An Engagement in Seattle - Debbie Macomber [75]
“I see,” she said. “And now that you know, what do you expect to happen?”
He frowned. “That depends on several matters.”
“Yes?” she pressed when he didn’t elaborate. “What sort of matters?”
“I’ll expect to be a major part of our child’s life.”
Julia nodded in full agreement; she was hoping he’d be a major part of her life, too. “I’d like that. Is there anything else?” she asked when he didn’t continue.
Alek seemed to need time to think over his response. “I’d very much like to be your husband,” he finally said, “to live with you and love you and perhaps have another child. Would this be agreeable to you?”
She threw her arms around his neck with such fervor that she nearly toppled the chair he was sitting on.
“Be careful, my love….”
“Say that again.” She choked out the words through her tears. “Call me your love. Oh, Alek, I’ve missed hearing that so much. Wait, kiss me first.” She had so many requests he obviously didn’t know which one to comply with first. It didn’t take him long, though, to direct her mouth to his.
“My love.”
“Oh, Alek.”
“Julia.”
Their names were trapped between two hungry mouths. Between two eagerly beating hearts.
Their mouths strained toward each other. Julia felt the emotion rise within her. She’d missed him so much, more than she dared to admit even to herself. He was speaking to her in Russian, short snatches of words between frantic kisses.
She tightened her arms around his neck.
He surprised her by standing and carrying her into the bedroom. “You are so romantic,” she told him, languishing in his arms.
“I plan to get a whole lot more romantic in about thirty seconds.” His intentions were clear as he lovingly placed her on the bed.
“Oh, good.… Hurry, Alek, I’ve needed you so much.”
He stripped while she watched him, marveling at his maleness and his readiness for her. Sitting up, Julia struggled out of her T-shirt and tossed it aside. Her tennis shoes came next. “I really should shower,” she commented as the spandex pants flew in the opposite direction.
“No time now,” Alek said. “Later, we’ll shower together.”
“But I just finished a workout.”
“And you’re about to start another,” he said.
Long minutes later, they were exhausted, panting in each other’s arms, their bodies linked, their hands and hearts entwined.
“I love you, Alek.”
“You are my love,” he returned as their bodies thrilled, excited and satisfied each other.
Julia slept in her husband’s arms afterward, her head on his chest. When she stirred into wakefulness, she found his hand pressed against her abdomen and heard him communicating in whispers to his child. Since he was speaking Russian, she could only speculate on what he was saying.
He noticed her looking at him and smiled shyly. “I told him to be good to his mother.”
“Him?”
“A daughter would please me just as well.” He smiled. “Someday a young man will come to me and thank me for having fathered such a beautiful daughter. Wait, and you’ll see that I’m right.”
“Someday a young woman will come to me and tell me our son is totally awesome, or whatever expression is popular at the time.” She wrinkled her nose. “They change every few years, you realize.”
“I sometimes go crazy with the things you Americans say. Your strange idioms and slang—they’re constantly changing.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll catch on. I’ll help you.”
“Awesome,” he said with a mischievous grin.
They showered and Julia dressed in a thick terry-cloth robe and padded barefoot into the kitchen. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starved.”
Alek grinned again. “I see your appetite has increased.”
It was true. “I suppose it has.” She opened the refrigerator and took out a container of ice cream and served them both large bowls.
“Should we call Jerry?” Julia asked. “We seem to owe him a great deal.”
“No, I don’t want to share you with anyone just yet. Tomorrow will be soon enough. We’ll invite him and Anna,” he said, and Julia nodded delightedly.
They sat in the living room, cuddled against each other, eating their ice cream. “The late news is on,” Julia commented. “Okay with