Page 66 of The Devoted Husband

Not bothering to disagree, she told him to rest while she prepped their dinner for later. But Dante wouldn’t be able to rest until he knew Jones would be out of their lives for good.

Four Days Later

The only downside to being at Sade’s island was that you had to wait for the ferry to enter and leave. They had to wait three days before the ferry would be available, but now that they were there, it was more than worth the wait. Dante understood why the island was her place of peace. Completely secluded, she didn’thave to worry about anything or anyone. She had the kitchen fully stocked, so they decided to cook together after a brief rest.

They agreed not to talk about Jones or anything else happening in Memphis. Their ex parte hearing would be held in six days, which was the only reason Dante was looking forward to returning. The restraining order was a start, though Dante wasn’t sure if Jones would even take it seriously.

Dante started his Kem playlist. His arms wrapped around Sade from behind, and as Kem sang about sharing his life with his woman, Dante serenaded Sade. She turned in his arms, wrapping her arms around him. They swayed around the kitchen, singing and staring into each other’s eyes. By the time the song was over, Dante was sure he loved her a little bit more.

Sade

As they started their third movie of the evening, Sade snuggled up against Dante’s chest. She fed him a handful of popcorn and jalapeño peppers from the bowl in her lap. The last two days had been so peaceful, and Sade was grateful for that. Her phone had been off, and being able to detach from the world worked wonders for her soul. When Dante’s hands went to her belly, she smiled.

“I can’t believe I thought I could do this without you.”

“I can’t believe I hadn’t shown you how real my love for you was, and you felt like you had to.”

“Well, you’ve definitely shown me now.”

Her eyes lowered to the beautiful ring she’d been wearing ever since they made things official. If Dante had gone that far out to ask her to be his woman, she couldn’t wait to see what he’d do when he asked her to be his wife.

“And I’ll never stop.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to court you for the rest of our lives. I never want you to doubt how I feel about you.” He kissed her cheek. “How much I love you.” He kissed her neck. “How happy I am to be with you.”

“Even with all the drama?”

“Even with all the drama. I love you, bae. Nothing will ever change my commitment to you.”

Sitting up slightly, Sade put the bowl of popcorn on the side table behind his head. She straddled him, then lowered her lips to his. With all the hell happening in Memphis, Sade found solace in going through it with Dante by her side.

As his hands lowered to her ass, Sade circled her hips against him. It wasn’t long before their bodies were connected as one. The slow ride she took them on had her toes curling as shemoaned his name. The moment wouldn’t last forever, but Sade was grateful for the pleasurable, climactic escape.

The Day Before the Return to Memphis

The day had started perfectly. They swam in the ocean. While she painted, Dante read. They grilled chicken and fish with corn on the cob and salad as a great day turned into a great evening. Now, Sade was so uncomfortable she didn’t even want to get in bed.

Her stomach seemed to have grown while they were away, and she was having more issues with her back. The cramps in her stomach made it difficult for her to breathe. She gripped the island in the kitchen, opting for short, choppy breaths that only intensified the pain.

“What’s wrong, Day?” Dante asked, walking over to her. Absently, he tossed his water bottle into the trash.

“My back is killing me, and these cramps came out of nowhere.”

“Try to take some deep breaths with me.”

She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. “I-I can’t.”

“Yes, you can, and you’ll feel better too. Breathe through them with me.”

Dante took her hands into his, guiding her through deep breaths until the cramps subsided. He helped her get into bed and surprised her when he pulled her heating pad out of his bag. Sade laughed as her eyes watered.

“Figured you might need this.”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

“I’ll give you a massage and put you to bed.”

“Thank you, baby.”

Sade rolled over onto her side and allowed Dante to put the heating pad on her back. She used it for about twenty minutes before he removed it and massaged her back until she fell into a peaceful sleep.

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