Kim on the early days of their relationship:
“You’d think he wouldn’t be the type of guy who would open the door, but he was doing little things like opening the door, closing the door. Even when he would be off doing his thing he would come by and say: ‘Are you okay? Do you need anything?’ Knowing his character, being attentive was something I wouldn’t expect from him. So when he did things like that, it made me say ‘Okay.’ But more than that, we could talk to each other about anything. It was very comfortable. What’s enabled us to sustain our relationship is that we can still talk like that. We have a friendship. These days people don’t have the patience to nurture a relationship or a friendship.”
Sean on being intimate with Kim:
“I love to kiss her. I love to make out with her. I love sippin’ on her lips and looking into her eyes. I appreciate her. Every time I see her it’s like I just met her. She has a spell on me.”
Kim on monogamy:
“I’d like to think that a man or a woman could be faithful because when two people make a commitment, they should be monogamous. But I don’t think that’s realistic. I really don’t. I’d hope in my relationship I’m enough of a woman for my man; or that I could give him what he needs. When men cheat, a lot of times I feel, it’s not for sex. Maybe they’re not getting something from their woman they want. So I try and make sure in my relationship that I’m giving my man everything he needs. Whether it’s being a friend, a homegirl, a therapist, or a mom, I’m going to be all those things for him. But if he makes a choice, and he decides to stray, he has to answer to God on that one.”
Sean and Kim on their relationship’s new bond:
Sean: “There’s some good and there’s some bad; but our good is just so strong. I’m not perfect. But, she’s definitely made me better.”
Kim: “We had a rebirth of our relationship. Back then, that was an ugly period, but time heals all wounds. And, you know, one thing about love — if it’s true love — it will prevail. Our relationship is definitely a testimony in that.”
Kim on when she and Sean are getting married:
“When we do, it’ll be a wonderful thing, a beautiful thing. But that’s just not now. When it’s time we’ll know it, and we’ll do it.”
Wondering what went on behind the scences of the photo shoot? Check out a photo gallery from the cover shoot at the Hotel on Rivington. Plus, read an excerpt of “No Ordinary Love” from the December issue of ESSENCE, on newsstands on Nov. 11, 2006.