Page 79 of Sweetest Temptation
He let out a dry chuckle and waved his hand toward the house. “Come on then. Before they come out here, thinking I done did something to you.” He stood, and I followed. “And congratulations. Just make sure my princess gets a ring soon. She’s worth more than being someone’s baby mama.”
“That’s already in the works.”
“Good.”
I meant that. I planned on making an honest woman out of Zanova soon. Hell, I’d marry her today if it were up to me. However, I knew I had to prove myself some more before that could happen. I wanted her to have no reason to say no or ask that we wait. She deserved the kind of love she gave. It was patient, real, and worth every ounce of effort. After everythingshe’d been through—after everything I’d been through—we both needed consistency, not promises that fade when things got hard.
As we stepped back into the house, I could hear her laughter filling the air. It was soft and unguarded. Her mom was wiping at happy tears, still glowing from the news. Zanova looked up at me when we entered the room with that smile that made everything else fade into background noise.
In that moment, I didn’t see the mistakes of my past or the ghosts that still tried to haunt me. All I saw was her—the woman who changed everything without even trying.
I walked over, slid an arm around her waist, and kissed the top of her head.
“You good?” She looked at me, then her dad.
“Better than good.” I pecked her lips. “You good?”
She nodded, eyes shining. “Yeah. Better than good.”
Her father pulled her from her seat and hugged his daughter. I could see the relief in her eyes as he congratulated her on her pregnancy with tears in his eyes. I knew why her parents were so happy. Their baby had been wanting this for a long time, and finally, she had gotten what she prayed for. Only this time, it was with the right man.
Iwas nervous meeting Samir’s family, but surprisingly, everything went great. Although I had met his mother and grandmother once before, it was still somewhat awkward at first. The last time I’d seen them, Samir and I had just sexed each other the entire night. Waking up to the man you just fucked from dusk to dawn was not becoming, and we weren’t even a thing back then, so it was giving a horrible first impression. Back then, I didn’t even know what we were, so I didn’t care about first impressions as a girlfriend, but I did care about how they viewed me as a woman.
Today was different, though. Today, I walked in as his woman—not some fling or some secret. Today, impressions mattered, and I wanted to gain their approval. His mom greeted me with open arms, pulling me into a hug that felt warmer than I expected. His grandmother called me “pretty girl” and made me a plate before I could even sit down. It felt… real. Comfortable, as if they’d already accepted me into the fold.
And when he told them about the baby, his mother cried, and his grandmother prayed over both of us. It was beautiful, and for once, there wasn’t any second-guessing my feelings—just peace. As I sat there surrounded by his family, hearing the love in their laughter, I realized something I hadn’t said out loud yet: I loved Samir Carter.
“My grandson probably put that bun in the oven the day we popped up at his house. I know y’all just got done doing the nasty all night long,” Samir’s grandmother blurted out.
I almost spit out the water I was drinking across the dining room table.
“G-Ma, you wilding…” Samir groaned, rubbing a hand down his face while Jamila tried to hide her laughter behind a napkin.
“Wild but right,” she said proudly. “Don’t matter when it happened. What matters is… that baby’s going to be loved and covered.”
His mother reached across the table and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. “I can’t wait to help with the baby shower!”
“Ma, the girl is two minutes pregnant, and already, you’re about to be extra.” Jamila shook her head.
“Aw, hush. I did the same when you were pregnant with Joya. This one won’t be any different.”
“Ma, we just want to enjoy this for now. Let’s not overdo anything just yet.”
I was grateful Samir stepped in when he did. Right now, all I want was to enjoy this pregnancy and to take it one day at a time without everyone else’s excitement overwhelming me. I was still trying to process it all myself. Between my parents, Samir’s family, and Nyala, I could already tell this was going to be a long pregnancy.
But honestly? I wasn’t complaining one bit. Beneath all the emotions, I knew God had truly blessed me. Not just with this precious bundle of joy, but with a good man. Samir and I may bein the beginning stages of our relationship, but he made me feel safe in a way that I couldn't explain. The way his hand would find mine without thinking to how his eyes softened every time he looked at me, I was smitten and felt safe with my feelings. It was those little things that reminded me I wasn’t doing this alone or in thisspacealone.
By the time we left Samir’s mom's house, I was full and exhausted. When we made it back to my condo, we showered, and I was sleeping before my head could hit the pillow.
A Few Weeks Later
Nyala and I had been walking through Melville Galleria Mall for what felt like hours, hands full of shopping bags, and my patience hanging by a thread. Three hours in, my feet were killing me, and I was starving. Meanwhile, Nyala was still in full shopping mode, but I was hungry. We ended up at the food court that sold fish tacos. While she went to grab the food, I found us a table near the windows and dropped into the chair like my body had finally given up on me. I loved my girl, but damn, next time, she was on her own with coming to the mall.
“I still can’t believe I’m going to be an auntie slash godmama! I’m so excited!” Nyala set two trays filled with food on the table before sliding into the seat across from me. She was still on cloud nine about the baby and had already started buying little outfits every chance she got.
“Ny, you’re doing too much. Between my parents and Samir’s mom, this baby is not going to need a thing for the first few months.” I cackled, shaking my head.
“Oh, hush! Let me live. I’m going to be the coolest, sexiest godmama!” she said, flipping her hair with a grin that made me laugh even harder.
