Page 140 of Certified To Handle You 2

Dr. V nodded. “That’s a healthier way to hold the fear. Readiness does not mean fear disappears. It means fear no longer makes every decision for you.”

“I think we both ready,” Pluto said while lookin’ at me.

I smiled and leaned toward her. “Feel like we virgins ‘bout to lose that shit to each other.”

Pluto covered her face with one hand while Dr. V laughed. “Pressure, please.”

“What?” I asked. “It do. I been thinkin’ ‘bout how I’m gon’ kiss her like I ain’t done it a thousand times.”

Pluto lowered her hand and looked at me with that soft expression I had been missin’ for months. “You’re ridiculous.”

Her cheeks warmed, and she looked away before Dr. V saved her by bringin’ the session back around.

“Remember what we discussed,” Dr. V said. “Stay connected to each other instead of focusing on a particular outcome. Let affection be affection. Let desire build without making either of you responsible for finishing a certain way.”

“I got it,” I assured her. “I ain’t takin’ my wife nowhere to put pressure on her.”

Pluto looked at me and smiled. “I know.”

That right there meant more than anything else said inside the room.

When the session ended, I stood first and held my hand out for Pluto. She placed hers inside mine, and I pulled her up before slidin’ one arm around her waist. Dr. V hugged Pluto, then gave me the same look she always gave when she was proud of some shit but ain’t wanna overdo it.

“Enjoy your trip,” she told us. “Rest, be honest and let yourselves have joy without waiting for something to go wrong.”

“I’m workin’ on that last part,” I admitted.

“I know,” she replied. “That’s why I said it.”

Me and Pluto left her office hand in hand, and our driver was already waitin’ outside by the truck. The second we stepped into the sun, I pulled Pluto against me and kissed her lips until she smiled against mine.

“You good?” I asked while rubbin’ my hand over her waist.

“I’m good,” she answered. “I’m ready to go.”

I kissed her forehead before openin’ the back door. “Then let’s get the fuck away from everybody.”

The ride to the airstrip ain’t take long, but I kept Pluto close the whole way. She sat tucked against my side while I held her hand in my lap, kissed her temple and rubbed my thumb over her fingers. Every time she looked toward me, I leaned down and kissed her again ‘cause I had spent too many months scared to give my wife everything I wanted to give her.

By the time we reached the private airstrip, our luggage was already there with two of my men. The jet sat waitin’ near the runway, and I could feel Pluto get more excited when she saw it.

I kissed her one more time before steppin’ out the truck, then walked around and opened her door myself. Pluto started to step down, but I placed one hand around her waist and helped her like she was too precious to touch the ground wrong.

“I can walk, Pressure,” she said while lookin’ up at me.

“I know you can,” I replied. “You ain’t gotta do shit just ‘cause you can, though.”

She smiled as I kept my arm around her and walked her toward the jet. My men handled every bag, and I ain’t let Pluto reach for nothin’ but my hand.

Once we boarded, I let her choose her seat before takin’ the one across from her. I wanted to see her face while we flew. Her hair fell down around her shoulders, her skin had a glow I ain’t seen in a while and the outfit she wore hugged her body in a way that made it hard not to stare.

I reached across the space between us and took her hand. “You look beautiful, baby.”

Pluto smiled and looked down for a second. “You already told me that three times today.”

“I’mma tell you three hundred more before this trip over,” I promised. “Get used to it.”

The flight attendant approached with a tray and asked what we wanted before takeoff. I chose a bottle of Louis XIII, fresh pineapple juice and sparklin’ water ‘cause Pluto ain’t neednothin’ too strong before we got in the air. When the glasses and ice came, I mixed both drinks myself and handed hers across to her.