9 years later
I place the bouquet of flowers onto the table and look at the table critically, tweak the petals and put one of the hardback books upright to show off the gilded edges. I like the display treats to be just right when Lina has a book launch.
“Dad, it’s fine. Mum will love it whatever,” Mila says, coming up beside me and leaning her head against my arm.
“Morning malyshuka.” I turn and kiss the top of her head, which she accepts with a grumble. She’s wearing cartoon pyjamas and pouting. Not a morning person, our daughter. Grumpy, just like her father.
I can’t believe that she reaches almost to my bicep now.
Every year I swear the kids can’t get any bigger, I can’t get any greyer, Lina can’t be any more beautiful, and I can’t be any prouder of my talented wife.
Every year I’m wrong.
But probably Mila is right. It’s not how I’ve arranged the flowers and books and champagne and chocolates. It’s what they represent: ten books published, after nine years together. It’s a remarkable feat, especially given we also have two children and a mafia empire to run.
“Can you get Alexi down?” I ask Mila, who rolls her eyes and pads off back upstairs to find her brother.
Our five-year-old will be awake, he takes after me that way. But he’s probably plugged into whatever game—animal living? Is that what it’s called?—he likes at the moment. Prone to be obsessive, my boy is going to be a top-notch leader of Mayfair. Mila is more interested in following in Lina’s footsteps as a writer. I’m not sold on journalism, personally. Too many opportunities for my daughter to poke her nose in where it’s not wanted, and start a mafia war.
But I’ll save that worry for another ten years’ time, when she’s eighteen, not eight.
In the meantime, both the kids know the drill. Book launch days are special. I like to have all the family together to celebrate my wife’s achievements.
I look over at the breakfast table, where there are all of Lina and the kids’ favourites. Fruit salad, pan au chocolate, croissants, Danish pastries, and cereal for Alexi.
Checking everything is in place, I prepare coffee for Lina and me. On normal mornings, she makes the coffee, just as she used to when we met. But she taught me to use the machine, and while I’m not as good at it as her, I make a decent espresso.
As I finish making cappuccino for my wife, a pair of arms wrap around my waist and a familiar rose scent meets my nose, above the coffee.
Lina presses her cheek into the dip of my spine. “Thank you.”
“I’m so proud of you.” I turn, pulling her close and kissing her. “You’ve done amazingly.”
She’s soft and sweet in my arms, wearing a silk dress already, her black hair falling around her shoulders. My cock starts to respond, hardening. She’s so gorgeous, and I still want her constantly. I know she’s off for a lazy lunch with Anwyn and her other friends to continue the tenth book anniversary celebrations, and has dressed up for that. I have to work. I wonder if we have time to quickly have a personal celebration…
“Happy launch day!” Mila and Alexi burst into the kitchen and hug us both, gripping Lina’s back and my hip.
“Thank you!” Lina breaks off our kiss with a soft groan of disappointment.
Oh children. They have such perfect timing. But I can’t help but laugh and hook an arm around them both to squeeze them too.
“Mum, did you see?” Alexi demands. “You have a gold book!”
“I know, it’s called gilded edges.” We break up the group hug to admire Lina’s book. Something about dragons, though I admit I haven’t read this one yet. I surreptitiously rearrange myself so my erection is covered. That’s just for Lina. No one else.
“And your dad is very naughty,” Lina finishes, as she shows the book to the kids. “As I think that’s real gold.”
“Of course it is.”
“You’re ridiculously indulgent.” She smiles up at me. “You always made launch days so special. Shall we have breakfast, then I need to spend a bit of time on social media. My reader group will be excitedly tagging me in everything.”
Darn. No chance of dragging her to bed then.
“Dad,” Alexi says as we sit down to eat. “Why does only Mum get special treatment for her celebrations?”
I sip my espresso and raise one eyebrow. “The party we had for your end-of-year report cards wasn’t a celebration?”
“But—” Alexi has his mouth full of cereal now.
“Yes,” Mila interrupts, pinning me with her pale bluey-green eyes. They’re a mix of mine and Lina’s. “But what about yours? At work and stuff?”
Well, when Daddy has made a particularly lucrative illegal deal, Mummy gives Daddy a celebration blow job.
The kids don’t know the full extent of what I do. They have a vague sense that it’s dangerous and I run several companies. That’s enough for a few more years at least.
My eyes meet Lina’s, and her smirk is so downright naughty that my cock throbs. It’s a damn good thing we’re all sitting at the table.
“You’re right, Alexi. Your dad deserves more celebrations,” Lina says, blinking innocently.
“Don’t worry about me,” I assure the kids, both of whom have wrinkles in their brows thinking about this perceived injustice.
“Why don’t we have a party for Dad tomorrow morning?” Lina suggests. “You two can plan it with Galina’s help.”
Mila and Alexi are immediately enthralled with this idea, chattering together about what they should scheme.
“And I’ll give you a gift in the very early morning,” Lina adds under her breath, for my ears only.
“I’ll hold you to that,” I reply, as though I don’t get it every day. I still love a five AM wake-up call with Lina. The coffee is later now, but those early hours of the day remain ours alone.
“A promise is a promise, husband. We have a lot to celebrate.” And her smile is so happy my heart is too big for my chest, threatening to burst out of my ribcage.
Later tonight, or as I wake. I can’t wait to discover what my gorgeous wife has in mind.
