DIANA'S POV

I was reading a book on the balcony dressed in a bathrobe as I enjoyed the cool breeze provided by the palm trees swaying in the wind when my phone rang. After breakfast Kareem had left to attend to the business that had brought us to the coast in the first place leaving me all alone in the hotel room. I had the choice to leave and go exploring or at least visit the hotel's pool but it felt wrong doing that without Kareem. I'd settled for a book instead because doing that always relaxed me.

I picked up my phone not appreciating the interruption since I was just about to start reading a very steamy scene.

"Hello."I answered without looking at the caller ID.

I definitely should have, it would have warned me about what was to come.

"Diana Mumbi Njoroge what's this I hear about you running off to the coast with some man."My mom scolded from the other side of the phone.

I had no idea where my mom and Salome got the idea of calling me by my full name when they were mad at me but it was not pleasing at all.

"Hi mama."I replied calmly.

"Don't hi mama me. You've been avoiding me for the past one month, dodging my calls and not replying to my texts so I decided to pop by today only to find you absent from work. Then Salome goes ahead to tell me that you're at the coast with a strange man. Explain yourself young lady."My mother demanded.

"I will if you give me the chance."I replied.

Salome that jealous bowl of chicken noodles. She could have easily covered for me but she chose not to out of spite or jealousy or whatever. She was definitely going to pay when I got back.

"Are you getting sassy with me young lady?"My mom challenged.

"Of course not mama."I defended.

"Then explain yourself, you're lucky I haven't told your father or your brothers. God knows what they would do if they found out."My mom exclaimed.

"Mama calm down, I'm okay and thank you for not telling everyone else."I replied.

My father and brothers would not have been happy with where I was and who I was with. I'd bribed Ashton with the Treetop weekend getaway Kareem had given me but my dad, Silas and Walter would not have been so easily swayed.

"I'm still awaiting an explanation about the mystery man who has stolen my daughter."My mom reminded me of her reason for calling in the first place.

"Mom Kareem hasn't stolen me."I defended.

"So that's his name huh? What is he to you?"She demanded.

"Yes his name is Kareem Najib and he's.....he's my.... he's my uhh...." I trailed off because I had no idea how to answer that.

Kareem and I were more than friends but we hadn't defined our relationship yet.

"Oh My God! Are you eloping?"My mother shouted.

"Mom No! Oh God no. We're not eloping, we're not even girlfriend and boyfriend yet."I replied fast.

The thought of marrying Kareem wasn't so bad to think about but it was too soon.

"Then why are you at the coast with him?"My mom asked.

I decided to be honest with her because if I wasn't she'd get her information from Salome and I couldn't trust my best friend not to twist the story.

"Because I like him mama."I admitted.

I expected my mom to scold me for going on a trip with a guy I only liked and didn't have a defined relationship with but instead she surprised me by squealing and screaming. in joy.

"Oh my baby has finally found herself a man. Praise the Lord."My mom yelled.

"Mom he's not my man yet."I rushed out.

"You say tomato I say tomatoh. So when are we going to meet Kareem?"My mom asked her tone changing immediately.

Oh heavens! What had I gotten myself into?

"It's too soon to meet him mama."I replied hoping she'd let it go but knowing that was like praying for rain in the desert.

"You're on a vacation with the man, you're already past soon. You two are coming home for dinner as soon as you get back."My mother demanded.

"Mama we can't it's...." I started but she cut me off.

"Have a safe trip dear and bring me back some coconuts will you. See you and Kareem when you get back. I love you."My mom rushed out and before I could reply she hang up on me.

I yelled out in frustration, cussing Salome in my head for throwing me under the bus. I considered calling my mom again but it would be of no use. Once she had made up her mind about something there was no turning back. Looks like Kareem and I were visiting my parents as soon as we got back to Nairobi. I just had to find a way to convince Kareem to say yes.

Speaking of the devil, the hotel room door opened and Kareem started calling out to me a few seconds later.

"In the balcony."I yelled back.

"Hi cupcake, how was your morning?"Kareem greeted me as he kissed my lips softly.

He'd gotten used to calling me cupcake over the past twenty four hours and I actually quite liked it.

"I've been okay, just doing some reading. How was your morning?"I inquired.

"It was okay for the most part. I got everything resolved with the port authority and paid the fine. The truck will be released in five days so now all I have to do is find a more capable driver."Kareem replied.

"That's good so that means your work is done?"I asked feeling disappointed that we'd be leaving so soon.

I had expected us to stay a few more days but I couldn't ask Kareem to stay just because I wanted to. He had work to get back to and so did I.

"Actually no, we can't leave until the truck leaves, I have to make sure it leaves Mombasa this time."Kareem replied rebuilding my hopes.

"Great, so what do you want to do today since you're free?"I asked excitedly.

"You decide cupcake while I go take a shower."Kareem replied getting up and walking back into the room.

I'd already taken a shower so all that I needed to do was get changed into something more suitable for the hot coastal weather. I book marked the page I was at, abandoning my sex crazed characters for a while. It was time to go have my own fun.

I decided on an long loose olive green skirt, a matching crop top, a white hat and black sandals. I put my phone, camera, some cash, a bikini set and other lady emergencies in a small black backpack since I had no idea where we would end up before the day was over.

"So where did you decide you want to go?"Kareem asked walking out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel tied around his waist.

I'd seen the man shirtless before but I had been too shy then to properly look at him but I'd gotten more comfortable around him. I didn't even bother hiding that I was checking him out. He was deliciously beautiful with a six pack, well defined muscles, a broad chest and big enough arms that could either offer you a safe cocoon or crush you to death. I'd never taken time to carefully look at his tattoos before but they were all out there on display for me to admire. He had one on his left peck that extended all the way to his bicep. It was a Bible verse Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me". The extension on his arm was of Jesus carrying the cross. That was his largest tattoo, the rest were small ones in different places. He even had Nuru and Jamila's name tattooed just below his heart.

"Are you done ogling me cupcake?"Kareem asked stirring me from my staring.

I was not ashamed to have been caught looking. If he didn't want me to look then he should have gotten dressed in the bathroom.

"Definitely not but you better get dressed, we need to leave."I replied brushing him off.

I patted him on the chest as I passed him to get into the bathroom. Kareem was one sexy specimen and he affected me deeply. I was feeling a little hot after seeing him like that so I splashed my face with some cold water to cool down. Once I felt better I walked back into the room to find Kareem already dressed in white shorts, a white shirt with blue stripes and white sandals.

"You ready to go?"I asked grabbing my bag.

"Yeah as soon as you tell me where we are going."Kareem replied.

"Wherever the wind takes us."I replied with a shrug.

"Impromptu, I like it."Kareem said with a smile.

After he had gathered all that he would need we left the room hand in hand. Taking the elevator to the reception we soon found ourselves outside in the scorching coastal heat.

"Left or right?"Kareem asked as we stood outside the hotel deciding which way to go.

"Right."I replied tugging him that way.

Kareem just laughed and followed me because there's no way I'd have been able to pull him all on my own without his help.

Kareem was the best company I could have asked for on such a trip. He held my hand, kept me by his side, was open to taking goofy photos of me and with me and had a tendency of buying me anything he saw me looking at for more than five seconds. I wasn't comparing Kareem to my ex Kyle or anything like that since they were two different people but I couldn't help but notice their differences.

Kyle hated PDA, even holding my hand in public was an issue but with Kareem it came naturally where he always wanted to be as close to me as possible. Kyle didn't spend money on me but Kareem never spared any expense when it came to me. Kareem was everything I'd ever dreamed of and more and I couldn't wait to see what the future held for the both of us.

"Where did you disappear off to?"Kareem scolded once he found me browsing through some necklaces at the maasai market.

"You stopped to talk on the phone and I continued walking."I replied nonchalantly.

"Don't do that again, I thought I lost you."Kareem expressed looking distraught.

He really did get worried when he didn't see me for a few minutes, the man was an enigma.

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself but I promise not to disappear again."I promised him.

"Good, now are you buying anything?"Kareem asked.

"Nothing here is to my taste but I saw this really cute necklace that reminded me of Nuru."I replied showing him the sun pendant I'd seen.

"We'll take it, anything else?"Kareem inquired.

"You didn't even look at it."I admonished.

"Yes I did and besides I trust your judgement."Kareem declared.

I decided not to argue with him and just pay for the necklace so we could keep going.

"I was going to pay for that."Kareem reproved.

"You snooze you loose and besides you've been paying for everything today."I replied taking the packaged necklace from the salesman and my change.

"Fine you win, can we go eat now, I'm famished."Kareem requested.

"Yeah let's go."I replied.

We found a small restaurant hidden in between a few stalls and sat at an empty table.

"Everything looks so good, I have no idea what to choose."I commented looking through the menu.

"We have a few more days here so decide on one thing and you'll get to eat the rest within the course of our visit."Kareem advised.

"Okay, I'll have the bhajia, some fresh mango juice and a glass of water."I ordered when the waiter came to serve us.

"I'll have same but please bring me orange juice instead of mango."Kareem requested.

The food was brought to us within minutes of ordering and it looked really good.

"I actually like living in Nairobi but I'd move here for the food."I moaned butting into the crispy well seasoned potatoes.

"You literally have your own personal chef, how can you even say that?"Kareem asked referring to Salome.

"Salome cooks what she's in the mood for and only makes what I want or what I like if she needs something from me."I replied.

"Oh well if you decide to move here, take me with you."Kareem requested.

"I kinda have to otherwise who will fund my rather extravagant lifestyle."I teased earning myself a playful glare from Kareem.

The mention of Salome had me remembering the conversation I'd had with my mom earlier. I needed to talk to Kareem about it and if I waited for the right moment it would probably never come so I decided to ask him right there and then. How to begin such a conversation was the bigger issue.

"Out with it."Kareem demanded out of the blue.

"What do you mean?"I asked.

"You went silent on me all of a sudden and won't stop fiddling with your straw. What's wrong?"Kareem pointed out.

Looks like Kareem knew me better than I gave him credit for. I decided to rip it off like a band aid and tell him everything.

"My mom called me today, I hadn't told her about you or this trip so she passed by at work and when she didn't find me Salome spilled the beans. Now she's demanding that we go pay them a visit as soon as we get back."I explained to Kareem.

I expected him to blurt out some excuse as to why he couldn't make it and I would have totally understood. We didn't even have a label on our relationship and yet I was asking him to meet my family. It was too soon for such formal introductions.

"You don't have to meet them if you don't want to. I'll find....."I trailed off because Kareem cut me off before I could complete my statement.

"I'll meet your family."Kareem declared taking me by surprise.

"You will?"I choked out.

"Yeah it was bound to happen sooner or later so why not do it soon."He replied with a shrug.

He was so calm about it all and since I didn't want to prod too much I just let him be. Maybe he'd chicken out at the last minute but for the moment I decided to take his word for it.

"Great, I'll let my mom know."I answered.

We ate the rest of our food in silence before Kareem paid and we went on with our tour. We ended up visiting the Mombasa tusks and Fort Jesus. It was the perfect day capped with a late night swim at the hotels pool before we turned in for the night.

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Are we allowed to date our characters coz I'd like to steal Kareem from Diana.

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Love@Lyssah.