Page 82 of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

“Dance with me,” he said, and Feyi let him pull her close to him, his arm snaking into the small of her back, his thumb pressing into her palm as he spun her around, into the center of the room. Feyi laid her head against his chest and Alim kissed her braids. Together, they moved as if they’d had years to form the habit, flowing in slow steps. Feyi closed her eyes, breathing in his lemongrass scent, the gentle musk of his skin underneath, the rumbling of his chest as he hummed along to the song.

“I have two questions for you,” he said eventually, still dancing.

Feyi smiled to herself. “Go for it,” she said.

“Would you ever want to get married again?”

Feyi jerked her head back to stare at him. “Why would you ask me that?”

Alim smiled at her, and it was like the sun was fighting to push through his skin, he was so bright with feeling. “Because I’m in love with you, Feyi. And I was just curious, if you could see yourself doing it all again.”

“Hold up. Are you proposing to me?” Feyi asked it with a raised eyebrow, so he’d know she was being light with it, even though her heart was galloping against her long-suffering lungs.

Alim kissed her temple gently. “Not yet,” he said. “It depends.”

Feyi wasn’t ready to process what he’d just told her. How could he be in love with her? Then again, how could she be in love with him? It was easier to fall back on logistics.

“I don’t know if I’d get married again,” she said. “I guess it depends. What was your second question?”

“Would you mind if I came back to Brooklyn with you?”

This time, Feyi stopped in her tracks, even as the music continued around them. “What?”

“Just for a short visit. I know I have to come home and do some work with Nasir and Lorraine, but I want you—I want us to know that this is real. That it survives the mountain, that it can cross the sea and still be there, in our hearts.”

Feyi stared up at him.

Alim lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I’m in love with you,” he said again. “I love you, Feyi. I love how you skin fear and move through it. I love how you lean into grief and somehow use it to be even more alive. You’ve shifted my whole world, brought me light and company and a joy I forgot I could feel. I’m not letting a little distance get in the way of this.”

Feyi had thought the bursting in her chest couldn’t take up more space, but it stretched through her limbs, rushing warmth into her hands and feet. “And you’d want to get married?”

“In time,” he said. “Only if you want to. I’m happy just to be with you, however you’ll have me.”

“Nasir and Lorraine would never go for it, Alim.”

Alim pulled her back into their slow step, spinning her around and collecting her into his arms. “Ah, well,” he said, his voice light. “Maybe one day. What does it matter, when we love each other?” He nuzzled her neck and jagged bolts of electricity sped through Feyi’s skin. “Imagine that, Feyi. We’re alive, and I love you.”

Feyi felt tears sharp behind her eyes. He was right.

“I love you,” she said, and it sounded truer the second time because it was mirrored, they were together on it.

Alim inhaled a rough breath. “What a fucking blessing,” he said, wonder filling his words. “Thank you for coming into my home.”

Feyi laughed softly. “I can’t wait for you to see mine.” He was coming home with her. They were going home together. “Fuck, I have no idea how we’re going to do this.”

“That’s fine, my love.” Alim’s breath was warm against her skin. “We have time.”