Devante"You want me to take this one?" Cutter asks as we sit in the ambulance, responding to our next call. "I know you don't do well with puke."I shiver at the mention of it. "You don't mind?""It's not like I love it, but after being your partner for a while, I also know you're a sympathetic puker, and I just wanna get this over with.""I don't choose to be a sympathetic puker," I remind him. "So just let me handle it when we get there, and you can drive us to the hospital.""Thank you.""That's what friends are for," he says before he punches his horn. "Get the fuck outta the way, can't you hear the sirens and see the lights?"He's so angry behind the wheel of our rig. I don't know how he ever got picked to be the driver."What are your plans after shift?" It's like we're not flying down the road at seventy-five miles an hour, which we in fact, are."Since we get off right about the time Eden goes in to open, I'm gonna head over there and give her a hand. This
Eden"Thanks for coming to hang out with me." I wrap my arms around Devante's waist. "I missed our early mornings.""I did too, I'm gonna head home and go to sleep for a few hours.""You deserve it. Especially since you showed up right after work. I appreciate you more than you know."He drops his chin to my head, hugging me tight. "I'll be here when you close up.""You don't have to.""I want to, let me be a part of your dream too. You don't have to do everything alone. If anything has come of the situation with your gallbladder, I hope it's that you realize I want to be a piece of the solution, not a part of the problem." His words are firm, tone is serious."You've never been a problem," I argue. "You've always encouraged me and you don't know this, but I've been lonely a lot since I moved here. You've helped me not to be so lonely. In the beginning you were my only friend, D, and no matter what happens between us, I never want to lose that." Being vulnerable isn't my
DevanteCutter and I are sitting in the ambulance eating a snack at our first break when we hear a call come through."Fifty-four-twenty-five." They call out our ambulance number for the day. "Laurel Springs Police is requesting response for a two-year-old who fell down the stairs of their home.""Responding," Cutter immediately throws his beef stick in the cupholder and gets the ambo up to speed. Anytime there's a child involved both of us are on high alert. Already I'm running over scenarios in my head, trying to figure out what we may be walking into. There's always a chance this isn't a simple slip and fall, potentially something even more sinister; it could be abuse. When we walk into a situation like this, we have to be prepared for anything.As we pull up, I see Ransom's SUV. He's kneeling down beside what appears to be a child. Looks like the stairs the child fell down were outside and not inside."You go ahead and start response. I'll grab the go bag." He punches
DevanteI pull my belt through the loops on my uniform pants, I let my eyes linger on the feast that's spread out in front of me. Eden lays against the bed, unashamed of what she's showing me. Her chest is a handful, not too much and not too little, her stomach tapers down into a "v" that showcases one of the tightest pussy's I've ever had the pleasure of getting my fingers inside. I give her a smile, and she gives me one back. Reaching behind me, I pull my shirt over my head, throwing it on the floor. Taking my uniform pants off, I kick them across the room. When it comes to my boxer briefs, I decide that I should err on the side of caution. Fucking up and blowing my load before I'm ready is the most embarrassing thing I've ever done and I have a feeling that I could do it with this girl easy. She's a bombshell in a package that's too small to contain her. Reaching down, I palm my erection as I climb onto the bed using my knees for support. Eden tries to scoot over to give
EdenThe grass is wet with early morning dew as I leave Devante's apartment. If given the chance, I would have gladly spent today wrapped up in his arms, but someone has to open A Whole Latte Love. If the next few weeks go as well as the last couple have gone, I'll be able to hire some help and I pray it's an opener. Both opening and closing is starting to get to me. The lack of sleep and the desire to spend more time with the new friends I've made is definitely beginning to play into my motivations.Because I'm extra, I leave a cute little note on the window of his car, and then hop into mine, ready to make the ten-minute drive to the shop.Knowing it's going to be a long day, I search for some music that's going to get me through it. Landing on FLY, I grin as I hear the opening music, and then proceed to rap along to the lyrics."It was a clear black night, a clear white moonÉ"Pulling into the alley, I'm not nearly as tired after having a car concert with myself. Parkin
Devante"I think I got it up high enough." Mason comes down off the ladder, placing his hands on his hips. We're putting up security cameras at the coffee shop, all of us working our own corner of the place. When I got the phone call yesterday about what happened to the shop, I immediately sent out a group text, and that's why we're all here today. Why Mason is shouting orders at his son. "Caleb, go in the back and check the monitors.""I guess no matter how old you are, you still have to pay attention to your parents," he mumbles under his breath, exasperation forcing him to rock back on his heels.A scoff works its way past my lips. There's so many things I want to say to Caleb. How lucky he is to live in this town where everyone knows everyone, and to have a relationship with his birth father. My relationship with my step-dad is good, but there's always going to be a missing piece of my life. I'm still grateful that the man who married my mom, married me too.Used to be I
Eden"They sent an adjuster out last week, and he cut me a check today," I'm telling Kelsea as she and I eat lunch in The Caf. "Surprised the hell out of me. I figured it'd be a fight, but I should be back open tomorrow. We're only going to do to-go orders until I can get everything fixed, but at least we'll be bringing in income. Most of the damage was to the tables and dining area, not the equipment. I have workers coming in overnight the next few nights to fix everything. It's going to be a hectic few days, but at least I'll be back open, and that's what I wanted more than anything.""Oh, Eden, I'm so excited for you! See, things are looking up," she smirks, a sly smile lighting up her face. "So how are things going with Devante?"Even in Chicago I didn't have girlfriends, so the relationships I've managed to start here are still surprising. "They're good." I smile. "I've been staying with him more than I've been staying at my apartment. At first I wanted to give him his spac
Devante"Where the fuck am I going?" Running an errand for Mason hadn't been on my agenda for the day, but I'd been the one to open my mouth at dinner the other night. Offering to do anything he needed because he'd helped my girlfriend.I grin. The term girlfriend is new. One I'm still getting used to. If anyone had told me when I moved this would be my life, I would've laughed in their faces. But lately, I'm discovering a lot of reasons to be grateful for being here.Looking down at my phone, I see that I'm supposed to go two more streets up. At the stop sign, I come to a complete stop and then proceed when I check to make sure no one's coming.As I cross the road, blue and white lights reflect behind me. "Son of a bitch." I'm in Calvert County, I know none of these officers. Quickly I reach into my glove compartment, get out my registration, grab my license from where I keep it over the visor, and place my hands directly on the steering wheel.Always where they can see.