“What’s this surprise? You know I hate surprises.” Lana looks over at me from the passenger seat.
“Too bad, eager woman. I would have blindfolded your ass but you’re too sassy and I didn’t feel like fighting today.” I squeeze her knee under my large hand. She chuckles, rolling her eyes at me, distracting herself once again by looking out the window.
“Alright, we’re almost there.” Entering the neighborhood just two streets down from Trey and Shayla’s, she gives me a sideways glance.
“Kingston, what are we doing here?”
“Just wait.”
“You are too much, sometimes I envision myself strangling you.” She gestures a strangling motion at me and I shake my head.
&nbs
p; “You keep saying that but never do anything. I think it gets your panties wet when I take charge and act like a Neanderthal.”
Mocking me she replies with sarcasm, “Oh, you know when you say it with the extra touch of crudeness it for sure turns me on.”
“Beautiful, you said it not me,” I play innocent.
“Smug.”
“Gorgeous.” Winking at her, her eyes stay focused on me with her understated but stunning grin. I roll up to the curb in front of the white picket fence of her blue house with white shutters. “We’re here.”
Whipping her head she looks out the window as I hurry and climb out, running to help her out. Opening the door, I notice my dad pulling up behind my parked car. I throw him a quick wave then re-focus my attention on Lana.
“Kings?” I grab her hand and help her slowly slide out of the car with her swollen belly.
“Easy, baby. What do you think?” She shakes her head. Moving forward on the sidewalk she stares up at the house. I shut the door and claim my place behind her, my hands gripping her tiny biceps.
“Why did you bring me here? They already sold it. Is this a cruel joke?” She turns and slaps my chest, appalled. Her face grows red and her eyes begin to water. My dad joins us and I pull her in my arms.
“Shit, beautiful, don’t cry. I brought you here because I was the one they sold it to, I made the offer.” I cradle her face, my thumbs whisking away her tears as they fall.
“What?”
My dad chuckles next to us, turning around as Shayla and Trey pull up with my girl’s second surprise. Suddenly I’m nervous, I didn’t think about the whole hormones thing, maybe this is too much.
“Yeah mama, I bought it for us. You said this is our home and I wanted to make it ours.” I dip my head, looking into her honey brown eyes.
“Oh, Kingston! My hell, you big, smug, beautiful man!” Wrapping her arms around my neck, I chuckle at her excitement in the crook of her vanilla scented neck.
“Told you, you love my smug ass,” I whisper, reaching down to squeeze her pert ass in my hand, kissing deep in her neck while I do it.
“Alright, I still don’t like you, so don’t make it worse. Hands off my baby like that when I’m around.” Lana about leaps back and out of my arms at the sound of Jeffery’s voice. I glare at him.
“Already knocked her up, Jeff. A little ass grabbing can’t get her even more pregnant,” I shit talk back.
“Kingston!” Lana smacks my chest again before moving hastily toward her dad.
“Daddy! Oh, mama!” Coming into view from behind Trey’s truck, Becky picks up the pace to meet Lana and Jeffery in a group hug. I watch my happy little Queen reunite with her parents, tears, smiles, laughter and all feels right in my world.
“You did good son, and I don’t just mean the house. Look how happy she is. Shit, I don’t think I have seen her smile like that since she was about fifteen.” My dad nudges me, giving me praise.
“She makes me want to do good, she makes me wanna be a better man. Babies, home, marriage, all of it seems so tangible, so easy, so fucking perfect, because of her.”
“You finally grew up. Thank fuck, I never thought you would.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, old man.”