Their First Time by Lena Lucas

6

Ivan

Five weeks later

She was nervous, acting a little strange now that I really watched her mannerisms. Sunny kept biting her bottom lip as she fluttered around the kitchen like a hummingbird going from flower to flower.

We’d just finished dinner, one she’d insisted on cooking for me at her apartment. When she’d told me she wanted to cook dinner for me because she had something to talk to me about, I hadn’t thought anything of it.

Maybe she was going back to school for her master’s degree? Maybe she was thinking about getting a bigger place? Maybe she wanted to move in together… which was what I wanted, to be honest. I wanted a hell of a lot more than that, and the diamond ring burning a hole in my pocket was a testament to that.

I should wait and pop the question when I could be more romantic. I should plan something really special to let Sunny know that she was mine and mine alone. But I was impatient and wanted Sunny as my wife. The sooner, the better. I didn’t need a ring or a piece of paper that said she was forever mine to know the truth. But I did want things official just so I had all my bases covered.

I was diligent in making Sunny mine, that was for fucking sure.

Sitting quietly at her small kitchen table, I just watched her, hating that she was clearly nervous.

“Sunny. Come here,” I said in a deep voice.

She exhaled a shaky breath and walked over to me, her face filled with so many emotions that my heart lurched in my chest that she wasn’t smiling. I pulled her onto my lap when she was close to me, smoothed some hair away from her cheek, and then just stared into her eyes.

“What’s wrong, kotik?”

Her smile was little, but I’d take that over her anxiousness. “You can tell there’s something wrong?”

I snorted. “Da.”

She glanced down at her hands in her lap, and I did the same, watching as she twisted her fingers together.

“Hey,” I whispered and lifted her head up with a finger under her chin. “Talk to me.” She felt so tense on my lap. “You know you can tell me anything. You know how much I love you?”

She nodded and licked her lips. I cupped the back of her head and pulled her in close, kissing her slowly, thoroughly. “Talk to me, kotik.”

She was still so silent, and I waited for her to tell me why she’d really asked me over for dinner. For her, I had all the time in the world.

“Just say it, huh?” Her voice was thin, shaky.

I nodded. “Da, kitten.”

Sunny stared into my eyes, and then said, “I’m pregnant.”

For a second, I wasn’t sure I’d heard her correctly. “Come again?” I mumbled before I could stop myself.

Her eyes were so wide as she said, “I’m pregnant, Ivan. I got knocked up by the Russian.”

Despite the whirlwind I had just been thrust into, I couldn’t help but laugh at what she’d said. Then I sobered. “A baby?” And as she slowly nodded, I felt the grin spread across my face. Pulling her in closer, I wrapped my arms around her slender frame and just held the woman I loved more than anything else, refusing to ever let her go. When I pulled back, I couldn't help but lower my gaze to her flat belly and instinctively placed my hand on her stomach. “My baby,” I whispered.

She nodded. “Yes. Your baby.” I stared into her eyes. “Are you happy, Ivan?”

My throat was so fucking tight from emotions.

“A baby,” I said again and chuckled in pure fucking happiness. “My love. My heart,” I said. Cupping her face, I slammed my mouth on hers, unable to stop myself.

Tonight was the night. I knew it. I carried this ring around with me always, wanting to just ask her but always talking myself out of it until I felt like it was the “right time.” Now is the right time.

“Are you… happy?”

My heart thundered. “Oh, Sunny. Da, my heart. Da, I am so happy that you're pregnant.”

The smile she gave me had my entire body coming to life. That was all it took from her. One look, one touch, and I was weak.

I couldn’t find my voice, so I said nothing at all, just leaned in and kissed her. I said against her mouth, “I love you. Fuck, I love you so much, Sunny.” I pulled back fully and looked into her eyes. “Kotik, you are my world. My heart and my everything.”

She was the one to hold me now, and fuck, it was wonderful.

“Marry me, Sunny,” I whispered right beside her ear.

She pulled back and looked into my face, her expression telling me she was shocked as hell. I hadn’t meant to blurt it out like this, but I’d felt so much love for her that the words just spilled from me.

I cupped her jaw and smoothed my thumb along her bottom lip. “I know proposing this way isn’t the most romantic way—”

“I don’t want you proposing just because I’m pregnant."

I felt my brows lower and shook my head.

“Marry me, kitten.” I took her hand and placed it over my heart. “My kotik. Marry me. I want this to be official. I want our family to be tied in every single way.”

For a second, she didn’t speak, just stared at me with eyes wide. I held my breath, waiting for her to answer. Fuck, the ring. I reached into my pocket, pulled out the box, and popped the lid, showing her the diamond solitaire. “I’ve been carrying this around for a long time, waiting for the right moment. This isn’t about marrying you because you’re pregnant. This is about wanting you to be my wife because I can’t live my life without you in it.”

She covered her mouth with her hand, tears in her eyes as she stared down at the ring.

I held her hand over my heart and whispered, “You’ll always own this. You’ll always own me.”

“Yes, Ivan,” she finally said, a tear tracking down her cheek. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

I brushed it away with my thumb, bringing that digit to my lips and kissing the wet and salty pad.

I cupped the back of her head and said by her ear, “You’ve made me the happiest man in the whole world. From the moment I saw you all those years ago, I knew you’d be mine. I was just too stupid to act on that as soon as I stepped through your front door.”

She started laughing and wrapped her arms around my neck, hanging on to me until I thought she’d break my bones. I let her, because all I’d feel was pleasure because I’d be in her arms.