“Uh-huh!” She’s adamant.
“Lizard poop,” he tells her.
“Ewww!”
“Kayne!” Jett admonishes. “Do you have any idea how long it took us to get her to eat peas? They’re the only vegetable she’ll eat!”
“Not anymore.” Kayne laughs as Layla pushes her peas around on her plate like they’re contaminated with something.
“Are they really lizard poop, Daddy?”
“No, honey. They come out of the pod, remember? Mommy and I showed you. Uncle Kayne is just teasing.”
“Oh, yeah! I remember!” Her turquoise eyes shine brightly.
I won’t lie and say my heart doesn’t melt seeing Kayne with Layla, watching her happily feed him lizard poop and him happily eating it.
London’s words haven’t stopped ringing in my ears all night.That man needs a child.
Deep down—very far down—I know that she’s right. I know he wants one desperately. I also know my reservations and fears shouldn’t stop us from having a family, but they are.
After dessert is served, the table is cleared, and the children have fallen asleep, London and Jett call it a night. Layla passed out in Kayne’s arms while he and Jett watched football on the couch.
I’ve already started on the dishes when Kayne comes back inside from walking London and Jett out. He wraps his arms around my waist and hugs me affectionately with his chin resting on my shoulder. We stand like that for several minutes as I continually rinse each plate.
“It’s quiet now,” he states.
“What’s quiet?” I ask.
“The house. It’s quiet now with everyone gone.”
I stop and listen. It definitely is.
“Maybe it’s time we fill it up,” I say delicately, drying myhands with a dishtowel. I feel Kayne’s arms tighten before he spins me around.
“Fill it up?”
“Yeah,” I answer coyly. “Maybe it’s time we start a family of our own.” It’s an impulsive decision because that’s how I do things, but it feels like the right one.
My heart beats erratically as Kayne just stands there and stares at me. I think I just shocked him. Actually, I know I did.
“Are you being serious?”
“Yes,” I answer pointedly. “And a lot of things are going to have to change around here if we have a baby. Our lifestyle, namely.”
Kayne grins deviously. “We can cross that bridge when we come to it. Jett and London make it work. We can, too.”
They definitely do. If I have learned anything from the two of them, it’s that you don’t stop being who you are just because you start a family. If anything, you hold on tighter to the person you were, somehow incorporating your old life with your new one.
“How soon can you stop your birth control?” Kayne asks excitedly.
“I’m supposed to go for a shot next month. I can skip it.”
“A month, huh?” I can see the wheels turning. “That gives us time to practice.”
“Practice for what?”
“Making babies.” He grabs my neck and crushes his mouth against mine. The kiss consumes me, stealing my essence right out of me. We kiss and kiss, our tongues tangling as our hands roam all over each other.
