A Lover's Lament(94)

“Thank you,” he whispers, glancing in my direction.

“You don’t have to thank me.”

“I want to.” He sighs, running a hand over his face. “You’re here for me when I need you, and I don’t want you to think I take that lightly.”

I shake my head. “I don’t think that. You’re my best friend, Dev, and I love you.”

“I love you too, Katie.” His voice is soft, and as he says the words, a crimson flush creeps up his neck. My entire body freezes, and I’m completely unable to do anything but stare at him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

I don’t respond because I’m still in shock.

He loves me …

“Say something, Kit Kat.”

I blink several times before I’m able to form words. “I know,” I say.

I love the way his eyes widen. “You know?”

“Yes,” I say, chuckling. “I know you love me. I-I just didn’t think you’d ever actually say it.”

“Well,” he says, nudging my shoulder with his. “Now I’ve said it.”

“Now you have.” I nod, looking away with a smirk.

I just wish that he loved me the way I love him.

“Want to make it permanent?” he asks. Jumping to his feet, he holds out a hand. I look at the offering for only a second before slipping my hand in his. He tugs me to my feet and I brush off my butt.

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“The tree,” he says, gesturing toward the old oak sitting a few feet from the bank.

“What about it?” I ask, following him when he walks toward it.

“Let’s carve our names into the tree.”

My lips pinch together and brows scrunch as I look at the other sets of initials carved into the bark. Both my grandparents and my parents’ initials are there, and something about carving ours doesn’t seem right.

“But we aren’t married,” I say. “You aren’t even my boyfriend.”

Devin laughs and pulls a pocketknife from his jeans. “It doesn’t matter,” he says, shaking his head. “You and me, we’re forever. It doesn’t matter if we’re married or not. You’re my best friend, Katie. You could grow up and marry some rich f*cker like Wyatt and I could marry some spoiled brat like Marybeth, but it wouldn’t change how I feel about you. You’re always going to be a part of me, and nothing in the world is gonna change that.”

His words do two things. First, they make my heart melt. Second, they make carving our initials in the bark sound much more appealing. Which is a good thing because, without giving me a chance to respond, Devin shoves the tip of his knife into the tree and carves our initials.

D.C. + K.D. = FOREVER

“Katie?” Devin nudges my leg and I look up.

“Huh?”

“You left me for a second there,” he says, his brows dipped low. “Are you okay?”

I smile, but it isn’t a beaming smile. It’s a gentle one that says just how much I adore him. “Yeah. I’m great.” And for the first time in months, I mean it. I am great, and it’s thanks to this beautiful man.

“You didn’t answer my question,” he says, a nervous look on his face.

“Well, that’s because I zoned out and didn’t hear it. Repeat, please.”

Devin’s shoulders rise and fall on a deep breath and he rubs his hands along his jeans. “Is Wyatt’s name carved on the tree?” His eyes dart away as though he can’t watch me give him the answer, so I scoot closer until our knees are touching.

Screw it. Crawling into his lap, I drape my legs on either side of his hips. Devin looks up, gorgeous green eyes as wide as they can be, as my mouth descends on his.

“No.” I brush my lips over his, nipping the bottom one playfully before dipping my tongue into his mouth. He opens willingly, and the kiss goes from zero to sixty in less than second. Then a little voice in the back of my head—a really freaking annoying one—starts screaming that now is the perfect time for the conversation we still need to have.

Reluctantly, I pull back. Devin’s eyes are hooded, his lids bobbing several times before his eyes seem to refocus on me.

“His name isn’t on the tree because he isn’t my forever.” Fisting my hands in the front of his shirt, I tug him forward until we’re nose to nose, our breath mingling. “You are my forever, Devin. And as much as I hated to admit it after you left, I knew that I’d never carve another man’s initials into that tree.”

Devin’s answering smile is completely blinding, and I can’t help but wonder how many times he was able to drop a set of panties just by flashing that bad boy at some unassuming woman. I cringe at the thought, and then make a mental note to ask about any ex-girlfriends.

Strong, warm hands settle on my hips. “Tell me about him … about what happened after I left.” His face looks pained as he says the words and I know that this is the part he’s dreading, so I decide right here and now to make it as painless— but truthful—as I can.

“There isn’t much to tell,” I say with a shrug. “You left and my heart was shattered. I was a walking zombie through my entire senior year, looking for you everywhere I went, convinced that one day you’d show up again. Every time the phone rang, I nearly jumped out of my skin, and I drove past your house so many times that I think the people who moved in thought I was stalking them.”