P.S. You're the Worst, page 23
“C’mon, get up.” I throw his arm over my shoulder and help him to his feet. “One foot in front of the other.” We shuffle slowly to the door, his weight heavy on my back. Cindy runs beside him and offers herself as another crutch. Together we get him inside the truck, and I find myself back on the road en route to my house.
By the time we get there, he’s able to get himself out. I unlock the door and take him by the waist, leading him to my bedroom. With a simple push, he falls on the mattress stomach down. I push his hair behind his ear, looking at his face as he burrows into my pillows. Long lashes cast shadows on his cheeks. I dreamed of this moment so many times. He and I in an actual bed, midnight snuggles and morning coffee. But in none of those fantasies was he too drunk to remember.
I yank the curtains closed to blot out the sun before curling in behind him. How did we get here? We went from hate to love and back to hate so fast I have whiplash from the ride. I read a quote once that said, sometimes the best moments in life are the ones you can’t tell anyone about. That’s what Dylan is for me. My beautiful secret.
Chapter twenty-four
Darla
“Pretty girl.” A tickle runs from my temple to my jaw. I shake it off, but it moves to the shell of my ear and circles my lobe.
When my lids flutter open, I’m certain it’s another dream, but it’s not. Dylan’s fingers sink into my hair as I begin to come to. The small amount of skin-to-skin contact sparks like a flint. The intimacy of the morning after is far too great. I slide onto my elbow to hold myself up, and his hand falls to the mattress. “What time is it?”
“It’s early.”
“Did you puke yet?”
The deep sound of his laughter rumbles in my chest. “Yes. And I used your mouthwash. I hope that’s not a problem.”
I flop onto my back and look up at the ceiling. “I appreciate you going the extra mile.”
He sits up and kicks his legs over the side. “I’m sorry about yesterday. Thank you for putting me to bed.”
“Yeah. What was up with that? You never get drunk.”
“I’d just lost the best thing that ever happened to me.” His spine curls as he leans his elbows on his knees. I watch the way his shirt stretches over the muscles in his back. He’s the picture of perfection, but beneath that chiseled jaw and sculpted chest is a man who’s as flawed as the rest of us.
I push up, resting my back against the pillows. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you help my mother?”
He pauses for a beat. “I dunno.”
An exasperated breath vibrates off my lips. I push myself higher on the bed. “I’m not your whore. I’m not going to sleep with you for footing the rehab bill.”
He turns to face me, his palm sinking into the soft bedding. “That was not my intention. If you don’t want to see me anymore, that’s fine. I just wanted to know that you were taken care of for once in your life.”
“I don’t need you to take care of me.”
“I know you don’t. But someone special once told me I should use my money to help people instead of throwing it away.”
Warmth pools in my belly. He listened. I downplayed what we had as nothing more than a physical connection, but it was more than that. My feelings for him terrified me. I pushed him out of my life because I couldn’t fathom why someone like him would want to be with someone like me. Used goods. That’s all I’ve been my entire life. Used and abused, and thrown away like trash. When people treat you like you’re nothing, sooner or later you start to believe it.
“Thank you.” I want to be strong, but the words crack in my throat. “I don't know where we go from here.”
He reaches out and glides his knuckle down my cheek. “We can start over.”
Tears reach the dam of my lashes. I’ve cried more in the past few weeks than I have in years. I have to get off this boat before I drown. I shake my head, pulling away from his gentle touch. “It’s still gonna end up the same. I’ll never forget what you did for me, but I’d rather walk away from the sweet than be buried by the sour.”
He rears back, his lashes fluttering over his blue-gray eyes. “You’re afraid to get hurt.”
“It’s just I—”
His mouth crashes onto mine, stealing every negative thought from my head. His full lips, strong as I remember, coax mine open, giving him access to the cavern of my mouth. My hands find their way behind his neck, slipping through the silken hair that falls to his shoulders.
Memories grab me, reminding me how perfect it feels in his arms. How right. I lose myself in him again and again no matter how hard I struggle to admit the truth. A growl escapes his chest, followed by a soft moan of my own. He takes hold of my bottom lip, letting it slide between his teeth before letting it go.
Our chests heave with ragged breaths. He grabs my hand and rests on top of my wildly beating heart, his larger hand holding it firm against the violent thump. “This tells me everything I need to know.”
His heat clouds my brain with lust too thick to think clearly. He tastes like mint and trouble, and the desire for more is so strong it’s crushing. “What does it say to you?”
He lifts my free hand to his chest next, our hearts beating in unison. “We’re connected. It doesn’t matter where we come from. All that matters is that you're here. You’ll always be here, no matter what.”
“That’s easy for you to say behind a closed door.”
Our hands touch. He lifts mine to his mouth, letting it graze across my skin before sliding off the bed and bringing me with him. “I’ll shout it off the rooftops if that’s what you want. I love you. I think I loved you the moment I saw you sitting in that bar alone, waiting for me. I was just too stupid to see it until it was too late.”
“Well, you are kind of the worst.”
He grins. “You think there’s hope for me?”
“Maybe.” I shrug.
Falling against his chest, I allow my eyes to flutter closed. No more what-ifs, no more worries. I allow myself to fall into the moment and be happy with the here and now. I breathe him into my lungs and hold him in until I feel that familiar burn in my chest and I have no choice but to let it out.
“Get dressed,” he says out of nowhere.
“Where’re we going?”
He palms my cheeks, tipping my head back. “First, I want you to meet my parents. Then I’m gonna take you out to eat, anywhere you want. And after that, we’ll come back here and christen every room in this trailer.”
I stare up at him as if he’s too good to be true. Maybe he is. No one knows what the future will hold. Maybe we’ll end up together, or maybe we’re destined to fall apart, but he loves me now, and maybe that’s enough.
But before we do anything, I have to attend to something. “I need you to come somewhere with me first.”
Guilt festers inside me as I ride shotgun in Dylan’s rental car. How he still wants me after that debacle, I’ll never understand. The guy must be a masochist. Either that, or I’m the luckiest girl in the world, and we all know that’s a load of horse shit.
Yet sitting beside him, that’s how I feel. So damn lucky my heart hurts. I don’t know what I did to deserve it, but I’m not going to take it for granted. Trailer trash and the politician. Sounds like a crappy Hallmark romance I’d blow right past. Little did I realize I’d be the main character.
He pulls into the parking lot at New Day Rehab Center, and we both get out. A nauseating mix of flowers and antiseptic greets us in the lobby. I walk up to the counter and wait for the woman behind the glass to notice me. “I’m here to pick up Grace Bronson.”
She replies with a curt nod and instructs me to have a seat. A slow churn starts in my belly. I absentmindedly tap my feet, but the feel of Dylan’s hand sliding into mine offers a sense of comfort I’d never known.
I don’t have to do this alone.
“Don’t be nervous.” He touches his lips to my temple, a sliver of intimacy that acts as a blanket warming my heart.
“You’re the first guy I’ve ever brought home.”
His fingers squeeze around mine. “And the last.”
I drop my head on his shoulder. “I never pictured my boyfriend’s first meeting with my mom being at rehab.”
A smile stretches from ear to ear. “That’s the first time you’ve called me your boyfriend.”
Goose bumps break out on my skin. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
“I liked it,” he whispers against my hair.
Me, too. When the fear bubbles up in my chest, I push it down before it boils over. Someday, the word will roll off my tongue without the panic getting lodged in my throat, but today isn’t that day. He’s the only man I’ve ever wanted like this, yet slapping a label on it makes it seem so serious. It’s new and scary, yet wonderful at the same time.
Mom’s slender frame comes into view. I stand, emotion stinging my eyes as I go to her. “Hey, Mama.”
“Ain’t you a sight for sore eyes, sugar bean?” She wraps me in a tight embrace. Under her thin skin, she’s nothing but bones. I don’t want to break down. This is the time for me to be strong. So I reach inside myself and muster the courage to put on a grin. Dallas is more than an hour’s drive, but I know it’s for the best. A new life on the right foot.
“You look good.”
“Well, I feel like somethin’ the cat dragged in.”
Dylan’s presence comes up behind me. “I want you to meet someone, Mama.” I slide my arm around his waist and rest my free hand on his chest. “This is Dylan. He’s the reason you’re moving facilities.”
Her eyes sparkle with renewed life. “Hi, Dylan. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, ma’am.” He bends and takes her bag. “Are you ready to see your new temporary home?”
“Long as it gets me the hell outta here.”
After signing her out, we all climb back into the car and head out to the highway. In true Dylan fashion, he insists on feeding us. At first, I couldn’t figure out the fascination with watching me eat, but I think I’m starting to get it now. Sharing food is his love language. He’s a closet nurturer. He may act tough on the surface, but deep inside his arrogant shell is the need to protect and care for those he loves.
He and I are more similar than I thought. We both love with an intensity that’s forged in fire. It’s not something given lightly. I love him today, and I will continue to do so until I take my final breath, regardless of whatever happens in our future. It’s the reason people like us remain closed off. When we finally open, it’s forever.
Epilogue
Dylan
Steam fills the bathroom. I wipe the mirror with my fist to catch my reflection, but I see an unrecognizable man. Sure, the details I’m used to remain—the hair, the mouth, the nose—but the change isn’t in the features; it’s what is hiding beneath. It’s the gleam in my eyes, the smile permanently fixed on my lips, the trace of pink highlighting my cheeks. It’s the way I feel bubbling to the surface, the physical traits found on the face of a happy man.
Water drips from my hair. I dry it with a towel, then finish my morning routine before stepping out. A breeze greets me in the doorway. I pad through the room to the open balcony where Darla sits with a coffee and her cell phone. “Yeah, Mama. That’s great.” I sit in the seat beside her, listening to the sound of seagulls in the distance as she finishes up her call. “I’ll see you when I get back, okay? I love you. I’m so proud of you.” She takes the phone away from her ear. “My mom says hi.”
“Did you tell her?”
A flush crests across her cheeks and nose. “No. She was going on about her one-year chip, and I didn’t want to overshadow her big news.”
Darla’s concern for her mother makes me grin. I don’t know everything about her childhood, but I know enough to understand that it wasn’t good. But Grace is making up for it now, and that’s what counts. Like Darla says, better late than never. Her mom is a real sweet lady.
Darla’s gaze sweeps across the horizon. “I can’t get over how beautiful it is.”
The ocean waves come up to shore and break on the sand, but I can’t take my eyes off her. How the wind rustles her hair and the way the blue of her eyes matches the sky. “Neither can I.”
Her excitement is infectious. I’ve been to every body of water the world has to offer. I’ve swum in the crystal waters of the Aegean Sea and gone scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, but witnessing the Atlantic Ocean through Darla’s eyes is the greatest sight I’ve ever seen.
I wanted to take her somewhere more tropical. The Maldives or Fiji, some place lush where we could be alone, but when all was said and done, my pretty girl chose to go to the Florida Keys. It’s close and easy, a getaway without going too far.
She smiles, turning toward me. “Did you tell your parents?”
Pursing my lips, I shake my head. As soon as my father was sworn in, I quit working for him. That man dictated enough of my life. I opted to put some space between us and start a life of my own that doesn’t involve being a Masters. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m finally free to chase my own passion, starting with the woman beside me.
Suffice it to say, things have been strained. When I first brought Darla home, he barely spoke to her. He’s softened up a bit, but I’m not sure things will ever be the same between us. I’m too happy to let him bring me down. He’s too close minded, and I’m hoping to ride this wave as long as I possibly can.
My mom and Darla hit it off instantly. The “sweet girl from the restaurant” doesn’t serve her lunch anymore, but they go out to lunch whenever she flies in to visit. Taking care of our parents is an endless job, but it’s easier now that we do it together.
“Well, Mrs. Masters, what do you want to do first?” I ask. This is a trip solely for her, and I want to do everything I can to make it memorable. I want to give her the world, show her that every opportunity is now available to her. She’s always had the drive, what she lacked was the money. What’s mine is hers now. She still fights me on that, but I’m hoping the ring on her finger changes things. I’m tired of living hers and mine. I’m ready for it to be ours. Our life, our home, our future. Together. We sealed the deal yesterday. It was a beautiful ceremony. Just her and I on the beach at sunset. The last secret between us before we share it with the world.
Rising from her seat, she tugs at the belt on her robe. It falls open, revealing the satin nightie I bought her before we left. It hugs her body in a dangerous way. After more than a year together, my body reacts as if it’s new. She straddles my lap and threads her fingers behind my neck. “I don’t know if I’m on board with that Mrs. Masters shit, though.”
I grab her hips and pull her in. She gasps. The heat of her arousal floods the thin fabric between us. “I don’t care what you go by, as long as you’re still my wife.” The word alone stiffens my cock. My wife. Sure, she’s unconventional, but I’m the luckiest guy in Texas. “You’re mine now. Till death do us part.”
She cocks her head. “Thank you for all of this.”
“For what?” I cross my body to reach up to entwine our fingers, the gold bands touching as we come together.
“Bringing me here. Forgiving me for the sins of my past. Loving me in spite of all of it.”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
She grinds on my erection, whispering in my ear. “Think we’d get caught if we made love out here?”
I run my hands over the globe of her ass and under the thin string of her panties to push them aside. “I don’t give a shit who sees us.”
A salacious grin rolls across her lips. “Fuck me like you hate me?”
“Long as I call you pretty while I do it.”
“You’re the worst,” she says with a giggle. “But I love you anyway.”
“I love you, too, pretty girl.” And I seal that promise with a kiss.
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P.S. Baby, You're Mine
Shyanne
There’s a knock on my door just before it opens. I crane my neck to look, but I already know it’s Summer coming to start her shift. Her blue tipped hair is pulled into a messy bun similar to my own, except I’d never have the stones to change the color. Red is part of my bloodline. It’s one of the only things tying me to the family that cast me out years ago.
“Hey!” I greet, wiping the remainder of Savannah’s breakfast off her face. She squirms in her seat, dying to get to her babysitter to play whatever game Summer has in store for her. The girl is a godsend – that is, if I believed such a thing existed. I wasted so many years praying to a deity that’s done nothing but screw me over. If there was a God, he’d be number two on my shitlist.
“Morning, Shy,” she sing-songs, then lowers to Savvy’s height. “Hey, Pumpkin.” A nickname I always found ironic since Savannah is the only Delaney for generations with black hair. She got it from her father, along with her smile, but her eyes are mine, which is the one thing I’m thankful for. I’m not sure if my heart could handle looking into those bottomless brown eyes every day knowing he isn’t around to see them.
