Page 19 of Ghost
“Eek! I love you too, Big Papa!” I squeal, jumping into his arms and kissing the bottom of his chin. When I pull back, I see the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on his face. “And I promise I’ll stay safe within your arms' reach!”
“Thank you, baby girl,” he whispers, giving my nose one final kiss and then slapping my ass.
“I’ll pack us a lunch to go,” I tell him, getting everything ready.
“I’ll go get the four-wheeler filled up,” he remarks, turning and walking toward the far hallway that leads to the garage. Before he gets fully out of sight, though, he turns back around to look at me.
“Oh, and Bunny?”
“Yeah?” I call over my shoulder as I dig through the cabinets for a small bag to keep our drinks cold.
“I love you too, baby.” Then he walks out. I’m stuck looking at the cabinet, my mind completely focused on his words. He really does love me; he basically screamed it!
“Uh, I feel like maybe I should have left a while ago, but honestly, there was no way I was missing out on cookies and a show,” Caesar says from his spot at the counter. I had forgotten he was there. Oh well, it's time to get my booty in gear. I’m breaking free of this jailhouse for a bit.
One hour later, we’re getting our gear set up, and Ghost pulls out one container of worms and one container of crickets from his basket. I pick up the pretty, glittery, sparkling pink fishing rod that Devon had apparently gotten for me earlier. This man is just eating up my almost fully healed heart.
“Alright, let me see the hook, and I’ll get this work secured…” Before he can finish, I reach into the container, grab a worm, and hook it myself. When I look up and catch his shocked expression, I can't help but laugh.
“Georgia girl bread, born, and baked all the way through. I know how to hook a line, drive a stick, and even play in the dirt.” I wink at him before casting out my line and sitting back to wait.
Hours later, it's getting dark, and I’ve caught more fish than I could count on my fingers and toes. I toss back another as I throw back my head and laugh. I’ve been having the time of my life and couldn't have asked for a better day. Not once did Devon get upset I caught five fish to every one of his. He never acted as if he knew better. He let me handle the dang things and did it with a big smile, proud as could be. Just being here, with him, has brought me more back to life, and I sigh in relief.
“So, think this helped a bit with that claustrophobia? Think you can go back to the trenches for a bit?” Devon teases me as we pack up our things.
“I think I can take a couple more weeks,” I say, but pause, then think better of it. “Well, maybe just a week.”
He growls before striding over to me, grabbing me by the ass, and lifting me into his arms. I laugh as he spins me around a few times before stopping to plant a whopping kiss right on my puckered lips. I let him lead; he loves the control, and I love giving my all to him. Quickly, though, just like every other kiss, it gets heated, and I'm left wanting to ride him like a show pony.
“Got any comfy beds topside around here?” I ask, looking around the pond, hoping to see somewhere soft he can love to lay me down.
He laughs and opens his mouth, probably to argue, but his body stiffens. He tilts his head to the side and listens for a minute. Then we hear his phone go off. Quickly pulling it from his pocket, he answers before it can get to the second ring.
“What is it?” he asks when I hear Crypt's voice on the other end of the line.
“There's a breach at the back of the property. Two clicks from where you and Mama Tiz are. Need to find cover, boss.” I hear a low hum before he finishes explaining. Devon is pulling me closer to the tree coverage, but before we can get there, I spot a black flying…
“Is that a UFO?” I blurt out, confused.
Devon, even before my UFO revelation, already has his weapon pulled and takes the shot.
“No! What if there was an innocent little creature in there? You know, like the one in Men in Black,” I cry out. “We need to help him.”
“Bunny, not to get your hopes dashed, but that wasn't a UFO. That was just a drone. It's controlled remotely,” he says before he turns back to look at the sky and the direction of the maybe or maybe not UFO.
“Yeah, that's what they all say,” I mutter.
“Alright, here's the plan. I want you to stay here. Tucked as close to the tree as you can under its coverage. I’ll track down that drone so we can get some answers.”
“Oh, no, siree. Where you go, I go, Big Papa.” I say, already shaking my big hair. I worried the jog might flatten it, but it's holding up good and tight.
“Bunny, you have six-inch heels on, and I'm going to be trekking in and out of the woods.”
Oh, he did not just insinuate I can't walk anywhere in my sweet babies.
“I’ll have you know, mister, I can walk better in these six-inch heels than you can in those colorless, clompy, combat boots. So don't sit there and think you're leaving me behind. Get your knicker knockin' and lead the way,” I huff out indignantly.
No one insults me and my shoe choice. I am a woman of the South. We can do all things through God (and Stilettoes), who strengthens us.