Love Me Now: Adrian & Kwamé

Chapter 1

KWAMé STONE

May…

On that note, I cut the television off. There was no sting of any kind at him saying something so foul. For so long, I hated Damon Brooks. He altered so much of my life, and I was forced to recover in silence.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving me for good,” Ari said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Smiling, I playfully poked her protruding belly.

“I’ll be back as often as possible. And I’m not missing the baby shower for anything.

” Ari was due the first week in July. She’d been on bedrest most of her pregnancy due to a previous late-term miscarriage.

Her doctors were being careful with her this time around.

“Oh, alright. At least my parents and Carli are here to keep me company while Rod’s on tour.”

I wanted to wince at her bringing up her baby’s father.

Rod the Lyricist was as fine as sin. He was hosting several sold-out tour stops, and although Ari wouldn’t tell me so, I knew she was ready for him to be home.

Rod knew of Ari’s high-risk pregnancy and still chose to go on tour instead of pushing the dates back until after the baby came.

He was selfish. That was just my opinion, though.

“Right. Your parents are hands-on grandparents. And Carli can’t wait to be an auntie. Please take advantage of that,” I encouraged her.

“Oh, I’m definitely doing that,” she said. We both giggled. “I don’t blame you for going home, though. Every time we talked, you sounded happier out there. You needed the distraction from all the bullshit Damon put you through.”

Sighing, I replied, “I’ve healed.”

Ari hugged me. “Yes, you have. Plus, you’re carrying your brother’s babies.” We both squealed at that.

I was in my second trimester and had waited to break the news to Antonias and Bianca earlier this week.

The twins were growing strong, and I intended to do everything I could do to keep it that way.

That meant going home. Home was where my entire support system waited for me.

I’d even noticed a change in Jessie since leaving the farm.

My baby missed the family I’d introduced her to.

And, although I hated to admit it, that included Adrian.

My heart did what it always did when I thought about Adrian Bell.

It palpitated. When I arrived at the farm this past December, I wasn’t expecting to be confronted by the only man who gave me butterflies off the strength of his smile.

His intense gaze always swept me up and held me hostage.

As a crisis counselor, dissecting the most complicated feelings and emotions was easy for me.

Yet, I couldn’t dissect the feelings and emotions Adrian brought out of me.

“Kwamé!”

“Huh?” I blinked out of my stupor to find Ari staring at me quizzically.

“Your doorbell just rang,” she explained just as the door opened. Russ poked his head inside and waved.

“That’s another thing I’m going to miss,” Ari mentioned. “Russ spoiled me like crazy!” she hissed.

Giggling, I headed towards the door. Shock wasn’t the word as I met Russ at the door. Stunned wasn’t even the word to describe what I felt at seeing Adrian standing on the other side of the door.

The first time I discovered what love at first sight was, it came when I first met Adrian.

“Hey, Beautiful.”

My words must’ve fallen between my thighs because I didn’t have shit to say back to the man standing in front of me. He was impossibly tall, dark-skinned, and bearing tattoos all over his glorious skin. His dark-brown eyes were hypnotizing, and his voice was deeper than the ocean.

“Hey, Beautiful,” he repeated himself and half-smiled a little.

“Hi,” I answered.

“May I help you?”

Remembering where I was, I said, “Oh, yes, I’m here to see my brother, Antonias. He works here, right?”

I hadn’t seen my brother in too long and thought surprising him would be a good idea.

Standing at the nurse’s station inside of Dr. Bell & Associates, I should’ve thought better of it.

All these men wandering the building looked scary as hell.

Plus, they had security and everything… For a medical center, it was just a little strange.

“Sister, huh?” the guy behind the desk questioned.

I nodded. Just then, Antonias came around a corner with a man who looked like the man whose voice and smile captivated me.

“Before we get into pleasantries,” the guy directed at Antonias, “When since you had a fine-ass sister?”

“This is Kwamé, nigga.” Just like Antonias, he responded with a frown.

“Oh, shit,” the guy mumbled. His eyes bounced back and forth between us. Antonias and I looked nothing alike, but we were still brother and sister, nonetheless.

The guy extended his hand to me. “Adrian Bell,” he introduced himself.

Resisting the urge to sigh like a cartoon character fawning over her knight in shining armor, I placed a nonchalant smile on my face and spoke to Adrian.

“What are you doing here, Adrian?” I sounded like everything was under control. Meanwhile, my heart fell between my thighs like it always did in this man’s presence. Adrian was so sexy, it was a crime that he carried around all that dark chocolate skin and tantalizing dark brown eyes.

“Waitin’ for you to take me to the checkout counter,” he replied.

Snickering, I countered, “You have to be in my shopping cart, first.”

A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Oh, word? I’ain off the shelf yet, baby?”

“Nope,” I quipped, unapologetically.

“That’s fucked up, Kwamé. I thought I broke you down a lil’ bit.”

That was the problem. He had, and then he left. Granted, he left to go back to school. However, the distance helped me get my mind right. Adrian was dangerous, and I was too afraid to figure out how dangerous he was.

Crossing my arms over my breasts, I asked again, “What are you doing here?”

“The semester is over. I came to kick it wit’ you and Jessie. Talkin’ on the phone nearly every day isn’t cuttin’ it for me anymore.”

Don’t you dare react!

“Oh… Okay,” I stated as nonchalant as possible.

His eyes dipped to my rounded belly, and I prepared myself for whatever was about to come out of his flip mouth.

“You look fine as hell,” he praised. Before I could respond, he tugged me to his body and hugged me. I folded and banded my arms around him to hug him back. “Have I ever told you that you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met?”

Caught off guard, I tripped over something to say. He caught that I was stuck and chuckled.

“You miss me?”

“Well… Uhm…”

“I miss you. I miss Jessie. Where’s my baby?” He quickly fired off questions.

“She’s inside. I’m about to start dinner in a little while.”

“Can I join you?”

Stomach in knots, I said, “Sure.” Despite my better judgment, I led Adrian into my house.

“‘Sup, Ari,” he spoke and hugged Ari. Over his shoulder, her eyes bugged in surprise.

“Hey, Adrian. How are you?” Ari asked.

“Better now that I’m here,” he stated. His voice carried into Jessie’s room where I left her playing with her toys. She came stumbling around the corner, and her eyes and face lit up at the sight of Adrian.

“There’s my baby!” he gushed and met her halfway.

He swooped her up and kissed all over her face.

Jessie squealed and squeezed Adrian’s face.

Her excitement brought tears to my eyes.

Ari’s mouth was ajar as she witnessed the interaction.

I could only imagine what was going through her head.

After all, I told her that Adrian and I were just friends.

“You miss me?” Adrian asked Jessie. Jessie replied with a bunch of gibberish that was sprinkled in with her squealing and laughter. “I was goin’ crazy without you,” he mumbled to Jessie. My heart literally melted.

Adrian wasn’t just talking crazy. The diamond earrings in Jessie’s ears were a gift from him.

Not to mention all the other gifts she and I received at random times over the months he’d been gone.

Then, there were the flowers he sent me nearly every week.

The last bouquet was still thriving and sitting in the middle of the coffee table.

“Okay, well, I’m going to see myself out,” Ari chimed in. “Kwamé, call me if you need me. Although, I don’t think you will,” she mumbled the last part. “Adrian, it was good to see you.”

“You, too,” Adrian said. “Be safe gettin’ home.”

Ari and I playfully glanced at each other and narrowed our eyes as if we were identical twins peering at another set of us. Adrian had us both stumped.

“Will do,” Ari replied.

I walked her out, hugged her goodbye, then took a deep breath as Russ took over helping her inside her car. I waited until she drove off. Now, I was left to go back inside where Adrian filled my house with his scent.

“I’m moving tomorrow, ya know,” I said to him when I joined him back inside the living room.

“Yeah, I know,” he answered. “I’m gon’ trail you back to the farm.”

“Russ is trailing me back.”

“We’re both trailing you back,” he emphasized.

Fighting a grin, I asked, “So, you’re just going to force your way into my life?”

“It’s more like a gentle nudge, baby. One way or the other, you gon’ take this attention I’m tryna give you.”

Oh, if it was so simple.