and when I realize I’m naked, my heart races and my breathing turns panicked. I don’t calm down until I hear Luka’s deep voice in my ear and feel his arm wrap around me, tucking me even tighter against his strong body.
“It’s okay, kisa . I’m right here, baby.”
I hug his arm, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest against my back as he kisses my head and nudges one of his thighs between my legs.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I whisper, “but my brain feels sluggish.”
He gives a soft laugh. “That painkiller must’ve been stronger than I thought. You fell asleep at my, our, ” he corrects with another laugh, “uncle’s house. It sounds so fucked up to say that.”
“We are not cousins,” I remind him, knowing he can hear the smile in my voice. “You carted my passed-out ass all the way back here?”
“I did. ”
“And then got me naked?”
He laughs and tightens his arm around me, letting me feel the hard length of him against my ass as he buries his face in my neck, giving my skin a soft suck. “I wanted to do so many things to your body, baby, but I forced myself to behave.” He gives another laugh. “Sort of. I’m only human, and you looked so goddamn fuckable sprawled out in bed and snoring softly.”
“I don’t snore,” I quickly say, but then what he said hits me. “What do you mean sort of?”
“Hmm?” he asks, nuzzling my neck while he fills his hand with one of my breasts.
I laugh and try to wiggle away, but he just holds me tighter. “You know what I’m talking about. What the hell did you do to me while I was sleeping?”
He pinches my nipple, pulling a moan from me as he sucks the crook of my neck. “I’d rather show you, kisa .”
A million scenarios run through my mind, but I can’t imagine sleeping through any of them. I don’t feel sore anywhere, and I briefly panic when I think about the possibility of anal sex, but I know Luka would never have our first experience with that be while I was passed out. I’m not upset that he did something while I was sleeping. My body is his, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t turn me on a bit to think of him using me while I was unconscious. Maybe I’m fucked up in the head, but the level of trust that demands is getting me all hot and bothered just thinking about it.
“Show me,” I say, turning when he guides me onto my back, positioning himself above me.
Instead of staying in missionary, he surprises me by coming up higher so he’s straddling me at my waist. His erection stands proud, and when I can’t resist bringing my hands up to touch him, he smirks and gives me a wink.
“This is what was missing last night. It was sexy as hell having you passed out, looking so goddamn sweet, but I missed your enthusiasm. ”
His green eyes run over me, watching as I trace a finger along the vein that runs up his shaft.
“I also really missed your participation,” he says with a grin.
When I wrap my hand around him and stroke up his length, he closes his eyes and gives a deep, masculine groan before saying, “This is what I did last night, kisa .” He wraps his hand around mine so we’re working his cock together. A sexy smirk plays at his lips as he opens his eyes and cups my breast with his free hand. “I jerked off all over your tits.”
I moan when he pinches my nipple and tightens his grip on my hand, and when pre-cum hits my fingers, the need to have him in my mouth overcomes everything else.
“Luka,” I moan, “I want to taste you.”
“Fuck,” he growls, watching my lips part as he guides my hand in a faster rhythm. Letting go of my nipple, he drags a finger over the head of his cock, coating his finger in pre-cum before bringing it to my lips.
“Suck.”
He doesn’t have to ask me twice. I open my lips enough for him to slide in before locking them around his finger and sucking him harder. He groans as his gorgeous eyes go heavy-lidded, watching me suck and lick the arousal from his skin.
“Good fucking girl,” he growls.
I smile, feeling the slickness between my inner thighs at his praise because nothing gets me off like pleasing Luka does. There’s something about seeing that glint of pride in his eyes that makes me go all wobbly. It’s intoxicating to be on the receiving end of his praise, and I’ll never be able to get enough. He makes me crave it, makes me want to do whatever it takes to earn the pats on the head and the good girl comments, and right now I have my heart set on getting more. I want to see him lose control, I want to see the satisfied look in his eyes as he takes my mouth—I want it all, and I want it now.
Giving his fingers one last suck, I pull them from my mouth and when he feels me try to get up, he rolls onto his back so I can get into position. With his cock only inches from my mouth, I look up and meet his eyes, suddenly feeling nervous. He’s a lot to take in, and I’d be lying if I said I knew what I was doing beyond the obvious action of wrapping my lips around him.
“I need you to tell me what to do,” I whisper.
He smiles and now that the sun is sneaking in around the blinds, I can see the bruise on his jaw from yesterday. It somehow manages to just make him look even sexier. I was right about Luka waking up gorgeous. The man doesn’t have a bad side, and I’m guessing he never went through an ugly phase while growing up. He’s just effortlessly sexy. His fingers graze along my cheek, no doubt running over my own bruise. When his eyes fill with pain, I dip my head and lick the head of his cock, pulling his mind back to where I want it.
“Jesus,” he groans, and then lets out a soft laugh. “You don’t need my help, baby. Just do whatever feels right. I promise I’ll love every second of it.” He slides his thumb between my lips and hooks his fingers under my jaw, tilting my face up to his. “We’re learning this together, remember?”
I smile around his thumb before giving it a suck, loving that I’m the only woman who will ever have her mouth wrapped around his thick cock. It’s mine and only mine. Feeling a bit more bold, I let his thumb slip from my mouth and put all my focus back between his legs. He’s rock-hard and covered in pre-cum, but I’m in no hurry. I want to take my time with this.
Lowering my head, I rest my hands on his thighs and start at the base, slowly licking a line up his shaft, wanting to taste and explore every inch of him just like he’d done to my pussy when I was in the hammock. I want to know everything there is to know about this man. I want to know what makes him moan, what drives him so crazy he has to reach down and fist my hair, and what he needs to send him over the edge.
When I drag my tongue up his shaft again and then start to lick and suck along the ridge of skin that always seems to make him groan a bit louder, he fists my hair and growls my name. I smile, already filing away the information as I memorize the most sensitive spots on his body.
“Jesus, kisa ,” he groans when I give him another lick before wrapping my mouth around his thick head and sucking him in. I’m coming to the quick conclusion that not very much of him is going to actually fit in my mouth. He’s just too fucking big.
“God, you feel fucking amazing.” His voice is deeper than usual and sexy as hell as he fists my hair tighter, wanting to watch me as I start to take him in. I lower onto him, exploring him with my tongue and memorizing every damn inch. I don’t even get halfway before I start to gag.
“Easy, baby, just breathe.” He strokes my cheek, not sounding even slightly disappointed at my inability to get him down my throat. I hold him in my mouth, concentrating on the part I can get to.
“Fuck,” he groans, threading both hands into my hair. “Whatever the hell you’re doing with your tongue, kisa , keep fucking doing it.”
I swirl my tongue around his head again, loving the deep groans it’s pulling from his body and the way his hips are starting to move. When I flatten my tongue against him and slowly raise and lower my head, he growls my name and sits up so he can grab my hips.
“I want your pussy on my face right fucking now,” he demands, dragging me onto his body so we’re in a sixty-nine position with my dripping sex hovering right above his eager mouth. “Don’t get shy on me, baby. I want you grinding against my face, using me to get yourself off. Be rough, sweetheart. Be merciless.”
Part of me is embarrassed that I’ll be too heavy or too aggressive, but when I hesitate too long, he gives one of my ass cheeks a hard enough smack to sting.
“Don’t make me ask again, Lara. Fucking smother me right fucking now.”
Before he can spank me again, I lower my weight onto him, and as soon as I feel his tongue slide between my folds, I’m a goner. I shamelessly grind against him, surprised at how turned on giving him a blowjob has made me. I’m more than ready for this release, but I don’t want to do it alone. I want us to do this together.
Fisting the base of his cock, I lower my head even more, determined to take him all the way in. With his mouth eating the hell out of my pussy, it makes it easy to keep my mind off gagging. I focus on the pleasure, rocking my hips as he brings his hands down to squeeze my tits. When I moan around his cock, he groans against my pussy, the vibrations nearly sending me over the edge.
He pinches my nipples between his fingers and latches onto my clit. Knowing I’m so close has me sucking him even harder. Spit drips down his shaft and onto my hand, as I raise and lower my head, taking him a little further each time until my lips are hitting the fingers curled around his base. Wanting more, I let go and slide him all the way in, willingly choking on his cock as he blocks my airway before I slide back up the length of him again.
He sucks me harder, pushing me closer and closer to the breaking point as I moan around his dick. His hips work with me, thrusting up as I lower my head. We find our rhythm, working together until I have no choice but to let go. My body tenses right before the orgasm hits me. My fingers dig into his thighs as I suck him harder and grind mercilessly against his beautiful face. He pinches my nipples harder, licking and sucking my pussy, and only when he feels me reach the peak of my release does he thrust his hips up and let go.
He growls against my folds as the wet heat of his seed hits the back of my throat. His cock pulses, swelling even bigger inside me, stretching my lips, and causing an ache in my jaw, but I don’t care. I never want this to end.
We ride out our orgasms together, both of us greedy for every last second of pleasure until I’m lazily grinding against him as I start to come down. Even as he starts to grow soft, I keep licking and sucking him, not ready for it to be over. He must be feeling the same way, because instead of moving me off him, he grips my hips and raises me up so I’m hovering right over his lips again.
“Fuck, baby,” he whispers, the heat of his breath tickling my overly sensitive clit. “Being smothered in your pussy is my new favorite thing. Fuck alarm clocks. This is how I want you to wake me every morning.”
I smile and keep lazily sucking his cock while he licks and kisses every inch of my pussy until he’s licked up every damn drop of my arousal. Every suck, every swipe of his tongue, every kiss along my sensitive flesh has me shuddering from aftershocks. Luka has a way of making orgasms last for minutes instead of seconds. He drags them out and then keeps it going with the aftershocks, making it all blend together into an ecstasy that makes me feel drunk and ridiculously happy.
When he finally lifts me up and turns me around so I can cuddle against him, I’m more than ready to go back to sleep for a little bit. My arm is starting to throb again, but what we just shared is worth the pain. He cups my face, kissing me slowly so we can taste each other on our tongues, and he’s right. Fuck alarm clocks. This is a thousand times better.
Resting my head on his chest, I fall back asleep only to wake up a few hours later with a screaming bladder and an empty stomach. The bed is empty, so I run to the bathroom, surprised to find my toothbrush standing next to Luka’s and all my things stacked nicely in the set of drawers beside the sink. My purple shower pouf is even hanging off a small hook in the shower. Still naked and unable to find the pajamas Luka had stripped me of last night, I decide to raid his closet for something to wear, but when I open the door and step in, my clothes are already filling up half the space.
“Someone’s been busy,” I mutter and quickly grab a pair of comfy sweats and one of his T-shirts because I like wearing his clothes.
The smell of bacon has my stomach growling as I follow the scent into the kitchen where a shirtless Luka is putting the finishing touches on our breakfast. I’m not sure which is making my mouth water more—the sight of the overloaded plate with bacon, eggs, and pancakes, or the sight of his muscled, tattooed body as he dishes it out.
My eyes run over the abs that tighten with his movements, and I suck in a quick breath. Him, it’s definitely him. The food looks and smells delicious, but bacon doesn’t make my heart race, no matter how damn good it tastes.
“Morning, kisa ,” he says, giving me a wink when I manage to pull my eyes from his abs. He gives a soft laugh and walks over to me, pulling me in for a proper good-morning kiss. The food and my hungry stomach are forgotten in an instant as another hunger starts to take over. He pulls back when I start to get really handsy and smiles down at me.
“I love how insatiable you are, baby, but you need to eat.”
I run my hands along his bare back and kiss his chest, smiling when I feel him growing hard through the grey sweats he’s wearing.
“Jesus, a girl could get used to this,” I say while he leads me over to my plate. I eye his ass and smile. “Breakfast and a view.”
He looks back at me and laughs. “I’m glad you like it. I love spoiling you, and I plan on doing it as much as I can.”
I take one of the barstools while he pours me some juice and then takes the seat next to mine. After my first bite, I moan and widen my eyes at him.
“So many talents,” I mumble around my food and then spend the next several minutes in silence because I’m too busy eating to talk.
I’m scraping up the last of my syrup with my bacon when he says, “You’re very sexy when you eat, kisa .”
I laugh and toss back the last of the bacon before finishing off my juice. He sees my disbelief and points down at his pants. Those grey sweats aren’t doing shit to hide the way his hard length is pressing against them. He’s clearly been enjoying the show of me shoveling back food like it’s been days since I’ve eaten, but in all fairness, last night was rough and I worked up an appetite.
Luka cups my face, running his thumb over my cheek and then putting his focus on my arm. “How bad does it hurt today?”
I reach over and graze my finger over his bruised jaw. “About as bad as yours does.”
He just laughs and shakes his head. “I’ve taken way more hits than you in my life. This is nothing, and I’m not the one who had to get stitches. Don’t worry about me.”
“I’ll always worry about you.”
His face softens at my words before he leans closer to kiss me. Grabbing our plates, he dumps them off in the sink, hands me a couple of aspirin, and then pours us each a mug of coffee before gesturing for me to follow him out onto the rooftop. He leads me to a round lounge chair with a canopy to protect us from the blinding sun. I sink back into the soft cushions and take the mug he hands me, immediately bringing it to my lips.
“So what’s the plan now?” I ask him once he’s sitting next to me with his arm around my shoulders.
“You rest up, we have as much sex as you can handle,” he says with a smile, “and then we get married.”
“That sounds amazing,” I tell him, “but I was thinking more about with my mom. I see you’ve already moved me in, by the way. When exactly did you have time to do that?”
He laughs and takes another drink. “My mom and dad dropped your mom off at her apartment last night, and we have one of our men watching her to make sure she’s safe. She’s watching Pip for us until you’re well enough to get him, and this morning after you came all over my face,” he stops and lets out an appreciative sigh, “I couldn’t fall asleep, so I had someone go and pick up your stuff and bring it here.”
I raise a brow. “You’ve been busy.”
He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “You live here now, so you need your things.”
I look around at the gorgeous penthouse rooftop and the amazing view of the city before me, feeling very much like I’m living in a dream. “I can’t believe how much my life has changed.” Luka’s green eyes study me, waiting to see if I’m okay, and when I smile, he relaxes and takes another drink while he runs his fingers through my hair in a lazy way that makes it seem like he’s been doing it for years.
“I need you to promise me something, kisa .” He grabs my arm, running his thumb over my scars. “Promise me you’ll tell me if you ever feel like taking a razor to this gorgeous skin again.” His green eyes search mine. “I will never judge you for how you feel, but I need you to tell me so that we can get you help. I know all this is bringing up a lot of shit, and I don’t ever want you to hurt yourself again. I couldn’t bear it.”
I reach up and run my fingers through the thick stubble that covers his cheek. “I promise I’ll tell you if it ever gets bad again. It’s been years since I’ve done it, though, so please don’t worry about it.”
He gives me a look that makes it clear he’ll never stop worrying about me, so I just pat his cheek and smile. “Try not to worry as much then.”
He smiles and grabs my hand so he can kiss the palm.
“Do you think my mom will come around?”
“I do. I think it’ll take time, but I talked with her for a little bit after you passed out last night. She doesn’t want to lose you. It’s not going to be easy for her, but I really do think she’s going to try. The therapist will help, and when she finds out you’re pregnant, that’ll really help.”
I laugh and nudge his shoulder. “So cocky. You don’t know I’m pregnant.”
“You don’t know you’re not,” he teases, and it’s true enough so I just smile and sip the one cup of coffee I’m going to allow myself since I need to start cutting back on caffeine, just in case.
I lean against him, savoring this moment that’s just ours. I know our life together isn’t always going to be this peaceful, hell, last night is proof of that, and I know that there’s still a lot to be worked through between our families, but for now, right here in this moment, it’s perfect.
A week later, my period starts. Luka finds me sitting on the rooftop hammock, drowning my sorrows in hot chocolate and cuddles from Pip. He had to go and do something Bratva related, and I’m slowly learning how to not ask questions, or at least not as many, and since Arkady is excellent at blending into the shadows, having a personal bodyguard isn’t the awkward nightmare I though it’d be.
Luka takes one look at me and sighs before scooping me into his arms and taking my place so he can hold me and Pip in his lap.
“Chocolate, comfy sweats, and a sad look on your face,” he muses while brushing my hair back so he can kiss me. “This can only mean one thing.”
When I don’t answer, he kisses me again and gently rocks the hammock while I finish my drink. After my last sip, he takes my empty mug and sets it aside, the movement making Pip sit up and look around. He sees something by the row of potted plants that Luka’s mom brought us that gets his attention, and in seconds he’s jumping down and scampering off without a backward glance.
I sink back against Luka as he strokes my hair and tightens his arm around my waist. “Don’t be sad, kisa. ”
“Are you disappointed? I know how much you wanted this.”
“I’m not even slightly disappointed.” He hooks a finger under my chin and tilts my face up so I’m forced to meet his eyes. I’m addicted to this man’s praise, and the last thing I want to do is see disappointment in his gaze, but I should’ve known better. The only thing I can see in his stunning green eyes is love. He smiles down at me while caressing my cheek with his thumb.
“I’ll get you pregnant, baby. You don’t need to worry about that, and this kind of works out for the best anyway.”
“It does?”
He brings a hand down to my arm, lightly grazing my scarred skin. “You didn’t want to get any tattoos while you were pregnant, and now you won’t have to wait, and” he adds, giving me a wink before he pulls a small, velvet box from his pocket, “I can do this without you worrying that I’m only doing it because you’re pregnant.”
My heart stops at the sight of that box, and when he opens it and I get my first look at the huge diamond inside, I let out a small gasp and jerk my eyes to his.
“It’s too big, Luka,” I tell him .
He laughs. “That’s not the first time you’ve said those words to me, kisa .”
I smile at the memory of our first time as tears fill my eyes.
“You took everything I wanted to give you then, and I’m hoping like hell you’ll take it all now.” He takes a breath, and I swear if I didn’t know any better, I’d say my I’m not afraid of anything Bratva man is scared to death right now.
“Lara, I think I fell in love with you the first second I saw you. First, at the club, and then when I saw you at the diner, looking so fucking adorably embarrassed when I caught you eating that bacon cheeseburger. I knew you were it for me.”
I smile at the memory, remembering how embarrassed I’d been, and how desperately I’d wanted him. Even then, even when the only thing I’d known about him was that he was a Melnikov and that I was supposed to stay away, I’d still wanted him more than I’ve ever wanted anything before.
“I’m the man you’ve been warned about your entire life, and you were the one woman I was never supposed to end up with, but we found each other, Lara. Despite all the odds, we found each other.”
His eyes soften as the tears finally start to run down my cheeks.
“I love you, and I want to marry you. I want to take care of you, protect you and provide for you. You are the last thing I want to see before I fall asleep, and the first thing I want to see when I wake. You’re it for me, Lara Swan.”
He smiles when he says my name, both of us refusing to acknowledge the last name of the man who fathered me. Swan is the only last name I’ve ever had, and I’m not about to change it to anything other than Melnikov.
Luka’s thumb brushes away my tears before he grabs my left hand and takes the gorgeous ring from the box.
“Will you marry me, Lara? Will you be my wife and start a family with me? Will you let me take care of you and grow old with you?” He brings the ring to my finger, but doesn’t slide it on yet. Instead, he holds it there and meets my eyes. “I will love you and be faithful to you for the rest of my life, and when I leave this world, it’s only going to be so I can find you in the next one. We’re connected, kisa . You’re a part of me, I feel like you always have been, and I will always find you. Whatever life awaits us after this one, we’re spending it together. I don’t just want one life with you, baby, because one could never be enough. I want forever with you. I want an eternity.”
I’m crying so hard it’s clouding my vision, and when I take a shaky breath, he asks, “Will you give me your eternity, Lara? Because I can’t settle for anything less when it comes to you.”
“Yes,” I whisper, knowing he’s right. One lifetime with him could never be enough. I want his forever too. I don’t ever want to be separated from him.
Luka’s smile grows at my answer, and I have to force my eyes away from his beautiful face so that I can watch as he slides the ring onto my finger. It’s a gorgeous, round cut diamond with smaller diamonds circling around it, extending to the delicate platinum band. It fits my finger perfectly, and I don’t stop staring at it until he laughs and hooks a finger under my chin, tilting my face to his so he can kiss me.
As soon as our lips touch, everything else fades away. That’s how it always is when he’s touching me. Luka just promised to take care of me for the rest of eternity, but the truth is he’s been taking care of me since the first second he saw me. My life has become infinitely better since he walked into it, and I never want to go back to how it was before. Just the thought of what life used to be like for me—the constant worry, the depressing, foiled windows, the never-ending dread of watching my mom slip further and further into her confused mind, and the complete lack of hope that anything was ever going to get better—has me clutching Luka tighter.
I squirm around, refusing to break our kiss as I wiggle into a straddling position. He smiles against my lips and cups my ass, groaning when I give his tongue a suck and grind against his growing erection.
“I’m really glad you said yes.” He murmurs the words through our kiss while kneading my ass in his strong hands so I’m grinding against him even harder .
“Oh yeah?” I tease, giving his lip a soft bite.
“Yeah.” He gives a soft laugh and says, “It would’ve made this incredibly awkward.”
I sit back, not understanding what he’s saying. He reaches down to lift his shirt up, and my jaw drops when I see the new tattoo on his chest.
“Luka,” I whisper, reaching out to hover my fingers over the name that now covers his left pec.
My name.
He tattooed my name onto his skin, and he didn’t go small when he did it. The pretty script is large and unmistakable, and he must’ve just come back from the tattoo shop because it still has a clear wrap over it. I can see it perfectly, though, and it’s gorgeous.
“You’re mine, and I’m yours,” he says, watching me as I keep staring at his beautiful chest. Any woman who sees him without a shirt on is going to see Lara written over his heart, and when Luka sees my big smile, he lets out a relieved laugh.
“I’m glad you like it because it’s kind of permanent.”
“I want one too,” I quickly say. Sveta’s finished with the designs for my arms, but I think she could figure out a way to weave Luka’s name in there.
“I’ll make you an appointment,” he says with a grin. “We need to be fast because I have a feeling this I’m not pregnant phase isn’t going to last long.”
“No, probably not,” I agree, bringing my mouth back to his.
I savor the time I have with Luka because I know it’s not always going to be like this. We’re not always going to have evenings on the rooftop and relaxing days that we get to spend together. Some days are going to be scary and stressful, and it will involve me worrying about where he is and what he’s doing, and I won’t be able to take a full breath of air until he walks through the door and I see that he’s alive with my own two eyes.
But he’s here now. Right here in this moment, he’s wrapped around me, kissing me like I’m his reason for breathing, and I savor every damn second of it, and I know I always will. He’s my love, my fiancé, the man who will be the father of my children, and my best friend. It’s a miracle that we found each other, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
The next few weeks pass by in a whirlwind of mind-blowing sex, visits to the tattoo artist that Luka and the rest of the Bratva use, wedding planning with my newfound family, and a few slightly awkward dinners with my mom. We adopted another cat for her, and she’s already fallen completely in love with the orange tabby. With her first therapy session already scheduled and her obvious willingness to try, I’m hopeful that we can get her to a better place, because I really want my mom to be a big part of our lives. I want us all to be a family, and I really want her to enjoy life. I’m not so sure she’s ever been able to do that.
A few days before the wedding, I wake up and immediately make a run for the toilet, barely getting the lid up before I lose every damn thing in my stomach. Luka races in behind me, calling my name and sounding scared to death as I retch violently, wishing like hell he wasn’t seeing me like this.
“ Kisa , it’s okay, baby,” he murmurs while holding my hair and rubbing my back, waiting patiently until my body is completely empty before getting me a wet cloth and cleaning me up. I’m too exhausted and nauseated to insist on doing it myself.
I groan when he helps me stand, feeling like I’m going to be sick again, but when it passes, I grab my toothbrush and start scrubbing, wanting nothing more than to clean my mouth and get a drink of water. After I’m done, Luka lifts me up and sets my ass on the counter. He steps between my thighs and braces his hands on either side of me. The smile he gives me is way too big and radiant considering what he just saw me do.
“What?” I ask, still feeling groggy and disoriented. I like to wake up slowly, and doing a mad dash first thing after opening my eyes is fucking with my head. “Why do you look so happy?”
“Because the woman I love is pregnant with my baby.” He smiles even bigger. “I’m more than happy, kisa .” He cups my stunned face and kisses me while my foggy brain tries to catch up to the fact that we’ve made a baby.
“I might just have a virus,” I tell him, but he just smiles and shakes his head.
“I know you, baby.” He slides his hands under the old T-shirt of his that I like to sleep in so he can cup my breasts in his hands. He gives them a soft squeeze and I wince at how tender they are. He raises a brow in an I told you so way and gives a soft laugh. “Your tits have been sore, and they’ve grown a little bit. You’ve been more tired than usual, and your period is late.”
I cock my head, desperately trying to do some quick math. “How the hell do you know that?”
He winks and gives my nipples a soft squeeze. “I pay attention, sweetheart. Nothing is more important to me than you.”
I smile up at the man I’m head-over-heels in love with. Even after living together for two months, I still feel like I need to occasionally pinch myself. Although, the constant weight of my engagement ring is a nice reminder that this isn’t a dream.
I rest my palm against his cheek, my large diamond looking stunning against his chiseled jawline. “Are you really happy?” I ask him, studying his green eyes to make sure I don’t see any doubts in them. He turned twenty a couple of weeks ago, and even though a pregnant fiancée is a lot of twenty-year-olds’ worst fears, Luka doesn’t ever seem to feel that way. He looks thrilled, ecstatic even, but I still feel the need to check in sometimes, just to be sure. Old insecurities die hard, but he’s slowly killing them one by one.
He kisses the tip of my nose and smiles even bigger. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been. We’re getting married in a couple of days, and we’re going to have a baby.” He brings his hand down to rest on my stomach. “I love you so much, and I can’t imagine my life without you,” kneeling between my legs, he lifts my shirt and kisses my stomach, “without either of you.”
I smile down at him and run my hand through his dark hair. Turning his head, he kisses my inner wrist, pressing his lips to one of the many flowers that now decorate my skin. Sveta helped me transform my scarred arms into beautiful works of art that make me want to show them off instead of hide them away. As much as I love the flowers and delicate vines with the occasional butterfly caught in flight, my favorite tattoo is the one that runs down my inner left forearm. Luka’s name is written in a feminine script, and every time I see it I smile. It’s a reminder of so many things. It means that I’m his and that I’m loved by him. Being Luka’s is my favorite thing, and now we’re about to add another member to our family, and I’m so happy I feel like I can barely contain it.
His green eyes meet mine as he gives me another huge smile. Kissing my stomach again, he slowly stands and then opens the drawer next to us, pulling out a pregnancy test that he must’ve bought and snuck in there at some point.
“I know you’re pregnant, but I want to see the test. I want every part of this experience, and I’ll feel cheated if I don’t get to see those two pink lines.”
I laugh and grab the box. He kisses me and then pats my ass, leaving so I can have some privacy.
When he’s gone, I rest a hand on my stomach and take a shaky breath. We’re going to have a baby. I can still barely believe it as I rip the box open and get to work. As soon as I’m done, I set it on the counter and holler for Luka, who immediately comes walking in, phone already in hand with the timer ready to go.
He wraps his arms around me from behind as we both watch the stick while the seconds tick by on his phone’s screen. His cheek presses to mine as one arm crosses over my chest and his other presses against my lower stomach. For one horrible moment, I worry that maybe this is just some weird virus that’s showing no other symptoms, but then two pink lines appear and I let out a laugh while Luka smiles and turns me around so he can pick me up for a hug.
“I love you so much,” he whispers against my lips before kissing me. “We’re going to be parents, kisa . ”
He laughs while I smile and kiss him again. He’s going to be an amazing dad, the kind I would’ve loved to have had.
“Our baby is so lucky to have you for a dad,” I tell him.
He gives me one of his sweet smiles, the kind that make my heart give an extra jump in between beats, and says, “Not as lucky as they are to have you as their mom.”
Before I can get all weepy about how damn perfect he is, he hands me the stick with the positive result and grabs his phone, lifting it up so he can take a photo of us.
“We’re sending this to everyone,” he tells me right before we both smile at the camera with the stick held up for all to see.