Liberty was completely focused on the car. “What is going on?”
He tugged her against his body. “We are practically livin’ together. We’ve been lovers for a little more than two months, and it occurred to me in the past few days that I’ve never taken you out on a real date. So that’s what I’m doin’ tonight. Just you and me. On a date.”
She looked up at him. “You rented a Mustang? For me?”
“I figured you missed your baby and you’d like to see how fast you can get us to the beach.”
“Really?”
“Really. Galveston is an hour or so down the road. We can hit a drive-thru barbecue joint, then sit on the sand in the moonlight and listen to the waves crashing on the beach for as long as you like.”
Liberty threw herself into his arms. “This is so perfect! I can’t believe you set it up.” She slid her hands to his cheeks, holding his face as she kissed him.
He had to pull back because she was bouncing up and down with such excitement he worried one of them might break a tooth.
But she wasn’t ready to let him go. She peppered his face with kisses. “Thank you. This means so much to me. Especially since very few people get me.” She kissed his chin and stepped back. “Now I know why you said I didn’t need to be armed. But I still feel . . . naked.”
“You really wanna spend hours cleaning sand out of your gun just for taking it along?” He tucked a hank of hair behind her ear. “We’ll be far away from the crowds. I promise.”
“Okay.” She grinned. “Now, hand over those keys, buddy.”
Devin tossed them to her. “Let’s go.”
Driving down the highway in the early twilight hours softened the breath-stealing humidity. Liberty was in her element, with wind blowing through her hair and a powerful car under her control. Devin was content to watch her, such a rarity in their world because she spent all her time keeping an eagle eye on him. Sometimes after she fell asleep in his arms, he watched her sleep, feeling both guilty and daring, knowing she’d hate that he’d studied her at such a vulnerable time. But her toughness and resilience only made him want to embrace and celebrate the playful side of this complex woman.
“Did you want to listen to music?” she asked.
“No. I like the sound of the wind whistling through the car.”
“I thought about buying the convertible model, but it didn’t come in the color I wanted.” She grinned at him. “I can’t believe you rented us a Mustang.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t freak out when I suggested we eat in the car. Aren’t car nuts like you vigilant about keeping the interior pristine?”
“Yeah. But this is not my car.”
“So if we were in your Mustang right now?”
“We definitely wouldn’t have chowed down on ribs soaked in barbecue sauce, corn bread muffins and sweet potato fries in here.”
He laughed. Seemed he did that a lot around her.
They didn’t talk much, but given the people and noise they were usually subjected to, he preferred comfortable silence. Those were his favorite times with her. The two of them tangled in bed, watching TV or playing a video game. Maybe it sounded boring to others, but the normalcy was exciting to him because he’d never really had it.
The scent of the air changed, and she turned to him and grinned. “I can smell the ocean.”
“Not far now.”
Once they’d crossed onto the island, they hit stop-and-go traffic. Devin expected Liberty would be an aggressive driver, cursing and muttering about idiots, but she remained relaxed. About a block away from the main boardwalk, she said, “Which way? Left or right?”
“Left.”
Devin didn’t tell her to pull over until they reached a section of the road where there weren’t many streetlights and access to the beach was a little more difficult. Since it was summer and tourist season, theirs wasn’t the only vehicle, but he knew they’d have more privacy than if they’d come during the day.
“Should we put the top up on the car?” she asked.
“Nah. Nothin’ to steal. And it doesn’t look like rain.” He shouldered his backpack and pointed.
They followed the path to the water single file. Liberty said, “I’m glad you suggested flip-flops.”
“I don’t like wearing sandals, but I hate havin’ sand in my shoes even more.”
As soon as they could walk side by side, Liberty reached for his hand.
He loved even the smallest gesture of affection she offered without thinking.
“There it is.” She tugged on his hand, urging him to move faster.
Devin laughed. “Baby, slow down. The Gulf ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
“I know. I’m just excited.”
He stood beside her about ten feet from the water, watching the waves break on the beach and then flowing back into the water. They remained like that, looking out across the dark expanse. Hearing the steady whoosh and crash that came only from the ocean.
Liberty kicked off her flip-flops and released his hand, shuffling closer to the water’s edge.
Devin stayed behind her, watching the slight breeze tousle her hair. She jammed her hands into her pockets and dug her toes deeper into the sand. Tilting her head back, she inhaled an exaggerated breath, letting it out on a long “Aah.”
He toed off his sandals and moved in behind her, wrapping his arms around her and setting his chin on her shoulder.