Page 96 of Taming a Menace

“I still want to kill you for bringing me all the way up here.”

“All daddy was trying to do was get you to face your fears in an unexpected way. It’s not that bad. When I give the guy the signal, he’s going to lower us to the ground.”

“So somebody was watching us have sex up here?”

“He can’t see us, baby. He’s waiting in his truck for me to text him.”

“I was about to say, I know you’re not playing with me like that.”

“Now if that’s what you’re into, I can get us an audience.”

“No thank you. This is as adventurous as I want to be.”

“Can you turn around for daddy?”

“I thought you were going to hold me,” I replied. I was not about to be moving and shaking this little box car.

“I’m going to keep my arms around you. I just need you to turn around for me.”

“OK,” I said, shifting my weight to turn around and put my back to him. “Baby,” I cooed as I took in the adorable spread in front of me.

There were chocolates and chocolate-covered strawberries along with a bottle of scotch just like the one I had shared with Keywan the night we met.

“I didn’t want you to miss those strawberries. I tried one at the shower and ordered some for us. They are good as fuck.”

“You did all this for me?”

“Of course, baby. I know you think I’m a bullshitter, but every night for a thousand nights I dreamed of you. Every single night I fell in love with you a little more. Every single night I yearned for you. Remembering your light and your eyes kept me going. I fell in love with you way before you fell back into my orbit, love. I love you, mama. I love you, my Moon. I love you, Iyla Renee Fisher, and I appreciate you for giving daddy a chance.”

“Who told you my middle name, Keywan?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

He chuckled. “Nobody, that was just a good ass guess.”

“You’re right about that.”

“Try your strawberries, baby,” he urged, pointing to the platter in front of us.

I reached out and picked one of the strawberries up. Instead of biting into it, I pushed it toward his lips to feed it to him.

“You first. I’ve been eating all night while you were slaving and cooking.”

He bit into the strawberry and nodded his head as he chewed. Who chews sexy? I’d been trying to figure that out since the night he made that duck for me. A smile curled the corners of my mouth before I finished the berry and put the stem back on the plate.

“These are so good. I wonder where they get their berries.”

“I don’t know. It was a local company. When the girl delivered some to the shower, I got her to give me some too.”

“You didn’t have to do all of this for me, baby. Just coming and spending time with you was enough for me.”

“I’m dreading going home,” he said, shaking his head.

“I know, right? I’ve had so much fun here.”

“Me too. As much as I hate the beach, I even had fun out there.”

I slapped him on the arm. “Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t like the beach?”

“Because I’ll do anything for you,” he uttered.