Chapter 5 #2
“Oh, Lord,” I chuckled, and rose from the couch. “I’m not even going to reply to that. Let me get myself and Ava bathed, then we can get started,” I suggested and he nodded. I started to walk away after capturing my baby’s hand, but stopped to ask, “Do you have wrapping paper.”
“Yeah,” he got up and grabbed a few of the rolls. “I got plenty because at one point I was going to try myself and knew I’d need more than enough since I was experimenting.”
“Perfect. I should only be about forty-five minutes to an hour.”
“That’s cool,” he nodded again. “Does baby girl eat pizza? I was going to order in so that you’re not cooking again.”
“You’re not going to let that go are you?” I grinned.
“Naw, I’m not.” He chuckled. “I just want you to relax and chill.”
“It’s nothing I’m not used to, but I won’t get into that. Yes, Ava likes pizza, but only cheese.”
“Only cheese it is then.” He smiled. “What about you? Any specifics?”
I shook my head. “Beggars can’t be choosers.”
“Leila, what kind of pizza do you like?”
I bit my bottom lip as I eyed him before saying, “Supreme, but I can really eat any pizza. It’s not a big deal to me.”
“I’m cool with supreme too,” he pulled out his phone. “By the time you’re done washing the food should be here.”
I nodded and thanked him before ushering Ava out of the den.
When we got up to the room we were staying in, I felt like I could finally breath.
Being around Kiyan was overwhelming, but in a good way.
I found every single detail about this man both intriguing and attractive.
The way he looked, the way he smelled, his walk; it was all sexy, and I was in no position to notice any of that, but even a blind woman would be able to see it.
It was also very hard to ignore or look past how good of a man he is, or at least appeared to be, when I’ve spent the last ten years of my life with a man that wouldn’t even bother himself with something as simple as opening a door for me.
I pushed the thoughts of Kiyan to the back of my mind for now and focused on getting me and Ava cleaned up. I made sure to charge her tablet while we both bathed so that by the time we got back downstairs, she’d have something to occupy her.
After washing, getting our teeth brushed and my hair presentable enough, the two of us headed back downstairs. Kiyan had taken everything out of the boxes, had the wrapping paper, scissors, and tape ready, with the food waiting on the table. There was also a movie already queued up.
“What are we watching?” I asked as I descended onto the floor in front of the piles of gifts. Ava had climbed onto the couch behind me and situated her iPad in her lap. She needed to eat, so I replaced it with a slice of cheese pizza, then grabbed two pieces of the supreme for me.
“Home Alone,” he smirked. “I’ve watched this movie every day of December since I was a kid.”
“Really?” I grinned. “After thirty five years it’s not old?”
“Naw, it’s not,” he chuckled, grabbing some of the pizza for himself. “My older sister used to cuddle with me on the couch every night and turn this on, so it’s stuck with me and been my comfort on the days that I don’t get to see them.”
“I love that,” I beamed. “Hearing stuff like that makes me wish I had siblings.”
“You say that until you have an older sister who thinks she’s your second mom and a brother that’s always in your business.”
“It can’t be that bad.” I smiled and he laughed.
“Naw, it’s not, but there were times I wished that I were an only child.”
“Only when you were mad at them surely.”
“True, but still,” he smirked. “Did you have enough to eat?” He nodded toward the pizza. “There’s plenty so help yourself.”
I held up a hand as I shook my head. “Two is my limit.”
“What about you, Ava?” I glanced to see her staring at him after hearing her name. “Do you want more?”
Her eyes found mine, so I gave her an assuring nod to let her know that it was okay to answer.
“Have one,” she said when she finally found her voice, but she was pointing to the box of cookies next to the pizza.
“Ava, no—”
“She’s cool,” Kiyan stopped me, “I ordered these just for her.”
He opened the container for the cookies then leaned up to hand her one. She was reluctant at first but eventually accepted it.
“What do you say, Ava?”
“Thank you,” she mumbled lowly.
“You’re welcome, pretty girl,” Kiyan said and Ava’s little face lit up.
It warmed my heart too because she never heard how pretty she was from anyone other than me, not even her father.
She was getting older and understanding more and more that she was different from other children, but I reminded her all the time that different didn’t equate to less than, or any less beautiful than anyone else.
“Aight, you ready to get started, pretty lady?” Kiyan asked, sliding toward the pile of gifts.
My eyes found his momentarily and my brows dipped.
I hadn’t even realized how long it’s been since I actually heard those words when someone was referring to me.
They were almost foreign. It was horrible to think about considering that I’d been married the last ten years, but it was the truth.
Aldrick wasn’t that kind of man. He thought that those kinds of things were a given since we were married, and I didn’t have it in me to try to convince him why it was still nice to hear from my man sometimes.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” I quickly answered. “It’s just…” I paused and released a heavy sigh. “It’s just been a while since I’ve been told that I was pretty and probably even longer since I felt it.”
“As messed up as it sounds, I wouldn’t expect a man that could toss his family out in the cold like it’s nothing to see the beauty in anything, but I see it.
I see it in the way that you are with your daughter.
With the way you still manage to smile even when things aren’t going in your favor.
And since it’s been a while since you’ve heard it, I’ll say it again—you’re beautiful, Leila.
The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. On my mama.”
The way he was staring into my eyes as he spoke with nothing but conviction in his tone had me blushing and hoping that I didn’t look like a fool while doing it. No man had ever spoken to me like that. Especially not the man I vowed to spend my life with.
I was in dire need of doing something other than wishing I could go back in time and meet the man sitting in front of me ten years ago, so I grabbed a roll of the wrapping paper and said, “We should probably get started.”