Page 63 of Standing In The Sun
“What?!” Lunar panted, stumbling in like the house was on fire. “The hell you screaming for?”
“He said mama!” Ahvi smiled, pointing at Kamari like Lunar didn’t know whohewas. “I swear he just said mama!”
Lunar looked at Kamari, whose only concern now was getting to his favorite person in the house. “Com’ere man,” Lunar said, scooping him up like second nature. “I thought we had an agreement. Your mama wants you in here with her, but she don’t want to sleep in our room no more. I tried to tell her…”
“Lunar.” Ahvi narrowed her eyes.
He kept going, bouncing Kamari gently. “I told her…she ain’t ready, man… I ain’t broke her yet.”
Ahvi slapped his bare back.
“That shit hurt,” Lunar grimaced.
“You are not about to turn my baby against me,” she snapped, folding her arms. “I don’t like it.”
Lunar walked over, poking her cheek with his free hand. “I don’t like you trying to sleep in here like we strangers. But we can’t all get what we want…can we, Ahvi?”
Kamari blinked slowly, head tucked into Lunar’s neck, already drifting off.
She ignored him, sucking her teeth. “This boy stay choosing you over me.”
“He got good taste.”
“Mmhmm. So, you done now?” she asked, gesturing to the sleeping baby.
Lunar shook his head, voice low. “No, let me go put him down in his room, though. I’ll be back.”
“This is his room, Lunar,” she huffed, flopping her back against the headboard. Every room in the house was luxurious. The headboard was even plush as her back sank into it.
“Tell him that,” he laughed. “I’ll be right back.”
“Back for what?”
“You’ll see,” he said with humor in his voice, disappearing and closing the door behind him.
Ten minutes later, he knocked lightly on the guest room door. Ahvi opened it halfway, expecting something smart to fly out of his mouth.
“Come with me,” he said, leaning against the frame still shirtless and sexy as hell.
“Where?”
“Studio…Come vibe with me.”
“I ain’t got no songs.” She smiled, knowing she was already in that studio with him if that was where he wanted her.
“You got your presence.” He grinned. “That’s enough.”
She rolled her eyes but grabbed the throw blanket off the bed and slid her feet into a pair of slippers she stole from the hall closet. It was like a damn hotel with spare robes and house shoes hanging around.
The hallway was dim, and the house was quiet. Nothing but the sounds of Kamari through the baby monitor in Lunar’s pocket could be heard. Ahvi would never not admire every little detail of the house because she’d never imagined being in anything like it. Maybe she never dreamed that big—never dreamed at all. Ish had told her that life was for reality, wasn’t no need in keeping your head in the clouds.
The studio was tucked in the massive basement which was almost another house in itself. Warm and low lights glowed, while soft bass pulsed from the monitors. There was a blanket thrown over the couch, two half-empty water bottles on the console, and the faint scent of Lunar’s cologne clinging to the air.
She walked in cautiously, running her fingers along the back of the leather chair. He shut the door behind them, sealing the space off from the world.
“You record anything today?” she asked.
“Nah. Just been messing around with sounds,” he said, sitting at the board. “You like music?”
