Page 89 of Scarlet Sins

“Nah, that’s yours, Sasha.” He grins. “Besides, I shared mine with mama.”

“And the baby?”

Demyan’s gaze shifts to me. “Yeah.”

“Okay.” And Sasha proceeds to eat and wear the rest of his ice cream.

When he’s finished, before I can clean him again, Sasha tears away.

“Watch me!”

And he starts to play.

“You spoil him,” I say.

“I want him to have everything I didn’t,” Demyan says after a moment. “And a little spoiling never hurt anyone.”

“Stefina?”

He flinches and I wish I hadn’t made the joke. “There’s spoiling with treats and there’s raising someone to be self-entitled and replacing love with materialistic things. I’ll spoil him within reason. But right now? I want to make up for some lost time. I want to show him we’re a family and I love him. It’s ice cream.”

His words make my eyes swim with unshed tears. “And pizza and pets?—”

“He doesn’t have a pet.”

“Yet.”

Demyan shakes his head and laughs. “Can I get him a pet one day?”

Oh God. I smile and as he sits up to steal a kiss, I dropmy forehead to his. “Obviously. One day. When he can learn to look after it.”

“Yes,Lyubimaya.”

I’m still concerned about Sergio, but Demyan did what I wanted, and I trust him when he says he knows what he’s doing.

He also chose me and Sasha and the baby.

Demyan pulls back. “Do you want a big wedding?”

“Not really. I never thought about it. The fanfare isn’t what it’s about, is it? It’s the love and commitment, at least, that’s what I always thought.”

Then he floors me.

“Let’s elope.”

“What?” I manage.

“Let’s elope. Go somewhere tropical. Like Aruba. Just you and me and Sasha. We’ll bring Ilya, Alina, and Kara, too. Let’s do this. Soon. What do you say?”

I stare at him, trying to breathe. “I thought you were talking hypothetical.”

“Do you want to do that, having something small? Because who else do we really need?”

“No one. No one at all.”

“So, how about it? Elope with me?”

And happiness blooms bright inside. “Yes, Demyan. Yes!”

---