Utianle

Feather like touches on my legs caused my eyelids to flutter without opening. I shifted, my side digging into the bed as I tried to get into a more comfortable position. My head sank into the soft pillows, a ghost of a smile danced on my lips when images upon images flooded my subconscious, causing heat to slowly pool at my core.

King. I sighed, sinking further into the soft mattress with my eyes still closed. He was such a passionate lover, a man who knew his way around a woman's body. I sighed again, this time in contentment. The reminder of our lovemaking late last night and early this morning combined with the gentle breeze of the AC made my nipples stand. My thighs ached; he was huge.

His caresses, kisses, the lingering touches and the patience with which he guided me to my own release, an orgasm that I didn't realize was possible for me had me pressing my legs against each other. Last night was memorable, I didn't want to wake up or even stand up from the bed.

The touches progressed from my legs to my butt and my eyes finally fluttered open. 

King's chin was propped on his right hand which was on the pillow, his left hand was running in circles around my naked butt. How long had he been awake? My gaze lowered to the part of my body he was touching and his fingers halted on the lines that were scattered all over my backside.

The stretch marks on my butt were a tone lighter than my skin, though they had faded considerably, they were still visible especially if you were staying as close to me as King was. Sometimes, I forgot about them, they were a part of me I loved but his touching them made me extra conscious.

My hands instinctively reached out for the duvet that had dropped to my thighs but he stopped me before I could pull it up to cover my nakedness. "I love it."

He ran his fingers over them again as if to reassure me. "I love it; I love your body."

Maybe it was the way he said it that made shyness overcome me or the memory of my bedroom inexperience from yesternight, I looked down at his hand that was wrapped around my waist and bit into my lips. 

Last night when we had been going at it, I had squirted. I didn't know that was what it was called until he explained without judgments, reassured me it was okay, no cause for alarm. When we were making love a second time, I squirted again and we had laughed. It was a strange, funny feeling, a whole new sexual experience for me. 

Did that count as love or was that just a usual sexual occurrence for him? I knew it wasn't, not for me and I hoped it was the same with him. Was I in love with him?

"Uti," he pressed a kiss to my shoulder, "a kobo for your thoughts?"

"No, I want a dollar."

He burst out laughing and his eyes crinkled, it was a deep, rich sound that made my mouth move into a tiny smile of its own. Without warning, King switched his position and I was pinned underneath him with his lips hovering above mine.

"You're cute," he said. His fingers laced with mine at the top of my head and he placed kisses at the corner of my lips.

"You're cute too," I murmured in response.

He withdrew sharply from me like I had struck him, his face had a mild look of shock. "I'm not cute, I'm handsome." Then he raised his left hand up to reveal his huge muscle before continuing, "and buff."

"Junior has more muscles," I teased.

The way King's face contorted in fake surprise had me giggling, I was enjoying this. He scoffed and nodded like he had gotten the perfect comeback which made me giggle even more. Junior could have all the muscles in the world but I would always want King, his body was just right for me.

"Junior has more muscles?" He reiterated, I nodded and a smirk took over his lips. "He's taller too and he can even cook," I nodded again, wondering where he was getting at, "but here you are, in my bed, not his."

That. That was. Wow. I pushed him off me, mouth opening and closing for lack of a better response to him. Point duly noted; no comparisons, fun or not except I had the perfect rejoinder for his comebacks. 

King stayed seated at the edge of the bed, watching me with a guarded expression. I folded my arms across my chest which only served to push my breasts up; when his eyes trailed to them, they darkened and I smirked internally. Good, no touching.  

"Are you mad?" He didn't try to hide the smile in his voice and I shook my head. I couldn't be mad if I was the one who started it but it was fun to watch him get worried.

My phone rang before he could speak again and a look at my iPhone screen had me jumping up from the bed. It was a few minutes to seven, I had to get my babies to school. How could I forget? I didn't even call Faith to know when she left them.

The phone went off right as I was about to pick and I groaned, not this again. 

"What's the rush?" King asked as I scurried to pick my clothes that were scattered all over the floor. At least, they were all here.

I raised my head to give him a response when I saw that he was standing in all his naked glory. First things first, no man was allowed to look this good, secondly, where did my underwear go? I really liked that one, it was among, if not my favourite. 

"Esther and Emma, they will be late for school," I replied with my feet already inside my trouser. I could use the missing underwear as an excuse to come back. 

We also had a lot to talk about, yesterday had been more of actions, no words. I liked it but we really needed to talk.

"I'll drop you off first then we can take them to school together. You don't have to rush."

My head spun so fast that my vision was hazy for a few seconds. He walked up to me, placed a kiss on my lips that had dropped open. I didn't expect him to offer us a ride. I honestly didn't know what and what not to expect just yet, we needed to have that talk.

He stood in front of me without saying a word as if giving me time to think about it. His lips moved but no words came out and his forehead wrinkled in that familiar way that said he was having troubles with his next words so I decided to help him out.

"I think you should move in with me."

"What about work?"

Oh. I peered at him through my lashes to be sure I heard him right or see if he would make his request again, there was no sign of that. Maybe I had heard wrong.

"I'm on a four weeks holiday," he replied.

Oh. That explained why he wanted to travel yesterday. "Four weeks ... What's the plan?"

Now I was keen to hear his plans, to know if myself and my kids were included.

"Same as always, take a vacation; go home."

A vacation was okay, we all needed a break from work sometimes. I knew that but it didn't stop me from asking, "how long?"

"I don't know, four weeks? I'm going crazy from staying indoors all day doing nothing."

Oh. That was understandable, I didn't like being idle myself. Of course, I could handle not seeing him for four weeks, it wasn't a big deal, just twenty-eight days of not being around him, touching or cuddling with him. I did it for two weeks, I could extend it, I could do it again. After all, four weeks was two weeks in two places, it would pass.

So why was there a tightening in my chest? A sadness like someone had taken something I held so dear to my heart?

"Uti," he placed his index finger under my chin, "I want you to come with me."

"But we have school and ... And classes ..."

His lips came down on mine, his manhood pressed into my belly, I had forgotten that he was still naked. He sucked on my bottom lip tenderly, pulling it in between his teeth before breaking off from the kiss and then wiped at the tears I didn't realise had spilt onto my cheeks. It was probably the hormone that was making me act this way.

"I don't want you to go." I knew I was being selfish but I couldn't bear to be away from him for that long, not right now that our relationship was under the fixing stage.

"Okay," he said with his fingertips lightly brushing my cheeks. I smiled.

"Okay."

* * *

We arrived at my babies school early and I contributed it partially to King's latest car. It was different from the other cars I had seen in the past. This one was a fancy Audi that seemed to be gliding down the road; we had reached the house in no distant time.

Thankfully, Esther had taken charge, she and her brother were in their school uniforms upon our arrival. We had left the house, only stopping at an eatery that King insisted had the best cooking services to get them breakfast and lunch. I didn't have much of a choice but to accept, I was the one who chose to sleep out on a school day.

I came out of the car at the same time King did, he opened the side of the car where Emma was sitting, I did the same for Esther. She had been quiet since we left home.

Keeping quiet was second nature to Esther but this time was a little bit different, she had not said a word since King dropped me in the house and announced that he would be taking them to school. Emma had hugged him, made sure King was the one to knot his shoelace and help with his school bag.

"Sister Uti, we are going."

I was about to ask Emma who he meant by we when I saw his tiny fingers wrapped around King's big ones, pulling him in the direction of his class. I spared a glance at King who had changed into casual wear before we left his house, he looked happy to be carried along so I waved them goodbye.

"Okay, bye-bye," I said in a high pitched voice that was supposed to match Emma's.

They were halfway to his class when Emma pulled them to a stop. He ran back to me, wrapped his arms around my waist and I chuckled, carrying him up so he could hug me properly. "I love you."

"I love you," I replied with a kiss to his cheeks, dropping him on his feet to catch up with King who was standing there, looking handsomely confused. He was for real.

When I turned back, Esther was standing in front of me like her assembly bell didn't already ring twice. I stared at her, trying to figure out what this cute mini version of me could possibly be thinking, I came up blank. Her poker face would shame many people.

Did she want a peck too? Most likely not, that was Emma's thing. Esther was an exact replica of me at that age, only that she was quieter, stubborner and hated attention.

"Why are you still here?" I asked with a smile that I hoped would transfer to her own face, turn that her frown upside down. 

I was unusually happy and I suspected that it had something to do with the rapport King and Emma were building. I wanted the same for him and Esther but I knew it could only happen on her own terms. 

"You forgot about us," she accused.

"Esther!" 

I made to hold her, wrap my arms around her while I explained to her that mummy could and would never forget about her babies but she moved far away from my reach. It stung. The fact that my baby didn't want me touching her hurt more than it did when I mistakenly bit my tongue.

Her eyes filled with unshed tears but she wasn't done talking. "How can you forget about your own children?"

Without a response from me, she ran off in the direction of the small gates. My calling out to her only spurred her to move faster as if she was afraid I would catch up to her. I would have tried but my feet were glued to the ground and my heart was aching.

If her intention was to cause me pain, she had achieved that perfectly well. Her words hurt like multiple needles had been stuck into me at once. My arms and legs now seemed to weigh more than it previously did and I leaned on King's car for support. 

I felt tired; tired and defeated. Tears pricked my eyes but I refused to let them fall. How could she say that to me? Everything I have done was to make life better for them, to keep them happy and forever smiling.

My shoulders sagged. Except for last night.

Nights out were unavoidable. When I could, I took them along with me and when I couldn't, I always made sure to return as early as I could the next day because I didn't like being away from them for too long. 

I remained that way, staring into space until I felt a tap, two taps on my shoulders and the familiar presence of a certain man. What if Esther's outburst was because of him, what if she didn't like him? I sighed. 

King was looking down at me, his forehead creased like he could hear my thoughts; I didn't want to lose him. His fingers caressed my cheeks, tracing an invisible line. 

"Sorry for keeping you waiting."  

His lips dived for mine, I turned my face and it landed on my cheek instead.

"Sorry na, Emma was introducing me to everyone in his class. I couldn't leave." He pressed his forehead onto mine, his eyes grew darker. "Now smile for zaddy."

A small smile lifted the corner of my lips and he opened the passenger seat for me to settle in. When he joined me in the car, he took my hand in his. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." 

If he noticed my left eye twitch, he didn't say anything. Instead, he brought my hand to his lips, peppering kisses on my knuckles and I smiled at him, a little relief washing over me. He always knew what to do.

To rid the car of the sadness that hung in the air, I changed the topic to something light. "How many cars do you have?"

"Enough?" One of his eyebrows raised. "I have just enough so I don't get bored," he said while staring at me. "Can you drive?"

"I think so," I replied with my eyes avoiding his that was watching my every move. 

I was afraid he would ask me to take over from him. Only Faith trusted me enough to let me drive her car for short distances. Not like I couldn't drive, I didn't do it too often.

He chuckled then looked at me again, his left hand moved to the steering wheel and his right thumb ran over my knuckles. "I could teach you; if you don't mind."

"I'll love that."

*****

BOTC: Arewa by jaydernest. I don't watch Scifi movies, yeah, I've not seen Avengers and all that. I barely read Scifi books too, so, imagine my surprise to see a Scifi story based in Akwa Ibom, yes, you read right. Our own Akwa Ibom, Nigeria. Do check it out, it's worth your while.

Esther broke my heart. I don't even know where that question or thought came from but she will be alright. Kuti will make sure of that, I think.

Q: Can you drive?