*****

"I look at you and i just love you, and it terrifies me. It terrifies me what i would do for you."

*****

Devlin turned his body left and right just where his stood in front of his bedroom mirror. His face did not do the turns though, it was directly facing the mirror as his eyes scanned his outfit from head to toe. His neck complained about the torture it was facing by giving a slight ache but Devlin had more important things on his mind and merely brushed it off.

With a heavy sigh and determination in his eyes, Devlin took off his tshirt first and then his pants and dropped them on the bed where other three pairs were.

He did not even realise that he had taken two whole hours after his bath just to put on damn clothes!

With just his boxers on, he walked steadily to his wardrobe to find his fifth pair which he hoped above all hopes would be able to boost his confidence since right at the moment he was as nervous as a poor kid who broke his mother's only kettle awaiting for his punishment.

Since the time he had woken up, a bundle of emotions floated through his mind and body. Joy, fear, hope, love and most of all was nervousness. He did not know what was going to happen in the next twelve hours and that's what he dreaded the most.

Sharleen had texted him in the morning as promised, even before he had woken up, that they were to meet at the town's park at two in the afternoon. The bashfulness that ran through him after receiving the message was unexplainable.

His poor mother almost had a heart attack when she was startled by a whistling Devlin coming down the stairs for breakfast. He even made some dancing moves while singing a love song that his mother doubted ever even existed.

After their breakfast was done, poor Dorcas was seriously debating in her mind whether she was supposed to call a psychiatrist asap or go to his room and flip it upside down in search of hard drugs.

Devlin was again in front of his mirror. The clothes he had now totally different from the ones he had a minute ago.

Right now he was wearing a v necked red tshirt that clutched his upper abdomen showing off his hard work of working out daily and some fitting denim pants that did justice to his legs and butt. Throwing his mirror image a grin, Devlin gave himself one last look of appreciation.

Devlin's bedroom door burst open suddenly making him to reflexively turn to face the intruder.

Dorcas stood at the door, left hand on her waist and the right one on the door handle, glaring his son making him to swallow back the curses that were at the tip of his tongue ready to be unleashed at the intruder.

"Devlin, I thought i raised you better than this! What in the name of God are you in?" Dorcas asked with a raised voice tempting Devlin to close his ears using his fingers to prevent a hearing disorder that he was likely to get from this conversation. Although one look at his mother's serious face he couldn't want to risk it lest he add fuel to the already burning fire.

"What are you talking about ma? I am good. I have never been better." Devlin said carefully, gauging his mother's reaction.

"How then do you explain your suddenly out of the blue happy mood, whistling and poor attempts in singing and dancing and not forgetting spending three hours just closed up in your bedroom and when i bump in i find you smiling at yourself in the mirror! Is there something you want to tell me? You can tell me anything, you know that, right?" Dorcas started on a high and what seemed to be angry note but ended the speech in a low and concerned voice with her eyes also pleading her son to open up.

Devlin thanked heavens that her mother had not stormed in on him while he was only on his boxers, otherwise she would have not needed any proof that he had gone psycho.

"Mom am okay. I just woke up happy, i guess." He explained to his mother, as genuinely as possible since his mother could easily read through lies, which was completely true. He was happy. Happy that he was meeting her in just a couple of hours.

Dorcas stared at her son for some minutes as if trying to scan the truth out of him and then sighed, "Fine. But you will tell me if something is bothering you, right?"

"I will tell you mum when i decide to start getting high. I could use some pointers here and there." Devlin grinned at his mother, earning him a soft punch on his shoulder.

"Wow, you cleaned up nice. Are you going somewhere?" Dorcas suddenly asked her son with a raised eyebrow.

The two statements alone boosted Devlin's morale tremendously. It seems that that was the only motivation his confidence needed for it to appear full force. "Thanks ma. Not to be cocky or anything but i was brought up by the best." He said smiling at his mother and looking back to his outfit. "And yes. I am going out, but before you start over thinking this, i am going to meet a friend."

Dorcas, with a knowing smile, raised her eyebrows at her son questioningly. "Is that how you can them nowadays? A friend. I might be old young man but i am not blind yet. And since when have you ever had a friend in this town except Kevin?"

Devlin's hand went to his chest and his face feigning hurt at his mother's words. "Mom, you wound me! I do have friends as a matter of fact. I am not a robot, i can very actively engage in a friendly conversation."

This was not entirely true since the only friend he had was actually Kevin. His mother was actually right but he would not want to feed her ego, would he?

"Fine. Do you want me to make you lunch real quick before you go to meet your friend?" Dorcas asked, totally unconvinced by her son's words.

"Mum you know how much i love, no scratch that, crave your food, but i really can't wait. We were actually supposed to meet right now and am guessing they are already waiting for me. So i better be going." Devlin said with the saddest face he could master, not wanting his mother to feel bad.

His meeting with Sharleen was still one hour away. Though that time was enough for him to wait for his mother's delicacy, he could not shake away the feeling that he would be late if he did so and the thought of her reaching there before him made him cringe.

"Okay fine. You go." Dorcas said while walking out of his room. "But make sure you bring that friend of yours over for dinner sometime so your old ma can know them." She said pointing at her son.

It was not a request, it was a command and Devlin knew better than to say no. "Okay. I heard you ma." It was not the direct answer that he knew she wanted but at least at that time she seemed satisfied since she walked away to the kitchen after his statement.

The thought of bringing Sharleen to his mother excited him and terrified him at the same time. He knew without a doubt that his mother would love her company. Who wouldn't? But at the same time would she feel at home with him and his mother?

Shaking his head away from those thoughts, Devlin grabbed his phone and wallet and with a last glance at his alarm clock, he left his room and the house too after bidding his mother a bye.

Ten minutes later, Devlin was at the park walking aimlessly in it with hands in his pockets. The cool breeze of the park calmed him in a very magical way. The fresh and smooth grass looked very appealing as if calling on him to lie down a bit. The beautiful trees swayed lazily to the rhythm of the wind bringing in fresh air that he was very grateful for.

It was lunch time and not many mothers and children were around but the little that were there made the place look lively with giggles and laughs here and there.

That, together with the birds sweet tunes on top of the trees was enough to bring a permanent genuine smile on his lips. He wasn't even aware he was smiling. What he was aware of though was that he felt free, as free as a caged bird that found an outlet.

Nature has a way of fucking with our feelings, he thought. I feel like a fucking kid ready to unwrap presents on Christmas Eve!

The buzzing of his phone is what brought him out of the self made spell. Quickly unlocking his phone, he felt chilly all of a sudden.

Sharleen
I am already here.

Wait... What? Are fifty minutes already up?

Devlin was shocked to find not only were his fifty minutes of preparation over but also it was ten minutes past two.

Deep breaths, we've got this, he calmed himself.

His eyes automatically looked at his surroundings if maybe a certain her was around. Before he could give them a command to maybe shut themselves or look at something as interesting as shit, his eyes landed on a certain figure.

There she was.

Fifteen feet away from him she stood, looking here and there, probably trying to locate him.

She was, to his eyes, the epitome of beauty. The yellow dress that she wore shone brightly and beautifully under the sun adding to her already insane beauty. The courage that he had gathered since morning vanished into nothing.

Suddenly her eyes landed on him and when their eyes locked Devlin swore his heart skipped a beat.

She smiled at him and then waved. All this Devlin saw in slow motion, the way her face brightened up when she smile and the way her body seductively shook when she waved at him.

Devlin did not even realise that his mouth was ajar until he tried to swallow something for his dry throat. Gathering a little bit of the non existing courage, he started walking towards her. Truth be told, his legs were doing it on their own, he did not even know he was walking until he was almost two feet to where she was.

Her sweet scented perfume was what brought his conscience back. He was not into sweet things but this...  this he was very much comfortable with.

"Hey." Her soft shy voice was like music to his ears. He did not know how much he needed to hear her voice till now.

"Hey yourself beautiful. How are you?" His mouth seemed not to disappoint him and judging by the way her face slightly heat up, he had a point there. He suppressed the urge to smirk. Good, she is as much affected as i am.

"I am good. You?"She asked him too.

Devlin was now a face to face with her. He was trying his best not to roam his eyes over her body like candy as much as it tortured him. A man has to uphold his reputation.

Sharleen seemed confident or maybe she was trying to, he observed. Maybe she had thoroughly prepared for this, the thought alone made him feel uneasy.

She had minimal makeup, just how he liked, and her long hair was with style fallen backwards. The urge to brush them was tempting too but he knew he couldn't. Not today anyway.

"I have never been better." He answered truthfully. And why wouldn't I when you are with me?

On the corner of his eyes, Devlin saw three men looking towards them, no, actually eye fucking his girl. Before he could even process the over possessive and jealous nature that engulfed him that moment, making him suddenly take a step towards her and without any control whatsoever, his right hand captured her waist like it belonged to him and only him.

It was either that or punching the perverts straight to ICU.

The moment he felt her freeze was the moment it dawned on him how much he had fucked up. Closing his eyes, Devlin waited for her to snap at him and slap his hand away.

Five...

Ten...

Fifteen...

Twenty seconds, Devlin continued counting, and when he reached thirty he opened his eyes and dared to look at her.

Sharleen looked at him and gave him a small reassuring smile and relaxed a little to his touch. Devlin wanted to shout a 'yes' and high five his daring self but he just played it cool by giving her a full blown smile in return.

"Let's find a good spot, shall we?" Devlin suggested and Sharleen nodded, accepting the idea.

Looking back to the three fools, Devlin gave them his best glare and saw them flinching slightly. Perks of being in the military i guess.

On one hand, he was grateful that they fueled him to make the stupid but bold move that would have in other circumstances earned him a slap or worse a kick on his precious balls.

Without letting go of her waist, Devlin guided Sharleen to somewhere they can sit down and talk. Although he was happy so far that she was currently in his arms, Devlin dreaded the outcome of their talk.

After all, she was a soon to be a married woman.

She had someone else in her life.

He had a lot of convincing to do for her to change her mind.

Or he will loose her FOREVER.

*****