#bwbm

Waking up, Wren noticed she was no longer in the comfort of her husband’s arms, but instead in the bed alone. She rubbed her eyes and adjusted to her surroundings before noticing that Snoh, was also not in the room with her. Confused, she threw on one of Darius’ shirts and made her way out of their bedroom and down the stairs, where she was greeted with a shirtless Darius dancing in the kitchen as he cooked. 

Wren creeped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Good morning baby. Where’s Snoh?” she asked as her hands roamed his stomach and chest. 

“Your mom was so excited to watch her grandbaby that she came at the crack of dawn to pick her up.” he said, chuckling. 

Wren giggled and shook her head at the thought, that was definitely something her mother would do. “ Why didn't you wake me though?” she questioned. 

“Because you needed your rest, and if you would’ve seen her leaving you wouldn't have wanted her to go”  he said, as he turned around to face her, and once he did he leaned down and kissed her all over her face, before leaving one final kiss on her lips. 

Sighing, Wren frowned. “I miss her already. I know she misses me too, we would’ve usually started our day with her eating, and then she’d watch me take a bath, then we’d get dressed, then-” She rambled before Darius cut her off. 

“Baby, today is about us. Snoh will be perfectly fine with your mom. They have everything they need in the diaper bag, plus extras just in case.” He said, trying to assure her. 

Nodding she buried her head into his chest and clung to him as tightly as she could. “You don't know how much I’ve been missing this...how much I’ve been missing us” she told him. 

“If its anything like how I've been feeling I know all too well mamas. I’ve been thinking about this since you brought it up last night, I have more than enough workers to cover the workload, so I’m going to start going in 3 times a week instead of 5. I will have to put in a couple of more hours when I'm working but it'll give me the opportunity to be here for you whenever you need me, and I wont be missing out on Snoh’s major milestones. What do you think?” he asked. 

“I think this sounds great, but are you sure we’ll be okay?” 

“We’ll be okay, I promise, I got yall and would never do anything to interfere with our financial stability” he reaffirmed. 

“Okay then, I think you should do it” Wren beamed. She couldn't help but show her excitement about Darius being home more, and she was more than happy to spend more time together as a family. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of diapers and bottles but now that Darius assured her he’d be home more, she felt that weight lift off her shoulders. 

Darius kissed her forehead and slapped her bottom, before finishing breakfast. While he did that Wren set the table, got some apple juice from the fridge and filled their glasses with the liquid. Darius plated the food, and sat the plates in their respective spots, and before she sat down, Darius pulled Wren into his lap and wrapped his arm firmly around her waist. 

Giggling at her husband Wren picked up her fork and began to eat, Darius doing the same. They took turns feeding each other while laughing and joking the entire time. This would continue throughout the day, the couple would laugh and joke and cling to one another. Wherever Darius went Wren would follow, and wherever Wren would go Darius was right there with her.

Hours passed and the couple was dressed and ready to go on their date. Wren untwisted her hair and wore her natural curls while Darius put his locs in a bun at the top of his head. They made their final adjustments to themselves and their outfits before finally making their way out of the house and to their car. The pair had settled on going to a local family owned restaurant, something they’d both been familiar with. 

Sitting in the driveway of their home, Darius pulled out a thick, beautifully wrapped joint, and smirked as he waved it in front of his wife. “Hotbox before we eat?” he asked. Wren had already anticipated that she’d have to dump any milk that she pumped throughout the day, so she nodded eagerly, and watched as Darius lit the joint. Before getting pregnant, smoking weed together was something they'd do regularly, but once Wren got pregnant, the pair decided to quit.  

The two passed the joint between one another, smoking it until it was barely even big enough to hold. Darius threw the roach into the ashtray so it could burn out, and started the car. Wren connected her phone to the car’s Bluetooth and let her RnB playlist run. 

On the way to the restaurant, Wren’s mother flooded her with pictures of her and the baby doing many activities. The pictures showcased them going on a walk, Snoh taking a nap, her mother cooking, and watching Judge Judy, making wren laugh. At a red light she showed Darius the pictures and he chuckled along with her.

“Send me those” he said in between laughs, “I told you she’d be alright, she’s even learning about how the justice system works” 

Wren giggled and playfully rolled her eyes. “You know good and well my baby wanna watch cocomelon, not no damn Judge Judy. I don’t know why my mama got her watching that foolishness”  

Snickering, Darius shook his head as he pulled into the lot of the restaurant. He parked the car in the closest available spot and made his way out of the car, and over to Wren’s side, opening the door for her. They walked into the restaurant hand in hand, and waited in the foyer to be seated. 

Once seated at their table, the waiter greeted them, got their drink orders and left to give them some time to decide what they wanted. “Have you decided what you want?” Wren asked her husband. 

Darius continued to look over the menu and nodded his head. “Yeah, Ima get the chicken fried steak, with the baked macaroni, red beans and rice, and some good ole collard greens” he said, a big goofy grin sprawling across his face. 

Wren nodded and continued to look over the menu as well. “That sounds really good, I think I’m gonna go with the smothered turkey leg, black eyed peas, baked mac and green beans” she beamed. By this point the two were definitely feeling the effects of the joint they smoked, and were happily waiting for their food to arrive. Once they decided what they wanted, the waiter returned a few minutes later, wrote down their orders then took their menus.  

Crumpling up the wrapper to his straw, Darius flicked it at Wren and watched it bounce off her forehead. He erupted into a fit of laughter and dodged the numerous sugar packets being thrown his way, earning strange looks from the neighboring tables. 

Wren threw one last sugar packet and laughed when it smacked him in the face. “That’ll teach you to leave me alone” she teased.

“Don’t worry, ima get my revenge when we get back to the house” he murmured and picked up the packets that surrounded him, then neatly placed them back in their designated container. 

After another 15 minutes of the couple playfully bickering and messing with one another, their food was served.  “Do you want some?” Wren asked. Darius looked at her plate and nodded. 

“Let me get some of that turkey leg, and I’ll trade you some of this steak” he replied. Wren obliged and cut him a piece as he did the same, then placed it on his plate. 

The couple ate in silence, often taking bites of food from the others plate. Wren, being full after a while, sat back and took a sip of her drink, feeling bloated after the large meal she had. She closed her eyes and sighed in relief, until the sound of an infant crying made her abruptly sit back up.

Darius, confused looked at his wife in concern. His eyes traveled from her face to her breasts, and his eyes widened once he saw her once white shirt turn transparent.

Wren's cheeks flushed in embarrassment and quickly crossed her arms over her chest, attempting for cover her now milk stained shirt. Darius took off his jacket and handed it to her, as well as the keys to their car. "Go wait for me in the car baby, I'll box all this up" he told her. She nodded and nearly ran out of the building.

Flagging down the waiter, Darius paid for their meal, asked for to go containers, and when the waiter returned with his card and the to go boxes, he quickly filled them, left a tip and followed after Wren.

While in the car, Wren decided to call her mother to check on her newborn. "Mom it was so embarrassing. I don't think anyone even saw but the fact that I leaked THROUGH my bra made me want to cry" she whined, watching as her mother warmed a bottle for the baby.

"Don't worry about it child, you're a new mother, it happens to all of us" she reassured setting the phone on the counter. "When I drop my grandbaby off on Sunday I'll bring you some nipple pads."

"Thank you mommy" Wren spoke softly as Darius opened the door and got in. "I'll call you back later though, I'm about to go home and take a hot bath, maybe even cry a lil" she said.

"Aht aht! None of that crying girl. You gone be alright, and next time you'll know better. Everything is a learning experience!" Her mother continued. "Darius, son don't let Wren beat herself up over this, you know how she gets."

"I got you mama, she gone be alright I promise" he responded, making Wren roll her eyes.

"I love how yall talk about me like I'm not even here" she mumbled. "Alight mama I love you, ill talk to you later" she spoke, then ended the call.

Sighing, Wren took off Darius' jacket, tossed it in the backseat and unhooked her bra, doing the same. She looked down at her shirt and shook her head. "I definitely didn't anticipate that happening"

"Like your mom said, don't beat yourself up. You're a new mother and that's your bodies natural response to feed our baby" Darius spoke as he took her hand and kissed it.

Still feeling embarrassed, Wren nodded and left the conversation at that.

Throughout the drive home Darius continued to hold Wren's hand, kissing it every so often. The drive back to their home was silent, and once they got back they made their way inside. Darius placed the food in the refrigerator before making his way upstairs, into their bedroom, and to their en suite bathroom.

He turned the knob on the faucet, and placed his hand under the running water to make sure it was hot enough. As the water ran he walked out of the bathroom, and sat at the foot of their bed, watching Wren remove her jewelry and makeup.

Wren looked at him through the mirror of her vanity, and turned around to face him. "I'm sorry our date was cut kind of short" she said with a pout then threw away the cotton pad she was using.

"You don't have to apologize to me Wren" he spoke as he stood up from the bed. He walked in front of her and softly touched her face, stroking I with the pad of his thumb. "The night definitely isn't over, and I'm glad we were able to spend some time together, without having to be parents for the night."

Looking up at her husband, Wren stood from her seat and wrapped her arms around his neck, still maintaining eye contact. "I'm glad we got to spend time together as well, I've been missing us so much. You have no idea how happy today has made me."

Darius rested his hands on Wren's backside and rubbed it before giving I a firm squeeze. "This bath gone make you even happier. Go get in" he said as he smiled.

Wren placed a lingering kiss on his lips then turned to walk away, and as she did Darius watched before delivering a hard slap to her bottom. "Damn" he mumbled as his wife yelped and rubbed the area he slapped.

Stripping from his clothes, Darius followed his wife into the bathroom and turned off the water, pouring Wren's favorite soap into the warm water. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her now nude body while burying his head in the crook of her neck.

His hands roamed her body, from her navel up to her breasts, and once he reached them he gave them a gentle squeeze. He then began to kiss and suck on her neck, pinching her nipples while doing so. Darius slowly moved his hips, letting Wren feel his hard bulge pressed against her.

Wren softly moaned, and closed her eyes as she moved her hips with his, matching his rhythm. She leaned forward and looked back at Darius, pushing her wet pussy up against his dick. "Mmmm I've missed how good you felt inside me" she purred.

Darius grabbed the base of his dick, and rubbed his tip up against her clit. He would start to put in the tip, then abruptly take it out, and continue to rub himself up against his wife. "Oh yeah? Tell me how much you want this dick" he teased, rubbing his hand down her back and up her neck until he grabbed a fistful of her hair.

Whining at the fact that Darius was teasing her, the next time he pushed in the tip of his dick, Wren quickly moved her body back onto him, moaning out in pleasure when he entered her fully. "I want you to stop fucking playing with me" she mumbled.

Darius sent a hard slap to her ass, and pulled himself out, letting her go. He went and sat in the bath with a smirk, waiting for Wren to join him. Wren by this point was aroused, and frustrated at the fact that her husband wouldn't give her what she wanted. She sat in the bath facing him, and sent him a glare when he rubbed her thighs.

"Don't touch me" she huffed. Darius laughed at this and leaned forward, coming face to face with his wife. He spread her legs and gently ran his thumb over her clit.

Quiet moans left her lips, making Darius smile. "I thought you didn't want me to touch you?" he questioned.

Wren ignored him and shut him up by attaching her lips to his, and engulfing him in a sloppy kiss. She moaned throughout the kiss as he continued to play with her. Darius broke the kiss and watched his wife writhe underneath him. He used his free hand to grope one of her breasts, putting her nipple in his in his mouth when he noticed her milk leaking out.

Hearing his wife's moans, Darius groaned as he pleased her, feeling his erection begin to throb. When Wren began to frantically move her hips again his fingers, he knew she was close and abruptly picked her up out of the tub, and carried her back into the room.

He laid her down on the bed and spread her legs. Wren watched him while propping herself up on her elbows, and scooted closer to the edge of the bed. Darius leaned down and kissed his wife as he aligned himself with her entrance. As she slipped her tongue into his mouth, he pushed his dick all the way into her.

Wren gripped his forearm and broke the kiss as moans spilled from her lips. Darius grabbed her hands and moved them above her head. He thrusted his hips at a moderate pace, being cautious as to not cum too fast, but being as neither of them had had sex in months, this would be a hard task.

Darius loved feeling the warmth of his wife's wet pussy. He enjoyed the way she felt around him, and being inside of her after so long nearly sent him over edge as soon as he entered. Watching as her face changed with each stroke, he sped up his pace. He let go of her hands and firmly gripped her hips, moving her down on his dick as he thrusted.

Feeling her orgasm rapidly building, Wren clenched her walls around Darius in an attempt to get him to slow down, but in turn he went faster. As her moans grew, and turned into cries, Wren wrapped her legs around her husband's waist, tightly trapping him in her sea of wetness.

As he groaned and moaned, Darius could feel that building sensation in his stomach, and knew that after a few more strokes he'd cum. He leaned down once more and kissed his wife on the lips, switching his stroke from fast and hard, to slow and powerful. He pounded into his wife and felt her walls tightening around him once more, this time feeling her cum spray his lower waist and stomach, and once she orgasmed, so did he, unloading his warm cum inside of her.

The two breathlessly watched one another, Darius throbbing as he was still inside Wren's wet pussy. Wren pushed him out, and shivered while doing so. She stood, wobbled for a second, and regained her balance before pushing Darius down on the bed.

She bent down and wiped their foreheads, then straddled his lap. Wren wrapped her arms around his neck, placed a sensual kiss on his lips, and reached down, rubbing Darius' still hard dick.

Stroking him for a second, she depends the kiss then lifted herself and as she lowered, she pushed Darius back inside of her. The two moaned in unison, with Darius tightly wrapping his arms around Wren's waist. Wren started off slow, still feeling tender from their last round, but this time she wanted to be in control.

She slowly rotated her hips against him, trying to hold back her moans, earning a hard slap to her ass. "Nah baby, let it out, I wanna hear how much you love this dick" Darius spoke in almost a growl.

Following his instructions, Wren moaned each time she lowered herself on his dick. He was angled perfectly so that he'd hit her spot with each stroke, and that he did. Darius thrusted his hips matching his wife's rhythm and slapped her ass a few more times, each one echoing louder than the last.

"You have no idea how much I've missed this dick" Wren moaned breathlessly.

Darius groaned hearing this, and stood to his feet. "You gone take it?" he asked, putting her back up against a wall, then looped his arms underneath her knees so that she was secure.

Before she could even reply, Darius roughly thrust into her, causing Wren to cry out in pleasure. She clung to him as he relentlessly pounded into her. Her voice soon became lost in her throat and all she could do was whimper and groan to show her satisfaction.

Darius nipped at her neck, leaving a trail of swollen love bites along her neck and chest. He peppered kisses all over her face, continuing to keep up his fast rhythm. "I love this pussy, fuck I missed it so much. I missed you so much baby" he moaned in her ear.

Hearing this, Wren clenched her walls around his dick, and continued to moan while he stroked into her. She looked up at him, and into his eyes as she furrowed her eyebrows, feeling that familiar sensation building in the pit of her stomach. Darius never slowed this time, and continued his pace, hitting her g-spot over and over with each thrust of his hips.

Screaming out, Wren subconsciously dug her nails into his flesh as she begun to shake, at the sheer power of her orgasm. Unable to contain it Wren squirted all over them both, and once she was finished she continued to tremble in Darius's arms.

As he felt his wife's walls clench around him for the last time, Darius came just as she did and continued to throb inside for a second, before pulling out and watching his cum drip from her tight pussy. He kissed her forehead, and walked them back over to their bed.

Anyway, Drake is sexy, a fact that Val realizes immediately because she is neither blind nor dead. They get to know each other quickly after Valinda loses her room in a boarding house and Drake’s mother agrees to let the young teacher stay with her. The tension between Val and Drake builds beautifully through the story, with lots of flirting and pushing boundaries, but it’s clear that Drake is willing to take the relationship to whatever level Val will let him. And Val, free-thinking woman that she is, makes a choice to have some experiences with Drake that she knows she won’t have in the marriage of convenience she’s planning with a friend.

That marriage of convenience is the first obstacle to Val and Drake’s relationship (well, not the first -- the first is that she doesn’t believe in love at first, but you know she’ll get over that!). Val’s plan is that when her fiance returns from France with his business partner, he and Val will go back to New York to get married. But after meeting the LeVeq family, when the fiance arrives in New Orleans sort of unexpectedly, Val has to confront her feelings and make some tough decisions about what she wants out of life.

The second obstacle is Val’s overbearing father, who doesn’t believe women should be allowed to do anything without the permission of a man. He’s not too pleased with her choice of husband, nor her desire to be independent. But if you know anything about Valinda by now, you know she ain’t tryin’ to hear that. The resolution of that storyline is extremely satisfying, and left me proud of more than one character in the book.

There’s also so much history naturally woven throughout this story. We learn about the Freedmen’s Bureau, established to help recently-freed slaves find work, education, and other things they’d need for their new lives but hamstrung by politics and finances and other concerns. There are incidents of racial violence and fear-mongering, and shows of strength where the Black people in this story don’t allow themselves to be beaten down by that violence, but face it head-on (and dole out some violence of their own). There are lovely little touches of New Orleans culture, including discussion of some of the tension between former slaves and the free Creole community, and descriptions of gumbo or the celebratory-yet-mournful music accompanying a funeral procession.

I really enjoyed this story. Our hero and heroine have great chemistry, and Val builds strong female relationships during the story, too. The sex scenes are hot but sweet. I cared as much as about the overall storyline -- will Val get to stay in New Orleans and teach? -- as I did about the romance. Overall, just a sweet, fun, educational read that had me cheering for our heroine the whole time.