“Good God, that’s a sexy look,” Sydney murmured at Sacha’s elbow. Her purple eyes were bright with something Sacha completely understood.
“They do look very comfortable holding her,” she agreed as she watched the men.
Alekzander didn’t shake Maksim’s hand but put a beer in it before taking Lekzi back.
Maksim transferred the bottle to the table and left it unopened. “No time. Syd has to get to Pant, and I’m going to pass by the warehouse before I go to the loft. I want to get online and take a close look at that footage. Listen, make sure I’m around when you tell the boys tomorrow. Gotta see their reaction to this news.”
Alekzander looked amused. “Since you’ll be at home with them, and I’m taking a few days off, why don’t you bring everyone by for lunch?”
Sacha bit her lip. Did that mean she would have to take those days off too? She would have to call her families first thing and tell them she would be unavailable until further notice. For how long, though?
“Before we go,” Maksim said, stalling before he and Sydney reached the door. “What’s the kid’s name? Didn’t even think to ask.”
“Alekzandra,” her father supplied with a note of pride. “But Sacha calls her Lekzi.”
Maksim shocked Sacha by coming over and kissing both her cheeks.
“Beautiful job,” he praised softly enough that it remained between them. “Be patient while he has his tantrum. We’d all do the same. Just know he’s already coming around.” He gave her arm a squeeze then left with Sydney, who promised to drop by tomorrow.
And so Sacha found herself alone with her small family. Alekzander placed his own untouched beer next to Maksim’s and sat on the sofa with Lekzi in his lap.
“I will need to pick up some groceries tomorrow,” she said as she mentally began organizing. She’d always prepared Lekzi’s food from scratch, but she kept some store-bought jars on hand for convenience. She also had cereal in the diaper bag, but it wouldn’t last long.
Speaking of eating. While Alekzander had spent that time in the nursery, Sacha had pumped but could once again feel the firmness of her breasts and knew she would have to do so again. Or feed the baby. Angela must have given her formula earlier for her not to be fussing yet.
“Make a list and I’ll have Yana get everything you need in the morning.”
“Yana is still with Vasily?” She’d always loved sitting in the kitchen talking with the older Russian lady. “Um, do you think she would mind if I shopped with her. I have been making Lekzi’s food since she started on solids, so I am familiar with what works best.”
“How about you and I will take a trip into town in the morning. What does she eat?”
As her stomach dipped with pleasure at the thought of shopping with him again, she listed off the meals she commonly made up and began putting supplies back into the diaper bag.
“Don’t do that,” Alekzander interrupted. “Find a spot…” He looked around and pointed at a bookshelf against the wall. “Over there. Pick a shelf and we can keep some things handy. That way you’re not always running upstairs when you need to change her. I’ll have a small cabinet put in my office, and keep it fully stocked so you can easily replenish.”
His thoughtfulness and the fact that he was planning ahead left her shaken. This was happening, she thought as she looked around at the type of luxury only the very wealthy could take for granted.
“You do not have to go to the trouble. I do not mind making the trip upstairs. I can always use the exercise,” she tacked on under her breath, remembering the size of Sydney’s waist. She took a few diapers, a container of wipes, and an extra tube of Vaseline from the bag and placed it on the shelf.
“You won’t be needing the stairs to get your exercise.”
Down went the Vaseline. She cursed softly and shivered as she bent and picked it up.
“Look at me.”
She turned on straightening when she heard his command and a sweet gurgle right behind her.
“I want to be honest and let you know there are two things I’m struggling with right now. Would you like to hear what they are?”
She itched to touch the beginnings of what would be a beard if he let it go any longer but instead took Lekzi’s hand when she grabbed at Sacha’s earring. She couldn’t read Alekzander’s expression at all. “I am not sure,” she said carefully.
He brought his mouth to hers. His breath was warm; his tongue wet where he leisurely licked at the seam of her lips. Lust exploded inside her, weakening her muscles and readying her to take him.