Page 86 of Taming a Menace

I didn’t stop until my feet were splashing in the water. I screamed when my feet left the ground as Keywan swept me up bridal style and spun me around.

“Put me down,” I ordered.

“You know I got you,” he said, quickly kissing my mouth then my nose before placing me on my feet. “I like you like this, Moon. This is the girl I fell in love with that night.”

I didn’t miss his declaration, but I also didn’t acknowledge it. I knew he was likely caught up in the moment and didn’t mean what he’d said. Instead I focused on the obvious.

“I was drunk that night, Keywan,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“You were magnetic. You were as fascinating as you were beautiful. Yes you were tipsy, but you said you could hold your liquor, and you proved it. You were classy but sexy. You were so funny and charming that you made me laugh and smile all the way home.”

I squatted on the ground and started to gather wet sand to mix with the dry. Keywan surprised me when he got on his knees in front of me and started piling sand up too.

“I tried to find you,” I revealed. I never looked up from my project as I spoke. “After a couple of weeks, I couldn’t get you off of my mind. I searched for your website, and it was down. I couldn’t find you anywhere on social media. It was like you’d vanished into thin air.”

“I did,” he said, with a chuckle.

“Apparently so.”

“I went to prison a couple days later. I already knew that I had court that following Monday for my sentencing. That was part of the reason that I didn’t press you harder for your number. I really didn’t even have any business asking for it, but I couldn’t resist. I wasn’t trying to set up a booty call. I wanted to know you.”

“You’ll tell me anything,” I said, keeping my focus on my project.

Keywan reached out and grabbed me, pulling me on top of him as he fell backward in the sand. I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt. I tried to fight against his hold but there was no use.

“Stop fighting me, lady, literally and figuratively.”

“I’m not fighting you, Keywan.”

“Yes you are. You said you were trying but you still have this wall up. Let me in, Moonie.”

“I don’t know about that now. You destroyed our castle.”

“It wasn’t big enough anyway. We need at least six bedrooms. Our kids need their own space.”

“Six bedrooms? Do you know how old I am? I don’t have the time or energy for five kids.”

“Six kids. The twins can share a room.”

“Six kids? Now I know you’re crazy.”

“I’m going to help you with them, Iyla. You think I’m not going to be a present father?”

“I think they aren’t going to let us put a baby crib in our room at the nursing home.”

His head dropped back as he howled with laughter.

“I’ll bring them up there to see you then. I’m not old, so I won’t be in there with you.”

“You would really put me in the nursing home?”

“Not unless I just couldn’t take care of you. I could see you being a mean ass patient.”

“Oh wow. I see what you really think about me.” I pouted.

“Stop trying to be dramatic. You know daddy is playing with you. Let me up so we can get this sand off of us.”

“Say please,” I sang before dropping a kiss on his lips.