Rocked (The Everyday Heroes World) - Julia Wolf Page 0,104
exist anywhere else on the planet,” he mumbled around a full mouth.
“Ah, so now I know the true reason you returned: the pancakes.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled when they met mine. “I forgot to say, if you decided to move to the sun, I’d arrange for Bertha to shoot these pancakes up to me on a rocket.”
I laughed. “Why am I moving to the sun?”
He raised his eyebrows, mischief in his eyes. “’Cause you’re so damn hot, baby.”
I shouldn’t have laughed at that, but I did, leaning into him as I giggled. Devon had a way of disarming me, and I didn’t think he had any idea he was doing it. He was just being himself, and god, I really liked him.
“I really missed this,” I said.
“Me too.” He gripped my chin and pressed his thumb into my bottom lip. “Missed making you laugh.”
Pancakes eaten, we walked back toward my house with our hands linked. The butterflies in my stomach were going crazy, and I bit my lip to stop my teeth from chattering from nerves.
We stopped on my porch, facing each other. Devon raked a hand through his hair, and I swore he looked as nervous as I felt.
“How was our first date?” he asked, his voice gruff.
“I think it was a little heavy for a first date, but not a dealbreaker.”
The grin he gave me was laden with desire. “Think I might have a shot at getting a second?”
“I’m not sure.”
He cocked his head. “What could I do to make you sure?”
“I think you should kiss me and tell me you love me again.”
“I thought I wasn’t allowed to do that on the first date?”
I licked my lips and closed the distance between us, my chest pressed to his. “Then let’s try the kissing part. The other thing can wait for the second date, if you want.”
Pushing up on my toes, I sealed my lips with Devon’s. His mouth was hot, but hesitant, letting me take the lead. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer so I could deepen our kiss. He curled his arms around my waist, holding me firm against him.
With the first touch of our tongues, he let out the sexiest, most gut-wrenching groan. Something in the sound wormed its way into my belly, stoking the fire that burned solely for this man.
“Come inside,” I breathed into his mouth.
He pulled back just enough to make eye contact. “I want to so fucking bad, Kat. But you gotta know, if I come inside, that’s it. We’re together for real. No sneaking around or pretending. If you’re not ready for that with me, then I’ll wait until you are.”
It was all I wanted with him—something real I could hold and touch and know was mine—something I could trust and lean into. Devon was that man for me, I’d only had to open my eyes to see it.
“I love you, Devon. Come inside.”
His mouth covered mine in an instant while I fumbled to open the door behind me. When we made it through the threshold, Leroy’s nose connected with Devon’s crotch, making us both groan for different reasons.
I clapped my hands. “Come on, you bad, bad boy. Wanna go outside?”
Leroy’s ears perked up, then he launched himself through the house. When I got to the back door, his tail was wagging so hard, it thumped against the floor. I let him out and left the door open so he could come back in whenever he wanted.
When I turned around, Devon watched me, a hand rubbing his chest. I raised an eyebrow. “This is really what you want? A mom, an allergic-to-everything-but-air girl, and an untamed dog?”
He approached me with fire in his eyes. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”
“Not even to be a star?”
He sobered a little, hands sliding around my waist. “That was all I ever wanted until I got here and looked up. The sky is teeming with stars here, so bright, I couldn’t ever compete. Where I come from, we don’t have stars, so we try to make ourselves into them. But here? I don’t have to be anyone but me. I’m working real hard to be comfortable with that.”
“I like who you are when you’re here.”
He dipped his head to press his lips to my jaw, to my scar. “I like how you see me, Lady.”
With a sigh, my head fell back as I gave myself over to the soft kisses he trailed along my skin. He’d never been this gentle