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  “Mommy,” drawled Ja’mya. “It’s just a box, it won’t bite you.”

  I clicked my tongue and gave her a stern look. “The only bite you’re going to be worried about is the bite of my belt on your behind if you don’t watch it, little girl.” I snatched the box out of her hand, ignoring the silly grin she gave me, and motioned for her to keep moving. My car was parked against the fence in the back of the faculty lot.

  A car horn tooted and Ja’mya’s smile widened further. She tapped her chin in contemplation. “Oh, yeah! I’m going to Pops and Nana’s tonight.”

  I froze mid-step. “You’re what?! Since when? Why didn’t I know about this?”

  The way she looked at me, you’d have thought she was dealing with a spooked horse. “I didn’t know, either, until Daddy called me during lunch and told me that Pops was picking me up.” She pointed to the end of the lot and lo and behold, Jeremiah’s father was walking up the sidewalk toward us. He must have been the one to toot his horn. I watched as my daughter ran halfway down the sidewalk to meet her grandfather and launched herself at him.

  I shook my head at her dramatics and tucked the box under my arm as I joined them. She was hugging him like she hadn’t just seen him three days ago for Sunday dinner. When I reached them, he hugged my shoulder and kissed my cheek.

  “Hey Pops. Listen—”

  He held up a hand, cutting me off. “Before you say anything, let me go ahead and tell you that I don’t know a thing. I have no idea what J is planning. All I know is that he asked me if my baby girl could come spend the night, and the answer to that is always yes.” He gave me a pointed look and I couldn’t do anything but laugh.

  “Fine then! Keep secrets from me. You just make sure your baby girl does all of her homework before she starts any kind of playing.” I fixed my gaze on my daughter and tried not to let the innocent smile she wore sway me. Out of his three brothers, Jeremiah was the only one to produce a grandchild and as a result Ja’mya rarely heard the word “no”.

  Pops dipped his chin twice. “Don’t you worry about this over here. Education comes first, ain’t that right baby girl?” He looked down at Ja’mya who was still wrapped around his waist. She nodded eagerly and I pursed my lips.

  “Okay...I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, Mya.”

  “Okay mommy, I love you. Bye!” She detached from her grandfather to hug me tightly and press a quick kiss to my cheek.

  They were on the other side of the fence before I made it to my car and I once again wondered what Jeremiah had up his sleeve. While it wasn’t unusual for him to arrange for his parents to take Ja’mya for a night or two, to give me a break or to surprise me with a trip to Little Rock or Hot Springs, to do it on today of all days? With all of the other little surprises? I was heavily invested in figuring out his end game, now.

  Once I deposited my bags in the trunk and got settled in the car, I pulled the box into my lap and started ripping at the paper. I used one of my keys to cut the tape across the top and unfolded the flaps. When I saw what was inside, my heart flew up into my throat and tears pricked my eyes. Staring up at me was a family of stuffed bears that were sewn together. A large black bear had his arms wrapped around a smaller brown bear who held a baby bear in its lap. I remembered the day Jeremiah had given me this set as vividly as if it had been yesterday.

  I was in the second semester of my last year of graduate school and working as a teacher’s aide at a local private school when I found out. There hadn’t been any weird cravings, no weight gain, and especially no sickness to give me a hint about what was going on in my body. A routine well-woman appointment was perfectly timed and my gynecologist wore the widest smile I’d ever seen on her face when she reentered the examination room that I occupied.

  I’d been seeing this same woman since I was 18 and the campus clinic referred me her way when they learned I had private insurance. We were almost friends, considering how...intimately...she knew me. So the smile on her face brought a smile to mine and I wiggled my shoulders a little in expectation of the clean bill of health she was about to give me. Jeremiah and I had been together exclusively for just under four years and the thought that something could be wrong never even crossed my mind.

  “Well, Lee, I see you’ve been busy.”

  We were close enough for her to call me by my nickname, at least. My brows raised at Dr. Mallory’s observation but the smile didn’t leave my face. “I’m a few months from having a master’s in education and I’m nose deep in my capstone so, yeah, I guess you could say that.”

  “That’s it?” She tilted her head at me and laid the sheet of paper in her hands, face down across her lap.

  “I’m in my sixth year of school, what else could it be?” I giggled and shook my head.

  “Ah. Well let me be the first to congratulate you, because you’re pregnant.”

  My jaw dropped. “What?!”

  She nodded and handed me the sheet of paper. My eyes scanned it but quickly deduced that the medical jargon and figures only reiterated what Dr. Mallory had just told me. If I didn’t believe it, the word “pregnant” in all capital letters at the bottom of the page confirmed it for me.

  “I won’t know how far along you are until we do an ultrasound but since you were my last patient of the day, I can go ahead and take care of that for you without booking another appointment.”

  I nodded absently, my eyes still glued on the word “pregnant”. An hour later I climbed into my car, equipped with a sample packet of gummy prenatal vitamins, pamphlets on first-time pregnancy, and a prescription for iron pills. Not only was I pregnant but I was now anemic as well. When I got to my apartment, I put everything on the kitchen counter, and tossed two gummy vitamins into my mouth. I snatched up my cordless phone and took it with me into my bedroom as I climbed into bed after getting undressed.

  Jeremiah answered after two rings. “I was just about to come over there. I thought we were going to go to lunch after your appointment.” Just hearing his cheerful voice made me smile.

  “You might still want to come over.”

  I don’t know what, but he must have heard something in my voice because his tone became serious. “What’s wrong? What did the doctor say?”

  I sighed, already comforted by his concern. “Nothing’s wrong. Well, not exactly. She just told me that I’m eight weeks pregnant.”

  There was a beat of silence and then he whispered, “Are you serious?”

  I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Yeah.”

  “You’re having my baby?” His voice was full of wonder and my throat tightened with unshed tears. I tried to swallow them down but before I could get myself under control to answer him with even a simple “Yes”, he informed me that he was on his way and disconnected the call.

  I had no idea how much time had passed but it was enough for me to fall asleep because the dip of the mattress as he climbed in behind me woke me up. He slid under the covers and wrapped his arms around me, covering my hand with his own and pressing something soft to my chest. I moved my unoccupied hand from under my pillow and grabbed what felt like a stuffed animal from him and brought it from under the covers.

  As I examined the trio of bears and wondered where the hell he was able to find them so fast, Jeremiah pressed a kiss to the back of my neck. “That’s us, baby. That’s our family. I’m excited about this baby. I’m excited about our future.”

  I grabbed a couple of napkins out of the glove compartment and wiped my face dry. Years had passed since I’d thought about that day but it was one of my happiest memories. That was the day Jeremiah and I went from being two people in a relationship to being a family. Every day thereafter, Jeremiah showed me that he wasn’t just blowing smoke when he said he was excited about our future. He blew my mind time and time again with his dedication to me and Ja’mya, and not for the first time, I was reminded of how incredibly lucky I was to have him.

  I dropped the empty box on the floor in front of the passenger seat,
put the bear in the seat on top of my purse and drove home to my man.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  As soon as I stepped over the threshold of the house Jeremiah and I had shared for more than a decade, the smell of Sandalwood engulfed me. Even though my day hadn’t been the least bit stressful, I could already feel my limbs loosening as the incense worked its magic. I deposited my bags on the couch and headed upstairs, where I could hear Jill Scott crooning songs from my favorite neo-soul album. When I reached our bedroom at the end of the hall, the door swung open and Jeremiah greeted me with a smile.

  The light from the room bounced off the top of his bald head and his deep brown skin glistened as if he’d bathed in baby oil.

  “Welcome home, baby.”

  He pulled me into his arms and pressed a firm kiss to my lips. In lieu of a response, I kissed him back and followed as he pulled me into the room. He turned and gently pushed me backward to sit on the bed before bending down and unstrapping the low heels I wore to work. I watched as he focused on his task of undressing me. He untucked my blouse from my slacks and slipped it over my head then unclasped my bra and tossed both items on the bed. His deft fingers quickly released my belt and unzipped my pants before tugging them and my panties down my hips. I bent my knees, allowing him to pull the material from my ankles and lay it on the growing pile on the bed behind me.

  He leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to my lower abdomen and I contracted involuntarily. I wanted to drop into his lap and straddle him but I also wanted to see what else he had planned. From his crouched position he winked up at me as if he could hear my thoughts, then he stood and grabbed my hand to lead me into the bathroom. The lights were off but several lit candles around the space cast a warm glow and allowed me to see that the whirlpool tub was filled with bubbles.The air was thick with the scent of lavender and vanilla and the music seemed to be coming from the portable speaker that sat on the counter. My eyes swept the room, taking in the glass of red wine on a tray and the fluffy pink robe hanging on a hook on the wall. My heart flooded with gratitude.

  I turned to him. “Jer—”

  But he just shook his head and pressed a swift kiss to my lips, silencing whatever I was about to say.

  “Get in, baby.”

  I didn’t hesitate to follow Jeremiah’s directive. He waited until I was neck deep in the bubbles and leaning back against the waterproof cushion mounted on the lip of the tub before handing me the glass of wine and pressing a kiss to my forehead with instructions for me to relax. Then he left the room to allow me to do just that.

  When he returned, the wine was gone and He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat) was lulling me to sleep. A splash of water made my eyes pop open just in time to see him squirt some of my favorite body wash onto a loofah. I sat forward and he proceeded to wash my back. He bathed my whole body, even nudging my knees apart so he could swipe in between my thighs, and when he was done, he rinsed me completely and instructed me to step out of the tub.

  I didn’t say a word as he dried me off with a terry cloth towel. Not even when he led me to my cushioned vanity stool. I was able to keep quiet as he massaged lavender body butter into my skin. I held my tongue while I sat in bed and ate the meal that Sabrina had undoubtedly prepared at the request of her eldest son, all the way until Jeremiah had removed the tray from my lap and took it downstairs to the kitchen. I was proud of myself for holding in my questions until he reentered the room, undressed and slid under the cool covers. Reflexively, I rolled over and curled up against him, finally able to heed my curiosity.

  “What made you do all of this?”

  He kissed my temple and squeezed me closer to him. “I just wanted to do something special for my lady. You deserve this and more.”

  I smiled and wiggled in his arms, nuzzling the sensitive skin on the bottom of his bicep. Jeremiah had steadily been increasing the level of which he spoiled me and I had no complaints. I don’t know what caused the change but I was here for—Hold up! I sat up in the bed and looked down at him. He stared back with a raised eyebrow and an amused gleam in his eye.

  I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. “What do you want?”

  He opened his mouth like he was going to deny it but instead he burst out laughing so hard the bed shook. I folded my arms across my breasts and waited. Still laughing, he grabbed me by the hips and pulled me across his chest, tapping my thigh until I spread my legs and straddled him. When my ass was resting on his pelvis, he squeezed my hips and trailed his hands up my sides until his hands framed my face. His laughter died down and he stared at me with a grin on his face and, just like every time I saw him smile, my heart burst in my chest and I fell deeper in love with him. He squeezed one of my ass cheeks and bucked his hips, causing me to fall forward against his chest. Immediately, his arms wrapped around my waist and he held me against him.

  “What makes you think I did all of this because I want something?”

  I smirked even as the rumble of his chest made my core flood and clench. “I know you Jeremiah Saul Hawkins! You’ve been content with us opting out of this ‘holiday’ all of this time and now you’re trying to tell me that after several years you all of a sudden decided to put together this elaborate series of gifts just because?! Nah, try me again, playa.”

  Jeremiah’s smirk matched my own and my breath hitched as he used both of his hands to massage my ass. He licked a trail up the column of my neck and nibbled on my earlobe. “You think you’re so smart, huh?”

  I shivered and my hips undulated as if they had a mind of their own. “Nah, but you do, though.”

  I felt him reach behind me and place himself at my entrance. As he breached me, he said in a husky voice, “What if I said I was ready for a son?”

  A gasp, then moan, fell from my lips as he pushed down on my hips until he was fully seated inside of me.

  “What you think about that?”

  “Shit, babe.” I tried to form a coherent response to his question but the sensation of being filled by him was too distracting. We had been tossing around the idea of having another baby for a couple of years now but never made a concrete decision despite the lack of reasons we each had not to.

  “Can I have my son now, baby?”

  He gripped my thigh and rolled us until my back met the pillow-soft, down comforter. Knowing this position like the back of my hand, I instinctively bent my knee and pressed my toes to his collarbone. I waited for him to place a swift kiss to my ankle before I moved, resting my ankle on his shoulder and simultaneously tilting my hips back to give him the opportunity to hit every spot inside of me that was guaranteed to drive me crazy.

  Our eyes met and I smiled at him. “You know that you didn’t have to do all of this to get another baby out of me, right?”

  He turned his head and bit the side of my calf as he dragged his hips back and forth, pulling mewling sounds from my chest. “I know.” He groaned as I clenched around him. “I just love spoiling you.”

  “I’m not spoiled.” My denial came quick, like a reflex, even though I knew the words were a lie.

  He huffed out a chuckle as he rotated his hips and dug deeper inside of me. “You are. Like milk.”

  I moaned and his pace increased, making my eyes flutter closed and my head press into the mattress. That familiar warmth approached quickly and not even five minutes later found me crying out my release with my mouth pressed to his chest to muffle the sound. Jeremiah snapped his hips against me and groaned into my ear as he released.

  He pulled out and dropped to the mattress beside me, pulling me until I was draped across his chest. When my breathing returned to its normal pace I pushed up on my arms and looked down at him. The satisfied look on his face made me giggle.

  “You’re serious?”

  He nodded. “If you’re ready, I’m more than ready.”

  I grinned, joy blooming in my chest. This man made me so happy it was crazy. Even after all of these years, I couldn’t imagine my life without him and the thought of growing our
family by one more pleased me. I wanted another baby almost as much as he did. A beautiful mahogany-toned cherub with those same chestnut eyes he shared with our daughter would be perfect.

  “Let’s do it.”

  The way my heart thumped when his cheeks lifted and his smile spread reminded me how over-the-top in love with him I was.

  “Yeah?”

  I nodded, already looking forward to all of the practice I foresaw. “Yeah. As soon as I get back from the trip to Houston with my girls this weekend we can start trying.”

  “For real, Lisa, you might be pregnant right now. I was definitely aiming for your ovaries with that nut!”

  I laughed hard. “Your ass is so silly! Too bad for you that I’m not ovulating right now.”

  He sat up and hugged me so tightly I thought I felt my back crack. “It’s all good. I’m getting in that ass every day when you get back.”

  I kissed his neck. “I’m looking forward to it. I love you and thank you for today. Remembering all of those moments brought me so much happiness.”

  He framed my face with his hands and met my eyes with his own. “I love you. You and Ja’mya are my life. You know that, right?”

  I bit my lip and nodded. When he pressed his forehead against mine and brushed the tip of his nose against my own, I sighed contentedly. There was nowhere on Earth I’d rather be. Everything that was good, was right here in my arms.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”

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