“Yes, but I can’t promise it’s not rusted or broken.”
Amari squeezed my hip.
“I’ll add that to my list, making sure that my baby has the essentials.”
I wanted to giggle like one of my students but bit my lip instead. There was that doggone soft life that Amari talked about.
“You’re a one-stop kind of guy. Repair man, business mogul, love machine. If you keep this up, I might be forced to move in with you.”
Amari kissed my neck.
“That’s the plan.”
I patted Amari’s arms, which held me snuggly under my breasts.
We lay in silence until he squeezed my hand.
“What do you miss most about being married?” he asked.
I stared at the clock beside my bed, wanting to respond in a way that didn’t reflect the bitterness that covered my heart like a cloak from Larenz’s betrayal.
“I don’t miss anything,” I answered honestly.
Amari was silent again.
“I pray that the next time you marry, you’ll have no bad days. May the joy you experienced overshadow every bit of sadness that made you think you didn’t deserve a carefree life. May younever again be deceived when it comes to realizing how valuable and precious you are.”
I closed my eyes and nestled close to him.
“Amen.”
Chapter
Fifteen
AMARI
RED LIGHT
Since I was an early riser, my eyes popped open around 5 a.m. To my delight, the lights and heat were back on, and Ruby’s house warmed quickly. I stretched my sated body and left Ruby in the bed. She slept peacefully under the covers with an angelic face that made me want to carry her to my house and set her up as a permanent fixture there.
Not yet.The words entered my spirit as I stared at the love bites I placed on her relaxed shoulders.
I walked to the bathroom and turned on the light, wiping matter from the corners of my eyes and brushing my teeth. I hummed romantic Christmas tunes softly as I reminisced about my night with Ruby. She was unexpected and delightful, satisfying me beyond my wildest imagination and leaving me with a peace I wasn’t used to feeling around women with lots of baggage.
Never had I encountered such a giving woman in bed. Ruby’s witty conversation kept me alert. She was everything I thought she might be and a lot I didn’t expect her to be. She was created to receive the best things in life.
Too many men targeted nurturing women and sucked the life out of them. On the other hand, I gave too much, with women like Lise taking as much as she could until she bled me dry.
That was why Ruby and I worked. We could protect each other’s weaknesses and maximize our strengths. With our track records, there were bound to be some issues, but our core was good. Whatever came our way could be worked out logically. The hard knocks of past hurts would shield us from throwing too many darts at each other. We would be a team in every way.
I exited the bathroom and walked downstairs. When I saw the paper full of to-dos on the kitchen table along with my work order, I picked it up and chuckled. The only work I got done was getting Ruby to cream for me. After all the efforts she put into rocking my world, I owed her money.
For the next few hours, I checked all the light fixtures in the house, replaced blown bulbs, and tightened up loose doors and floorboards. When I heard Ruby’s door open and her soft footsteps descending the stairs, I’d knocked out many of the smaller tasks on my list.
“Good morning, sleepy head.” I placed my hammer on the floor and rose.
When Ruby threw a shy smile my way, I winked at her.
