Page 13

Brody

Two months later

“So I fly out to LA tonight with Ezra,” Dev said, “and we go to his parents’ house in Beverly Hills. Good thing there’re no storms coming. April can be a killer month here for that.” As he spoke, he packed shorts, T-shirts, and a dark suit with a white linen shirt. I had a matching one ready to pack. “Tomorrow you pick up your mother from the airport and spend the day with her, and the day after, the two of you meet Roe and take a plane to San Diego. Ezra and I will join you there.”

“I feel like we’re on a clandestine mission.” I sat on the edge of the bed, already missing him. “Ezra thinks this is going to work, right?”

Dev shut the carry-on, zipped it up, and put it on the floor. “Of course it will. The judge is a gay man who regularly performs same-sex weddings, and Ezra is positive he knows all about confidential marriages—we wouldn’t be his first. We’ve signed the affidavits, and once you get there, we’ll get the license.” He put his arms round me. “In three days we’ll be married . You’ll be stuck with me forever.”

“ Hmmm .” I cast my gaze to the ceiling and pretend-sighed. “I guess I have no choice, huh? I mean, we’ve spent all this money and— oof. ”

Dev pounced on me. His eyes sparkled, and he took my mouth in a bruising kiss. “All these years. I still remember the first time I saw you in the locker room freshman year and thought to myself, Goddamn, that is one gorgeous man. I wish he was gay and I had the nerve to make a move. Now here we are, ten years later, and I’m still so fucking lucky you love me. I can’t wait to say I do.”

I smoothed his hair off his face. “You know I’m never goin’ anywhere. And I don’t need a piece of paper to prove it.”

More solemn than I’ve ever seen him, Dev’s eyes latched on to mine. “I know. But I want it. So many people fought so hard for this right. I want to show everyone that we deserve everything that straight people do.”

I had a hunch and ran with it. “Everyone? Or your parents?” More than anything I wished Dev could have a relationship with his mother and father. Not that I believed they’d ever be close, but at least they could acknowledge each other’s existence. All these years and barely a word from them left me so angry at them and helpless at what to do about it.

Dev blinked and looked away. “They don’t give a damn about me.”

“C’mon, now,” I protested. “I can’t believe that. They might be disappointed in you, but I refuse to believe they don’t care at all.”

Nothing I could say would sway Dev’s feelings. “That’s because you were raised by someone who valued their child’s emotional well-being and happiness. My parents probably only had me to keep their precious lineage going.” His laughter was bitter. “Surprised them, didn’t I? It ends with me. They don’t know I’m gay. I never told them because they don’t deserve to know the best part of me.” His fingers teased at the waistband of my sweats. “And that’s you. The very best of me.”

The complicated relationship between Dev and his parents couldn’t be solved in the short time we had. But I hoped one day his parents would see what an incredible human being their son was. And if they never did, it was their loss, and I’d be at his side forever.

Right now, he was driving me wild with his touch, and I couldn’t think of anything except how much I needed him. He tugged down my pants and briefs and stripped out of his. Staring at him, I reached out, and we laced our fingers together.

“The next time we sleep together in this bed, we’ll be married.” I rubbed our joined hands on my face.

“ Mmm . Husband. That sounds nice.”

I kissed him, my lips lingering on his. “You in me sounds even nicer.”

“I have three hours before the car comes to pick me up.”

I ran my hands over his arms, my fingertips tracing the football tats. He’d only grown more beautiful to me throughout the years. “Better get moving.”

He left no inch of me untouched and unloved, starting with my forehead, my fluttering lashes, and the shell of my ear. That warm tongue licked a path down my neck, tickling the tips of my achy nipples, and into the dip of my navel. My dick thrust up, and I ached to feel Dev’s lips, but he skirted it to mouth the jut of my hip bone, tease along the inside of my thigh, and kiss the skin behind my knees.

“I’m so glad you’ve avoided injury. No one better hurt this beautiful body.”

“Dev.” I sighed. “Is this really happenin’?”

“It is. It finally is.” His soothing voice and gentle hands left me weak and trembling. With a gentleness no one who saw his ferocious tenacity on the field would believe, he pushed his fingers in me, and I lit up like a Christmas tree. No matter how many years we’d had together, the countless times we made love, it was always like the first time when Dev touched me—wild, exciting, freeing. Devlin was the only man who made me come alive.

The slick wide head of his dick teased my rim, his blazing green eyes intent and filled with desire. I raised my knees to my shoulders. “In me. Now.”

He covered my mouth with his as he thrust deep, and I gasped.

“So fucking perfect,” he grunted as he flexed his hips, dragging his shaft out of me, then with a swift punch, driving home. He kept moving, and I grabbed my rigid cock, already wet and sticky from the precome sliding down its length.

“Harder, come on.” My hand flashed on my shaft, and Dev increased his pace. Soon the bed was banging against the wall, creaking alarmingly, but I was too lost to care. My balls grew tight, and fire raced up my legs to explode in my belly. “Dev,” I shouted as I came, spilling through my fingers, creating a sticky mess between us.

Sweat poured from Dev’s face, and his lips thinned in an almost feral snarl of lust as he pounded into me. I was a puddle of post-orgasmic bliss, limp and drained and could only lie and watch as Dev’s eyes rolled back in his head as his thick cock pumped me full of his come. We’d stopped using condoms a few years ago, and there was nothing I loved more than feeling all that hot wetness trickle out of me.

We lay locked together, Dev’s lips pressed to the rapid pulse at my neck. I wrapped my arms around him. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”

**

Two days later, Momma and I stepped off the plane in San Diego to bright sunshine and warm sun. I stretched my arms out. “Now this is what I’m talkin’ about. Do you know it’s below freezing in the city? It’s supposed to be spring. Why do I live in New York?”

Roe laughed. “I say that to Ezra all the time. In addition to their homes in La Jolla and Beverly Hills, his parents have a house in Newport Beach they never use. All I want to know is, why am I in the snow and ice instead of lounging on the beach?”

I couldn’t agree more. And the few times a year we’d travel to the West Coast to play, we didn’t have time to visit the beach.

Dev had texted me that Ezra would be picking us up, and entering the baggage area, I spotted his blond head. He greeted Roe with a kiss, then hugged me. “Good flight?”

“I slept most of the way, even with the cramped seats.”

His eyes danced. “Sorry, but even first class is a tight squeeze for big lugs like you. Ms. Faith, how are you? I’m so glad to see you again.”

“You too, honey.”

They hugged, and I couldn’t help smiling. Over the years, Ezra had met my mother when she’d visit the city, and she loved his jokes. Ezra took her suitcase, and we were off to the garage…where Dev sat, with a grin as wide as the Pacific, waiting in the back seat of the giant Land Cruiser.

“Hello, husband-to-be.”

Overjoyed to see him, I gave him a quick kiss, knowing our reunion would be saved for later. He hugged Momma next, and my heart twisted. He still believed she wasn’t one hundred percent in his corner.

“Ms. Faith, I’m so happy to see you.”

“I am too, honey. All ready for the big day?”

Dev met my eyes. “I’ve been ready for years.”

The drive from the airport to La Jolla was pretty short, but still, I was relieved to finally get there. Ezra and Roe showed us to our rooms, but after dropping off our luggage, Dev, Momma, and I gravitated to the spacious backyard, where fragrant rose bushes dominated the landscape. A table was set with glasses, a pitcher of iced tea, and a bucket of ice filled with water bottles. Dev poured us our drinks, and we sat under the umbrella, the sun shimmering in the blue sky overhead.

“Tell me again why you came out here to get married and couldn’t do it at home or in New York,” Momma said and took a sip of lemonade.

Dev opened his mouth, but I jumped in first. “Mainly, we want to keep it secret. In every other state, a license must be filed after the commitment ceremony or marriage, and it’s public. California has a confidential license. It’s sealed, and no one but us can request a copy.”

Her face screwed up in thought. “But it’s legal in other states?”

Here came the tricky part. “Yes and no. It’s recognized, but it can get messy. Court orders are needed for proof of the license, and lawyers worry that because there’s no public record, it can be harder to prove ownership of assets in case of divorce.”

“Which isn’t going to happen,” Dev interjected. “We did all the research, and this was the best solution for now. Once we’re no longer playing and out of the public eye, we’ll do a big, more public celebration and get married in New York.”

“That makes sense. Did you invite your parents, honey?”

Joy drained from Dev’s face, and he turned away to gaze at the glittering water of the pool. “No. My parents don’t know I’m gay, and I don’t think they’d come anyway.”

“Oh, Devlin. I’m sorry. Maybe one day you’ll be able to work it out.”

Dev hung his head. “I don’t think so. Every major event in my life, I’ve always made sure to invite them, and they’ve refused every single one. It’s pretty obvious they want nothing to do with me.”

She reached out and squeezed his arm. “I love you, honey. In the beginnin’ I was hesitant, thinkin’ because you’re a big-city guy, you might be too strong an influence on Brody and lead him away from the values he grew up with. I was a little overprotective, but that was before I really got to know you.”

“I’d never do anything to hurt him,” Dev responded, his voice thick with emotion.

“I’ll admit it took me a while to realize that.”

“I’m sorry, Momma. I shoulda told you sooner.”

She shook her head. “No, baby. You had to come out when you felt right, not because of me.” Momma held out a hand to Dev, and he took it gently. “I’m sorry I made you feel badly. I was wrong. It’s taken me too long to tell you that I think you’re a wonderful man and the perfect partner for Brody. And I think of you as my own.”

His lips trembled, and I knew Dev was overwhelmed by Momma’s words.

“Please…don’t apologize to me,” he whispered.

“You love Brody, and I was a mama bear. Theo used to tell me to lay off, but I ignored him.” She sniffled and shifted her gaze to me for a moment. “I know you and he had a difficult relationship, but he truly did love me. And he cared about you. I wish you could’ve made your peace before he was taken away from me.”

The tears came, and I hung my head. It was a weight I would always carry with me.

Dev leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’m very sorry he isn’t here. But I’m so glad you are and that you’re going to be my mother.” Wetness shone in his eyes, and I was stunned to see a tear roll down his cheek. “I’ll admit, I’ve always been jealous of Brody for having the best mom in the world, and now I get to have you too.”

Holding hands, the three of us sat for a few minutes as a warm breeze blew past. Clouds painted white streaks in the sky, and birds chirped. Butterflies flitted in and out of the rose bushes.

“It’s so lovely here,” Momma said. “A beautiful place for a wedding. I think I’m gonna go rest for a bit. It’s been a while since I traveled across the country.”

We stood, and she kissed us and left. Dev sighed and kicked off his sneakers. “Wanna sit by the pool?”

I followed his lead, and the two of us played footsie in the water for a while. I massaged his shoulders. “I’m glad you and Momma had that talk. Do you feel better now?”

He leaned his head on my shoulder. “I feel better when you’re with me.”

I always marveled at the two sides of Dev—the charismatic, risk-taking firecracker on the field, who played every single game as if it were the Super Bowl, contrasted with the soft and loving man who’d stolen my heart the very first time he kissed me.

“You know, none of your competitors would believe that the big bad Devil Summers on the field is such a pussycat in real life.”

“Meow,” he purred and rubbed his cheek to mine. “Your mother had a good idea. Let’s go to our bedroom and I’ll show you how big and bad I really am.”

“Just make sure I’m able to walk tomorrow.”

With a twinkle in his eye, he pushed me into the pool and took off running toward the house. I scrambled out, and dripping wet, caught up to him right before he got to the glass sliders.

“You’re in so much trouble,” I growled, pressing up against him.

Still laughing, he slung an arm around my neck. “Promise?”

I smacked his ass. “You’re gonna be the one who’s limpin’. Now get upstairs, unless you want me to throw you over my shoulder.”

“ Pfft .” He snorted and slid open the door. “I’d like to see you try.”

Oh, it was on. I crept up behind him and tackled him at the knees, then hoisted him over my shoulder.

“Never double-dog dare a country boy.”