Birdie comes over to me, and I slide my hand around her back, pulling her close and kissing her temple. “Doing okay?”
“I’m doing great,” she says, smiling at me. “I’m glad to be here with you.”
With me. Not with my friends, but with me. Something about that statement eases all of my concerns. My heart nearly sags with relief to hear it, and I press another kiss to her cheek and direct her to a chair.
“Okay, really quick,” Viv says, standing at the end of the table as we all get settled. “I know we’re about to eat this amazing dinner my brother and his incredible, too-good-for-him girlfriend cooked.” She winks at her brother, who gives her a sarcastic look. I chuckle at the barb. “Archer and I wanted to share some news.”
Then, her hands cup around her belly, and she says, “I’m pregnant!”
Cheers erupt around the table, and I whoop at the news. “Yes! Uncle status earns another point.”
Birdie laughs at me, and I stand up to hug Archer, going longer than necessary just to piss him off, and he shoves me off of him. Viviana gladly accepts my hugs, and I spin her around, making her laugh.
“I expect this one’s uncle to be up for some babysitting.”
“Hell yeah.” I slap her hand. “I’m a great babysitter. Just ask Rora.”
Viv laughs, and I return to my seat, everyone settling in to eat as the adrenaline from the news calms down.
I look at Birdie, who’s watching Rora carefully take food, making sure she doesn’t need help, and I reach out, sliding my hand over her thigh lovingly. She looks back at me and smiles, and that something in my chest tugs again.
I’m both terrified and ecstatic to find out what it is.
We’re stuffed by the time we say good night and head back to Elizabeth’s place. We enter the quiet, dark apartment, and Rora is nearly ready to pass out.
Together, we work through her nighttime routine. This is something that, when I was around, Rora asked me to participate in, and I can’t say no to that face.
Plus, I wouldn’t mind spending some time with Elizabeth tonight.
I’m learning that dating a single mom is not like dating anyone else, there’s a different progression of things. Forinstance, I spend most of my time getting to know her when Rora is around, because for Elizabeth, that is her life, and getting to know her was getting to know her daughter too.
I find that I enjoy our time whether Rora is around or not, but having the time alone is made that much sweeter since it’s harder to come by.
“Want a drink?” she asks, slipping off her shoes and stretching her arms above her head.
“Nah, I’m good,” I say, walking forward and grabbing the side of her cardigan, tugging her toward me. She did her hair in those big, gorgeous curls that I love for today, and now, they were soft and falling all around her.
“I can’t believe how good those yams were,” she says, looking up at me and winding her hands around my shoulders as if her body is automated to do exactly that. “I’ve never liked yams, but those were incredible.”
“Nora and Enzo have a gift,” I say, meaning it. My attention, however, isn’t on yams, but on her soft and supple skin as my hand trails down lower, my skin connecting with hers like a current.
She moans softly and reaches up, pressing a soft kiss to my lips that I devour hungrily. Her lips against mine create a hunger that I’ve never felt for anyone else, and I beg her with my body to touch me and let me touch her.
Her body moves forward, winding each limb around me like a snake that’s found its victim. I’d die happily this way.
Lips pulling away from mine, she lets her eyes lazily connect with mine as she asks, “Bedroom?”
I nod. “Bedroom.”
We quietly tiptoe down the hallway, avoiding knocking into walls as we reach her door, and she turns the knob to let us in. I’ve only been here once before, and it was to help put the laundry away.
So I know the walls are soft white, covered in pictures and décor that matches Birdie perfectly. I know the dresser is to the left, the top covered with trinkets and framed photos of her and Rora and her family.
I know that in front of that is a large, soft-looking bed that I guide Elizabeth to the moment that door behind us clicks. “What about Rora?”
She stares at me, smiling softly. “She should be fine.”
“Won’t she come in here?” I glance around, wondering what I would do if she came in here mid… ahem.
