DEMETRIA

“MARION! Put me down!” I squealed, half-laughing, half-scolding as he crossed the living room with me tossed over his shoulder like I weighed nothing at all.

“Nope,” he said, smug and absolutely unbothered. “I’m enjoying this way too much.”

He took the stairs toward the bedroom with ridiculous enthusiasm, bouncing me a little with each step.

“Marion Whitfield, I swear—”

“You swear what?” he asked, finally setting me gently on my feet at the edge of the bed, ...