It's been a long three months, but Devon is coming home today. Finally. His mom, my parents, Zane, and I are all waiting at the airport for his plane to land.
I spot Devon before anyone else. He looks gorgeous, with a determination I haven’t seen in him since high school, and his muscles are popping out of his tight black t-shirt under his cut. His hair has grown since he first left for Arizona. I wasn’t sure he would keep it that way, but it looks good, and the beard that has started growing makes him look so sexy.
I take off running toward him, leaving everyone else behind, and throw my arms around his neck. He grabs me around the waist and spins me. When I'm steady on my feet, he runs his hands through my hair, grabbing fistfuls, and smashes his lips against mine. I open for him, our tongues sliding together in a heated, breathtaking moment. My core tightens, and an ache forms that only he can make go away.
Soon, Daphne, soon. I tell myself repeatedly.
Hand in hand we walk back to our families. Everyone takes their turn hugging him, and he leaves Zane for last. "Hey, Zane." Devon pulls him into his tight hold.
"Hey, Dad." Zane hugs him back just as tight with the biggest smile I've ever seen from our son.
"You ready to hang out?" Devon asks with a matching grin.
Zane pulls back and the smile falls. "I have to go to Grandma and Grandpa's tonight."
Devon looks over at me with a raised brow. I bite the bottom of my lip and it clicks. "It's okay, Zane. I'm never leaving again, so we can hang out every day starting tomorrow."
Zane looks up at him. "You promise?"
Devon nods. "I promise. Let's go get my bag, and then let’s get outta here." Devon reaches over, taking my hand in his and lacing our fingers together. We wait at the baggage carousel and after getting his luggage I do a search on my phone to find a good restaurant.
* * *
While we wait for our food at the steakhouse, Devon's mom, Connie, asks, "Do you want to stay with me until you get settled in?"
Devon's hand on my thigh tightens. "Thanks, Mom, but I have a place to stay." I know he means the clubhouse, but I'm hoping he will eventually want to come live with me and Zane.
She takes a drink of her water. "I understand, but I want you to know that it is your home and you're welcome anytime."
"I appreciate the gesture." The corner of his mouth tilts up. I’m hoping now that his dad is out of the picture, they can start mending what that ass broke.
Zane asked a lot of questions about why his Grandpa Mayfield wasn't around anymore, and we tried to explain it to him without telling him the details of what he did to Devon. Zane was upset at first, which is understandable, but as time goes on, it’s getting easier.
My dad pipes in with his own question, "What are you going to do for work? Were you working before you left?" My dad has been eyeing his cut, so I know the grilling is about to begin.
“Dad,” I give in a warning tone.
Devon’s hand on my thigh tightens with his own warning. He’s letting me know he’s got this. "I didn't have a regular nine to five job before, no, but my club compensates me very well."
"You're club?" My dad cocks his brow. I refrain from rolling my eyes into the back of my head. My father is not stupid and knows damn well what club just by the cut.
Devon doesn’t hesitate with his response, "I'm a patched member of Satan's Sinners MC."
My father's face reddens. "Daphne!" His voice rises.
"Dad," I grumble. “You knew he was a member when you saw his cut,” I huff and shake my head.
"No daughter or grandson of mine will be—" Devon holds his hand up, cutting my father off.
"With all due respect, sir. My club brothers have been there for me the last eleven years. They are as much my family as my own mother. When I had nowhere else to go, they took me in. I won't sit here and let you disrespect them, or me, for what you think we’re about when you have no real understanding of what it means to be a part of the MC life. You think we are nothing but criminals and outlaws. While that might be true, we are also protecting the city you live in. We protect our own. We’re a brotherhood, and every one of them would risk their life for me. I would do the same for them. I'm here now to take care of Daphne, be the man she deserves, and to be a father to my son. My son. You will not tell me how to raise him." Holy shit! I'm taken back by Devon's words, not in a bad way, but in a sexy, turned on kind of way. The way he stood up for himself, his club, me, and Zane…I don’t know what the hell his dad was talking about because in my eyes, he’s nothing but a truly honorable, loyal man. And those are some sexy ass traits to have.
At the perfect moment, the waitress brings our food and the rest of dinner is quiet.
When we leave the restaurant, Zane rides back with my parents, giving Devon and me extra time alone to talk. He pushes the gas pedal on the highway, racing to get home quickly. It's a two-and-a-half-hour drive back to Wichita from Tulsa.
Both of us are quiet for a moment until he speaks. "I'm not going to apologize for what I said to your dad." His eyes stay on the road, but he glances at me out of the corner of his eye.
"I didn't expect you to," I smirk. "Besides it was hot seeing you all tough and standing up to him."
"Was it now?" He asks in a deep, huskier than normal tone. His grip on the steering wheel tightens until his knuckles are white, and he adjusts himself in the driver's seat. His free hand goes to my thigh, he starts rubbing up and down my tight Jeans. My pussy begins to throb with a need so intense, I almost want to tell him to pull the car over. "I can't wait to get you home." Home. I like the sound of that.
"Yeah?" I lean over my seat, kissing the side of his neck and using my hands to undo the button and zipper on his dark denim jeans. I pull his hard cock out of his boxer briefs and begin moving my fist up and down. Devon sucks in a breath of air through his clenched teeth. "Why do we have to wait?" I lower my head to circle my tongue around the tip.
"Jesus fucking Christ, Daph!" I always thought Devon was big, but I don't remember him being this big. Maybe the few men I've been with since him were just lacking. I know poor Brad was.
I open my mouth wide, taking him in, and going down until he hits the back of my throat, but I don't even have all of him in my mouth. It would be impossible. His hand goes into the back of my hair, and he grabs a handful while still concentrating on driving.
I continue moving my mouth up and down his long, thick shaft. His breathing becomes labored, and I can feel the car speeding up and slowing down. "Fuck, your mouth feels so fucking good," He moans.
I pull my mouth away long enough to tell him, "Set the cruise control before we get pulled over for reckless driving." I hollow my cheeks and slowly suck him in from the tip down.
"Jesus Christ!" He growls. "We wouldn't have to worry about getting pulled over if you weren’t sucking me off like a Hoover God damn vacuum and making me want to unload right fucking now." I release him one more time and gaze up at him as he’s wiping beads of sweat off his forehead.
I pull my lips into my mouth to keep from laughing. "Do you want me to stop?" I ask innocently, batting my lashes, and start to sit up, but his hand in my hair tightens, and he holds me down.
"You stop now, woman, and I will spank your ass so hard, my handprint will be there for days."
I bust out laughing. "Ya' know, you have become real bossy over the years."
"Daphne." His tone is serious and a warning.
"Oh, you want me to finish now," I tease, testing him.
I get another sexy growl.
Sucking him back into my mouth, I move my head up and down, fisting him with one of my hands for the remainder that can't fit into my mouth. I work him into a frenzy, moving my mouth and hand in sync, picking up my pace until his breaths quicken. His fist tightens in my hair and his cock twitches in my mouth.
"Fuck!" He yells out. "I'm gonna come." Right then I take him all the way to the back of my throat, swallowing every drop of his saltiness.
I sit back in my seat to look out at the landscape flying by and notice that we’re almost home. His hand settles on my thigh, I put my hand on top of his.
"Daph." I turn my attention to him. "You’re forever mine."
"Aww, you're just saying that because I gave you road head." I tease, but I know he means those words.
His eyes shoot to mine for a second before going back to the road. "I'm serious, Daphne. I love you so fucking much. I was in a real bad place and I'm sorry for what I did. I'll never take you for granted again, or my life. I want to live, Daphne, and I want you with me every day for the rest of our time."
"I want that too, Dev, more than anything in this world. I never thought we would find each other again, but we did, and to me, that's fate showing us we were meant to be. It means everything to me that you wrote to me every day while you were deployed. You never once forgot about me, and your love for me never wavered as mine never did for you. Life is short, Dev. We need to spend every day living it to the fullest, and now we can do that together."
"Damn right we'll do it together. It's us against the world, just like it used to be, Daph." He puts my car in park. "That was some great road head though," He jokes.
I slap at his arm, but laugh along with him. We get out of the car, slam the doors, and I take off running, making him chase me all the way to my apartment door.
I fumble with my bag, until finally, I find my keys and unlock the front door. As soon as the door is shut behind us, Devon pins me to the wall, arms above my head, and his lips smash against mine.
His kiss is so seductive, tantalizing, and passionate.
His hands move down my body until he reaches the bottom of my shirt. He pushes it up, breaking from the kiss only long enough to pull my shirt over my head. His lips crash to mine once more. His hands move to my back and he unclasps my bra, throwing it somewhere around the room.
I take the opportunity to push my hands under his own shirt, feeling his chiseled abs and defined torso. It's when I try to remove his shirt, he pulls away from me.
"No!" He shouts unexpectedly.
"Wha...what's wrong?" I ask, shocked by his sudden hesitation.
"My shirt stays on." I see the anxiety, the worry, the horror deep in his depths as his eyes bore into mine.
"It's okay," I try to reassure him, taking a few steps closer to him.
"No, it's not." He shakes his head frantically. "It’s disgusting. The scars, they’re ugly."
A gut-wrenching sadness clenches my heart. "No, you're perfect."
"How can you say that?" His expression turns to confusion.
I give him a small smile. "Because we all have scars, Dev. Some deeper than others. Our scars made us who we are today, but they don't define who we have become. I mean, hell, I have cellulite on my thighs, dimples on my ass, and stretch marks across my stomach. And obviously, I've gained a hundred pounds since we were kids. Should I be scared to let you remove my clothes?"
He chuckles. "Of course not. I don't care about any of that shit." He steps closer, runs his fingers through my hair and tilts my head up to gaze at him. "You're still the prettiest girl I've ever seen. My love for you runs deeper than your skin."
I rest my hands on his hips and cock my brow. "And you think it's different for me?"
His lips tilt up. "No, I guess it's not."
"No, it's not," I repeat his words with a matching grin. “You asked me once why I wear all the makeup and dress in mostly black. It’s because I felt like if people focused on those things, they wouldn’t see my weight or the flaws I’m insecure about.
“What’s on the outside doesn’t matter to me, Dev, it never has. What matters to me is what’s in here.” I lay my hand on his shirt above his heart. I try to deflect from the heavy talk because it’s starting to dampen the mood, and I don’t want anything to mess up this moment for either of us. "Can we please have sex now? I'm dying here." In the middle of both of us laughing, his lips find mine once again.
He pulls back. "Bedroom?"
"Right." I lift my finger and shake it. "A bed might be handy." I take his hand in mine, still topless, and lead him into my bedroom. I don't bother turning the light on because I want to be strong for him, but I do have my own insecurities, and sex with the light on is one of those.
I find him standing in front of me in my dark room, and a bundle of nerves takes root in my belly. I never thought we would be here again. This time when I pull his shirt up, he doesn't try to stop me. My hands run from the top of his Jeans, up those glorious abs, and further to the perfectly sculpted pecs. I move them to his shoulders. He sucks in a breath of air, but he doesn't stop me. My fingertips run down his scarred back. Devon's body tenses, he stands stock still, but lets me continue my exploration.
Every inch of his back is deeply embedded with the reminder of what happened to him. I slowly walk around him, kissing along the way. Starting with his bicep, across to his shoulder blades, and around to his other side. When I make it back in front of him, he reaches behind my head, grabbing a handful of my hair, and pulls my head back. His lips crash against mine, his tongue skimming across my bottom lip, seeking an opening.
Our tongues tangle in desperation, and we work in a frenzy to remove the rest of our clothing. He takes steps forward, I step back until my legs hit the end of my bed. I fall onto my comforter and he towers above me. "Forever mine."
"Forever yours." Those words glue every broken piece I had left back together, and on this day, I am mended.
I scoot up the bed with him following, but he stops when he reaches my knees. His lips lightly touch my inner thigh. He slowly moves up, peppering kisses in his wake until he reaches my center. His tongue licks from my clit down to my opening, the feel of it sends a jolt of need throughout my entire body.
My hips jerk at his continued assault. When he focuses solely on my clit, my eyes screw shut, white stars dance behind my closed lids, and my hands reach for the back of his head, pulling him closer. I'm not even sure he can breathe at this point.
He applies the perfect amount of pressure, drawing my release closer and closer.
The tip of his tongue moves in ways I can't even comprehend. My head tilts back on my pillow, my toes curl, and that rush of ecstasy flows through me like a hurricane. I scream, "Devon!"
His movements begin to slow as I ride out my orgasm, thrashing on the bed.
He climbs over my body, his lips descend upon mine, and his tongue pushes into my mouth. I taste myself as he deepens the kiss and he slowly enters me. Both of us relish the feeling of being joined fully once again. Our moans are swallowed up by our breathtaking kiss.
His body rocks against mine fueled by love and remembrance.
He pulls his mouth away, only to move it to my ear. "I love you, Daph." His head dips down so that his tongue swirls around my hard nipple, and then he sucks the tight bud into his mouth, biting my flesh.
"I love you too." I cry out as his movements become more driven, faster, calculated.
I never thought we would be here again, but it's so much more than before. I have that same overwhelming feeling of new mixed with old. My senses are heightened by the way he is making my body feel tonight while remembering how he felt when we were younger.
My hands reach around, landing on his delectably toned ass. My nails dig into his skin, I pull him in deeper and deeper. My hips move, matching his rhythm. My moans grow louder, as do his grunts and groans.
A whitewash of sudden pleasure shoots through my core. "Devon!" I scream out again, my orgasm releases fast and in a flurry of pleasure. God, I’ve missed how incredible he is, or maybe it’s just the way we are together. It’s like he’s in perfect sync with me and my body. He knows exactly what button to push and what spot to hit.
"Fuck, you feel so damn good," Devon praises. "So, fucking wet." His movements become jerky as his own release overtakes him. His head falls into the crook of my neck and he groans, "Daphne."
I graze my fingertips up and down his scarred back as we both catch our breaths. A few minutes later, Devon pulls away, breaking our connection to lay beside me. Our labored breathing is slowly becoming normal.
“Fuck, I’ve missed the feel of you.” Devon smiles, dragging his tired eyes my way.
“Yeah,” I agree lazily. My head turns in his direction and I see my alarm clock. "Shit! We gotta go!" I jump up from the bed in a frantic mess, run to my bathroom–naked ass out and all–and turn on the shower. I forgot all about Devon having to go to the clubhouse. It's a surprise, so I didn't tell him.
He stalks in behind me. "What the hell do you mean we gotta go?"
I huff, "Just trust me. Get in the shower with me and hurry!"
He doesn't hurry. In fact, he takes his sweet sexy time getting into the shower. He puts some of my body wash on his hands, and proceeds to lather every inch of my flesh. The first stroke of his cock inside of me, has me completely forgetting about the time and where we're supposed to be.
My hands splay against the bathroom wall as he pulls my hips back driving into me rough, hard, and hitting my G-spot meticulously. In no time, I'm calling out his name once again and he follows with his own release soon after.
He slowly pulls out. My legs feel like Jell-O, but I try to gain as much of my composure as I can in order to finish showering.
* * *
We pull up into the compound parking lot. Devon's eyes snap in my direction. "What are we doing here?"
I bite my bottom lip. I'm a terrible liar, but hopefully, he won't call me on it. "I thought maybe you would want to let everyone know you're back."
"Well, yeah. I mean, I was going to come by tomorrow. I thought tonight would be just us." His brows pull down. Shit! Maybe it wasn't a good idea keeping it a secret. I never thought about how he would feel coming back here so quickly. "C'mon. We're here. We might as well go in."
We both step out, meeting at the front of my car. He takes my hand in his, and we walk side by side up to the clubhouse. He opens the door for me, allowing me to walk through first. It looks like a normal evening. Bikers drinking, women walking around half naked, music blaring, and smoke clouds the air. But…when Devon walks in behind me, everyone stops what they are doing, all attention going to him. The women clap happily and the men holler and stomp their feet in greeting.
I glance at Devon. He's smiling, which I take as a good sign. Right then, his eyes meet mine. "Did you do this?"
I shake my head no. "It was all Jacey. I just kept her updated on your progress."
He lifts my hand and kisses the top of it. "Thank you."
I smile and nod. The guys begin coming over and slapping him on the back, welcoming him home, and all the women do too. Jacey waits until the end of the line, and when she steps up, her eyes are filled with tears. "Hey, c'mere, Short Shit." Devon holds his arms out. She walks into them, wrapping her arms around his back.
"I'm so happy you're home, but don't ever scare me like that again," She cries into his chest.
"I won't. I promise." He hugs her tighter, then releases her.
She steps over to me, pulling me in for a hug and whispers, "I'll never be able to tell you how grateful I am for what you did for him."
My own eyes pool with tears. "He's going to be okay." She pulls back. We smile at each other, and she nods. He will never truly be free from the PTSD or depression, but we will work like hell to keep him going back into the darkness.
We stay for a while, hanging out at the clubhouse, neither of us drinking, but I get to know the ladies a little better. Devon plays a few games of pool with Hunter, and we dance to a few songs.
Later into the night, I'm standing with the ladies when Jacey and Zoey decide to get on top of the tables and start dancing. The rest of us women start laughing and Chatty says, "Here come the guys." I look over. Hanger and Bear are stalking toward us with scowls on their faces.
"Do they do this a lot?" I ask while laughing.
"Every time." Chatty laughs with me. "They do it to get a rise out of Hanger and Bear."
The two guys pull their women down from the table. The ladies try to fight until they are carried firemen style down the hallway where the bedrooms are located.
Devon's arms wrap around my waist from behind. "You ready to go, babe?"
I lean my head back on his chest. "If you are."
He takes my hand in his. "Let's go."
I follow him outside thinking we’re going to my car, but instead, he leads me to a big steel building. We walk inside. It's dark, so he flips the switch and it lights up. I realize it's a garage. His motorcycle is sitting clean, off to the side.
"They took care of it while I was gone," He says more to himself than to me. He straddles the motorcycle, hands me a helmet, and I climb on behind him. Once my helmet is adjusted correctly, he brings the Harley to life. The loud rumble and vibration between my legs has me excited for this ride. I've been on a motorcycle before, but not with Devon. This feels more intimate, more meaningful.
We ride around the city for an hour, letting the bike lead the way and the wind blow past us. There’s always something calming when riding. It’s not just the sense of freedom, but the energy, the beauty, the true happiness. It’s the greatest feeling in the world having my arms wrapped tightly around his waist as we ride down the highway going 70 miles an hour, just him and me and the road in front of us.
When we pull back into the compound, he parks right next to my car. I climb off and he reaches out his hand, placing it on my lower back pulling me close to him. "I'll follow you back to the apartment." His lips find mine for a sweet, soft kiss. He lets me go, and we head back to my apartment.
Once inside, the thrill of the ride, the exhilaration, has us ripping our clothes off and going for round three. It's early morning before we both finally fall asleep from exhaustion.
* * *
I wake to the sound of banging on my front door. What the hell? I look over and the clock says noon. Shit! Devon kept me awake most of the night and now I’m sure my mom is pounding on the door with Zane.
Devon is still sleeping soundly next to me. I guess he wore himself out right along with me. I shove his shoulder. "Devon, wake up!" I whisper-yell at him and keep shoving his shoulder.
"Why?" He groans but sits up, rubbing his tired eyes.
"My mom is here! Go hide!" I jump up from the bed, rushing to get some clothes on. I grab a pair of pajama pants and an old shirt out of my dresser.
"I'm not fucking hiding! What the fuck is wrong with you?" He looks at me incredulously.
"I don't know!" I'm panicking and have no idea why. "Just hide! I don't want Zane to get the wrong impression." Maybe it’s because it’s Devon and we always had to be careful that my parents didn’t catch us, or maybe it’s because I’ve never had a man in my bed when Zane has come home–or been home for that matter.
He stands butt ass naked and crosses his arms. "And what impression would that be?" Irritation grows in his sexy features by the second.
I blow out a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I don't have men here or around him. I'm just freaking out."
“You’re a grown fucking woman. We have a ten-year-old son together. Your parents know you have sex, Daphne.” He begins to put his jeans on and walks out of the bedroom.
"Devon, wait!" I chase after him.
"I'm glad you didn't have any of your fucks around our son. We'll talk about this later." He gives me a stern look that makes me want to hunker in a corner. I bite my bottom lip and think about what I said. Gah! Thinking it over, it sounds bad. I need to apologize to him.
He opens the front door. "It's about time..." My mom’s words halt when she comes face to naked chest. She clears her throat and looks over at me with wide eyes. I suck my lips in to keep from laughing and lower my head.
Zane pushes past her. "Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad." He smiles like he just won the first prize in a competition. He walks to his room, taking his backpack with him.
"So…I'll be going now." My mom starts speed walking down the hallway.
I poke my head out the door. "Was Zane good?" I yell after her.
"Oh yeah, he was great," She hollers back, but doesn’t turn to look at me.
"I'll call you later."
"Okay."
I shut the door and bury my face in my hands to keep from showing my embarrassment. Devon walks over to me, puts his arms around my shoulders, and kisses my head. "Are you embarrassed to have me here?"
I snap my head up and search his eyes. "No! I'm sorry about saying that shit before, about not having any men here and for you to hide. I had a freak out moment and I'm sorry." I throw my arms around his waist and hold him tightly.
"I get it, but don't compare me to the other men you've been with because number one, I don't wanna fucking think or hear about that shit, and number two, you have always been mine. Nothing they did could ever change that, or you wouldn't be here with me now."
"I know. I'm really sorry. It’s just going to take me some time to get used to having you here."
Devon gives me a chaste kiss. "It's done. I'm gonna go put my shirt on and see what Zane wants to do today." As he walks back toward the bedroom, I release a deep breath I didn't know I was holding.
Zane comes out of his room. "Is Dad living with us?"
I think about that for a minute. "I'm not sure yet."
"I'd be okay with it, if he was." He tells me as he walks to the refrigerator to get a glass of chocolate milk.
Devon joins us. "Hey, Zane, what do you wanna do today?"
Zane turns in our direction while drinking the whole glass without taking a break. When he's done he puts the glass in the sink and answers. "Wanna go to the amusement park?"
Devon and I look at each other with matching smiles.
"Amusement park it is," I reply.
"Dad?" Devon's eyes light up every time Zane calls him dad, and it makes my heart fill with happiness.
"Yeah?"
"You can call me Z if you want. That's what mom calls me unless she's mad at me, and then she says Zane Devon Mayfield." Zane tries mimicking the tone of voice I use whenever he gets into trouble.
Devon's eyes snap to mine. "His full name is Zane Devon Mayfield?"
I nod and smile. Devon's eyes shine with unshed tears. "You named him after me?"
"I did. I still wanted him to have a part of you."
He smiles brightly at me. "Thank you."
Zane interrupts our moment. "Can Connor come with us? I want him to meet my dad!" Zane asks full of excitement.
I walk over to the kitchen counter, grab my phone, and hand it to Zane. "Call him."
He takes the phone and runs to his room.
Devon takes a few steps toward me. "I didn't think I could love you any more than I already did, but fuck if that didn't slam me in the heart."
I grip his shirt tight in my fists. "If you really love me, don't make me ride the slingshot." Sticking my bottom lip out, I pout.
"Not a chance, babe." He laughs.
I roll my eyes and throw my arms in the air. "Damn it! Why do you guys do this to me?"
"I'll make it up to you later, and I'll even bribe the Ferris wheel attendant, so I can kiss you at the top."
"Deal." I smile and he crashes his lips against mine.
"Connor's coming!" Zane shouts, running back into the living room and interrupting our kiss.
"Okay, I'll go get ready."
We pick Connor up a couple hours later, then get back on the road, heading for the amusement park. "That's my dad, Connor." I hear Zane tell his best friend from the backseat.
I look in the rearview mirror, Connor's light blue eyes look up from his iPad. "Hi, Mr. Mayfield."
Devon and I glance at each other both smiling. Devon turns in the seat. "Hi, Connor. It's nice to meet you, but you can call me Doc."
Connor tilts his head to the side a little and his brows lift. "Is that your real name?"
Devon chuckles. "No, it’s a nickname I earned because I learned some medical sh...stuff in the Army."
"My dad's a hero," Zane gushes with pride.
"He sure is," I interject and reach over taking Devon's hand in mine.
The rest of the ride to the park is quiet. The boys are immersed in a game and Devon is looking out the window. I shake his hand to get his attention. When he looks at me, I ask, "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good," He replies with a grin.
I park the car in the parking lot, we get out, and the boys race to stand in line for admission. Devon and I catch up, walking hand in hand. Once we are all through the gate, it's a race to the first ride.
I’ve lost track at how many rides we’ve been on, some we rode twice, but now it’s time for the Slingshot. Zane and Connor sit in front of us, Devon and I buckle our harnesses, and we get ready. I look around while waiting, and no longer feel that lonely feeling.
We start going up and up and up until we hit the high start and then we are zooming down. I scream the entire ride, through every twist, turn, and loop. Devon laughs a deep belly laugh at my terrified state, but I must admit this is the best time I’ve had on this stupid ride.
It’s been hours since we entered the amusement park. We’ve ridden all the rides that the boys wanted, and the sun has set. Devon pulls me along with him, the boys following behind. We come to the Ferris wheel. "Aww, why are we gonna ride this? We never ride the Ferris wheel. It's boring," Zane complains.
Devon smiles and puts his arm around Zane's shoulder. "This is a tradition for me and your momma. She rides all those rides she hates for you, so I think you can ride this one for her."
"Fine," Zane grumbles while rolling his eyes.
When we get close to the attendant, Devon pulls out a twenty and hands it over. The attendant looks down at it then up to Devon. "What's that for?" His brows pull down in confusion.
"It’s for you to make sure and stop me and my Ol' Lady at the very top."
The attendant takes the twenty and nods. "You got it."
I laugh, but my heart is racing at the words “Ol' Lady.” I know how important those words are to the men and women of his club.
We sit in our seat and the attendant moves it up to allow Zane and Connor sit in the one below us. We slowly move up and up until we reach the top. The whole park and beyond is lit up like Christmas. "It’s pretty up here, isn't it?" I forgot how beautiful it really was because I haven't ridden this since I was a teenager with Devon.
"The prettiest," Devon replies. My head turns in his direction, but he's not looking out at the lights, his gaze is fixed on me. His hand lifts to cup my cheek and his thumb caresses my flesh. Tilting my head, I lean into his touch, my eyes drift close for a moment. Devon leans closer bringing his lips to mine, fusing our mouths together. His tongue pushes between the seam of my lips and quickly turns it into a soul-shattering kiss.
He pulls away too soon, his forehead resting against mine. My eyes flutter open, and I gaze at him through my thick black lashes. "Forever mine," He whispers.
"Forever yours," I whisper back. "Did you mean what you said down there?" I question, hoping I wasn't hearing things.
He pulls back the rest of the way, his eyes searching mine. "Did I mean what?"
I bite my lip. "That I was your Ol' Lady."
Without hesitation, he replies, "Yes."
"Good." I smile and his lips tilt up as well.
Our cart stops at the bottom, the attendant opens the door, and we get off the ride. We wait for Zane and Connor, and when they join us, we walk back to my car so that I can drive us to the pizza place not far away.
“Did you boys have fun?” I ask before sinking my teeth into the greasy goodness.
“Yes!” They reply happily in unison.
Connor takes a drink of his pop. “Zane, you wanna stay the night?”
Zane thinks about it for a second. “Not tonight. I’m gonna hang out with my dad. We can next weekend though.”
Connor shrugs his shoulder. “Okay.”
The rest of dinner, the boys talk about school, the game they’ve been playing, and are already making plans for the next weekend. Devon sits in awe of his son, and I feel complete. But…this feeling of having another baby starts to work its way into my thoughts. Devon and I didn’t use protection and I stopped taking the pill after Brad. Is it crazy to be having these thoughts when we officially just got back together? Yes, it is. And what the hell am I thinking? I’m too busy to even try to have a baby right now.
After leaving the restaurant, we drop Connor off at home and drive to the apartment. Devon goes into the kitchen to make some popcorn, while Zane and I head into the living room to pick a movie. Zane bounces to the middle of the couch leaving space open on either side for Devon and I. Devon walks into the living room with a big bowl of the buttery popcorn and joins us on the couch. I start the movie, but halfway through, Zane falls asleep with his head on Devon’s shoulder. Looking at the two of them, my sense of completion is restored. This is how it was always supposed to be.