“Your body changed because it did something incredible. It brought our son into the world. That doesn’t make you less sexy to me. It makes me look at you like God favored me.”
I laughed shakily and shook my head. “You have to say that. You’re my man.”
“That’s exactly why I don’t have to say anything I don’t mean.” Then he smiled devilishly. “I already got the pussy, so I don’t have to lie to it.” His thumb wiped under my eye as I chuckled dryly. “You are still you, Ava. You’re just a mother now too.”
I let out a frustrated breath, hating that my emotions were all over the place.
“And I told you that I would hire a nanny if—”
“No. I can do this. I can take care of my baby. Most women do it without a nanny. I can too.”
He didn’t argue with me, though there was an argument on the tip of his tongue. He knew how important it was for me to be hands on with Cairo, so he didn’t press the issue.
As he took a step back, he told me, “Go get dressed.”
I stared at him, curiously. “Huh?”
“Get dressed.”
“For what?”
He looked almost amused by my confusion. “Because I said so.”
That made me fold my arms. “What are we about to do?”
“You’ll see.”
I frowned harder. “What are we going to do with the baby?”
“I’ll handle it.”
That made me blink owlishly. “And it’s not even safe to just be out doing random stuff right now because of the Crown. After what just happened with Livia, you really think I’m about to just go somewhere?”
He came closer again and kissed my forehead this time. “I said I’ll handle it. Just go get dressed.”
TARIQ “REEK” HORTON
I knew reassurance wasn’t enough for Ava. She needed romance from me, not just help with Cairo. She needed to feel like I still saw her as my woman, the one I was in love with, the one I still had a crush on.
I had read enough over the last few weeks to know how emotional women could get after giving birth. So instead of just telling Ava she was beautiful, I made some calls so I could show her.
First, I called Rhythm because she had been offering to help with Cairo. She got there in twenty minutes. After that, I went downstairs and found management. Ava lived in one of those upscale buildings that came with every amenity in the world, including a lounge upstairs for residents with plush furniture, big-screen TV, speakers built into the walls, a kitchen area, pool table, and fireplace. I told management I was renting it out for the night, then I called a chef I knew and told him exactly what I needed; good food and a romantic setting.
When Ava stepped out of the bedroom, all I could do was stare. The fit was sexy but mature, with tan pants and that brown corset showing off just enough to make a nigga lose focus, but itwas really her face that finished me off. Her skin was glowing, her hair fell around her shoulders in soft waves, and her features were so pretty it almost did not make sense. She looked like the kind of woman a man would ruin his whole life over. Her body had changed, but none of that took a damn thing away from her. If anything, it did the opposite. She looked thicker and more woman than ever.
She caught the way I was looking at her and blushed. “What?”
I walked over to her and took her hands in mine. “BB, you look beautiful.” I kissed her temple. “You look good as hell.”
That made her smile the way I wanted.
I led Ava upstairs and the second we stepped into the lounge, she gasped.
The lights were turned down low. Candles were lit around the room and on the table. Some slow R&B played low through the speakers.
“You did this for me?” she gushed.
I chuckled. “Nah. For the other woman I got hidden somewhere in the back.”
