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“I certainly hope so. It would be unfortunate if I packed someone else’s luggage for our trip.”
“What trip? Why did you pack so much? Where are you taking me?” She tries to wriggle free, but I have a feeling if I let her go, it’ll be hard to catch her again.
“I’m starting to think you don’t trust me.”
“With my life? ‘Til the very end,” she concedes, still trying to squirm away. “With responsibly managing our time? Not one bit. How long are we leaving for?”
“Baseline: four nights. But we can extend if we want to.” I hold up a hand before her mouth can drop open. “I know what you’re thinking: Nina.”
“Exactly. Have you forgotten about our daughter?”
I’m the one who just brought her up, but I don’t bother pointing that out. “Polina is thrilled to be on babysitting duty the next four days. Over the fucking moon, really. I thought she was goingto start dancing. But she’s also on standby, ready to hop on a plane and join us on this little honeymoon the second you start missing Nina.”
“‘Honeymoon’?”
I swing her around so she’s in front of me, her body soft and warm in my arms. “We never had a proper one. I figured now is the perfect time. Before you start your yoga empire and don’t have a spare moment in your day for me anymore.”
A little smile glows in the corners of her mouth, but she tamps it down. “I don’t know…”
“Nina is going to be fine. Polina and Evelyn have it covered. Even if they do need help—which they won’t—Kira is right next door. And it’s only four days.”
“Four days is a lot, considering I’ve never been away from her. Not even for a night.”
“I’ve tripled security on the house,” I assure her, even though there hasn’t been a peep out of Charles since we sent him packing. “And like I said, the second you miss her, they’ll get on a plane and bring her to us.”
She glances towards the plane, no small amount of longing in her eyes. “You’re making it very hard to say no.”
“I wouldn’t dare leave alone time with you up to chance.” I pull her against my chest. “But it’s your call in the end. If you can’t deal with leaving Nina behind, just say the word, and she’ll be here with her retinue in half an hour. We can chill out on the jet with a cocktail and wait for them to join us.”
She looks severely tempted. “I suppose… a few nights away won’t hurt.” As soon as the words are out of her mouth, she drops her face in her hands.
I pry her wrists away. “You don’t have to feel guilty. You’re a brilliant mother. You deserve some time to yourself.Wedeserve some timetogether.”
“It would be nice to get away,” she admits. “Somewhere different, just you and me.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Her smile spreads. “Alright then. I’m ready. I think.”
I don’t stop holding my breath until the plane takes off and we’re airborne. Only then do I pop a bottle of champagne and pour us each a glass.
“To you, my wife.” I raise my glass.
Laila raises hers, too. “We already toasted to me at dinner. Repeatedly.”
“This is our honeymoon. I’ll toast you every hour if I want.” I lean down, hands on the armrests of her chair. “We can do whatever we want.”
I grab the glass from her hand and press it to her lips. Slowly, she parts them, letting me serve her.
Before I can get any other ideas, she spots the tray of chocolate-covered strawberries on the bar. “This is crazy. I never, in mywildest dreams, thought I’d be on a private jet to… Where are we going?”
“Let the pilot worry about the destination. All you and I have to worry about is the journey.” I pin her against the bar, unable to stop myself from following the low neckline of her dress across her chest. “After everything you’ve been through, you deserve a break.”
Her hand combs through my hair, and it takes me a second to realize she’s pulling me away. “Arsen?” I drag my mouth away from her skin by sheer force of will. Her brows are knitted together. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to say to you.”
“Anything.”
Silently, though, I reserve the right to respond however I see fit. If she suggests we enjoy this honeymoon separately, I might just jump out of the emergency door.
