Josh had been away at college for two years by the time Devon was set to graduate, and many of the girls who had claimed to be her friends had fallen by the wayside in his absence. The few girls who had remained her friends had to have compared her to her beautiful and popular sister, so when Josh had come to her party that night looking handsome and dangerous it had made her year. He had remembered her and he had claimed that he had come just for her, but Devon knew, realistically, that there had to be another reason that he had come home and it was just a coincidence.
She had been dating a young man who was about Josh's age, and he had been at the party, but every time Devon had caught a glance of him that night he had been with Bree. Knowing how the evening was going to end, she had slunk off to the old treehouse at the back of their property and climbed up to the solitude above all of the action.
Devon was watching Bree flirt with the young man, whose name she couldn't remember now, and she cried. She cried, not because of the loss of the young man, but because her sister couldn't even let her have one night.
Josh, who knew her well, had found her and pulled her close like he always did. Devon cried on his shoulder. She cried for all of the other times she hadn't, she cried for the lack of attention, she cried because she couldn't be Bree.
Josh just held her and let her cry it out, remaining silent until her tears had subsided. As she calmed down she did what she usually did and made a joke of it all to hide her hurt, but he had stopped her.
He had released her hair from its clip and watched as it fell around her face and shoulders. "You're beautiful Firefly. You, Devon Tatum, are gorgeous. Go figure out who you are and what you want, and then your sister will wish she was you if she doesn't already."
"Why would Bree wish she was me?" Devon had scoffed.
"Why would she keep stealing your boyfriends?" Josh countered.
"Because she likes to have what she thinks she can't" Devon shook her head at the thought that it could be more.
"Maybe," Josh had said, looking down at the party.
"Thank you for coming, I know you didn't come for just this." She motioned to the party below. "But it's nice that you said so."
"Your right, I didn't just come for your party, Firefly." He pushed her hair behind one of her ears before tracing her jaw and letting his finger trail over her lip.
Devon's heart was about to beat out of her chest. She had loved Josh forever, but he was off-limits, a family friend, like a brother, two years older than her, there were so many reasons.
She was mesmerized as he leaned in and took her lips with his.
He tasted divine, and Devon gave a little whimper as he deepened the kiss. She reached up and pushed her hands into his hair pulling him close, but it wasn't close enough. Josh pulled her down so that she was straddling him, and his hands were busy roaming her body as if memorizing her every curve. Devon had never been so far with a guy before, normally she would hesitate at this point, but all her foggy brain seemed to tell her to do was to follow his lead.
Devon was pushing into him, her body reacting before her brain could, and he picked her up and threw her onto her back, his hand sneaking up under her blouse. She had wrapped her legs tight around his waist still trying to pull him as close as she could.
"Devon!" Her mother's voice interrupted them.
They both froze, holding still until she had gone back inside.
Josh's gaze met hers, the spell was broken. He sat back on his heels his shirt open and his hair mussed. His eyes took in her appearance as she lay before him breathing heavily and flushed. "You're beyond lovely, Firefly. Go have fun, get away from here, live your life, not theirs." He adjusted his shirt then gave her a sweet smile before he turned and left.
Devon hadn't seen him since that moment until that evening.
And as the memory coursed through her she had to force herself to stay in her room and not go to his. It had just been a makeout session for him that was all. Josh was enough of a gentleman to realize that he had ended the moment badly, but it had never meant enough or gone far enough for him to be sorry it had happened.
*******
Devon was never so glad to see the sunrise in her life after what felt like a night that was never going to end. She jumped out of bed and put on running shorts, a sports bra, and a loose t-shirt, assessing her figure as she went. She could only be called tall and willowy, her red hair was naturally wavy and thick, her large brown eyes were warm and had a few laugh lines beginning to show, and her skin was soft and clear. Her mouth was a little too wide and her nose wasn't perfect, but overall she was pretty.
After a few more minutes of her self pep talk, while putting her hair up in a high ponytail, she put on her running shoes, eager to work through her frustration and longing by pounding the pavement.
When she left her room she saw Josh's strong back right where she had left it the night before. He had changed and looked as if he was going to exercise as well. He was wearing a loose sleeveless t-shirt and running shorts with sneakers. All of his muscles we on display.
He turned towards her and she noticed that he had his phone to his ear as he listened to someone on the other end. After a few moments, he hung up without saying a word and smiled at her. His beard was coming in thick since he hadn't shaved and it gave him a dangerous edge.
"I thought I might join you." He motioned to her workout clothes.
"If you like." Her voice was a little cool and he picked up on it at once. As he moved towards her she moved away, towards the patio to stretch before she started.
"I'm sorry Devon," he said as he leaned against the door and watched her.
"I heard you last night." She watched Josh closely, he appeared to be relaxed but he wasn't.
"No, not for ten years ago, but for last night...there's something that...it's hard for me." The fact that Josh couldn't find the words to make a sentence allowed her to forgive him a little, but only a little. His one outburst had changed everything between them and they wouldn't be able to go back.
Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.
"We're not kids anymore so let's just let it go." Devon gave a weak attempt at a smile.
He nodded as she gestured that they should get started.
Depending on her schedule Devon was used to running between three to five miles, but she had a feeling that for Josh it was just a short trip. When they were done she was sweating and out of breath and Josh looked as if he had just begun.
They got to the patio and Devon was bent over hugging her sides gasping for breath while Josh was pacing as if he was ready to go again.
"Who or what were you running from out there?" she asked. She had noticed all through their run that he may have been with her physically but emotionally he was somewhere else.
"A Psychologist, uh?" he grinned not attempting to answer the question. "Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" Devon asked, confused. Before she knew what had happened he had picked her up and threw her into the pool, jumping in behind her. She didn't even have time to scream.
"Josh!"She came up sputtering and screaming his name while she wiped the water out of her eyes so that she could find him.
Josh was at the other end of the pool laughing at her, the water rolling off of his ridiculously long lashes. It was so on! Devon had always been strong in the pool and as kids, they had played this game many times but with very few wins for her.
Her t-shirt was weighing her down so she pulled it off and threw it on the patio, next she took off her sodden socks and shoes. Josh was catching on and was following her example. "You remember the rules of the game?"
"Do you still cheat?" she asked. Suddenly the words from last night were forgotten as they slipped back into their childhood. Devon knew that their games wouldn't undo what had been said, but for the moment it could be pushed aside.
"I never cheated," he denied, moving towards her as she moved away. They were treading water while making a giant circle. "Since I threw you in, I think it's only fair that you go first."
"How noble of you," she said dryly as she came up with a game plan. The goal was to catch your opponent and tag them. You had a limited time in which to do it and if you failed the other person automatically got to try. The one with the most tags at the end of the game won.
Devon watched as Josh arched off the wall and dove under the water, his strength and speed getting him from one in of the pool to the other in seconds. He was teasing her. He came up at the other end watching her.
She decided the best attack was above water and straight ahead, with the hope of cornering him. She started to ease towards him and he watched her
"You're running out of time," he taunted, causing her eyes to narrow.
When she was close enough, she dove under the water doing a flip and tagged him in the chest with her foot. It was a tap. She came up with a grin at her win but barely had a chance to chortle in glee before he was after her. With a yelp, she darted this way and that, but it was obvious that he was still only playing with her. Either she was out of practice or he was much better in the water than he used to be.
"This is just like old times." They heard from behind them, and they both turned with a smile to see Bree and Hal standing by the side of the pool watching them.
"Game over, I win," Devon said, racing for the stairs, but Josh was not one to be bested and he grabbed her feet from behind pulling her under. She went down with a very ungraceful splash and turned towards him underwater heading straight for his mid-section. He avoided her easily and shot under her so quickly she didn't have time to turn around before she had to come up for air. He came up shortly after her grinning.
"Are you done?" Bree asked, frustrated. "I was sent to let you know that brunch is in an hour and you're both expected," Bree explained as Devon climbed out of the water wringing out her hair before she grabbed her t-shirt and started to do the same with it.
She was completely unaware of the looks she was getting from the men as she stood there in her sports bra and running shorts which were plastered against her with water. Her legs looked endless.
Bree noticed it and her lips tightened; that was until Josh hauled himself out of the water. He didn't bother to use the ladder so all of his muscles were displayed as he used his upper body to pull himself up and over the edge of the pool.
Devon watched him in the glass from the doors to the guest house. His abs and pecks were tight and he had the hip indentions that men got when they were well toned. His shorts were riding low due to the heavy water and his tattoo around his very large bicep was evident.
She allowed her gaze to move to Bree whose mouth had fallen open at the sight of him, and Devon couldn't blame her, Josh was stunning. Hal was frowning. Biting back a laugh or a groan, she couldn't decide which, Devon opened the door with a smile over her shoulder.
"Thanks, Bree, we'll be there." Unable to help it, she made watery footprints all the way to her room.