by Stacy Eaton
“Yeah, it’s probably time. I forgot to ask Lucy when he ate last, but this is about his time.”
As I came around the truck, I opened the back door and got his seat out. I stepped back, and Davina reached in and grabbed his bag. We hustled into the church and found everyone inside the front door.
Lexi rushed to take Devon but stopped to hug a surprised Davina first. I guess I was chopped liver, because other than a quick hi in my direction, I didn’t get anything else.
Lexi got him out of the car seat, gave Devon one hug, and then passed him back to Davina telling everyone we needed to get the show on the road. I winked at Davina and headed toward the front of the church where a man stood waiting for us.
The rehearsal was a quick rundown of what happened when, and it was relatively painless. There was a lot of laughter and jokes between Alex, Jake, and me as we messed around on the side while the pastor spoke with Lexi and the bridesmaids.
Every once in a while, my gaze wandered to the back of the church where Davina was feeding Devon. She smiled a few times when I looked at her, and it made me feel pretty damn good to realize that she had been watching me. The more I looked, the more I wanted to keep looking. God, she was beautiful sitting there feeding my son, with her wild hair pulled up in its usual fashion.
When we finished, we filed down the aisle, and Lexi snatched Devon from Davina’s arms. Davina stood laughing, and the sound went straight to my chest as she stepped into the aisle beside me. I put my hand to her lower back, and she leaned slightly into me. I no longer felt as exhausted as I had been as my second wind hit me, and thoughts of having Davina leaning against me differently filled my mind.
I watched with avid interest as Lexi introduced her to Clare. I loved the way her eyes sparkled and how at ease she appeared around these people. I was glad that she was comfortable with my friends; I wanted her to be comfortable with them, and me. I wanted a whole lot more than that, but I wouldn’t allow myself to dwell on that now.
Back in the truck, we got Devon situated, and I held the door for Davina again. She smiled shyly at me as she stepped around me and climbed inside, and my heart did this funny kind of beat in my chest for a second.
She had just seated herself when she glanced my way. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I stepped toward her and leaned into the truck. I hesitated an inch from her face, staring into her beautiful whiskey eyes.
“Yes?” she asked as she stared at me, her head slightly tilted to the side.
“I’m wondering if I kissed you right now if you would get mad at me.”
“Why don’t you try it and see?” she whispered.
I cupped her left cheek as I leaned forward. Our lips brushed together, and I wanted to get lost in her. I didn’t know how it had happened, but somehow this little spitfire with the whiskey eyes had entangled my heart.
I pulled back, raising a brow toward her.
“Not mad,” she said playfully with a grin.
I winked at her and closed her door, grinning at myself as I went around the back of my truck. I honestly wasn’t sure when it had happened or what I was going to do about it, but I think that I had finally found that one person that my gut instinct was telling me to hold on to and never let go.
Chapter Twenty
Davina
I was looking at Trevor with new eyes. The memory of my conversation with Carol about lightning, causing me to wonder if my first meeting with him had been a strange kind of sign. Hadn’t Carol herself hoped that we would be friends, or even find love with one another? Was it possible? Was she really looking down over us? Hoping that we would find one another? A little piece of me wanted it to be so.
Trevor looked wiped out as he drove, and I wished that he trusted me enough to let me do it for him. I understood the male need for control, though, so I remained quiet so he could focus on the road.
Watching them all have fun at the church altar made me want to be part of it, especially after Lexi had greeted me with a hug. While I watched them all, I was vividly aware of Trevor whenever he turned back to me. Was he making sure that Devon was alright?
I was drawn into the exciting atmosphere as they finished their rehearsal, and I was introduced to Lexi’s best friend, Clare. For a moment, sadness filled my chest as I realized that if I ever got married, I’d wouldn’t have my best friend at my side. I didn’t dwell on it, although I did allow Trevor’s strength at my side to help me move through it. How easy it was to deal with the pain of grief when you weren’t alone with it.
After Trevor kissed me in the truck, my heart began to fly. I know that I had told him that he wasn’t allowed to kiss me, but I was ready to let that go. I wanted his kisses, and I wanted more, and that kind of scared me.
We reached the restaurant and collected Devon and his bag. As we walked inside, Trevor had his hand on my lower back, and it just felt right. Dinner was more fun than I’d had in months. The group laughed, and the guys made jokes at the expense of others. Devon was passed around the table, and almost everyone took a few moments to hold him, everyone but Jake, Trevor’s boss. He had looked at Devon like he had two heads and didn’t even want to touch him.
Under the table, Trevor’s knee had pushed against my leg accidentally, and the two of us had quickly looked at one another. My leg tingled where it had been touched, and my eyes widened as I stared back at him. The side of his mouth turned up in a small grin, and instead of moving his leg again, he kept it there. As the meal progressed, I found myself paying more attention to the tingling in my leg than I did on the conversation.
Trevor was yawning again when Devon began to get fussy. “Okay, guys, I need to get some sleep so I can function tomorrow.” Trevor joked as he collected Devon and began to strap him back into his seat. “At least try to get some sleep with this little guy.”
We said our goodbyes, and both Lexi and Clare hugged me. It made me feel like part of the group and not an outsider, and I loved and appreciated it. I was flying on a high as Trevor and I waved goodnight and slipped out of the restaurant.
Trevor yawned again as we got to the truck, and after he snapped the car seat into the back, I held my hand out. He looked at my hand and then my face. “What?”
“Give me the keys. You’re not driving. You are too tired, and you had two beers, which I know only made you more tired.”
He began to shake his head, but my brows popped up, and I stuck my hand out farther. He snorted and dropped the keys into my palm. I went around the truck, and it wasn’t until I was behind the wheel that I paused. Holy crap, this thing was big. I had never driven something so large, but how hard could it be?
In all honesty, it wasn’t that hard once I got used to the turning radius, acceleration, and braking. Trevor had his eyes closed beside me, and when he opened them a few minutes later, he looked confused.
“Why are we at my place?”
“Because you need to sleep.”
He turned to me. “But what about you?”
I glanced at him as I turned the truck off. “I have been getting eight hours a night, and I can live without getting a great night's sleep. I’ll crash on your couch, keep an ear out for Devon, and let you get some solid shut-eye.”
“Not that I’m not grateful, but why are you doing this?”
I shrugged and reached for the door. “I’m trying to honor Carol’s wishes of helping you and being there for Devon.”
He didn’t say anything else until after we were inside, then he turned and studied me. “Are you sure you want to stay? I can take you home, Davina.”
“No,” I stepped forward, putting my hand on his arm. “You get rest tonight. You look like you’re dead on your feet, and you have a big day tomorrow. I’ll take care of Devon.”
“I can take the couch,” he said quickly.
I shook my head. “No, sleep in your room. Otherwise, when Devon wakes up, I’ll bother you when I have to get his bottles ready. Just wheel his bassinet out here, and I’ll take care of him
.”
The tender smile that slipped over his lips made my heart squeeze, and he cupped my cheek. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Go get ready for bed. I’ll feed Devon now and then try to get him down, but I do have a favor to ask.”
“What’s that?”
“Do you have a t-shirt and sweats I can throw on?” I glanced down at my blouse and slacks.
“You want to wear my clothes?”
“Well, I think it might be more comfortable than sleeping in my dress clothes.”
He grinned. “Or you could sleep in nothing.”
I laughed and stepped away from him. “Yeah, no.”
“Alright, let me get you something.” He disappeared into his room as I went to get a bottle for Devon.
The kitchen was a little more organized now, and all of Devon’s bottles were stacked neatly in rows like little soldiers. I chuckled as that thought crossed my mind. He really did like things orderly. I was almost done when Trevor came back into the room pushing the bassinet. On top of it was a pillow and blanket, along with some clothes.
He had also changed clothes himself, and as he bent over to get Devon out of his seat, my gaze locked on to his backside. Man, he had a sexy ass in those lounge pants.
I brought the bottle out to him, and he held his hand out. “I’ll put pj’s on him and start feeding him while you change clothes.”
I gave him the bottle and then collected the clothing he had brought out for me. In his bathroom, I glanced over the vanity; like the kitchen, everything was neat, not even a drop of toothpaste in the sink. I loved that he was such a clean freak. Was that weird that it turned me on?
The t-shirt came down to the middle of my thigh, and the pants that he had given me had a drawstring that I tied tightly and then rolled the waistband a couple of times to pull the legs up. I pulled my hair down, running my hands through the wayward curls. If there were anything that I could change about myself, it would be my hair. I liked my curls, but they were completely out of control most days. My hair had a mind of its own, and even with the anti-frizz products, it was still wild. I sighed as I thought about Trevor being such an organized person. He probably thought my hair was horrible—completely out of control.
I gathered my clothes, folded them, and then went out to the living room, setting them on the table. When I turned, I found Trevor sitting on a new piece of furniture. It was a glider placed in front of the mountain of baby stuff, a lighter wood color than his other furniture.
His eyes slipped down my small frame, and I wondered what he was thinking. I couldn’t exactly see his facial features because it was darker on that side of the room.
“Nice chair,” I said.
“Nice outfit,” he replied, and I snickered as I glanced down and realized my nipples were poking out. Oh, geez! I crossed my arms and walked toward him.
“I can take him,” I said softly.
He stared at me for a moment, then glanced down at Devon. “He’s almost done. I’ll finish, then head to bed.”
I nodded, turning away and gathering the pillow and blanket to lay them on the sofa so he could lay Devon in the bassinet when he was done eating. I collected my cellphone and went to sit, glancing at him and seeing Trevor with his head back and his eyes closed. I sank to the sofa and stared at him, my heart aching at how beautiful he was sitting there with Devon.
Off in the distance, a rumble sounded, and I glanced at the window. Rain was leaving spots on the glass, and a flash of lightning brightened the sky slightly. I glanced at the ceiling. Is that for me, Carol?
Devon made a sucking noise as if he’d finished the bottle, and Trevor lifted his head slowly, removing the bottle and then shifting him to his shoulder. My attention divided between Trevor and the storm outside as it grew closer. My stomach wiggled as if butterflies were invading it.
A few minutes later, Devon burped, and Trevor carefully laid him down. He stood over him, looking down on him before he turned to me, speaking softly. “Thank you.”
I smiled at him. “You’re welcome. Now go to bed.”
He came to stand in front of me, and I stared up at him, the light from the kitchen casting shadows over the right side of his face. He held his hand out to me, and I slipped my hand into his and stood on shaky legs.
Thunder rumbled overhead as I stood in front of him. His palms cupped my cheeks, and he remained quiet as his eyes slipped over my face from top to bottom. Just when I thought I wouldn’t be able to stand it anymore, he leaned forward and kissed me tenderly.
It was over two seconds later, but the gentleness of his kiss had zapped through my body like the lightning of the storm outside. “Good night, Davina Daniels.”
“Good night, Trevor Vaughn,” I answered huskily, and he let go of my face and went to his room, closing the door almost all the way.
I sank to the couch, touching my lips. That had been the most elegant and tender kiss that I had ever received. After pondering it for a long moment, I went to turn off the light in the kitchen, then returned to the couch. I lay there for a long time staring at the window, watching the flashing outside, and feeling like I had officially been struck.
That last kiss had burned into my soul, and I knew that no matter what I told myself, I was falling in love with Trevor. I hadn’t wanted to, didn’t mean to, but it had happened.
As I closed my eyes, I wondered how I was going to protect my heart from becoming smashed to bits. I wasn’t what Trevor wanted in his life. Maybe part of him needed me because of Devon, but that didn’t mean he wanted me.
Although that last kiss said something different, and I drifted off to sleep as I played the memory of that kiss repeatedly in my mind.
Chapter Twenty-One
Trevor
I felt like a new man as I rolled to my back and stared at the ceiling. Man, it was amazing what a good night's sleep could do for you. I hadn’t heard Devon all night, and I wondered how many times he had woken up.
I used the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and then slipped quietly out to the living room. Devon was still sleeping, and so was Davina. I stood looking between the two of them, only then realizing how much the two of them meant to me.
Last night when I had kissed her, I’d wanted to wrap her in my arms and take her to my bed, but I hadn’t. The kiss that I gave her had caused a shift in my chest, but I was too tired to figure out what it meant—then.
Today, I would think it over. I would try to figure out what it really meant, to me and my future. I went into the kitchen and found only two empty bottles on the counter. Had Devon only woken up once? How was that possible? Maybe he had been so worn out from the night before that he needed the sleep as I had.
I started to put the coffee on and noticed Davina shifting around on the couch. A moment later, she lifted her head, gave me a sleepy smile, then lay back down. God, I loved that smile.
I frowned as I poured the water into the coffeemaker. Is that what this was, love? Was I falling in love with Davina? Hadn’t I already realized that my gut was telling me to hold on to her, but was it because I was falling for her, or because I wanted her help with Devon?
I had no clue because I had never really been in love before. Of course, I’d had strong feelings for women before, but none that I could officially say had been love. Up until now, I hadn’t been sure that it was possible for me to love someone, but was it?
I leaned against the counter, checking my email while the coffee brewed, and then I poured two cups, taking one to Davina who was moving around under her cover. She sat up, her wild hair all over the place as she pulled the blanket up over her chest.
“Thank you,” she said softly, taking the mug from me. “How are you feeling today?”
I grinned at her as I took a seat at the other end of the couch. “Like a new man. You have no idea how much I appreciate your staying last night. Did he only wake up once?”
She nodded before she sipped from her mug. “Yeah.”
“I added a little more formula to his bottle. I think he needs to eat more now. He guzzled every drop and went right back to sleep.”
“How much did you give him?”
“Six ounces.”
My jaw dropped. “No wonder he has been waking up every two hours. I was only giving him four.”
“You need to feed him more.”
As if our talking about him got his attention, he began to wiggle and grunt in the bassinet. “I’ll make sure to feed him more, then. I didn’t realize I needed to add more.”
She smiled at me, her coffee mug in front of her face, and the steam rose past her features. My heart clenched again as I stared at her, and I inhaled sharply.
“Problem?” she asked.
“No, I was just wondering if you thought any more about my offer.”
“Which one?” she asked.
“About moving in with me.”
She let her gaze slip from me to the bassinet and then back. “I have, but I haven’t decided yet. I do admit that I miss him something terrible, and I enjoyed feeding him last night, but I’m not sure I’m ready to move in with you, Trevor.”
“Well, at least you’re thinking about it.” He winked. “Speaking of which, I have to head to the real estate office this morning. The inspection came through, and I need to go sign off on it.”
“So, it’s official? You are buying that house?”
“Yep. In fact, Martin already has movers packing his house. His wife is living in England right now. She got transferred, and he couldn’t join her until this was finished, so he’s excited to get over there earlier than expected.”
“When do you think you’ll be able to move in?”
I laughed. “Would you believe that I’m getting the keys early? He’s giving them to me next week. The paperwork won’t be done for the sale for another three weeks, but we are both sure that all will go through quickly. He’s giving me the keys early, and then he will fly back for the closing.”