13
Chad picked Devyn up from her office like he had the day before, minus the kissing and almost having sex on her desk. Not that Devyn would complain if he did after the way she had thrown herself at him the night before. Hell, who was he kidding? He wanted it just as bad as she did, but he couldn’t give in yet. He couldn’t give her a single reason to pull away from him. If she thought he was only in this to fuck her then his chances something real with her were out of the picture.
Somehow, they both managed to stay on their best behavior. Chad mentally vowed to keep his hands mostly to himself. He still found his fingers grazing her skin whenever he had a chance. Something had changed in her.
Chad had a feeling Devyn had the gears turning in her pretty little head, and he was terrified it wasn’t in the way he wanted. He wasn’t sure if it was because he had managed to fall asleep on the couch shortly, after coming close to losing all their clothes and getting lost in each other— which this time he had put a stop to— or because of the way they opened up to each other.
He shouldn’t have agreed to go out again tonight. He should have made a beeline back to his house to check on his mom and make sure she was okay after the way he had left her the night before. Lidia could be a cunt to their mother, and she wasn’t the best person to keep a watch on her. But he was finally getting Devyn to open up and he couldn’t pass up that opportunity.
Chad swore to Lidia he wouldn’t be all night this time and he’d be home by eight. He couldn’t stay over tonight. No matter how badly he wanted to.
Devyn was still clutching her phone in her hand like she had been yesterday. She seemed a little more tense than yesterday, but there was something different. It wasn’t the dread of having to go Christmas shopping because she had asked him for this.
“Have you ever been ice skating?” Chad tossed a glance toward her, smiling before turning back to keep his eyes on the road.
“No.” Devyn let out a long sigh before pressing her lips together in a thin line. “I wanted to go growing up.”
She had asked him to surprise her with a holiday themed evening. He knew as soon as she asked where he would take her, and honestly, she had seemed excited. At least as excited as he could expect her to be.
Devyn’s eyebrows furrowed and Chad waited for her to explain what she meant. Her nose scrunched, forming a series of rows on the bridge of her nose.
“My mom—” her words choked in her throat and she paused. Devyn’s eyes welled, turning glassy.
Chad extended his arm, wrapping his hand around her knee to comfort her. She waited, swallowing hard in an attempt to steady her voice.
“My mom didn’t let us, but I always asked,” she said, the words barely audible over the static of the radio. She cleared her throat and spoke louder, “It was just a hassle. It was something that would pull her away from her lifestyle for even a minute. The Christmas movies were easy. Her kids were distracted for a little while when she wanted to get high, but ice skating wouldn’t be so simple. It was something that would require her attention, because if we were in public and got hurt under her watch it would raise questions. If we got hurt at home, it didn’t matter. She would just take care of the problem behind closed doors.”
Devyn shuddered and Chad wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to the driver's seat. They sat there, not saying a word. Devyn leaned over resting her head on his shoulder.
“I shouldn’t have told you that,” Devyn said matter of factly. There was no regret in her voice. It was simply a statement, like she was used to keeping the traumatic history she endured to herself.
Chad swallowed, unable to take his eyes off the road ahead of them. The snow had started falling heavier than when they left the building. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. Saying he was sorry wouldn’t take her pain away.
“You can tell me anything,” he said, letting the scowl on his face drop.
Devyn sat in silence, keeping whatever was going on inside her head to herself. Chad pulled into the entrance of the ice skating rink. It was surprisingly slow for this time of year, but for Devyn’s first trip on the ice it was probably for the best. He threw the truck into park, and twisted his body around to look at her. He cocked his head at her, tilting her chin up toward him.
“You are the most incredible woman I’ve ever met, you know that?”
“You’re funny.” She tried to fight the smile on her lips, but he could see her eyes lighten up. He saw the smile she was trying to hide.
“As glad as I am to hear you finally admit I’m hilarious, this isn’t the time. It’s time for you to let go of that memory you just shared with me and make a new one. Now get out of the truck and get ready to fall on your ass.”
“You’re so romantic.” She rolled her eyes. “You really know how to make a girl swoon don’t you?”
“You’re damn straight.”
Chad opened the door and climbed down. He turned back to her, a grin on his face. He had changed into blue jeans and a plaid button up shirt before they left the office and Devyn had
