1 week later
“Where is the cake?!” Lev asks when he sees me. “It’s late. We wanted it here before the wedding to make sure everything was set. We have pictures to take, we have final touches to do and-”
I cross my arms over my chest. He huffs. “I’ll call her. I want to see it right here and-”
“The cake is already here. It’s in the fridge, staying chilled so that way it keeps through the reception. My girlfriend isn’t going to let something fall through the cracks,” I growl defensively.
Lev struggles with his tie for the fifth time, his fingers just not cooperating. I do it for him, then turn him over to Edmon so he can take care of our brother. I’ve never seen him this nervous. I text Abby, then slip out of the room and find her there, wearing a gorgeous pale pink dress that isn’t too sexy, but is too expensive for me to tear off her.
It’s a shame. I’m all too happy to break flimsy zippers and hear the scream of seams as I pull clothes off her. I run my hands through my hair thinking about it, but she puts her hand on my chest, like she can read my mind. “No, you behave. You can’t have lipstick on you when you’re up at the altar. Be good.”
I take a frustrated breath. “Lev got worried about the cake, but I took care of it. It looks amazing.”
“Thanks. I hope the bride and groom agree.” Her teeth press into her lower lip and her lipstick doesn’t move. I narrow my eyes and she jumps up, pointing at me. “No. If we start, we won’t stop. I should have worn regular lipstick because then-”
I jerk her against me and kiss her. I deepen the kiss, losing myself in the slow burn of desire that courses between us. Abby resists for all of ten seconds before she’s melting against me. I wrap my arm around her waist and grab her ass since I have a feeling her hair is off-limits.
She moans into my mouth until I release her. She fans herself. “You’re not allowed to do that, Danya.”
“Not until after they cut the cake and we can ditch this popsicle stand?” I ask while wiggling my eyebrows.
She huffs. “I shouldn’t have taught you that phrase.”
“It’s as cute as you are. Now, I have to go calm my brother down, so he gets down the fucking aisle. After that, I’m all yours. Use me ruthlessly.”
“Well ... when you say it like that, how can I refuse?” She asks with a soft giggle before kissing my neck. “I’ll only be looking at you through the wedding.”
That thought stays with me and distracts me throughout the ceremony. I know that Sienna is crying and plenty of people in the crowd are tearing up, but when I see Abby watching me, her eyes watering as she gives me a soft smile that spells out how I’ve been feeling for her the last week, my heart lodges in my throat.
Even though I traded all our tickets in for that mood ring when we were at the pier, I haven’t given it to her. Giving her a ring that’s not an engagement ring doesn’t feel right. But giving her a promise ring might work out better. I know it’s old-fashioned and something I’m pretty sure teenagers do. I want her to know how serious I am about her and how much she’s changed me.
“Pay attention,” Abby mouths, making me laugh as I look over at my brother and Sienna as they kiss. Sienna hops into Lev’s arms and the kiss they share is not fit for the public.
Lev grips her hair, ruining it as he devours her. She grips his jacket right at the buttons, pulling him against her like it’s the first and only kiss, like their entire relationship has built up to this moment and not giving it everything would be a disservice.
When they break apart, people cheer and they run off. I know we have to take pictures, but I have a feeling they’re going to be busy for at least ten minutes. Everyone else files out as my father goes to get the happy couple.
I remind myself pictures are important, and we have to look happy. Between shots, I see blatant frustration on Lev’s face. He wants Sienna, and he wants her now. After a few more, I clear my throat. “I think there are plenty of the bride and groom. They have a long night of partying ahead and probably need a second to catch their breath.”
The photographer nods, but catches us before we can follow Sienna and Lev out of the venue. We take pictures as the wedding party, then get to go to the reception hall. I look around and am stopped by the Volkov brothers, Lief and Valerie. They’re standing between me and my goal.
Lief wraps himself around their wife.
“There’s music playing. Would you like to dance?” I catch him say as I approach.
Chase motions for them to do just that as Hunter raises a glass, enjoying the view of his wife walking away. He sees me and pats my chest. “The only bachelor left in the family!”
“About that ...”
Chase smirks. “Someone catch you?”
“I’m sure you two cursed me,” I point at them in accusation. “I was fine, not falling for anyone, and then you two started talking.”
“We’re not paying for the wedding,” Hunter decides.
I shake my head. “Please, Ed should get on that first. He and Lilah have been together much longer.”
“As if that matters,” Chase laughs. “Who’s the girl?”
“I’m looking for her. She’s my date, but she’s working too,” I answer.
“Are you going to tell us the whole story? If so, we should make sure Valerie can’t hear us. We want all the details,” Hunter says with a wink.
I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t want to be on your wife’s hit list.”
Spotting Abby over his shoulder double and triple checking the cake. I know she’s going to drive herself crazy if I don’t distract her. I pat Hunter’s shoulder. “Another night, when I know she won’t overhear.”
“Well,” Chase hesitates.
“As if either of you will focus if she’s out here dancing and mingling without you,” I hint.
They both look over as she dances with Lief, not slow dancing. Hunter groans. “She does that in public and just assumes no one will try to get on her other side.”
They rush off and I wander over to Abby. I stroke through her hair, then pull her against me. She huffs. “Taken. Off.”
“Are you taken? I thought you were a thorough and diligent girlfriend,” I purr in her ear.
She turns around; her face flaring red. “Danya!”
“Cupcake,” I greet. “The cake is perfect. Walk away.”
“But what if-”
“If you keep worrying about it, no one is going to eat it. You did a great job.”
“But the mascarpone might fail and if it does, I’ll have to remake the cake and then it will be a mess,” she argues.
“I tasted the mascarpone–it’s perfect. We tested it in mini-cakes. You remembered the supports. You’re a professional and you’ve done your job well,” I say, trying to convince her.
She looks at the cake with me and takes a few breaths. “You’re right. I’m just finding things to worry about.”
“You should worry about me. If you’re not here to distract me, I might do something wild, like running away with the baker,” I warn her.
She laughs and gets onto the dance floor with me before sitting beside me at the table. She holds my hand under the table. “I’m happy to be here with you, Danya. As your girlfriend and..”
“And?”
“And I would like to move in with you ... if the offer is still available. I think we’ll be ready for it in another three weeks,” she answers, while playing with her hair.
I pull her towards me and kiss her deeply showing her how much that little comment means to me. I groan when I hear cheers, since that means that Sienna and Lev are back and things are happening.
“I want you out of here already. There are plenty of closets, stairwells, private areas,” I groan.
“Soon we won’t have to find places,” Abby teases.
I lean toward her. “I know there’s a kitchen here.”
“With people in it,” she giggles.
“You’re driving me insane,” I say, sighing.
“Let’s wait until some things are going on. Then we can sneak away without worrying about you getting into trouble,” she hints before touching my thigh, “for the wrong thing.”
I take a slow breath because I have to resist her for now. I manage thirty minutes of waiting before I take her hand, acting like I’m going to drag her to the dance floor, but end up pulling her away and up a set of service stairs. When we get to the first landing, I press Abby against a wall and I kiss her with a deliberate slowness, creating a moment suspended in time. It’s so easy to lose myself in her.
When she makes a little whimpering, moaning sound, I remember the smile she gave me during the ceremony. I draw back and she kisses my chest after undoing a few buttons. “We don’t have long, Danya. We need to-”
“I love you,” I say.
She blinks a few times as she draws back, staring up at me. She rubs her ear. “W-what?”
“I love you, Zhizn moya,” I answer. “You asked me what that means once.”
She blushes and rubs my chest without meeting my eyes. “I looked it up. I know what it means, Danya.”
“Then me loving you shouldn’t be a surprise. You make me feel alive,” I whisper, trying to pull her closer against me. “You’re my life, Cupcake.”
She takes a ragged breath. “Those words mean a lot.”
“I’m well aware. I didn’t think I’d say them in this lifetime,” I admit.
“Sakharok ... I love you too,” she murmurs, her cheeks burning.
I stare at her. “What did you call me?”
“Did I say it right? I practiced. It’s supposed to mean ‘sugar’ or something and I thought it fit because you call me cupcake and-”
I kiss her, licking deep into her mouth and only pry away when I feel myself hard. “Again. Say it again.”
“Sakharok,” she pants.
I kiss her again and again. I deepen the kiss, letting the intensity of the moment blossom between us, then pry myself away when she rubs against me, eager and willing, although anyone could walk in. I reach into my pocket and show her the mood ring. I hold it up.
“Danya?”
“I got this at the pier with the tickets from our winnings ... it’s a promise for our future. Nothing but a promise,” I say, assuring her. “I will not move too fast with you. But I want you to know that I’m not going anywhere. You will not lose me by being you.”
She stares at the ring and puts it on her thumb–it’s the only finger it fits. It turns light green after a moment and I pull out the little slip of paper that comes with it. Light green means romantic.
“So?” I ask.
“I love it, and I love you, Danya. All of you, every bit of you,” she says before jerking me down and kissing me with an intensity, savoring the depth of our connection.
Her sweetness doesn’t taste like anything but pure joy now.