“Who’s Benjamin?”
“One of the names I’m trying out,” Dex told her as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Dex, I never said you could name him,” she returned with a laugh.
“You want Bananas Foster, I get to call him Benjamin tonight.”
“Ugh…Deal. Benjamin is waiting.”
Despite the hour and his exhaustion, Dex found himself smiling as he left for Kalilah’s house. In a little over twenty minutes, Dex was drizzling Bananas Foster over some vanilla bean ice cream while the very pregnant Kalilah performed one hell of a victory dance. She’d even dropped it like it was hot once before snatching up her bowl. Dex laughed and served himself, settling next to Kalilah on the couch as she munched happily on a piece of banana.
“You don’t look all that rested. What’s on your mind?” Dex tensed at Kalilah’s question. Well, that escalated quickly.
“I have a lot of things to sort out. Your sister is one of them.” Dex let the cool ice cream slide down his throat trying to milk the fuck out of its comfort food status.
“Do tell. What’s the issue?”
“Big picture? She seems to think my cock is an independent contractor.”
Kalilah laughed in her bowl. “I’m sure she’s aware there’s a head, two arms, and two legs attached to it.”
“Could have fooled the hell out of me. I’ll start a conversation, happen upon a question she can’t answer, and get cursed the fuck out. I’m exhausted, Lee.”
“She’s a handful, but this is all new for her. Anything happening between y’all are all firsts. Jackson wasn’t a boyfriend. There wasn’t any companionship, communication, understanding, or love. Just some asshole who said all the right things to get her naked.”
Dex mulled over Kalilah’s explanation, it would explain quite a bit of her behavior. While he didn’t have much experience with a long-committed relationship, he’d dated enough and had enough self-discovery to know what he wanted.
“I get that, but we didn’t speak for three weeks, and I know she didn’t do much reflection at all because it’s the same stuff. She went straight for sex. I can tell she still doesn’t know what she wants. Now, I’m just letting her breathe like wine.”
“The pre-baby shower sex didn’t fix anything, I take it,” Kalilah quipped before licking her spoon with pure pleasure.
“Here we are four days later and nothing. I was able to get some things off my chest. Maybe she’s doing the thinking she should have been doing months ago. I’m running out of time. I’m obligated be in California for at least a year. I’m going to miss y’all. Little man will probably be walking by the time I see him in person again.”
“Sit her down and tell her the truth. Tell her you love her.” Kalilah’s advice pierced him. His head jerked in her direction, surprised by the observation.
“Crazy being on the other side, isn’t it?” Her smile was full of empathy.
“Yes, it is.” Dex worked another spoonful of ice cream around in his mouth. “I can’t. She wouldn’t take it well, yet. At least she didn’t accuse me of going after you,” Dex joked with a laugh.
“Honestly, before the baby and the wedding, she was convinced you were secretly in love with me.” Dex and Kalilah had their first real laugh together since he’d been back from Spain. Their lives were pulling them in different directions. It was nice to just hang out.
“A year ago, this would have been a major infraction. I would want to know why my baby brother is at my damn house at three AM getting all cozy with my woman.” Nick’s smirk belied his statement. “Y’all are rude. I like Bananas Foster and ice cream.”
“We saved you some.” Kalilah and Nick kissed like they’d been separated for years, and Dex felt the throb of emptiness and that stab of longing he’d felt at the baby shower. He wanted that kind of love so much he was almost jealous.
His irritation with Cayla rose again. If only she’d just cooperate. After some brief goodbyes, Dex let himself out and slunk off to his SUV. He wasn’t going to work in the morning. He needed to prepare for life without Cayla.
Just in case.
Chapter 29
“This should be a crime,” Kalilah cooed around the straw of her smoothie.
“Downright unlawful,” Natalia agreed.
“I’m pretty sure this is already illegal in a few states,” Cayla chimed in, her eyes were affixed to the vision before her.
Dex, Nick, Max, and Felix were all sweaty from doing manual labor – their sweat soaked bodies glistened in the sun because they’d all somehow lost their shirts while rearranging the lawn furniture and planting trees as per Kalilah’s request.