I press the button on the steering wheel and tell my truck to call the Princess. She picks up on the third ring. “Hey,” voice groggy like she’s been sleeping or about to be.
“Hey, baby. I’ll be at the house in a few minutes, be dressed, and tell Reg and Trent they can stay home. We’re going out.”
“Deac, I’m taking a nap. Can’t we stay home and cuddle?” she tempts.
For a second I almost give in, but I’m trying to do shit different with her, romance her and shit, like I said I would, whatever the fuck that means. “Nope, we’re going on a date and I want you dressed. For the first part of it at least,” I can’t help but tease her.
The rustle of sheets in the background tells me I’ve got her. “A date, huh? Okay, let me go change. I’ll see you soon.”
Before she can hang up, I cut in, “Don’t get all dressed up and shit, Frankie. Simple, no heels or anything. Comfortable and easily accessible is what I’m looking for.” The silence on the line makes it impossible not to laugh. “Calm down, baby, I’m kidding. Kind of.” Swallowing back my laughter, “I’ll be there, be ready. Love you, Princess.” Before she can argue with me, I disconnect the call and crank the radio, “The Kill” filling the cab of my Rover.
“Frankie, let’s go!” I yell up the stairs then head into the media room where I hear the guys talking over the TV.
“Hey, D, how long you guys gonna be gone? Frankie said that you didn’t want us coming with you. You know the trial’s like soon, right? So is the fight, which with everything going on is getting even more coverage than it would have,” Reggie says.
“Yeah, I know. We won’t be gone for more than a couple hours. I can take care of my girl, fucker.” Punching him in the arm not giving him a chance to say anything else, I walk back to the door and glance toward the stairs, “Princess, move your fine ass! I don’t want it to get dark on us.”
There’s a clamor and a whole lot of cussing in a sexy voice announcing her presence at the top of the landing. “I’m coming. Give me a damn minute; nothing fits me,” she huffs, making her way down to where I stand waiting. At twenty-two weeks, according to my baby daddy app, she has gotten a lot bigger, though from the back you would never even know she’s pregnant. Then she turns around and you’re all “Heyyyy now! Where did that come from?” It’s quite possibly the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Not sure if it’s because I’m the one who made her that way and I know how, or if it’s just flat out the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
My lips kicked up in a smile, when she reaches me, I take her face in my hands and bend so that I can see into her eyes. “You’re beautiful.” Sweeping the hair off her face and tucking it behind her ear. I kiss her lightly on the lips and then say to her with a wicked grin, “And I want to do filthy fucking things to you, so stop. I love this body and all that’s inside it, you feel me?”
Going up on tiptoes, she kisses me softly. “I love the way you love me, Deac.”
“Thank fuck for that; it’s the only way I know how,” I tell her and wink. “Come on.”
Hand in mine, we walk to the door of the media room. “Shit, I forgot my phone. It’s in the kitchen; I’ll be right back,” Frankie says as she saunters off.
I reach out and slap her ass, eliciting a little yelp, and then turn to the guys, “We’re outta here. I’ll see you at the gym in a few hours.”
Reggie speaks up, “Where you headed?”
“It’s a surprise, why?” I ask, eyes narrowed.
“Just text me with where you’re going and when you get there, okay?”
“Reg, what’s your deal, man? You can’t be all ass hurt because I’m leaving you home. Take a few hours off, get your dick sucked—you need it, you fucking nag.” Trent and Bo are snickering over on the couch; they love when I blow him shit.
Reggie just stares me down, eyes wide, and that’s when I get it. Another letter must have come today. They’ve been easier to intercept now that Frankie is staying here. But they’ve been coming regularly, and I’ve promised not to keep them from her anymore. We’ll talk about it after our date though.
“Okay, Deac. I’m ready,” the Princess says, coming up beside me.
I look down and smile before turning back to Reggie, “I’ll text you.” That’s all I need to say to let him know I’m picking up what he’s throwing down. My hand on the small of her back, I usher Frankie out the front door and into the Rover.
“Where we going?” she asks once we pull into traffic heading out of the city. Her shoes kicked off, painted toes planted on my dash, she looks about thirty seconds away from falling asleep.
“It’s a surprise.”
“I don’t want to be surprised, just tell me now,” she pouts.
“No can do, baby. It’s a surprise.” Sticking to my guns, I just smile at her.
“You know, I shouldn’t get overly excited—I could go into early labor.” I glance over at her and laugh when she bats her eyelashes at me. My girl is too damn much.
“You weren’t complaining about being ‘overly excited’ last night,” feigning pain when she punches me in the arm.
“Cute, Deac. Now tell me.”
Sighing deeply, “Out to the Forest Preserves where our dads like to pretend they can fish.” Aviators cover her eyes when she looks my way.
“The place with the swans?”
“Yup.” Smile on my face, I relax into the leather seat. Taking her hand, I kiss my spot and place it over my thigh. “Why don’t you take a nap? I’ll wake you when we get there. Now that you’ve ruined the surprise.”
She nods and reaches for her phone. When the song she chooses comes on, she snuggles down into her seat, head turned toward me.
“Why do you make me listen to this girly shit all the time?” I groan.
“Because I love to torture you. Now shut up and listen. It’s two girls singing ‘Boom, Clap,’ how can you not love that?” She’s gotta be fucking with me, right?
“You know, for someone so small and innocent looking, you’re mean as fuck.”
Flashing me a saucy grin, “So you always say. I learned from the best though.” She effectively shuts me up by raising the volume. She’s a pain in my ass. And I love it.