The Life That Mattered (Life Duet 1)

She giggled. It was a giggle that reaffirmed my life was pretty fucking incredible at the moment. I didn’t want to slow down and think. If we didn’t make sense … then I refused to live my life by any sort of sense or rules.

“There …” She pointed to the illuminated pharmacy sign.

We found the correct aisle. I glanced at her. She glanced at me and shrugged. I plucked a familiar brand from the shelf, took her hand, and pulled her to the checkout. A giddiness filled my belly like a young boy high on sugar that I wasn’t supposed to eat before dinner. Only … Evelyn was my sugar. And maybe dinner was the morning after. If we did it—hit the home run—would we spoil everything for the next morning?

My inclination leaned toward “no.” Regardless of all the threats my mom made about licorice nibs before dinner spoiling my appetite, I managed to eat every bite on my plate.

“Hey, Evie darling.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened at the cashier. “Oh! Hey, Donna.”

The older lady smiled at me, but it faded into a neutral expression when she saw the box of condoms on the counter.

Hello, old lady stranger. I don’t know who you are, and how you know Evelyn, but I’m going to see how many of these condoms I can use on your “Evie darling” before morning. And for the record … it was her idea. I’m just playing the game.

She cleared her throat. “Did you find everything you were looking for?”

I returned a tight grin and a slight nod, internally chuckling. I wanted to say, “We were actually looking for licorice nibs, but we couldn’t find any, so we’re just going to have sex instead.” But I didn’t say that because I wasn’t in the mood to chat with the nice lady. I wanted Evelyn naked in my bed … because we were past the age of being shamed for just hitting the home run.

The thirties were good. Really fucking good.

“We did,” Evelyn replied, hiding behind me with her head bowed.

I tossed cash onto the counter.

“Do you want a sack?”

“Nope. We’re good.” Evelyn snatched the box of condoms, shoved them into her purse, and yanked my arm.

“Evie! Your change!” Donna called as we made our escape.

“Keep it!” She laughed as we flew out the door.

“Shit …” I chuckled, catching up to Evelyn as she sprinted toward my condo, nothing more than a dark figure with a phone light as her guide. “Who’s Donna?”

“My grandma’s good friend … from church. I didn’t know she worked there. Oops …” More soft laughter erupted from her chest as her words became breathless.

When I could see my front door light, I scooped her into my arms.

“Roe!” she squealed, wrapping her arms around my neck.

The second the door closed behind us, she retrieved the box of condoms and tossed her purse on the floor. We shared the most deviant grins as I carried her to the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind us. You would have thought we robbed the store.

“What is this?” she whispered when I eased her to her feet.

We weren’t drunk on alcohol, but clearly intoxicated with some thing.

My lips brushed hers while my fingers threaded through her hair. “I don’t know.” I grinned. Biting her bottom lip, I sucked it slowly before releasing it. “But I can’t wait to find out.”

Did she have a story? I did.

Mine involved dying and coming back to life with a new set of rules.

Hinder not the soul’s intended path unto the light, lest shards of darkness shed upon thee.

I didn’t want to think about those rules or any rules for that matter.

We slowed it down. It was just us. A mattress on the floor. A box of condoms. And all night.

We turned into nothing more than flesh and breath. An exploration of need.

My impatience warred with my desire to kiss her everywhere … taste her everywhere.

“Roe …” she moaned when I pushed into her.

“Evie …” I whispered over her lips before tasting her mouth.

Her back arched away from the mattress, her firm nipples brushing my chest as I moved inside of her. It would not be a one-time affair.

One hit.

I was an Evelyn addict from one hit.

Every day felt borrowed since my accident. Every minute felt like the first and the last.

Right then Evelyn became my beginning and my end—origin and destination. And maybe … if the impossible could find a way to be possible, she could be everything in between.

We owned the night without questioning the reason behind any of it. By morning, I woke to the condom box on the bed beside my head with a note scrawled on it.

Roe,

Had to work.

Evie xo

I grinned, rolling over to bury my face in the pillow that smelled like flowers.

“Evelyn Taylor …” I chuckled to myself. “What are you doing to me?”