Chapter 07

• *HAYLEE*
• I have been in France for a week now and the experience hasn’t been all bad, I couldn’t be more grateful to Bailey because time away from Nigeria has made me a whole lot better
• I go into the kitchen and look through the fridge, Francisco is at work and I have decided to treat him to a home cooked meal and not the food that we have been eating out.
• I decide on preparing fried fish, potato wedges and coleslaw.
• The house help seems skeptical that I am cooking but I tell her not to worry about anything because he is my man at the end of the day and I would rather cook for him but truth is I don’t want to eat any more weird food.
• I start cleaning the fish whilst humming to some soft music, everything about France is working to my advantage because even my skin is glowing.
• ‘Hey baby.’ Francisco says when he gets home
• He has removed his shoes and is walking towards me barefooted.
• There is something about a bare man, bare foot or bae chest or whichever kind of bare you would like to think of that turns me on and this man right here is doing things to me by just looking at me and being himself.
• ‘Hey how was work?’ I ask turning to look at him, then back to my cooking
• He wraps his hands around my waist and kisses my neck softly
• ‘I missed you.’ He says
• ‘I missed you so much.’ I respond smiling
• It’s true, I did miss him. He is such a gentleman it’s scary, I mean do such men still exist? Every day I keep waking up hoping his mask would fall off and start treating me like Garvin did but Lee assured me that good men do exist and if there was only one in the world it would be Francisco.
• ‘I see you decided to cook.’
• ‘I hope you like the food though.’ I say worriedly
• ‘I am hoping I like it, I know how much you hate cooking.’ He says kissing my neck again
• I almost correct him before remembering which role I am playing
• ‘Can you please stop it before I burn this food.’
• He laughs
• ‘Let me take a bath then I can come down later.’
• ‘I am almost done, the house help could set the table whilst I wait for you.’ I say swallowing hard
• He smiles
• ‘I would love that.’
• He goes to stand by the kitchen table but I know he is really just looking at me and it makes me so nervous.
• ‘You are shy.’
• ‘You are standing behind me and looking at me like that, how am I supposed to behave?’ I say switching off the cooker as I put the food away
• He laughs, it’s so cute I could watch him laugh the whole day.
• I give instructions to the house help to set the table then walk to the bedroom with him.
• After he takes off his clothes and gets into the tub, I get the scrub and start scrubbing his back as he begins to tell me about his day.
• I remember there was a time when I behaved like this, when I did all this and more for Garvin and yet a time came when he just stopped appreciating my efforts and he changed. Each day I tried harder but it’s like the more I tried the more he continued to let me down. I don’t even realize it but a tear falls from my eyes.
• ‘Are you okay?’ Francisco asks worriedly
• ‘I am babe, I am just happy to be here. To be in this happy place.’ I say
• It’s actually the truth, I haven’t been this happy in what seems like forever.
• ‘I have never been happier Lee, I should admit the trip to Africa has totally changed you. I am more in love with this person.’
• I raise a brow at him,
• ‘No offense but you were up and about, I love that side of you but I have always wanted to come home to this. A happy woman, one in the kitchen cooking my meals, this moment in the bathroom. Watching movies together, staying up late reading our favorite books and just sleeping next to you without worrying whether I will find you the next morning or you have been gone.’ He says squeezing my hand
• ‘I am here now, that is all that matters.’ I manage to say
• ‘I love you B, God knows I haven’t loved anyone as much as I love you.’
• I look away but he makes me face him, his touch leaving soap on my face.
• ‘You don’t have to say it, I am taking my time for you. Deal with your demons and when you are ready to open up to me I will be here for you.’ He says as I drop another tear
• ‘Don’t let me go.’ I say tears now falling rapidly
• ‘Hey stop it, stop it. I am not going anywhere, I am here for you.’ He says lovingly wiping them
• I smile through the tears and allow him to kiss me.
• ‘Allow me to love you Lee, allow me to be your man and I can guarantee you that I will try everything possible to keep you happy. Even in the storm.’ He says his voice sincere
• I kiss him deeply as the tears mix with the water on his face.
• ‘I am here, I am not going anyway.’ I say
• ‘Can we go and eat, I am excited to eat what you have prepared.’ He says
• I laugh,
• ‘You are a handful’
• ‘I know.’
• We go to the bedroom and I wait for him to dress up, I change my clothes too because my shirt is wet. I had just taken a bath before getting started with dinner so I just settle for a pair of shorts and a loose t shirt.
• When we start to eat, I smile to myself because the food tastes really amazing. And I have always known that when it comes to cooking, I am really good at it.
• ‘This is really nice.’ He says with food in his mouth
• I smile and reply,
• ‘Thank you.’
• ‘Cook more often, I might just marry you one of these days.’
• I raise an eyebrow
• ‘I am serious babe, we are not growing any younger.’
• ‘Marriage is a huge step and I am not ready for it.’
• ‘I know you want us to take baby steps and honestly I am not rushing you.’
• ‘So lets not talk about marriage hey.’
• ‘Whatever you say babe.’ He says with a smile
• We continue to eat our food talking about random things, when he is done he asks for a second helping of the food and I am just glad that he has enjoyed it because I don’t know what I would have done if he didn’t.
• When done he does the dishes and makes popcorn for us whilst I pick a movie, I haven’t sat down in a while to watch movies and this feels really nice. I settle for avatar, I had wanted to watch it for a while but I couldn’t because I was either too busy or not have anyone to watch it with.
• Surprisingly we talk through the movie and we don’t really follow it until the popcorn is done and we swap to ice cream.
• ‘You are the worst person to watch a movie with.’ He whines as we take the plates to the kitchen
• ‘I know.’ I say whilst laughing.
• I offer to do the dishes, it’s already after 10PM and I am worried for him because he might be late for work.
• ‘Let me finish.’ I say as he comes over to hold my waist and begins to kiss my ear lobe
• ‘I am not stopping you.’ He argues
• ‘I won’t be able to finish like this.’ I say wiping my hands then facing him
• ‘You are beautiful.’
• ‘Thank you.’ I say shyly
• I hold him by the head and press my lips against his, he smiles in between kisses and kisses me with a certain hunger. A hunger that a part of me is willing to fill but another is scared.
• ‘We need to sleep.’ He says pulling away
• ‘Are you sure?’
• ‘Baby steps babe, let me make love to your mind and soul before I can make love to your body.’ He whispers in my ears as I gasp.
• ‘I want to give you mental orgasms, I want to make your toes curl, I want to do things to you only that you can imagine. I know we have had sex before but I want to make love to you Lee, I want to make your body one as mine. I want you only to be mine.’ He says as I get wet under.
• ‘Let’s get you to bed baby.’ He says kissing my forehead.
• ..