A final tap. “It’s been a month.”

The best month of my life. Is it over already?

“You have not made a single change to anything outside of your studio.”

A sigh of relief escapes. “Do you want me to make a change?”

He exhales slowly, it’s the one where he’s trying to keep hold of his temper. “I want you to feel comfortable. This is your home now. Yet I do not feel you treat it as such.”

Swallowing down all the words I want to say isn’t easy. Baby steps, I assure myself. “Okay.”

Exasperated, “Okay, what?”

Do not laugh, he will be so pissed if you laugh. “Okay, I’ll redecorate. Do you have any ideas?” Or help would be nice.

“I don’t care. It hasn’t been changed since I moved in. I’m sure things are out of date. As long as you leave my office and workout room alone you could put red velvet on the walls. I don’t care what you do as long as you like it.”

“One room in red velvet coming up,” I tease.

“You think you are so funny.”

“I think I’m hilarious.”

***

Christina

“If I didn’t remember what it was like, I would gag.” Lydia giggles. “You two are acting as if it’s torture to be on opposite sides of the table from each other.”

“Be nice, you do remember exactly what it’s like. Those first few months with Dmitri, I resented everyone and everything that kept me from putting my hands on him for longer than an hour or two. I hated when he stuck me at home and wouldn’t work with me.”

“I considered giving up working entirely. Decker tried to talk me into quitting and I thought about it.”

/> “I’m a horrible person. I hope Connor never comes back. Ivan finally found a new assistant but he’s working less time in the office, so that means more time us assistants need to do the busy work. Which means I need to stay as his PA.” I shrug as I admit it out loud.

“I don’t want to leave. I love working with him every day. The thought of going to my own office doesn’t appeal in the slightest the way it used to. This goes away eventually, right? The bubbly, intoxicated feeling when you look at him? I mean I keep reading about women who can’t stand to hear their husband’s breathing. When does that happen?” I brace for impact, waiting to hear Elise confirm it.

Elise considers the question before shaking her head. “I have no idea. It hasn’t happened yet and it will be nine years this year. Don’t get me wrong, he has his moments where I would love to smack him for saying things without thought. I think that’s it, when we get thoughtless with each other, when we forget to be grateful for what we have with the person we fell in love with.

“I don’t mind quite as much as I used to when Dmitri goes away for a day or two because when he comes back...” She sighs. “It’s like we’ve been apart for years, and we get so greedy for each other’s attention all over again.”

Lydia nods. “I agree. I’ll admit it, the money helps, we’re extremely lucky. Being able to afford the nanny, and the housecleaning, and someone else to do the laundry and cooking so we have the time and energy to focus on each other. If I had to spend nine hours at work, come home, cook, clean, and worry about the two little ones without any help from my husband, I would grow to hate his breathing not being as labored as mine from all the work I’m doing and he’s sitting on his ass.”

“That is so true. There is no way in the world I could imagine having six kids without a nanny, and the housekeeper we have. I would have lost my mind. And Dmitri is very hands on, he’s there for soccer games, and violin recitals and he puts the kids to bed every night. Even with all the help, I get why rich people send their kids to boarding schools.” Shaking her head, “Our oldest is pushing every boundary we have right now and I swear it’s just for fun.”

Lydia laughs. “Ella’s favorite word is no. We don’t dare leave her alone with Ben for long for fear she’ll hurt him. A word of advice, Christina: do not let it go too long between kids because they hate giving up the spotlight to the next one. I had thought three sounded good, but I’m a little worried if it’s safe at this point.”

“Ooh, you’re blushing. Have you had the kids talk yet?” Elise wiggles her eyebrows at me.

Great, her pointing it out makes me blush even more. “Yes, and no.” I shake my head as I think of it. “At the beginning I told him I wanted kids and he said he hadn’t even thought of it. But it’s not a no. Then we had a slip.” Another blush, how embarrassing. “And you would have thought he was disappointed. Since we got back we’ve had more than one. I offer to get the morning-after pill and he says no. I’m really confused.”

Lydia rolls her eyes. “Um, duh, he wants you to get pregnant. No man, especially a brilliant billionaire like Ivan, is going to chance something like that.”

Elise nods. “They just don’t. There’s too much at stake for them. It will never happen unless they want it to happen. Most of the time they won’t even let the woman handle the condom.” My eyes go wide at the implication. “Oh yeah, it’s like that.”

“So?”

I’m confused.

Tags: Fiona Murphy Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net