Natalia sat on the couch, gazing out the window at a gray sky promising rain. Vlad, her fiancé, had just come home from work, and a subtle tension mixed with anticipation hung in the air.
– “Vlad, which restaurant should we pick for the wedding? Or do you not care?” she asked, turning to him with a smile.
– “Babe, how about one downtown, near the registry office?” he suggested, taking off his jacket.
– “Good idea. Will work give you a car at a discount for employees?”
– “Think so. They’ve got no choice. I’m the head of the fleet now,” he winked, pride seeping into his voice.
– “You’re amazing, I’m so happy I’m marrying you. Let’s apply for a mortgage right away, through that program before they cancel it.”
– “Sure, babe, whatever you say.”
– “You’re so sweet, always agreeing with me. But I’ll let you disagree sometimes,” she grinned slyly.
– “Like when?” Vlad squinted, stepping closer.
– “If I say I don’t want to fuck tonight, don’t believe me,” her voice softened, almost a whisper.
– “Oh, you little minx, I’ll carry you in my arms and love you ‘til the world spins,” he laughed, pulling her close.
– “Like in that bathroom at the party?” she giggled, then caught herself.
– “That wasn’t me, babe. That was my friend,” Vlad frowned slightly.
– “Oh, sorry, forgot, mixed it up. I’m such an idiot,” she lowered her eyes, embarrassed.
– “Tomorrow we’ll go pick a dress and set the wedding date, so the ceremony and reception are on the same day,” he changed the subject.
– “How many guests from your side?”
– “Maybe twenty, tops. Honestly, I just want the day to be over. Not ‘cause I don’t love you, just… too many strangers, they’ll get drunk, stuff their faces, and leave.”
– “I don’t like big crowds either. But we’ll get through it, and then I’ll love you forever, be the best for you, only for you,” she pressed against him.
– “I know, sweetheart. Come here,” his voice warmed, his arms tightening around her.
– “You’re awesome. Wanna hit up the restaurant where I work tonight? I want my friends to serve us. And, you know, show off my future husband,” she smiled.
– “If you’re cool with it, let’s go. I wanna spend every free minute with you, babe,” Vlad kissed her forehead.
– “Then let’s call a cab. But first… we’ve got time to light a fire,” her eyes sparkled.
– “Think we’ll make it?” he smirked.
– “No. But we can start.”
Vlad pulled her to him with such force she didn’t have time to say a word. Their passion flared instantly, like a spark in dry grass. He pinned her against the wall, and the world vanished, leaving only the heat of their bodies. But the flame died too soon—he didn’t wait for her climax, leaving her body aching with unmet desire.
– “I didn’t finish,” she exhaled with slight disappointment.
– “After the restaurant, babe. The night’s just starting,” he promised, adjusting his clothes.
– “Thanks, that helps,” she smiled, hiding a faint frustration.
They reached the café in twenty-three minutes, as Vlad noted, glancing at his trusty watch. He always marveled at how people managed without one, as if time meant nothing to them.
– “Good evening,” a waitress greeted them.
– “Hey. How’s it going?” Natalia smiled at the familiar face.
– “Alright. What’ll you order?”
– “I don’t know, you pick, you know the menu better,” Vlad looked at his fiancée with a warm smile. The waitress froze like a statue, but his gaze softened her tension, and she instinctively straightened up, showing off her figure.
*How does she do that?* Vlad thought, unconsciously comparing her to Natalia. The girl was cute, but his fiancée was in a league of her own.
Ten minutes later, they brought a pitcher of fruit tea.
– “I love this kind,” Natalia said, pouring herself a glass.
– “Me too, just no sugar. Be right back,” she stood and headed to the bar to say hi to the bartender she hadn’t seen in a while due to schedule changes.
Vlad watched their chat, feeling a slight pang of unease. When Natalia returned, she mentioned she’d need to step away in half an hour to train a new waitress on table setting.
– “They hire such clueless kids, it’s a nightmare,” she grumbled, but stayed to try the first course.
– “Tasty, what do you think, hon?” she asked, looking at Vlad.
– “Awesome, incredible. Your chef’s top-notch, the heart of this place. Bad food means no returning customers. I see the same faces here, pricey spot, prestigious. Though, honestly, we can’t come all the time. Mortgage, groceries, clothes—we gotta save. Maybe I’ll switch jobs or go back to uni. It’ll be tough on you alone,” her voice carried concern.
– “Babe, I’ve got it covered,” he replied confidently.
– “I know, but still… everything’s expensive. Anyway, I’ll step out now, run the training. Okay, hon?”
– “No problem, I’ll wait. Gonna miss you,” he smiled.
Natalia headed to the back room while Vlad sat at the table, lost in thought. When she returned, he noticed her sweater was slightly askew but kept quiet.
– “Miss me?” she asked, sitting beside him.
– “Hell yeah. Everything good? Sorted it out?”
– “Yeah, quick. She catches on fast, wrapped up in fifteen minutes.”
They finished dinner, paid, and headed out. Vlad stepped out first, while Natalia lingered, tossing a subtle air kiss to the bartender before following her fiancé.
Days flew by, but nights dragged on, filled with passion and hidden thoughts.
– “You want a bachelor party?” Natalia asked one evening.
– “Haven’t thought about it,” Vlad replied, looking at her pensively.
– “Well, think about it. I’d like a bachelorette party, but not now—right before the wedding, when nerves mix with excitement.”
– “Sure, talk to your girls, make it memorable. Though you’ll probably order a male stripper,” he tried to joke.
– “What is this, kindergarten? Why a stripper when we could do something more serious?” her tone was sharp, and Vlad’s smile went unanswered.
He went to shower, and when he returned, Natalia wasn’t in the bedroom. Through the cracked bathroom door, he caught her reflection—she sat on the sink, lost in her fantasies, head tilted back. Who was she imagining? His heart clenched with doubt. Was this marriage even necessary? How strong would their bond be if shadows already crept between them?
He retreated to the kitchen to distract himself, poured some tea, and sank into thought. They were the same age, but sometimes he felt like just a temporary shelter for her until a better wind blew her way. He tried to push these thoughts aside, but they buzzed back like pesky flies.
– “Everything okay, hon?” her voice snapped him out of it.
– “Yeah, perfect,” he lied, hiding his unease.
Vlad knew her too well. When she spoke so sweetly, it meant she’d just had a passionate moment and was satisfied. But the lack of intimacy with him, especially on days he came home late and collapsed from exhaustion, built tension. Her nature demanded release, and he could sense it.
*Next time with her will be better if I give her a little space. But getting her to climax a second time will be harder, and my score might drop,* he thought, eyeing the oversized robe she loved wearing at home. That robe was like a hideout for two, and sometimes, lying on the couch, she’d lift the hem, baring her body, waiting for him to give in. If they hadn’t fucked in over three days, she’d start wandering the house naked, doing chores as if teasing him.
He’d learned to read her behavior, like a master understands a pet’s quirks, guessing what she craved.
Natalia went dress shopping with a friend who’d been married twice and knew the drill.
– “I couldn’t pull that off, but if I wanted to, I could,” her friend laughed, pointing at a dress. “I recommend this one. Stylish and practical.”
– “Practical how, exactly?” Natalia squinted skeptically.
– “You’re so old-school. The hem lifts in a second,” her friend winked. “I did that at my wedding with three of my husband’s buddies… you get it. In the restaurant bathroom. Speed’s the key. I’ve got some contacts if you want similar action.”
– “Thanks, pass. But I’ll take the dress. Gotta try it on. Excuse me, is your consultant around?” Natalia asked the staff.
– “She stepped out. I can help,” a man replied, introducing himself as the salon owner. “I order the dresses myself, so I think I can assist better than my staff. Come with me, have you chosen one?”
– “This one. What do you think?”
– “Excellent choice. This year’s model, comfortable, you could even ride a motorcycle after the ceremony. Head to the fitting room, there’s a full-length mirror.”
The fitting room was spacious, with a huge mirror and soft rugs.
– “So cozy here, I could live in it,” Natalia smiled, taking the dress from the owner.
Her friend left after an urgent call from her husband, and the consultant, upon returning, offered help, but Natalia chose to stay with Alexander Mikhailovich.
– “Alexander, does this dress suit me? Be honest, not as a shop owner, but as a man,” she asked, studying herself in the mirror.
– “The color’s perfect. The straps can be tightened. The hem’s light, might lift in the wind—that’s the only flaw, perhaps,” he answered.
– “Thanks for the honesty. And that flaw, as you call it, might work in my favor,” she smiled slyly, turning and slightly lifting the hem, revealing she wore no underwear. “Everything look okay down there?”
– “Bravissimo, exquisite,” his voice trembled with admiration.
– “I expected more,” she teased.
Ten minutes later, the fitting room door opened.
– “No stains there?” she asked, inspecting the dress.
– “All clean,” he assured her.
– “Thanks, I wiped off the excess,” she stuffed her underwear into her bag, changed, and left.
– “Come again. Wishing you love and happiness,” Alexander bid her farewell.
– “Thanks.”
Natalia got home in the evening, slightly regretting not picking the dress with Vlad. Dinner was already underway when she stepped out of the shower and noticed him moving her bag.
– “Someone tossed dirty laundry in here for you,” he said, holding her panties.
– “Seriously? What assholes,” she tried to joke, but his gaze was heavy.
– “These are yours. I bought them myself,” his voice was laced with pain.
– “Vlad, forgive me, please. It just happened. I don’t wanna talk about it, don’t wanna lose you. You’re so good to me,” she pleaded, looking at him desperately.
He stayed silent. Her beauty and their bond held him, but the wound was fresh.
– “If you want, I’ll let you cheat on me. With my best friend,” she offered, but he just stared into nothingness.
– “We’ll talk tomorrow. Tonight, I want to take you however I want, as long as I want,” he finally said.
– “Punish me,” she whispered.
By morning, she fell asleep, utterly spent. When she woke, Vlad wasn’t beside her. Her body ached, and her thoughts were a mess. She didn’t know if he’d left for good. At work, after talking to a coworker, she calmed down a bit and texted him, begging for forgiveness.
– “I’ll come home with you tonight,” her friend offered. “I’ve patched up a couple like this before.”
– “Got nice lingerie?” Natalia asked.
– “Won’t need it. Let’s get to work.”
The shift ended late, and they headed home as a trio. Natalia lay down in the living room, sending her friend to the bedroom. Within five minutes, moans and muffled talk drifted from there. Vlad didn’t immediately realize it wasn’t his fiancée, but the difference in bodies and sensations opened his eyes.
Natalia, lying in the dark, touched herself, hearing the bed creak. She cursed herself for the lingerie slip-up, for that moment in the salon that cracked their bond. An hour later, when things quieted, she entered the bedroom, pressed against Vlad, inhaling his scent, and brought herself to a peak before lying beside him.
In the morning, Vlad woke between two women and, without hesitation, began caressing them both. Their moans blended into harmony, and, giving in to impulse, he took the friend with such force that pain mingled with pleasure.
A day later, alone with Natalia, their intimacy was deep, sensual, lingering. She was glad that, oddly enough, the lingerie mistake had sparked a new wave of passion.
Natalia learned to cook new dishes, and soon the shadows of the past began to fade. They prepared for the wedding, choosing dishes and drinks for the reception.
– “How’s my dress?” she asked, wearing it at home when Vlad returned from work.
– “You’re stunning,” his voice brimmed with awe.
– “Hold me,” she urged.
He’d had a tense day at work, and his anger sought an outlet. On such days, he could go for hours without stopping, and today his passion surged anew. He shed his clothes, lifted her dress hem, and entered her, finding solace in her warmth.
She shuddered, playing along, but soon surrendered to the wave. The salon owner’s skilled moves flashed through her mind, but she pushed the memory away, giving herself to the present. In the mirror, she saw their reflection—a dance of passion where his strength vanished into her, like a trick, stirring awe and thrill.
When he peaked a second time, he went to the kitchen for water. Natalia, still bent over, soon straightened and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
On their wedding day, rain poured in the morning, but by noon, the sky cleared, and it grew hot. Guests, mostly women in light dresses, felt at ease. After the ceremony, Natalia grabbed the keys from the restaurant admin where she worked and led Vlad to the rooftop.
The spot was exposed, but she picked a corner by a ventilation pipe where they could hold on. Their passion flared again, her dress hem fluttering like a white flag surrendering to the wind. Only a few with sharp eyes might’ve spotted their silhouettes, but most mistook them for workers.
When it ended, Natalia didn’t wipe anything. She just gathered traces of their passion in her palm and, locking eyes with her husband, licked her fingers.
They were husband and wife, and in that moment, it seemed no shadows of the past could dim their future.