Hold Tight (For You 2)

“I know. She says one more, and Ivan agrees. But I think that man would give her as many babies as her little body can carry.”

She comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my waist, resting her cheek on my shoulder.

“If we timed it out right, you could both be pregnant at the same time,” I say.

“Oh God! Can you imagine? Penelope would go nuts.”

I blow a raspberry on Lav’s belly and listen to her giggle. “Might not be so bad. She’s already a year old. Maybe we should have them close together.”

“Sounds like you’re the one who has baby fever,” she says, smacking my ass. “Are you and Penelope in cahoots?”

I hide my smile from her and try to shrug casually. I may have been talking to Penelope about cycles and when they would both be ovulating again. Ivan didn’t like the talk at first, but as soon as Penelope was talking about being fertile, he was right there with us.

“Royce Davenport, turn around and look at me,” Pandora demands.

I pick up Lav and hold her up beside my face. “Would we lie to you?”

Pandora bites her lip and shakes her head. “You’re not allowed to use her cuteness to get out of trouble. Come to Mama, little one.”

She takes Lavender, and then I scoop the both of them in my arms and walk toward the door.

“Tell you what, why don’t we let your parents watch little Lav tonight, and you and me have some alone time? You know, see what happens.”

Pandora rolls her eyes, but I know she’s thinking about it.

“I can’t say I don’t like it when you try to knock me up,” she says as I put her on her feet so she can grab her bag. I take it from her, and then take the baby, as Pandora locks up.

“Then just shut that pretty mouth of yours and let your man make things happen.”

“I think your dad is trying to give you a brother or sister,” Pandora says as she walks past us.

“I’m trying my best, baby girl,” I whisper to her, and she giggles at me.

Epilogue

Pandora

Five years later

“Oh my God, Pan, that guy is totally checking you out,” Penelope says from beside me.

I look up to see a guy at a bench in the park near us looking our way.

“Whatever,” I say, blowing it off. I’m in yoga pants and a tank top, with what I’m sure are at least three different kid stains.

“Seriously. He keeps looking over here,” she says, poking me in the ribs not so subtly.

“Dude,” I say, to get her to stop. “Maybe he’s checking you out.”

I look over to see the kids playing together in the grass and lie back on the blanket to soak in the sun.

“Don’t even play like that. Ivan is more than ten feet from me. If he hears you, he’ll come over here and murder everyone,” she says, looking around for him like she’s excited by the possibility. “Besides, I’m, like, eleven months pregnant with my fifth kid. I think Ivan might be the only man alive who finds me sexy.”

“Let’s hope so. If he found out someone else did, we’d all be in trouble.”

“I do love how possessive he can be.” She sighs dreamily, and I roll my eyes.

I can’t hate it, though. Possessive is one of my favorite features on my man. I lower my glasses and see Royce with our two little girls getting snow cones. His ass is looking way too good in those jeans today. Ivan is beside him, and he waves to Penelope, who blows him a kiss. God, I love her and how ridiculous she is sometimes.

“Oh shit. He’s coming over here. What do we do? Should we throw something at him?” Penelope is freaking out, and I want to laugh and cover her mouth at the same time.

“Excuse me, but do I know you?” the tall, thin guy asks, looking down at me.

“No,” I say, looking back to where Royce and Ivan are standing, but their backs are turned to us.

“They are not going to like this,” Penelope mumbles in a singsong voice.

“Are you sure, you look very familiar. Have you been to the art gallery on 7th?”

“Nope,” I say, sitting up now so the guy isn’t looming over me so much.

“It’s strange, because I own it, and I swear I’ve seen you at one of our exhibits.”

“You’ve mistaken me for someone else. My hus—”

“My name is Drake,” he says, interrupting me and kneeling down, holding out his hand.

Penelope leans past me and whispers to the stranger. “Look, Drake, you seem like a nice enough guy, so I’m going to save your life.” She looks to our guys and then back to him. “Those men are straight killers. You need to walk away slowly and never look back.”