The Russian's Secret Child (The Fedosov Family Series) by Leslie North

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    Cooking breakfast together had become a ritual with them beginning with the second morning he’d slept over. Jasmine had enjoyed starting her day with someone other than her thoughts and had quickly learned just how sensual cooking together could be.
    She watched him move around the kitchen and realized that some things hadn’t changed. She still loved seeing him work around the kitchen. His strong muscles in direct contrast to the gentle way his whisked the eggs together, or the way he carefully turned the omelets over.
    Misha poured the eggs into the pan, adding meat and vegetables before turning to her, “I spoke to Dmitry on the way here. He’s going to make some calls about your visa. He thinks he can get it renewed as if it never expired.”
    Jasmine nodded, “What happens if he can’t do that?”
    “We’ll cross that bridge if it arrives. I also asked him for a favor and before you get upset, I want you to hear me out.” He waited for Jasmine to nod before he continued, “Dmitry is having Julia and Desi put together a small gathering for Saturday afternoon.”
    “Why? I thought they were planning their own weddings?”
    “At this gathering,” he continued as if she hadn’t interrupted him, “I will be introducing my family to my son. And my wife.”
    He watched as the words sank in and a protest rose to her lips, “Wait. Before you get angry, think about it. You did not give birth to Mikhail in a hospital. There is no record of his birth other than Dasha’s word and if it gets out that she delivered him and didn’t report it, she’ll lose her license to practice medicine.”
    Jasmine hadn’t thought of the fact that Dasha could suffer consequences for having helped her. “I don’t want Dasha to suffer for me.”
    “I know,” Misha nodded, turning the eggs over, “That is why we must marry. Russia is a very patriarchal society, this you know well. No one will question his parentage once we are married. He will be free from criticism or speculation, and his Russian citizenship will be secure.”
    “I want him to have American citizenship,” Jasmine threw out there.
    “Really? Think about it before you make that decision. As my heir, he stands to inherit a third of the richest empire in Russia.” Seeing her eyes widen, he laughed, “I’m surprised you didn’t do your homework once you found out who I was.”
    “How would I have done that? I sold my laptop to buy diapers months ago and in order to use the computers at the public library, I would have had to show them some form of I.D. which I didn’t have.”
    Her words made him feel ashamed. His woman shouldn’t have had to suffer so!
    “Sorry. The Fedosov family controls all of the mining in Russia and as such, is the largest and richest empire in the country. Mikhail is entitled to a third of that empire, but only as a Russian citizen. You know that the government doesn’t allow foreigners to inherit.”
    Jasmine knew all of this and nodded. “I can see your point, but how am I to take him back to American with me…”
    “Stop. I will make a deal with you. You’ve had ten months with our son. I want the same.” Misha had thought about how to entice her to stay in Russia without attempting to leave, and this idea had just popped into his head, but it was a good one!
    “What?! Misha, please don’t try to take him away from me…”
    “What are you talking about now? Why would I take him away from you? Oh… you thought I meant… Jasmine, I care for you and want to get to know our son.  I would never take him from you. Never!”
    Jasmine felt stupid for having jumped to conclusions, but she was tired and things were happening very fast. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thought that way.”
    “No, you shouldn’t have, but it just goes to prove my point. We need time to get to know each other. Really know each other. I am proposing that you agree to marry me and stay in Russia for no less than ten months while I get to