Chapter 6 #2
“Lucky!” she protested, but he ignored her. He closed the door behind him and took hold of her elbow, pulling her deeper into her apartment.
“Stop it, Lucky,” Devyn said, but she didn’t rip her elbow out of his grasp.
“What have you eaten today?” he asked.
“Pop-Tarts, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, and fourteen cheese sticks,” she said a little defensively.
“Sit,” he ordered, pulling out a barstool.
Devyn sighed but did as he asked.
Lucky pushed up his sleeves and went to her refrigerator to see what he had to work with.
“Why are you here?” she asked quietly as he pulled out some eggs, cheese, peppers, and chorizo sausage.
“Because you’ve been avoiding me. And all your other friends. Because I called the vet clinic and they told me that you called in sick. I’m here to feed you. Find out what the fuck is going on so we can move forward.”
“I can’t talk to you about it,” she said sadly.
Lucky put the ingredients for the omelet he was planning on making on the counter and walked back around to where Devyn was sitting. He turned her on the stool and took her face in his hands. He tilted it up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.
“You can talk to me about anything,” he told her.
“Not this,” she whispered.
“Whatever you have to say, it stays between the two of us,” he said.
She frowned. “What?”
“You heard me. If you need the reassurance that I won’t tell Grover anything that we talk about, I’m giving it to you.”
“But…you guys are best friends. Won’t that hurt your friendship?” she asked.
“It’s possible. But you’re more important.”
Devyn gawked at him. “I don’t…Why?”
“It’s no secret that you’ve gotten under my skin, Devyn.
I think you’re beautiful, funny, a hard worker, and so damn loyal it’s almost painful.
I go to sleep thinking about you, then I wake up doing the same.
I wonder how your day went at work and I worry about whatever’s bothering you.
This past week, before you decided you couldn’t talk to me, was one of the best I’ve had in years.
I loved hanging out with you, and seeing you interact with Angel and Whiskers is making me fall for you even more.
If you need the reassurance that what we talk about stays between the two of us, if that’s what it’ll take for you to trust me, then I’m giving it to you…
but there are two exceptions to me not saying anything to Grover. ”
“What?” Devyn asked.
“We’ve kind of already discussed this, but the exceptions are if your life is in danger.
Or if your cancer has returned. I can’t, and won’t, keep those things from Grover, or the rest of the team.
We’ll do whatever we can to fight your demons, whether they be physical threats or your own damn body.
You’ve kicked cancer’s ass once, you can do it again.
But I can’t keep either of those things from your brother. ”
“I told you before, my life isn’t in danger and I’m not sick,” Devyn replied. “I wasn’t lying about that.”
Lucky momentarily closed his eyes in relief. Then he opened them again. “Good. Then whatever this big secret is that you’re carrying, you can tell me and we can figure out what to do about it. But before that happens, you need food. Real food. You can’t survive on Pop-Tarts and cheese sticks.”
“And peanut butter eggs,” she reminded him with a small smile.
Lucky loved seeing the quirk of her lips. This woman had a spine made of steel, she just couldn’t see it. “Right, how could I forget those?” Lucky said with a roll of his eyes.
He started to step away, but Devyn grabbed his wrists, holding him in place. “Lucky?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m so scared of making the wrong decision.”
Lucky’s heart swelled in his chest. He wanted to slay all Devyn’s dragons for her, but he knew she’d be stronger in the end if she slayed her own. “We’re all scared of that, Dev. I know I am. But with friends and family by your side, you can get through anything.”
“I hope so,” she said softly.
Lucky couldn’t help himself. He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. “I know so,” he told her. Then he dropped his hands and headed back around the bar into the small kitchen. “When was the last time you showered?” he asked nonchalantly.
“Is that your way of telling me I stink?” Devyn asked.
Lucky was thrilled to hear the light tone of her voice. “Not at all. I know better than to ever say that. But I’m thinking you’ll feel better if you’re fresh and clean.”
“Nice and diplomatic,” she said with a smile. “Fine. While you slave over food, I’ll go shower.”
Lucky smiled at her.
“How’re Angel and Whiskers doing?” she asked.
“They miss you. And they’re okay. Getting a little braver every day. Whiskers has gotten used to her harness and even got three feet away from Angel when I took them outside last time.”
“Awesome,” she said with a smile. “They don’t know how good they have it with you.”
“I’m hoping I can convince you to come home with me after we eat,” Lucky told her.
“But it’ll be kind of late by then. I’ll just have to turn around and come home within an hour or so.”
“Or you could stay,” Lucky said.
Devyn stilled, staring at him intently.
He hated that he couldn’t read her expression.
“Are you asking me to spend the night?” she asked.
Lucky admired how straightforward she was. “Yes. But it’s up to you on where you want to sleep. I’ve got an extra bed, or there’s the couch downstairs.”
“What about your room?” Devyn asked.
It was Lucky’s turn to freeze. “You can have my bed,” he said quietly. “You can have any damn thing of mine you want.”
“Including you?” she asked.
“Damn,” Lucky said under his breath. “Yes, Dev. I’m fucking yours. I’ve been yours from the moment I met you. I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up.”
He saw her swallow hard, belying the bravado she’d used to ask him where she was sleeping. “I have a tendency to get lost in my own head. To think too hard about things. But I’ve done enough thinking when it comes to you and me. I want you, Lucky.”
“Then you have me,” he managed to say. “Pack a bag with enough stuff to last a few days. I have a feeling once I’ve got you in my lair, I’m not going to want to let you go.”
She grinned. “I have to work tomorrow afternoon.”
“Damn,” he said again.
Devyn climbed off the barstool but didn’t enter the kitchen. She slowly backed toward the hallway where the bedrooms were. “I’m gonna go shower,” she said.
“And now I’ve got that vision in my head,” Lucky said, rolling his eyes.
“We’ve waited months, what’s a few more hours?” she asked playfully.
“It just might kill me,” Lucky said semi-seriously.
She stopped in the entrance to the hall. “Lucky?”
“Yeah, Dev?”
“I’m not sure I want to tell you what’s going on, but I can’t keep it to myself anymore. It’s selfish of me, but I appreciate you not telling Grover. At least not yet.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Lucky told her, worried as hell about what her big secret was. “And if and when the time is right, we’ll tell your brother together. Okay?”
“You’d do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you,” Lucky admitted. “Including make you a big-ass omelet so you don’t pass out from lack of nutrition.”
She chuckled, as he’d intended. “I’m going. Thanks for forcing your way into my apartment and making me food I didn’t ask for.”
“You’re welcome. I might not always be the most socially acceptable man, but I’ll always do what’s best for you. And tonight you needed to be forced out of the funk you put yourself in. To see that you’ve got friends who will gladly be there for you…if you’ll let us.”
Devyn nodded, then turned and disappeared into her bedroom.
Lucky took a deep breath and rested his palms on her counter. He had to admit things had gone better than he’d hoped. Dev had agreed to come back to his place, and to actually talk to him. Not only that, but she admitted that she wanted to stay the night. With him. In his bed.
Ignoring his hard-on, Lucky turned his attention to the food. He needed to get a decent meal into his woman, then take her back to his place and make her feel comfortable enough to open up.
The fact of the matter was that she’d scared him.
Not answering his texts or calls, then when Grover had said he hadn’t been able to get in touch with her either.
None of the other women had talked to her, and he’d had visions of her lying helpless and hurt in her apartment.
He never wanted to experience that feeling again.