Page 84 of If You Love Me

“It’s okay, baby. You two had a great relationship. Now, I’m not saying you’ll be able to go over there and spend the night or she can come pick you up like she used to, but it’s okay that you still love her. I’ll always have love for her because she was there when we needed her most. I don’t take that for granted.”

And I didn’t.

I’d never downplay what she’d been in our lives at that time. She just wasn’t my future, and that was okay.

“Can we make tacos tonight?” Summer asked.

I chuckled. “You’re gonna turn into a taco. We just ate that last weekend.”

“I know, but I love it, and so does Mommy.”

“I guess I’m outnumbered then, huh?”

She giggled. “Well, if you two make me a little brother or sister, maybe you won’t be.”

I laughed out loud as I glanced over at her. “You really want a sibling?”

“Yes! It was nice being the only child when Mommy wasn’t here, but now she is. I’m okay with sharing one of you.”

“Baby girl, you’d have to share both of us.”

“Not if you have a boy.”

I shook my head. “That’s not how that works, love.”

“Well, I still want a little brother or sister. Are you gonna make me one?”

“We’ll see.”

I stifled a laugh. If only she knew it wasn’t that easy. I had to get my wife to sleep next to me before I could even think about having sex with her. I mean, I did think about sex with her. Watching her walk around in those sexy work outfits got my blood rushing every time. The nights she spent at the house, she’d put on these little ass pajama shorts that had those thick ass thighs on full display.

I still hadn’t gotten over how different her body was now. I loved the thickness on her. She was soft, and her skin was silky smooth. She always smelled so damn good when she rubbed up against me. And when we kissed… shit! It took everything in me not to drop to my knees in front of her and beg her to let me taste her. Our good night kisses always resulted in me going into my bedroom and rubbing one out because every little thing about that woman turned me on.

I chuckled to myself as I pulled into the grocery store parking lot.

Maybe one of these days we’d get there.

“Hello, hello!”Evenie sang, walking into the house.

I looked up from my pot on the stove and smiled as she hung up her keys and kicked off her heels. Since she started back working, I’d noticed a change in her confidence. I think it was just the boost she needed. She was doing a little more and getting back to herself.

Therapy was helping too. She was becoming more comfortable with going out alone. Then again, she did retake that gun safety class to reinstate her concealed weapons permit. I knew the last thing she’d want to do was actually use her gun, but if it came to it, I knew she would.

She set her portfolio on the coffee table and strolled into the kitchen to me.

“Hey, baby,” she said, sliding her arms around my waist.

“Hey, love.” I leaned in and kissed her lips. “Don’t you look happy.”

“I had a great day. I booked my first official client.”

“Congratulations. That’s great. I’m proud of you. Not just for booking the client, but for the way you’ve been getting back to you. It’s beautiful.”

“Thank you, baby.” She peeked into the pot on the stove. “What are you cooking?”

“Stewed chicken, rice, macaroni, and cornbread.”

She smiled. “Between you and my parents, I’m gonna be fatter than I already—

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