In my chest, my heart flutters slightly, hearing those words. This wife of mine, she’s much more open with her compliments these days, and while I wish I didn’t need it, I do. Now I don’t feel like the only one in this marriage. Finally, I feel like a partner.
Like I’m getting as much as I’m giving.
“You were, Amanda, you were made for me in every single way.”
She sighs on her end of the line. “You never call me Amanda.”
“So be sure and take notice when I do.”
“Oh, I’m taking notice Dalton, more than I ever have.”
The smile creasing my face won’t be wiped off, especially when I’m talking to her. “I’ll see you tonight, babe.”
“See you then. Don’t clean up too much, huh?”
Chuckling, I feel a small amount of a flush creep up my neck. “I’ll do what I can to stay appropriately dirty for you.”
“You do that.”
“Love you, babe.”
“Love you, too.”
When I hang up, I realize this is the best conversation I’ve had with her over the phone in years. All my hopes and dreams with her treatment are coming true, and I hope to fuck they stay that way.
Glancing up, I see the bike from the outsider still parked in our lot, and I realize I’m not done with work for the day. Not even close. I still have decisions to make and jobs to assign.
Drew and Caelin haven’t checked in yet, so I’m assuming they’re still doing well, but now it’s time to go inside and see exactly what I can get this Dakota guy to do.
Lord knows we need the help, but I can’t help but wonder if we’re setting ourselves up for some shit we aren’t ready for by taking on new recruits at this point in the game.
Chapter Thirty-One
Mandy
“Don’t scare the teacher.”
He chuckles darkly in his throat. “I’m not going to scare the teacher.”
“Dalton,” I plead. “There’s enough reasons for this teacher to think horribly of us. I don’t want to give her any more.”
“Screw her, she doesn’t know what we’ve been through.”
I blow a breath through my nose, and it comes out as a modified snort. “I’m pretty sure she probably does know what we’ve been through and she’s more than likely saying screw us. Especially since she’s had to deal with our son.”
“He’s perfect.” Dalton flashes me a grin, a toothpick lazily going from side to side in his mouth.
This time I do snort. “Yeah, okay.”
“Just like you.” He puts his arm around my neck, pulling me into him, before he takes the toothpick out of his mouth and nuzzles me on the forehead.
This right here melts my heart. The stuff I missed when I was too damaged to realize there was good in our relationship and lives. I’m still pissed at myself for not seeing it, but now I know what I ignored, and I’m enjoying the hell out of it.
When we get to the entrance of the school, he opens the door for me, before clasping our hands together. Following the signs, we search for his teacher’s room. They gave us a particular time to meet her, and when we get to the door, we realize she’s got another set of parents.
“We’re a little early.” I look at my watch.
Standing in the hallway is odd; there’s no one around, and I haven’t been in a hallway like this since I was a teenager in high school. All of a sudden, a memory hits me. When Dalton and I had been dating and he’d meet me between classes. He’d walk me to my next class and stand outside talking to me until the very last minute. Then he’d sneak in a kiss before he’d take off running so he’d get there before the bell rang.
“What’re you smiling about?” He grins over at me.
I giggle slightly. “Thinking about the last time we were in a school hallway like this. Remember how you used to meet me in between classes and we’d talk about all the important shit?”
“Like how I was gonna get your dad to let you come out with Drew? How we were going to do our best not to make Drew mad, but then we’d have to somehow sneak me in your room at night?” He grins bashfully, probably thinking about how bold we really were. “Yeah, I seem to remember.”
“I loved that you always walked me to my next class.”
“Isn’t that what I was supposed to do? It was akin to walkin’ you to your door after a date. Besides those were the best moments, the ones when I knew Drew was preoccupied with Charity, leaving you and me to be exactly what we were to each other.”
“And what was that?” I turn on him, pressing my body against his.
The wall holds him up, when I grab hold of his cut, pulling myself in tightly next to him.
He tilts his head down toward mine. Our lips are almost close enough that they touch. Pushing up just slightly on my tiptoes, I make the final move, pressing them together. Dalton makes a noise in the back of his throat, moving to the side to deepen our connection.
I don’t know for how long we linger in the hallway kissing, but we pull apart by degrees. It’s not an immediate separation of souls. He gives me back my kiss slowly, easing me down from the height of our passion for one another.
When we finally step apart, I lick my lips, tasting every single flavor that is my husband. “Don’t do that to me.” His deep voice is agonized when I do it again out of spite.
“Sorry,” I giggle.
“Sure you are.” He lets me go, wiping off his lips, but the smirk stays right where it is. Looking in the room again, I see it’s now empty with just the teacher. Somehow we missed the other people coming out. Old Mandy would’ve been embarrassed. This Mandy is excited her husband still wants to get up close
