Page 15

Brody

“Momma, can we talk?”

I mopped my forehead with a bunch of napkins. The sun had set, but Ezra was a maniac on the dance floor, and after two songs, I’d begged off. I spotted Dev in an intense conversation with Roe, and I hoped he would open up about his non-relationship with his parents. It hurt my heart that all these years had passed without so much as a hello, how’re you doing phone call from them. How Dev had turned out to be such a loving, caring man was one of life’s mysteries.

“Sure, honey. Everything okay?” She set her lemonade on the bar. “You’re lookin’ kinda flushed.”

Chuckling, I took her elbow to steer her to one of the small tables near the pool. “I’m good, although I’m out of practice with my dance moves. Ezra is unstoppable.”

Momma’s wise blue eyes met mine. “I don’t think you want to talk about Ezra’s dancin’. What’s on your mind?”

I fidgeted, trying to figure out the right way to say it. “I’m sorry about Theo.”

Her brow puckered. “I know. You came to the funeral and made a nice speech. I appreciated it.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I’m sorry for the way I acted toward him from the beginnin’. When you married him, I missed Daddy so much, I resented him comin’ in and tryin’ to be my father. I never gave him a chance, and lookin’ back now, I guess I can’t blame him for givin’ up tryin’.” I rubbed my eyes. “I didn’t make it easy for him, and I never got the chance to tell him he was a good man.”

Tears streaked down Momma’s face. “It was hard. I shoulda put the two of you together and let you talk it out, but Theo kept sayin’ to give it time. He didn’t wanna push you and force you to like him. Those months turned into years, and you were away so much with football. You know that Theo never hated you, and I know you didn’t hate him. But after so many years, he kinda just gave up, like you said.” She picked up a napkin and blotted her cheeks. “I do wish you’d had the chance to talk it out face-to-face.”

I hung my head, never having felt as low as I did at that moment. “I’m sorry.”

“But it’s all right now. Hearing you say the words brings peace to my heart. Because your bein’ able to admit it out loud means that he knows.” She took my hand and squeezed it hard. “’Cause I believe he’s with me and can hear you. So I don’t want you to beat yourself up about it. It’s your weddin’ day. You should only know joy.”

I sniffled. “Thanks, Momma. And I am happy.”

“I can see that. Never forget this feelin’. I hope it follows you the rest of your life.”

My gaze found Dev, who, having finished talking to Roe, now made his way to the dessert table. “I believe it will. I can’t imagine my life without Dev in it.”

“I know. If there ever were two people meant to be together, it’s you and Dev.”

Vette and Dora Lee joined Dev, and Vette peered around and asked him a question. Dev glanced in my direction, a beautiful smile breaking out over his face.

“I think your husband wants you,” Momma said, releasing my hand. “It’s gettin’ late anyway, and I need to pack. My flight is in the afternoon, but I don’t want to wait and have to rush through brunch.”

I rose to my feet and gave her a hug and a kiss. Together we crossed the lawn to the patio. Vette and Dora Lee were saying good-bye to Dev.

“Are you leavin’? You can’t stay for brunch tomorrow?”

Vette made a face. “Nah, we got an early flight to get home to the baby and Nicky. Next week we’re all goin’ to Hawaii for a charity golf tournament. Dora Lee and the kids are comin’ along.”

Her face brightened. “It’s my first time in Hawaii. I can’t wait.”

“You have fun.” I kissed her cheek and hugged Vette. “We’ll catch up with you soon.”

“Come by and visit the new place. We’ve finally finished the construction. Dora Lee’s been talkin’ ’bout having a big housewarming.” They’d bought a sprawling home outside Memphis, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled for her. Sometimes good things did happen to good people.

“We will.”

“Safe flight.”

Dev and I watched as they made the rounds to say good-bye, and we looked at each other.

“Momma went inside to finish packin’ for tomorrow. We’ll see her at brunch.”

Dev massaged my back. “ Mmm . Looks like things are winding down.” He stretched his arms over his head and yawned noisily. “I’m a little tired myself.”

“ Mmhmm . You’re not foolin’ nobody, baby, with that act.”

As if overhearing us, Ezra called out, “Don’t give up the day job, Devil. Go start the honeymoon already.”

To cheers and whistles, I grabbed Dev’s hand, and we waved and hustled across the lawn to the far end, where a separate house—or casita , as Ezra informed us they called them out here—awaited us for our wedding night. I didn’t know what to expect, but when we entered the stucco structure and turned on the light, we both stopped and stared.

“Damn,” I whispered. “This is somethin’ else, even for Southern California.”

“Yeah. And they say Texas is go big or go home,” Dev concurred. “They haven’t seen La Jolla.”

Bouquets of flowers covered almost every available countertop and table. Another wedding cake—two tiers instead of three, and chocolate—sat in the middle of the dining table, along with a bucket of champagne on ice and two crystal flutes.

The room had to be at least thirty feet long and twenty feet wide, with an extra-large sectional sofa facing the wide windows. Large modern art pieces were placed around the room. The floor was cream marble with beautiful inlay work. A large fireplace took up one wall, and the gleaming white kitchen ran the length of the other.

Hand in hand, we kicked off our shoes and walked through the space. I peeked in the refrigerator and found it stocked with champagne, juices, water, and beer, along with caviar, shrimp cocktail, oysters, and smoked salmon, with cheeses on a platter. The freezer held at least five flavors of ice cream.

“I’m kinda full from dinner. We can save all this for a midnight snack,” Dev mused but wandered over to the dining table and couldn’t resist swiping his finger through a blob of icing from the cake. “ Mmm , buttercream.” He kissed me, and I licked his lips and tongue.

“Delicious. Both the chocolate and you. Let’s grab this bottle and get to the bedroom. We don’t need the glasses.”

The bedroom was almost as spectacular as the living area, with a huge, oversized bed, another fireplace, and fluffy rugs on the pale wooden floor. Glass sliders led to a small deck, where a Jacuzzi waited. Dev unbuttoned his shirt and pulled the curtains shut, then took off his pants. He tossed the clothes to the chair in the corner.

“Ezra had them bring our suitcases here, I see.” He sat on the bed, and I crawled across it to be near him.

“We’re not gonna need any clothes for the rest of the night.”

Dev leaned into my chest, and I kissed his neck, moving down to the collarbone while teasing his nipples. He hummed his approval and reached out to the nightstand. “I wonder if Ezra provided us with—” He cackled. “That crazy idiot. Look at this.”

He scooped out a handful of colored dildos in multiple widths and lengths, candy-flavored lube, and edible underwear. Dev waggled his brows. “I do love me some edible undies.”

I could feel my face burning. “I can’t believe him,” I muttered as Dev crawled across the bed to the other nightstand and opened it, whooping with more laughter.

“You’re not gonna believe this.”

I raised my eyes to the ceiling. “Why do I doubt that, knowing Ezra?” When I faced Dev, he held a jar of chocolate syrup and a canister of whipped cream. “Oh, for God’s sake,” I groaned. “What is wrong with that man?”

Dev uncapped the whipped cream, pointed the spout to his mouth, and squirted. I watched as his tongue swept over his lips, and my cock stirred. Maybe Ezra wasn’t so ridiculous after all. Lust slammed through me, and without giving Dev any warning, I pounced on him and yanked off his briefs.

Beneath me, Dev lay spread-eagled and grinning. “Give it to me, baby.” He handed me the canister. I copied him, but I took it further and swallowed his cock, sucking the hard, heavy length as the sweetness filled my throat.

“Oh, damn, that’s good. All creamy and foamy, mmm .” Dev moaned deep in his throat, and I licked the lingering drips of whipped cream from his shaft. I dove in again, taking him in fully. “Brody,” he cried out. “Fuck.” His avid gaze was pinned to me sliding up and down his dick. “That’s so damn hot.”

I released him, not wanting him to come too soon. “Not ready,” I panted and coated one of the dildos—neon pink with ridges—in cherry-flavored lube. I handed it to Dev and got on all fours. Dev teased the flared head on my hole, then licked it in long, wet laps of his tongue, before pushing it in to the hilt. “Goddamn,” I grunted, working my raging hard-on, while Dev dragged the slippery toy in and out of my passage, lighting me up as he drove in faster and faster. I lost control and came, spilling hot and heavy onto the sheets.

“That’s it, you’re ready now.” Dev tossed aside the dildo and sank inside me, his thick cock huge and heavy.

“So good, so fucking good,” I panted, still in the throes of my climax. Strong hands dug into my hips, and Dev thrust hard until he groaned and came, filling me with his come. Sweaty and panting, we lay curled around each other.

“You’re even hotter now that you’re my husband.” He kissed my shoulder and up my neck, his lips curving upward. “I’ve never fucked a married man.”

“Your married man. Forever.”

Dev slid out of me, and we took a shower together, then opened the bottle of champagne and relaxed in the hot tub, passing it between us. Dev ran his foot over mine.

“I saw you and your mom had an intense-looking conversation.”

I swallowed some more of the champagne. “Yeah. I needed to tell her how I felt about Theo and that I was sorry I treated him like I did.” The water’s frothy bubbles mesmerized me.

Dev inched toward me and put a hand on my arm. “Was it cathartic? Do you feel better now that you’ve gotten it out in the open?”

I had to think for a moment. “I’m not sure. Yeah, I’m glad I got to tell Momma how I felt, but it doesn’t make it better. I definitely coulda been a nicer person to Theo. And I’ll never get the chance to do that.” My sigh resonated, and I drank more of the champagne.

Dev plucked the bottle from my hand and set it outside the hot tub. “Getting drunk isn’t going to help. The memories are still there, like scars you can’t get rid of, no matter how hard you try.”

“And you know because you tried it?” I challenged him.

Maybe it was a night of confessions. Dev loathed talking about his parents and the past, and I’d always let it slide because I hated upsetting him. Plus, he was a master at avoidance and changing the subject. But if we were going to share our lives, it had to include the good along with the bad.

He slid fully into the tub, allowing only his head and neck to remain above water. “Yeah. I couldn’t wait to leave home and go far away to college. I thought it would be so freeing—away from home, no worrying about my parents’ disapproval.” He stared into the water. “Instead, it was like a prison. Everywhere I’d go on campus, people recognized me from being on the team—it meant I couldn’t hook up with anyone. All I did was practice and go to class. I couldn’t believe it, but I missed home so damn bad, even my parents’ disapproval. I just felt so out of place.” He raked a hand through his wet hair. “One night I got invited to a frat party.”

That surprised me. “Coach told us those were off-limits.”

His smile was heartbreaking. “I know. I did it anyway. And I got shitfaced and called my parents. They didn’t care that I said I missed being home. They didn’t care about how I felt at all.”

The whole story was fascinating. All this had happened while I’d still been learning my way around campus and figuring out who I was as a gay kid, knowing I had my own secrets to hide. Like Dev, I’d struggled, only I’d had a loving mother I could talk to. And, as Dev always teased me, I was that choirboy who sought peace in the faith I’d grown up with.

“Did Coach ever find out?”

He snorted. “Sure as hell did. He fucking laid into me, benched me for two games, and said if I wanted to stay on the team, I’d better never pull a stunt like that again.”

That I could believe. “I remember you sitting out and wondered why. I’ll bet he was pissed. Coach didn’t play.”

“Yeah. But he also gave me a wake-up call that I was part of something bigger than my ego. Also, that I was replaceable. I didn’t like that. I was used to being number one, the hotshot. There, I was just another number on a jersey. And someone was always waiting in the wings to see me fall.” He blinked and sat up, splashing water over the edge. “How did this conversation become about me? We were talking about you and Theo. I think you did all you can do. Your mother understands, and really, what else could you do?”

Dev was right, but I couldn’t help feeling bad. However, it was our wedding night, and I didn’t want either one of us to spend it thinking of past mistakes. We had our whole lives to look forward to.

I got to my feet. “I’m beginnin’ to feel like a prune. Wanna rinse off and have a snack? Then maybe…?” I raised a brow, and Dev grinned and jumped up with a splash.

“Maybe? Hell, no. Definitely.”