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“You can’t leave me, Liam. I want to go with you.”

“I’m coming back for you.”

“Always, right?”

“Until I stop breathing,” I vowed.

“Which won’t be for another 150 years.” She shrugged.

“If we’re lucky.” I laughed.

“When are you going?” she asked.

“I was actually about to shower and get ready to leave when you showed up.”

“Oh, dang. I’m sorry. I just had to see you.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m glad you came. I wanted to see you before I left anyway. I was just going to tough my way through it.”

“I need to see if I can get a ride back home,” she said, finally sliding out of my lap.

Her seat felt cold and empty without her soft ass snuggled in it. When she picked up her phone, I pulled her right back where she belonged.

“How did you get here?” I frowned.

“Rideshare.”

“Don’t do that shit. I’ll take you home.”

“You think you should do that right now?” she asked.

“I don’t think we should do any of this, but it’s happening now. You’re mine to take care of.”

“I know that’s right, Lee Lee.” She giggled.

“Girl, hush.” I joined in on her laughter.

“I’m just saying. I love it when you get all likeyou’re mine!”

“So that’s why you kept pretending like you didn’t realize?” I asked her.

“A little, but mostly, I just didn’t want to be another silly girl reading into things, you know?”

“What I know is you’re mine. You’ve been mine since I walked into your back yard and got cursed out.”

“I did not curse you out, and you know it!”

“My memory serves me very well. I think you called me stupid too.”

“I didn’t call you stupid. I asked if you were stupid. There’s a difference.”

“Good to know.” I shook my head as I reluctantly moved her from my lap to stand. “Let me get myself together. I just haveto take a quick shower. I would ask you to join me, but I know you didn’t bring any clothes. Plus, I’m sure that would lead to another detour.”

“Right, and I need you to hurry down there so you can hurry back.”

It took a little longer than I expected to finish what I needed to do. A week later, I was back in town ready to see my baby. It irritated me that she’d had to see Zane while I was gone. According to her, they went to some charity dinner that her mom used to make her and her brothers attend.

They took a few pictures together to push their blossoming relationship. She didn’t tell me that part. I’d seen the pictures on the charity’s Facebook page. I missed Divine’s presence. Plus, I had something important to tell her, so I went straight to the store when I made it back to town.