Page 55 of Betrothed To Love

“I think so too, but as of this week, she wants to be a firefighter; it changes weekly,” I say and she laughs.

“Daddy, you want some fruit snacks,” Niya yells from the bar area. ”I got you one, Miss Mireya.”

“Why the hell do I feel like the third wheel?” I ask Mireya even though I’m loving everything about their budding relationship.

“Aww don’t,” Mireya whispers before joining Niya by the bar.

While they get the snacks, I turn on the entertainment system and cue up the KidTV app. Then I walk over to the bar and grab water and a beer. Mireya and Niya have their snacks and drinks and are getting comfortable in the seats.

“After this can we make pizzas, Daddy?” Niya asks.

“You make pizzas?” Mireya asks, sounding surprised.

“We make the pizzas together but I can cook. Shuga made sure we all could cook. If you haven’t figured it out, you married well,” I tell her before pecking her lips.

“I see.” She smirks. “Lucky me.”

“Nah. Lucky me,” I say, then kiss her again. Then I turn to Niya. “Yeah, baby. We can make pizzas.”

SEVENTEEN

“Attentive. Sexy. Smart. Confident. Fantastic as hell in bed. Charming. Wonderful father and pizza maker? Am I missing anything?”

“Just one, husband,” he says, then wraps his arms around me while I finish wiping the dishes with his drying cloth.

We are downstairs in the kitchen. The movie is over, the leftovers of barbecue chicken and pepperoni pizzas are in the fridge, our bellies are full, and Niya is in bed. She tapped out right after her bath, although she tried to fight it, afraid I would leave once she closed her eyes. When I promised to still be here in the morning, she finally relented and went to sleep.

After placing the now dry pizza pan on the over the sink rack, I turn to face him and drape my arms over his shoulders. For a moment, while staring into my eyes, he simply holds me and I relish being in his arms. It’s crazy how I feel so at ease and so at home in his arms. It’s a calmness I’ve never felt and can’t really put in words but I feel him and I like this thing we have. Today was beautiful, almost picturesque. Me, my husband, and his precious little girl spending the day together was everything. Niya is a ball of pure energy and her bright spirit is infectious. I love her and the bond she has with him. He’s truly a wonderful dad.

“You gon’ just let me hold you all night?” he asks.

“At least until I go to my room,” I say, intentionally teasing him, and it works. His entire face frowns and I struggle to mask my amusement.

“What?” he scoffs.

“Until I go to my room. The guest room right next to Niya’s. The other is too far down the hall,” I say firmly.

“Nah. My room is your room. That room is for guests and you are my wife, not a damn guest,” he asserts and I can’t hide my grin. “Mireya, quit fucking with me.”

“Why? It’s so easy and I like that firmness in your tone when I say something you don’t like,” I admit and he smirks.

“Oh yeah?” His hands grip my ass. “You like when I’m mean?”

“Firm, not mean. There’s a difference. Mean has a negative connotation. Firm is manly and sexy,” I explain and he chuckles.

“That’s your interpretation?”

“No. It’s law. I’m the judge, remember?”

“Then, let’s go upstairs so you can put that legal pussy on my face,” he says and I break into a fit of laughter.

“Now that is a new one! I don’t know about legal but maybe lethal.”

“Ah nah. It’s both and I’m ready for it and you.”

He taps my ass then pecks my lips before leading me out of the kitchen up to his bedroom…wow!

I love my bedroom but his has to be double the size of mine and the style is all him: masculine and sophisticated. The colors are charcoal, espresso brown, and black, with leather dominating. His walls are dark panels with a smoky bronze finish. They look like polished stone. The huge Alaskan King bed is the centerpiece of the room. It’s a low profile platform bed with an espresso brown upholstered frame and headboard. The bedding is layered with neutral tones and four large pillows. There’s a leather ottoman at the foot of his bed and two large, matching, oversized leather chairs nuzzled in front of a brown stone fireplace. There’s no artwork on the walls; their design speaks for itself. It’s beautiful.