KEPT

7. I HEARD YOU.

KHANYISA

"I'm waiting, "

He has his chin above my head and I've rested one hand on his chest, I can feel his heartbeat. I also love the feel of his skin, so much that I almost forgot what he asked me.

"It's nothing serious, "

"But it got you upset. You were with Liyana and Ma. It definitely couldn't have been Ma, so I'm going to go with Liyana, what did she do to you?"

"Nkosi-"

"Ngikubuze umbuzo MaKhosa, ngicela ungiphendule" [I asked you a question, please answer me] His voice is so calm but the authority that comes with it makes it clear that he is not  going to repeat himself.

"She just said some things, " I sigh

"What things?"

"She thinks I'm with you for your money. I guess it doesn't make sense to her why you'd marry me in such a short space of time, "

I explain my encounter with his sister and that his mom helped calm the situation but he's already tense and worked up, I have this feeling that if we weren't already in bed he would be going to confront her right now. This is something I wanted to avoid. We are here to relax with the family and for me to get used to them,to build a bond with them too, the last thing I want is a fallout with me in the middle of it all.

"I'm going to have to talk to her, " He says when I'm done telling him.

"You don't have to, Ma already called her to order, "

"You're not Ma's wife, Khanyisa. I'll speak to her and make sure she understands that she can't just attack you like that, my life choices have absolutely nothing to do with her and she has no place disrespecting you the way that she did, she should know better, " he mutters the last part.

"I don't want things to get tense, Nkosi. This is supposed to be a good weekend without any bad scenes, "

"I know, I don't cause scenes, I simply set the record straight and I need to stop this kind of behavior before she gets too comfortable with it. Liyana knows just how much respect means in this house, " he says calmly and I know there's no way I can convince him not to say anything.

"Just don't fight with her, "

"I won't, I promise, " He says  and kisses the top of my head. This is the second time Nkosi kisses me, the first being on our wedding day, I relax in his arms and yawn when sleep starts wanting to over take me.

"Get some rest, and don't worry about what other people think of you. At the end of the day you are now the main reason that I get up and go to work, don't let anyone make you feel guilty for something that is rightfully yours, okay?"

"Okay, " I say quietly.

"Goodnight," he kisses my forehead, this moment right here feels intimate and I can't help but bask in it. I know I shouldn't get comfortable with it because Nkosi promised me everything except love, so I cannot afford to let these feelings grow because it will hurt like hell when he doesn't reciprocate them.

But how am I supposed to shut them down when he's being so good and protective of me? Isn't that love on its own?

****
I'm the first to wake up and even though he moved his arm away from me sometime in the night, he's still laying close to me, his bare chest and eight pack is on full display and I watch his chest rise and fall as he peacefully sleeps, even in his sleep, he looks so handsome, and bossy.

I move off the bed as quietly and calmly as I can so as to not wake him up and I go over to the bathroom to freshen up and change from these shorts and top into a dress so I can go outside.