He caught her chin and turned her head back toward him. “Don’t do that, malen’kaya lyublyu moyo. If we have children, I will love and care for them with the same passion and intensity I do you. You’re a strong woman. You said yourself you’re no submissive and you aren’t. You’d kick me hard if you thought I’d harm our children.”

Her eyes opened and he saw resolve there. Determination and truth. “If you tried to harm our children, Fyodor, I would find a way to kill you. Understand that. Know I mean what I say. No one will ever do to our children what your father did to you, or mine did to me. When I have children, they will be loved and they’ll know it. They’ll be cherished and protected fiercely. I’ll guard them with everything I am.”

“No, Evangeline, we’ll guard them. I feel exactly the same way. My children will get to be children, and they’ll know they’re loved. I want that as much as you.” He loved that she thought she could kill him if necessary—and maybe she could. He would never harm her, not for any reason, and that would give her a huge advantage if it ever came down to a real fight between them.

He leaned down and kissed her mouth. Instantly she forgot all about everything else and gave herself up to him like she always did when he kissed her. Her body was so warm and soft he couldn’t help sliding his hand under her breast and just letting it rest in his palm. When he lifted his head she looked a little bemused.

“You need to go to sleep, malyutka.” He brushed another kiss on her temple, his thumb sliding lazily over her nipple. He couldn’t help enjoying the shiver that went through her body. It was visible and she didn’t in any way try to hide it from him. “You’re sensitive.”

“Very.”

“I like that. Someday I’m going to get you off by just lavishing attention on your breasts.” The idea excited him. To see if he could do that for her. “When I do this . . .” He brushed her nipple again lightly and then bit down with his thumb and finger briefly. One more brush as she arched her back and gasped. “Do you get damp for me? Tell me what this does to you.”

She touched her tongue to her lip, drew in breath and settled on the bed again. “I can feel it inside. Deep. It’s like there’s a straight line leading from my breast to my vagina. I not only go damp but my muscles clench.”

He liked that. He liked that she hadn’t hesitated to answer him. He wanted her comfortable, talking to him about everything so if she was worried, he’d know about it.