Nineteen
Ace
A month after Kema's fight with Tiana I had to fly to Vegas to sign a contract at my winery. I was still pissed she went to that woman’s house without telling me.
I wasn't mad she finally beat ole girl ass I was pissed Kema could’ve got hurt or arrested, and I wouldn’t have known until it was too late.
I couldn’t stay mad at my baby, though, so I turned the business trip into a date night.
Kema had been asking where we were going since we left the airport.
I told her ass to sit back and relax, which led to her saying something smart and me wanting to put my dick in her mouth.
I had time for that later, though. I knew when she saw the date I planned for her, she was gonna give a nigga some.
“You know I hate surprises Ace.”
“You liked the surprise I gave you in Cancún.”
She chuckled, “I did.”
I chuckled and turned onto a dirt road that led to my winery. Kema looked out the window before sitting up. “Is this your winery?”
“Yep.”
“You flew me to Vegas to see your winery?”
“I had business here. I figured I’d bring you with me.”
“That’s not what you said when you told me to pack.”
“Would you have come if I said it involved work?”
“No. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in the way.”
“Exactly.”
When we reached the back of the winery, Kema stopped walking. A table was set between the vines with dinner, wine and candles. “You did all this for me?”
She laughed before wrapping her arms around me. “Thank you, baby.”
We ate while the sun set. I’d done everything I could to make sure Kema knew where she stood with me.
I enjoyed being with Kema. She was more than I could’ve imagined.
She was the woman I was learning I couldn’t be without.
Any time I spent without her I was spending thinking about her. That was a sign she was the one for me.
After dinner, Kema rested her legs across my lap while I rubbed her feet. “This is so nice,” she said.
I smiled, “I brought you here because this place means something to me. It was left to me by my grandparents but I escape to this place when I feel like I need to reset. It’s peaceful here. I never share this place with any other woman. I need you to know how serious I am about you.”
“Never?”
“Nah. You ain’t just some woman I’m dealing with.”
Her expression softened as she looked at me. “I know.”
I looked her in her eyes needing her to know how serious my next statement was. “Do you? Cause I need you to know I see myself spending the rest of my life with you.”
She looked away. “I’m trying.”
“Trying to do what?”
“Get used to having you around. I was finally getting good at being alone, Ace.”
“And then I came along.”
“And then you came along.”
I reached for her hand. “Being able to take care of yourself doesn’t mean you gotta stay alone. Tough girls need love too.”
“That was corny.”
I chuckled, “shit love makes a nigga corny.”
I placed a key in her hand. “What is this?”
“A key to my house.”
“Are you asking me to move in?”
“Not unless you want to. I’m telling you there’s a place for you wherever I am. I would love for you to move in but I know I have the tendency to move too fast when I find something I want.”
Kema stared at the key before adding it to her key ring. “You’re really serious about this?”
“About you? Always.”
She reached into her purse, pulled out her keys and removed one before placing it in my hand. “What’s this?”
“My house key. If I have a place wherever you are, then you have one wherever I am.”
I added it to my key ring. “So we got two houses now?”
She nodded. I pulled her into my lap. She looked at our keys before wrapping her arms around my neck. “I love you, Ace.”
“I love you too.” I grabbed her by the chin and pulled her in for a kiss. I wanted her, but I didn’t wanna rush the moment or turn it into something sexual. I just needed to hold her. When the song changed, I stood and held out my hand. “Dance with me.”
“You dance?”
“Come here before I change my mind.” Kema placed her hand in mine. I pulled her against me and moved us slowly between the vines. I didn’t know exactly what our future looked like. I just knew Kema was in it. And now she knew it too.