"To trade in your car." He says matter of fact.
"What? I love my car! There's nothing wrong with it. I just paid it off." I say shocked.
"Yes, but he knows this car. We're trading it in and I'm buying you a new one, so what do you want?" He asks looking over at me.
"I don't know. I love my Explorer." I say again with a frown.
"You want another SUV?" He asks.
"Yea, I guess so. If I don't have a choice." I state annoyed.
"You don't." He smiles. "New SUV it is. Tell me everything from start to finish." He says not taking his eyes off the road.
"When I left the Medical testing office and you texted me asking me how my test went and then said I looked hot in my heels. Thanks by the way. I looked up from my phone to see where you were since I was still in bed when you left this morning. When I looked up I saw him across the street at the intersection." I say, he cuts me off.
"Is that when I asked what you were looking at?" He asks.
"Yes." I say looking at him hesitantly. A flash of anger crosses over his face and he grits his teeth. He's mad because we were so close to him. "Anyways, when I looked up at you and turned back to where he was he was gone. Then me and you went to the court house for our license and I went back out to your truck for lunch he was standing a couple cars over watching us." I frown and he knows why. "When I was finished I went to my truck to come get the girls and he was sitting in the diner across the street from my car really angry because I’m pretty sure he saw us. I kind of might have rubbed it in his face by smirking at him. I wanted to let him know I was happy and I know he saw you so I'm sure he's super mad and I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking." I flinch and look over at him to find he's glaring angrily at me.
"Cut it out! I'm not going to hurt you." He growls. “...but I'm also not happy you did that."
"Sorry. I just really wanted him to know I was happier than I've ever was with him." I frown. He releases a loud breath and then reaches over and grabs my hand.
"You know you're not leaving the house now, right? .... And, someone is going to be with you at all times." He says confirming my worst nightmare.
"Yesss." I say long and over exaggerated.
"Good." He smiles. "Now, about lunch." He adds. "That was so fucking sexy and you will definitely be returned the favor tenfold. No one has ever done that before and I haven't been able to get it out of my head all day." He growls. I lean into him and kiss him below the ear then bite at his jaw.
"You." kiss "Were." kiss "Delicious." I whisper slow and seductive planting a kiss across his jaw between each word.
"I'm driving." He says huskily and adjusts him self in the seat.
"Then drive." I say with a smile in my voice.
"You're literally going to be the death of me." He groans.
*****
"This is not what I had in mind when you said a new SUV." I gush completely shocked. We're pulling back up to Jeremy's and Amber's house to pick up the girls. I don't now how many times I thanked him or mentioned this since he picked out my new car.
"It's paid for so deal with it." He smiles and puts the car in park. Jeremy meets us out front and smiles at my car appreciatively.
"You got her a F15 BMW x5. Nice pick, Amity." Jeremy drools over my car.
"I didn't pick it." I point out. "This knuckle head did. I would have been happy with a Kia."
"A Kia?" They both look at me like I'm crazy. I roll my eyes at them and go in to get my girls while they sit outside and eye screw my car. Boys!
"Alrighty little princesses. Let's go home. I call out to them." I look over at Amber. "I'm so sorry you had to watch them all day. I'm sure you're exhausted. Can I pay you back by getting lunch sometime? Maybe a girl’s night out?" I say extremely apologetic.
"Heck yea! I'll take the girls night out. By the way, it really wasn't a problem. I was going to say you didn't have to do anything but I haven't had a GNO without testosterone induced pecker-heads in I don't know how long." He laughs.
"Yes, that does sound nice, doesn't it?” I smile back.
"Any good dance halls around here?" I ask. She smiles appreciatively. "Oh, I'm sure I can come up with a few."
"Alright, well thanks again. I'll let you know when I'm off house arrest and then we can go out." I smile at her and gather the girls. "Later." She calls out after us.
I walk out the door and down their long driveway and meet the guys out near my car. Dex and Jeremy help load them up and we tell them goodnight. He follows me to the house. When we arrive I park in the garage and he pulls in behind me. I close the door once he walks in. The poor girls had a fun fill exhaustive day so they're both out in the 5 minutes it took us to get here.
"Don't think bad of me but I'm just going to haul them up to bed. They had a long day." I smile up at him. He laughs at me and gives me a are-you-serious face.
"Babe, I've gone longer than a day without a shower. I'm sure they'll be fine until the morning and you can scrub them up as your little heart desires." He chuckles.
"Ha, ha!" I say. "You better take a shower if you plan on crawling your dirty butt in bed with me. You have soot on your face." I tease. "How was work?"
"Good, just a house fire and minor accident. Thanks for asking." He says bending down to kiss me.
"Really? A house fire? I was joking about the soot." I say amused with myself. He doesn't smell bad at all, it's actually intoxicating.
"Well then good guess." He pulls Delaney out of the car and I go around for Delia because she's smaller. We walk them upstairs without causing them to stir. They're both in a deep sleep. Poor things. Probably a sugar crash from the cupcakes.
"Have you had dinner?" I ask him on our way back down.
"No, but I'll be fine." He replies.
"What? No! I'll make you something quick. You want an egg salad sandwich and veggie chips?" I ask. He wrinkles his nose down at me. "What's with you and healthy food all the time?"
"Good habits. Since you're fighting in a couple days shouldn't you be eating better also?" I ask. He raises up his shirt and points to his perfectly chiseled abs and that mouth watering V between his hips.
"I think I'm good, babe!" He teases. "...but yes, I'll take the healthy crap over nothing." He smiles. I pick up a pillow and toss it at him as he's sitting down on the couch. I didn't think he had seen me do it but without looking he caught it and chunked it back.
"Perv.."
"I'm gonna show you perv. later." He grins.
"You're insatiable." I reply.
"I thought I was insufferable."
"That too."
I enter the kitchen and pull out all the fixings for our late dinner then begin preparing it. When it's ready I call him into the kitchen and set it in front of him before I turn to get our drinks.
"Thanks." He says muffled. The fact that he talked with a mouth full didn't bother me but if I or the girls had done that with Brody, it would have ended badly for me. I frown at myself for constantly comparing the two of them. They're so different it's like day and night.
Declan is so much better in every way it's incomparable. Their names shouldn't even be used in the same sentence. I walk back by him catching myself brush my hand across the back of his neck. It isn't much of a term of endearment but it's not something I would have done before. As a matter of fact, I find myself doing many things with Dex I had never done before. It amazes me how naturally it comes.
"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" He asks.
"I was just thinking how oddly comfortable I am with you. Also that I keep catching myself involuntarily doing even just the littlest of things I wouldn't have dared done before. Is that weird?" He looks at me not understanding. "I just walked by you and brushed my hand across the back of your neck. Unthinking I actually wanted to touch you, so I did." He furrows his brows at me so I try to explain better. "I wouldn't have ever done that with Brody. It literally repulsed me to touch him and when he forced himself on me I always
imagined I was somewhere else and literally blacked out until he was done."
"Don't take this the wrong way but, do you really love me or is it that I'm so different from him that you just think you are?" He asks and I can tell that it pains him to do so. I go to open my mouth but snap it shut. I'm actually appalled that he would even ask me such a question. I can feel the tears and hurt build up in my chest.
"Yes, I do. It hurts that you thought to ask. I mean I guess I could see why you think that. You're the only guy I've ever really seen before and actually sees me. All this is just new to me. The way that you care and how you treat me and have always done. This is all new, well not all of it. Aside from what ever me and you were when we left he was my first real boyfriend." I say the last part confused. "I don't even know if you would call him that. Before him, all I've ever thought about was you. Even when I was with him all I ever thought about was you. I stayed away and endured all he put me through because I was worried about screwing up your life. I got pregnant and was careless and you had so much going for you." He puts his hand up and stops me.
"Amity, I understood everything up until that last part. It takes two people to have sex. You didn't force yourself on me. I don't know if you remember correctly but I only had two beers that night." I look at him shocked. I had always thought we were both insanely drunk. Apparently I was the only one that was. "You may have come on strong because you were drunk but I went along with it all too willingly. I should have known better and waited or at least used protection. I didn't do either of those things."
"So you took advantage of me?" I ask as if it sounded foreign. He tilts his head to the side as if he didn't believe that either.
"I don't think so, I've been in love with you and have always known that's what my feelings were because I had previous relationships to compare it to. I think you may have felt the same way but because I was your first relationship you were confused about it and us being raised together didn't help your confusion. I know you dated Kaseton but it was awkward, you never even kissed him because you were kissing and crushing on me. Neither one of us wanted to advance on the other and it took alcohol to loosen us up, so to speak."
Huh, that actually makes more sense than him taking advantage of me or forcing himself on me. I immediately take back the thoughts. I don't remember what we did as feeling forced. It almost felt natural like it was going to happen at some point and was meant to be. I nod to nothing in particular.
"I think you're right, except... I knew what I was doing the entire time. I wasn't like black out incoherent drunk, I was bold drunk." I muse aloud.
"I know." He replies.
"Can I just point out that for the life of me I do not for one moment regret what we did, because we have two amazing daughters." I grin.
"Ditto, baby girl."
"Are we ok?" I ask.
"We will be once you tell me why you left." He stands and takes our dishes to the sink. "Come on, we can save that for later though. I think we could both use a shower."
He holds his hand out and I take it but pull him to me. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. He winks at me for the hundredth time and gives me his incredibly sexy smile. So I do the only thing I can think of and kiss his beaconing lips while he carries me up the stairs.
In the bathroom he sits me down on my feet and starts the water before turning back to me. He lifts my shirt over my head and smiles down at me with hunger in his eyes. He's taken my clothes off once before but I was too tired to remember. I almost feel uncomfortable and cover my stomach with my arms. He catches on to my gesture and removes his shirt as well before leaning down and kissing my shoulder. He continues to kiss me as he brings his hand up and pulls down the strap to my bra.
"You're so perfect in every way." He whispers between kisses. I place my hands on his hips and he pushes my jeans down. I step out of them and cautiously kiss his neck. I know this is what I want but the last time I had sex it was forceful, painful, and anything but desirable.
When were both unclothed he leads me into the shower and presses me into the wall with his hips and cups my face in his hands. I kiss the heel of his thumb and turn to him to gauge his expression, I'm met by a gaze that sees me for who I really am and full of hope and confidence. This is the love and compassion I've been looking for.
“I need you.”
"Not in here, baby girl. I'm going to wash you up and carry you to the bed so I can show you how it's really done." He utters and closes the gap between us once more kissing up my neck and across my jaw finally resting on my mouth. I moan into him. His words give me longing and make me want to take him right here in the shower. I'm ok with sloppy in the moment here with him.
He does as he promised. Washing my body making sure to get every curve and surface. His soaped up hands explore uncharted territory, kissing me all the while. I catch on and reciprocate the gesture. We both rinse off and step out of the shower and dry off. Still naked he leads me to the bed where he lays me out and takes his place at my side. I watch him as he leans forward and plants several kisses up my stomach and chest to my lips. His hand roams up my side once again and over my breast.
"You don't know how long I've waited for this." He whispers.
Chapter 12
Dex isn't in bed and it makes me frown. I catch the clock; it reads 9:36am. I could get use to the whole sleeping in thing, I think to myself as I stretch and work out all my sore muscles. I go to check on the girls to find their bedroom empty and made up with a note. That reads,
We're out back fishing off the dock.
-Dex & MLP's
I quickly change into something a bit more presentable and go in search of them. Just like he said they were out back on the dock. Except the girls were chasing around some ducks and Dex was trying to fish and reign them in. Their giggles were music to my ears. Not to mention his slightly frustrated voice was hilarious.
"What are you girls doing? Are y'all giving daddy a hard time?" I say as I begin to chase them around the yard. Ellie joins in barking excitedly and actually looks like a puppy again. The girls scream in mock horror and pick up the pace. Eventually he gives up fishing and joins in on the chase. When he catches up to the girls he's pulls them down into the grass and tickles them both. Their laughter is intoxicating and infectious.
We all relax outside and play around for a little while longer. I can't help but think this is how life should be. This is how it should have always been.
"Kaseton and Lily are having a get together at their house later. You want to go?" He says out of no where.
"Who all is going?" I ask casually. Lily is the last person I want to hangout with but if I want to see everyone else I have to deal with her.
"Everyone. I figured we could go since we haven't done much in the last week." He replies.
"Yea, I'd love to go."
Sitting in the backyard people watching and keeping an eye on the girls, I half listen to a conversation Carly and Lily are having. They're rambling on about about shopping and only god knows what. Dex went into the house with Kaseton and have been in there quite some time for two people just getting a beer. Which makes me wonder what the two of them are up to.
I watch Delaney run over to the front gate and pause focusing all my attention on her. The last thing I need is her trying to escape with him out there somewhere. I relax when I finally see what she had, Jeremy and Amber arriving. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding. He's reaching over the top to unlatch the hook. When I thought she was rushing over to say hi to them, Carson and Jackson walk through, she quickly grabs Jackson's hand and together they run off to play. The two of them are going to be the death of me, I feel like it's me and Dex all over again.
"Nope, doesn't matter. They're just kids." I whisper to myself.
"What was that?" Dex asks as he takes his seat next to me again. I was too busy to notice him returning to the tables with the rest of us. I point over to the kids who are now taking turns pushing on
e another on the swing.
"Ain't going to happen. I'm not worried about those two."
"Nah, it's just a summer thing." I reply knowing Kaseton’s nephew will return home to Bastrop soon.
"You remember our last summer together?" He asks remembering back.
"Ah, hell yea!" Jeremy chimes it. "That was a great summer. You remember when Amity broke her hand on your jaw after your fight?" Kaseton adds.
"Hey, I was really sorry about that." I interject.
"Were you sorry about pulling me to the ground by my hair?" Lily jokes.
"I don't know are you sorry about calling me a whore?" I glare at her. She quickly snaps her mouth shut and turns to walk away.
"Yes Lily, I'm sorry about doing that to you but you should have kept your mouth shut. I didn't say anything about you and Kaseton back then and I'm not going to now so you can retract your claws and you can sure as hell keep them out of my fiancé." I reply as nice as I could muster.
She looks back at me and smiles, "I don't know what you're talking about." Everyone looks on at our confrontation but doesn't say anything, Kaseton and Dex both shift in their seats uncomfortably. The way Lily and I feel about one another isn't exactly new nor is it a secret.
"Please, you've had a thing for him since we were kids and I know about y'all being together when I was gone. For your sake I hope it was enough." I inform her. "Kaseton doesn't deserve the way you treat him. He's a great guy that anyone would love to have, except you're the pathetic excuse he got stuck with."
"Kase can take care of himself and if I wanted Dex again do you think you could stop me?" She laughs.
"Do you want to try me?" I ask her menacingly. She swallows hard knowing I meant it.
"Sooo......," Kaseton interjects before she could reply. "You still not going to be able to make it to the fight?"
"She knows. My dad let it slip." He teases and squeezes my knee. "I haven't gotten as much training in in the last week with everything going on but I'm sure I'll be fine. I've been studying his videos." Dex replies.
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