“I know yours is service and quality time too.”
“How do you know?”
“You’re a hopeless romantic. Why do you think I’m with you damn near every day and always doing something for you—even if it’s something as small as getting you a bottle of water so you won’t have to get up?”
Her steps stopped and she turned to face me. Jayla wrapped her arms around me as her eyes watered. She was so damn emotional. My pooh thought she hid them well, but unless she literally ran, she wore her heart on her face and her sleeve.
“Pookie, you’ve been loving me all along, huh?”
Her realization made me laugh. “Yeah, bae. I told you I fell in love with you the day I met you. I wasn’t playing about that.”
She stood on the tips of her toes, and I lowered to meet her for a kiss. My hands went to her ass, squeezing and kneading and relishing in the fact that I was finally able to kiss her and touch her like this.
“I love you,” she declared in a low hum against my lips.
Moaning, I swallowed hard, as if that would lessen the emotion flowing through me. “I love you more.”
Our eyes remained locked for a few seconds longer before she cupped the back of my neck and kissed me again.
When we finally pulled away, we decided to walk to the dispensary since it wasn’t too far. We went back to the boardwalk and lit up then got a cinnamon pretzel to share. Instead of her getting sleepy immediately, we ended up staying and talking for another hour or so before we headed to her apartment.
I walked her to her door, and once we made it, she asked, “Do you wanna come in?”
As much as I wanted to, I declined. “I wanna get through our first date without fucking you. If I go in, that’s going to happen, and I’llneverwant to leave.”
A lazy giggle escaped her as she wrapped her arms around me for a hug. I stole a kiss before opening her front door, not walking away until I heard it lock. Even after spending the entire day with her, I felt like I was dreaming. If so, I never wanted to wake up.
“Miss Anderson, can I stay with you?”
Miley’s question caught me so off guard I couldn’t respond immediately. Sonny had given me and Kayne permission to take the kids to the beach and pool this weekend, so I took her to the mall to look for a bathing suit. We’d spent the day talking about a lot of random stuff and her old classmates, and I wasn’t expecting that question at all. Instead of responding right away, I waited until we were seated at a small round table at the food court.
“Is everything okay at your grandma’s house?”
She nodded rapidly, causing her pigtails to sway. Miley was the cutest little thing with her long, wavy hair, cashew brown skin, big smile, and bright eyes.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Is someone touching you in a way that’s not safe like we talked about in class?”
“No, ma’am,” she answered, shaking her head and swirling her middle finger around on the table.
“Is your grandma mean or ignoring you?”
“No, Grandma Pearl is nice, but she’s old and we don’t do anything.”
Covering my mouth, I reeled in my laugh. “And that’s why you want to stay with me?”
“Mhm.” She nodded. “Plus, I don’t have a mommy anymore, and Grandma told me she’s not my mommy and is too old to be raising me and my brother. She said my aunt and uncle are going to start watching us too so she can get a break. Can you be?”
Clearing my throat, I looked around the food court as if this was some kind of prank show. There was no way this sweet little angel was asking what I thought she was asking.
“Can I be what, munchkin?”
“My mommy.”
Licking the corner of my mouth, I fought my tears. I lost the fight. Brushing them away quickly, I took her tiny hands into mine and sat her on my lap. When she wiped more of my steadily flowing tears, I smiled.
“First, just you asking me that makes me really happy and proud. I would love to be a mother figure to you. I’m sorry that you lost your mommy, especially so young, and I hate what you and your brother are going through. I promise I’m going to be here for you every day for as long as you want me to be.”
