As Khari woke up from his sleep, he silently yawned, attempting to not wake Kiara. He picked up his phone and saw the time seeing it was 10:30 in the morning and it was officially Kiara's birthday. He looked down at Kiara as her head laid on his chest and her arms were wrapped around him. Khari gently unwrapped then from around him and arose from the bed and walked to the bathroom to get himself together. He got his toothbrush out of his overnight bag and began to brush his teeth. Once he was finished doing his morning routine he walked back into Kiara's bedroom to grab his phone and headphones. As he exited Kiara's bedroom he looked out of the living room window next stopping dead in his tracks at the sight. It was snowing, heavy at that.

"Damn!" Khari said to himself. Today he was gonna take Kiara to the cabin for her birthday surprise but the way the snow was coming down there was no way they were going anywhere. Khari immediately called his dad to see what he could do.

"Yes Khari?" Jean asked tiredly.

"Pop, it's snowing hard as hell and it's Kiara's birthday and there's no way ima be able-."

"So you think her birthday is ruined?" Jean interrupted. "Listen since you can't get upstate go to the store buy some candles and some cute shit and give her a birthday at the house. Improvise. But everything doesn't have to be magical and expensive son." Jean told Khari.

"Your right. Thanks." Khari told him.

"Mhmm, I'm going back to sleep." Jean said before hanging up. Khari walked back into the bedroom and changed into some sweats and and sweatshirt and then putting on a hat because his hair was a mess, he hadn't had a cut in a while and even though Kiara liked it, he didn't. He grabbed his car keys and headed out.

He headed over to target and grabbed some food and candles. He grabbed anything that he could use to make the day romantic. Khari wasn't the best when it came to dates but he knew how to have fun. He grabbed some wine and games for them to play. The most he'd ever done for a girl was take her out to dinner and out the state but he never made a date himself. According to Jean and Langston, Khari was falling hard for Kiara but Khari disagreed, yes he cared for Kiara deeply and wanted nothing but to make her happy but he didn't think he was falling in love with her, mainly because he thought it was too early even though he had feelings for Kiara way before they made things official, he caught feelings for her back when he hired her to take pictures for his website. He admired her beauty and energy. She radiates positivity and love and he loved it.

Once Khari checked out he headed to his house really fast to grab a few things that could make the day and night even better. He grabbed some clothes and his Timbaland boots and the headed back to Kiara's house. He left the door unlocked so he could get back in. Once he walked in, he peaked to see if Kiara was awake and luckily she wasn't, it was now 12 oclock and Khari unzipped his jacket and took his sweatshirt off leaving him in nothing but his sweats and a wife beater. He put the bags down and put certain grocers away. He pulled out pancake mix, bacon and grits and took out Kiaras waffle maker and the other kitchen supplies he needed to make Kiara breakfast for the day. As he began his cooking he took out his phone and opened his music app to play some music. As Musiq Soulchild quietly played in the small kitchen he sang along. As he flipped the waffles onto the plate beside him.

"Good morning." Khari heard a soft voice behind him and next felt small arms wrap around his torso. He looked down seeing Kiara looking up at him. Her small body under his made him smile and turn towards her to kiss her head.

"Good morning and happy birthday mama." He said with a smile next kissing her lips.

"Is all this for me?" She asked in amazement at the sight.

"Of course, it's your day, I had to do something special for you. My original plan was to go upstate to this ski resort, my dad has a cabin up there but as you can see it's snowing all crazy and shit so I went to the store this morning while you were sleeping and got some things for the day and night. Today is all about you." He said as he wrapped his arms around her, beinging her closer to him.

"Aww thank you, I'm just about to hop into the shower." Kiara said as she walked back into her bedroom and next grabbing her things to shower. As she showered Khari continued to cook next putting their food on to some plates, he dug into the refrigerator to take out the food he planned on making them for dinner. He cleaned the steaks next seasoning them to perfection, he sat them back into the fridge and washed his hands. He sat the plates on the island and poured Kiara a glass of Apple Juice. Right on cue she came back out in a pair of basketball shorts and one of Khari's hoodies. She slid in the seat beside him and began to dig in. Khari caught a glance of her in his hoodie and at how big it was on her body causing him to smile. "You just love wearing my stuff huh?" He asked as he bit into a piece of bacon.

"If you don't like it stop bringing your comfortable ass hoodies over." Kiara said looking up at him.

"Heard you." Khari nodded as he smirked deviously. "Take my shit off then." He looked down at her with a smirk.

"No." Kiara smiled shyly next stuffing her face with a waffle. "But, what we doing today since we're snowed in? What you got planned?" Kiara asked

"I got us some games, I'm gonna cook dinner for you, after that it's all up to you." He shrugged.

"Can we make a fort? I don't know why but I had a dream that me and someone were making a fort so now I wanna make a fort."

"What?" Khari laughed. "We some grown ass adults and you wanna make a damn fort?" Khari asked as he held his stomach as he laughed.

"Yes. I'm not hearing no, so we're making a fort." Kiara said as she stood from the bar island and took her plate to the sink.

"Yeah we can make the fort, but I wanna make the lay out." Khari said following behind her into the kitchen.

"Okay, as long as I get my fort I don't care what you do." She teased as she walked around him to go sit in the living room. Khari just shook his head at how childish she was. But honestly he enjoyed it because they always ended up having fun. He decided to meet her on the couch as she searched Netflix for a movie.

"So what you wanna watch?" She asked Khari.

"I don't know, I've been in the mood for some old black love movies." Khari told her.

"Wanna watch Love Jones?"

"Is that your favorite movie or sum? You always wanna watch it." Khari asked. He picked up a few things about Kiara and one was that she loved Love Jones.

"Yeah." She laughed shyly.

"Ard let's watch it." He said. "I'll be back, ima go get us a blanket. Khari stood from the couch and walked into Kiara's bedroom to grab a blanket for the two, once he returned he sat down and threw the blanket over top of them causing Kiara to cuddle under him, he wrapped his arm around her body, pulling her closer to him. As they watched popular black love story the two cuddled and cracked jokes as the movie went on. Khari couldn't help but take in the moment, as her head laid on his chest he could smell the Blueberry Bliss shampoo that she washed with last night. Her body was warm and skin was soft. Khari looked down at her as she was intrigued into the movie and his heart raced. He never experienced anything like this before but he enjoyed every second of it. He'd been in several situations with women but he never really took them seriously because they never took him seriously, even with Julia, he genuinely cared for her and wanted her to succeed but all their relationship was, was sex. He didn't know what it was but he wanted more than just sex with Kiara, he wasn't even pressed on doing so. He just wanted to take his time with her and make her happy, whenever she was ready he was, he wanted to make sure she was comfortable and especially because he knew what happened to her before they got together.

"Khari." Kiara said tapping him, taking Khari out of his daze.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" He asked.

"I just realized something, you're Darius and I'm Nina." Kiara excitedly told him.

"How so?" He asked as he laughed at her excitement.

"You're a poet and you like to use your words to captivate women and-."

"Captivate? You making me sound like a stalker or some shit." Khari sat up causing Kiara to laugh.

"Because you be tryna be all smooth and then you get women falling all over you. Remember I was there one night and I was one of them." Kiara said.

"Mann, I'm not even that smooth, it just be my voice. Women be dragging it." He joked causing Kiara to laugh. "If a shorty feel like I'm talking to them then that just mean she felt my words." Khari dramatically said causing Kiara to shake her head.

"Well I felt them."

"Exactly, now look at you, kissing and hugging up on me." Khari smiled next kissing her forehead. "But yeah, you're definitely Nina, just that you won't sleep with none of my friends but other than that you're definitely Nina. You a sexy ass photographer, a go getter, everything." He said as he looked down at her in adoration.

Kiara's phone began to ring a call from Troy apperead on her screen.

"Hello-." Kiara began.

"Happy birthday!" Karla and Troy yelled trough the phone.

"feliz cumpleaños mì amor!" Ms. Gonzalez said to her as she blew a kiss through the phone.

"What you doing today even though it's snowing all crazy." Karla asked.

"Nothing me and Khari just in the house chilling, y'all he cooked me breakfast and he making me dinner." She said in amazement.

"Oh, hey Khari!" Karla and Ms. Gonzalez sang in unison

"What y'all making? Make me a plate." Troy said sticking his head in the camera causing Karla to push his head back but making Khari and Kiara laugh.

"You so damn greedy, let them enjoy their day. Enjoy your day Kiki and Khari treat her right today." Karla said.

"I got her. I'm actually about to prepare her food now. Watch out mama." He said, Kiara got off of him and watched as he walked into the kitchen going into the refrigerator to grab the steaks he seasoned and cleaned earlier. Kiara went back to her phone call with Troy and Karla.

"Did you hear from your birth giver?" Karla asked.

"Yeah she texted me earlier, she said she'll call me later because she was at work."

"Oh okay. What he make you for breakfast?" Troy asked.

"Waffles, bacon, grits and eggs." Kiara told him. "That's all ya ass care about." She joked.

"For real, like move, we got food, go make you some." Karla joked with Troy. "But if you need anything call us. Be careful Kiki." Karla said giving Kiara a knowing look.

"Girl none of that happening today. Bye." Kiara laughed.

"Ard, happy birthday boo." Karla told her.

"Happy birthday dummy." Troy said with a laugh.

"Thank you stupid. Love y'all."

"Love you too." With that the group hung up and right after that Armani called.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to youuu." Armani and Noah sang to her over the FaceTime call.

"Is that Mani?" Khari asked with a knife in his hand as he hovered behind Kiara.

"Yeah and boy if you cut me ima kill you." Kiara threatened as she jerked back.

"Man, shush, ain't nobody gon hurt you." He said. "Yo nut!" Khari said to Armani.

"Yo hoe, aww y'all spending her birthday together. Y'all so cute." Armani cooed causing Khari and Kiara to laugh. "Well me and Noah just wanted to call and tell you happy birthday and to enjoy your day." Armani told her.

They hung up the phone and Kiara looked at the time seeing it was now 3.

"Okay so, ima need you to go in the room for about an hour." Khari told her.

"Excuse me?" Kiara asked.

"I'm about to prepare the night for you and I need you to go in the room, please." He smiled.

"Fine, but this the last time you kicking me out of my own living room, you don't pay no bills in here."

"Girl." Khari kissed his teeth. "Go in the room." Kiara walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Khari went into the hallway closet and grabbed the bags out he got from the store earlier. He took out the candles and wine he got from his house and then other essentials for the night. He grabbed his speaker and connected his phone to it and began to play some music. He took out all the cooking pans and utensils he needed to cook. He drizzled some oil on the pan for the steaks and once it was ready to be used he began to cook. He sat the steaks on the pan and began to cut up some potatoes and boiled some water for them to cook. When Khari was younger his dad made sure he knew how to cook but Khari took it upon himself to learn how to make anything his tastebuds desired, but it wasn't a surprise that Khari knew how to cook, it basically ran in the family, every Francois man knew how to throw down and Khari made sure that whenever he was to have a child, a son specifically he would teach them how to cook food, not just pancakes and chicken, actual food.

After two hours of preparing dinner, Khari set the plates out and put the food onto them, he poured some wine into some glasses and lit some candles. He dimmed the lights and turned to a different playlist and turned the music down to a more romantic, calm tone. He knocked on the bedroom door next hearing Kiara telling him to come in. He peaked in seeing her in a completely different outfit, she had a silky material dress that had a slit on the side and her curly hair sat perfectly on her shoulders, around her neck was of course her butterfly necklace and one of Khari's chains making chuckle.

"You was in here bored huh?" He asked.

"Yeah, I took 2 naps then got dressed then I saw you necklace and put it on and starting playing in it." She bluntly told him.

"It's all good, the food is ready, I'm just about to change cus now I feel under dressed." Khari said as he looked over himself as he stood in a pair Nike sweats and a tank top. Kiara nodded and sat on the bed, waiting for him. Khari quickly went back into the living room grabbing some things and walked into the bathroom with the bags and his clothes. As he changed his clothes he also ran some bath water and put some bubbles in it, he lit some candles and then squeezed himself through the door so Kiara couldn't see the inside of the bathroom.

"What were you doing? You all secretive." She laughed.

"You'll see later. You ready to go eat." The two walked into the living room and Kiara was in shock. She stopped in her tracks as she looked over the transformed living room. Just two hours ago it was filled with nothing but a couch and blankets but now it was filled with candles and music.

They sat at the small island and began to eat. "Thank you, this is so sweet." Kiara said still looking around the room, it honestly brought tears to her eyes, no one had ever done anything this nice for her on her birthday.

"No problem, we couldn't do the initial plan so why not do something special for someone special who absolutely deserves it." Khari said holding her hand then kissing it. He poured her a glass of wine and the two enjoyed each other's company along with the music. After their dinner Khari gestured her over to the bedroom and next to the bathroom. He uncovered her eyes showing her the dimmed down bathroom, a full bubble bath and candles lit.

"You about to propose or something?" Kiara joked.

"Not yet." Khari said to himself in his head. "Go head, ima go get in bed, enjoy ya bath baby." Khari said as he began to turn away from the bathroom but was grabbed.

"Get in with me." Kiara offered.

Khari chucked, he didn't know if she was being serious or if it was just her lady down below talking for her. "Kiki, we not doing this tonight." He laughed.

"We're not doing anything, get in with me." She said as she began to pull his shirt up.

"You sure you want me to see you undressed?" He asked as she pulled his shirt over his head.

"Yes." Kiara nodded.

"You not drunk baby?" He asked causing her to laugh.

"No, now you want me to unzip this dress or you want to?" Kiara asked. Khari grinned and told her to turn around so he could unzip it, he slowly unzipped it and once the dress fell to the floors she turned towards him looking Khari in his eyes, Khari looked her over and she really was a piece of art. He watched as Kiara sauntered over to the bathtub and getting in. She sunk her body in and looked over to Khari waiting for him to get in. Khari's heart began to race and even though he made up in his head that they weren't gonna get into anything, Kiara was making it very difficult. He unbuttoned his pants and pulled everything down, he watched as her eyes widened and honestly Khari knew she wasn't ready for any kind of action. He slid in across from her and pressed play on his music. He lifted up one of her feet and began to massage it. Kiara stood from the tub and went into her room. She came back with a rolled blunt and a lighter. She handed it to Khari and got back in. He lit the blunt and put it to his lips. Kiara just looked him over, his tattoos sat beautifully on his skin and the smoke he blew was honestly a turn on. Kiara took a quick picture showed it to him.

"Damn I look good." Khari said as he massages Kiara's foot with his other hand. He began to kiss her legs and up to her neck. "Happy birthday baby, I hope I made it special." He whispered to her as he laid kissed on her body.

"Thank you and you did." Kiara said with a smile of satisfaction. She was pleased with her day and the sight of the beautiful man in front of her. Khari laid one kiss on her lips and passed the L to Kiara then going back to massaging her feet and legs. Khari was honestly happy for once and just looking at Kiara he could actually say he was grateful and blessed for what he had.

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