Epilogue 4
Daisy
"There was no other woman but you."
I heard his words, I even understood them, but at the same time I didn’t. Because I knew there had been other women.
Marguerite had just been the last in a long line of women who he had paraded around in front of me. A fact I tried not to think about but that I still struggled with.
My lips thinned. "We both know—"
Before I could finish, he had my cheeks cupped in his big hands. "There were no other women," he said again, more firmly. "From the moment I met you, I have not taken another woman into my bed."
I stared up at him in total shock; part of me didn’t want to believe him. After all I had seen and heard him.
"The women I brought home," he swallowed so hard that his Adam's apple bobbed, "were prostitutes."
"That doesn’t make it better, Ilya." I glared up at him, my teeth clenched.
"I paid them."
Again I rolled my eyes. He really was bad at this. "It’s in the past, so it’s fine. I can’t hate you for being with others when we weren’t together," I said, and even though it was the truth, it wasn’t the entire truth because that part of our relationship still caused me pain.
His grip on my cheeks tightened when I tried to look away.
"There were no others. I paid for them to make those noises; I wanted you to believe I had gotten over you and moved on.
But I never did." For a second his eyes closed, and there was no sound apart from our mingled breathing and, down below, Alec’s whoop of laughter.
"And Marguerite was—insistent, but no, I didn’t sleep with her. I didn’t even kiss her." Suddenly his eyes flashed open. "You are the only woman for me, Daisy. I want you to know that." Pausing, he took a deep breath. "You are the only woman for me." He enunciated each word, his eyes glued to mine.
"Okay..." Taking in a deep breath, I felt a strange calmness settle over me. It was almost like a great weight had been lifted. One that I hadn’t even realized was weighing me down. Reaching up, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Thank you for telling me," I whispered, my eyes closing.
Ilya's smile was a little uncertain. "There was a woman—"
My eyes snapped open. "Okay?" I drew the word out.
"I took her on a date when Alec was two."
I stayed silent. But my heart thundered in my chest.
"I didn’t even kiss her goodnight, and I never saw her again. That was the moment I realized that no woman would ever compare to you. Even when I thought you were dead, I couldn’t bring myself to be with anyone else. I never and will never want anyone but you."
There was so much emotion in his voice that my arms tightened around his throat. "I feel the same," I whispered, surging upwards to sip at his lips. "It’s always just been you."
My chin was caught in his strong grip, my head tilted upwards. "You mean?"
"I haven’t ever been with anyone but you," I admitted.
"You swear it?" he asked, his eyes wildly taking in my face. "Not that it will change how I feel. You deserved to be happy. Even if it wasn’t with me."
"I wasn’t happy, Ilya. The only real happiness I’ve ever felt is when I was in love with you. Yes, my life was good, but I wasn’t happy. I didn’t really feel much of anything at all. It was like I couldn’t feel because I wasn’t with you."
A million emotions swept over his face before he settled on a dazzling smile. Leaning down, he kissed the tip of my nose.
"We were meant to be together."
"Yes." I answered the question he hadn’t even asked. "Yeah, I really do believe we are meant to be together."
"Do you know what else I believe?" Ilya asked, his voice growing husky and filled with a dark, panty-wetting promise.
I lifted my eyes to him seductively. "And what’s that, husband?"
"I believe, actually I know, I am about to make you scream my name," he said matter-of-factly.
My core clenched, my nipples hardened and brushed against the thin top at his words. It had been so long since I had felt his hands properly on my body.
Too fucking long, and I missed it.
"Is that so?" I teased.
Ilya's eyes darkened. "Oh, it’s so. Just—"
At that second, our heated silence was shattered by a loud whoop and the sound of our son's laughter.
"Mama, Papa!" he yelled up, his voice full of joy. "Come and see what I can do."
We paused, staring at each other until I broke the spell and giggled. "Rain check?"
Ilya nodded once. "Oh, definitely rain check. The moment the kids go to sleep, you are mine to please, Mrs. Popovitch."
Grinning, I giggled. "I look forward to it, Mr. Popovitch."
It didn’t happen. Not that night and not the night after that, either.
In fact, the kids kept us so busy that two weeks went by, which meant it was thirteen weeks since I had given birth. Over three months since I had felt my husband's hands on my body.
In all other ways, he was as attentive as ever, maybe even more so. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and he made me feel beautiful and wanted as often as he could.
Life was blissfully good.
But I missed my husband. I missed the way he dominated my body, and I was tired of waiting.
Looking up from my empty plate, I found him staring at me from across the table.
Sara had taken the kids upstairs a few minutes ago.
Usually, one of us did the bedtime routine, but tonight I’d asked her to do it.
She had nodded with understanding and said not to worry.
She would get up with Rosie tonight so we could have some alone time.
"Is everything okay?" Ilya asked, surveying my face before dropping his eyes to where I was twisting the napkin nervously in my hands.
I didn’t even know why I was nervous. I’d initiated sex before. Lots of times, in fact, but suddenly I was. Maybe it was because my body had changed.
What if he turned me down?
What if he was repulsed by my stripe-covered, soft stomach?
"Yeah." I forced myself to smile, hoping that it was charming and seductive.
Trying to play the part of sex kitten was harder than ever, especially when I had baby spit-up on my blouse.
"I think." I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, and Ilya followed the movement hungrily.
His eyes darkened with a need that mirrored what I was feeling.
"I think I might have an early night." I prayed he got what I was saying. After all, there was only one real reason I would be suggesting an early night.
A line appeared between his dark eyebrows as his face creased with concern. "Are you not feeling well?"
I sighed with a roll of my eyes. Lord Jesus, men were clueless.
"I’m feeling great. I just thought we," I stressed the word we, "might have an early night."
I waited for him to click on to what I was saying.
"I would love to, but—" standing up, he rounded the table and pressed his lips to my temple. I stiffened, not liking the sound of that at all.
"I have some calls to make this evening." Again he brushed his lips against my skin. "But I’ll come up as soon as I can. Promise."
I sat there as he walked away. My own feelings at war with each other. Either Ilya was completely clueless to the very clear signs I was giving him, or he really didn’t find me attractive.
Only he did find me sexy still. I knew he did. And he never hesitated to telling me he loved me. Which meant something else was happening here.
Of course, it could just be because we were new parents. But I wasn’t going to allow the fact that we had children to change our relationship.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed away from the chair and headed up to our bedroom, an idea already forming in my head.
If he needed to work, that was fine, but that didn’t mean—yanking open a drawer, I ran my fingers over the black lace and satin lingerie set I had ordered last week and hadn’t had the chance to try on yet.
It was perfect.
Taking a quick shower, I fluffed my hair around my shoulders and slipped into it. The balconette bra pushed up my now bigger breasts. The panties were full but sexy in a way that was impossible to ignore.
I finished the outfit off with sheer black stockings and stepped back in front of the mirror to study myself.
I looked good. Face flushed and eyes bright. My body seemed soft but still sexy.
Nodding my head once, I went to move back, and my eyes snagged on my stretch marks. Usually, I didn’t have a problem with them, but tonight they seemed to scream at me.
"Hmm." Tapping my nail against my lip, I glanced around. Maybe something to cover myself with, if only until I got in front of him. Finally, my eyes found a shirt, one of Ilya's, and a wide smile spread across my face.
Perfect.
Settling the pristine white shirt over me, I reached for his tie next, letting it settle between the mounds of my breasts.
If Ilya had business to deal with, then that was fine. But so did I, and going downstairs wearing his shirt and tie with the sluttiest underwear underneath didn't distract him, then nothing would.
One last glance at my reflection, and I went towards his office. Luckily for me, I didn’t pass anyone. But even if I did, I knew they wouldn’t say anything.
They might exchange knowing smiles, but no one would lift an eyebrow at the fact I was clearly on my way to seduce my husband.
And I was going to seduce him.
Lifting my hand, I knocked lightly.
"Come in." Ilya's voice was strong.
Silently, I pushed open the door and slipped inside, smiling at the shocked look on my husband's face when he caught sight of me.
"I hope I’m not interrupting?" I asked sweetly, and closed the door behind me.