The Devil You Know

by Morgan James

  “Not a chance. I love your curves.” Her head dipped at the compliment and he smiled, amazed at the woman across from him. She was sweet yet sassy, innocent but still the most tempting thing he’d ever seen. “What’s your favorite food?”

  The question caught her off guard, and she jerked her head up. “Why?”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m curious.”

  A smile lit her face. “Ice cream, of course. What else do you want to know about me?”

  He studied her for a moment, and he felt something shift within him. He hadn’t realized what he’d been missing until she’d walked into his life. “Everything.”

  “Well...” She bit her lip. “You know a lot already. I’m originally from Ohio, but I’ve been here for almost ten years. I love art and music, and I hate sports.”

  “All of them?”

  A mischievous smile lit her face. “Mostly. I do know that the guys who play football and baseball all wear tight pants.”

  He growled low in his throat. “You been checking out other guys?”

  “Maybe.” She was baiting him, but he loved teasing her, seeing that sweet smile.

  “And where do I fall in there?”

  “You?” She smoothed the napkin over her lap. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”

  “Liar.”

  The corner of her mouth hitched up in a smirk and she rolled her eyes dramatically. “Fine. Maybe I’ve thought about you once or twice.”

  “And?”

  “Hmm...” She pretended to think about it for a moment before propping her chin in her hand and gazing across the table at him, a sweet little smile playing along her lips. “I like you best of all.”

  This woman... He shifted in his seat. He needed to change the subject before he tossed her over his shoulder and took her home. “Do you ever go back home? To Ohio?”

  Her mischievous expression disappeared only to be replaced by one of intense insecurity. “Um, no. Not exactly.”

  “Why’s that? Don’t you miss your parents?” He couldn’t imagine being separated from his family for almost a decade with little to no contact. His mom and sisters drove him crazy, but he loved them to death and flew in to see them whenever he had a chance.

  She played with a stray crumb on the tablecloth. “We don’t exactly get along.”

  “Are they mad you left?”

  “Well, they’re kind of the reason I moved away.” She avoided his gaze completely, and unease settled in his gut. “After everything happened, it was kind of hard having me around, I guess.” At his raised brow, she clarified. “They’re really religious and they saw me as... tainted.”

  “They what?” His voice was deceptively soft, a direct contradiction to the fury spreading through his body like wildfire. Blake forced himself to calm down when he saw the expression of shame and disappointment on Victoria’s face. Fucking hell. Was this the shit she’d spent the past ten years believing? That she’d invited the attack and was now somehow unworthy? He prayed to God he’d never meet them—or the asshole who’d done this to her—because he couldn’t be responsible for his actions if he did.

  “What happened was not your fault.” He reached across the table and grasped her hand. “Doc, look at me.”

  He waited a full ten seconds before her eyes finally met his, heart ready to pound out of his chest. “None of it was your fault. Understand?”

  Her head bobbed once, but it was less than convincing. “You were a young kid trying to help someone in need. You did nothing to invite trouble then, and you sure as hell had nothing to do with it now. It’s not your fault some crazed idiot is stalking you.” He turned her hand over and laced his fingers through hers. “You are not tainted, so don’t you believe that shit for one second. You are perfect—absolutely fucking perfect. Don’t ever let anyone try to tell you otherwise.”

  Her eyes dropped back to the table at his vehement tone, but not before he caught the fine sheen of tears that she tried to blink away. He squeezed her fingers tighter in silent support, and a moment later, she met his gaze again. “Thank you for that.”

  “I mean it.”

  “I know.” A small smile curved her face. “Kate tried to tell me the same thing a few years ago, but... I think I wasn’t ready to hear it then. It still hurt too much. Thank you for believing in me.”

  It blew his mind that this woman—so smart and so strong—had helped hundreds of other people overcome their anxieties and fears and shortcomings, all while she’d been torn apart on the inside, grieving for the childhood she’d lost. The events had been completely out of her control, yet she’d been treated like a leper, cast out of her own family. A sense of protectiveness barreled through him, and he vowed never to let her feel that way again.

  “You don’t have to thank me for anything, beautiful. Look at you: you’re a survivor. You’ve made something of yourself. You’re an amazing person—because of you and no one else. Don’t let anyone’s opinions—not your family’s, not your friends’, hell, not even mine—sway you. Ever. You’re fucking incredible just the way you are, and I count myself lucky every day to be with you.”

  Tears swam in her eyes again and he ached to hold her, kiss those tears away, but the approaching waiter cut off that train of thought. With one last squeeze of her hand, he offered her a smile. “Now, no more of that. Tonight is about you and me, and our first official date.”

  With a smile, the waiter dropped off the tiramisu and the check, and Blake nodded toward Victoria. “You first.”

  He scooted around the table and draped an arm over the back of her chair, eager to be close to her. Victoria shot him a shy smile as she picked up her fork and sliced through the creamy layers then lifted it to her mouth. Her lips closed around the tines, and his groin tightened with appreciation.

  A vision of his cock sliding between her plump pink lips caused his dick to swell and press against the zipper of his slacks. He knew she was inexperienced, and she’d probably never wrapped her lips around a man’s cock before—God, he hoped not—but he couldn’t get the image out of his mind. Unable to contain himself any longer, he pulled the fork from her hands and her eyes widened as he raised his hand to her jaw.

  “You have something right here.” Using his thumb, he brushed a crumb from the corner of her mouth. Leaning forward, his tongue darted out and swept across the seam of her lips. That familiar blush spread over Victoria’s cheeks and he couldn’t help but grin. “Have I told you recently how much I love your lips?”

  She dipped her head and a self-conscious smile spread over her face. “They like you, too.”

  He leaned forward, capturing her mouth again for another kiss. As he pulled away her head dipped in embarrassment, and a spear of anxiety shot through him. She’d glanced around the restaurant several times since they’d been here, looking almost like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Was she ashamed of him? “Don’t like being seen with me, sweetheart?”

  Her eyes met his. “It’s not that. It’s just...” She gestured around the restaurant, presumably at the other patrons. “I’ve never been good at this kind of stuff. It makes me feel like I’m the center of attention.”

  He watched her face as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Well, you’re just going to have to get over that. I want you to know that I’m in this for you, to show you every minute how much I care about you.” God knew the people who were supposed to have loved her and supported her had all let her down. He was damn well going to do his best to make up for it. “Plus, I want everyone here to know that you’re mine.”

  She lifted a slim brow at him. “Sounds like you’re staking your claim.”

  “Do you have a problem with that?”

  She regarded him for a moment. “Not as long as you’re being honest. I don’t want to be hurt.”

  He stroked a finger along the line of her jaw before gliding his lips softly across hers. “I would never hurt you. I meant what I said: I just want you—all of you. No ulterior
motives.”

  A sweet smile stole across her face. “It’s nice to feel wanted.”

  He could barely contain a groan. “You have no idea how much I want you, Victoria. It’s killing me to hold back. Good thing I promised to be a gentleman tonight, otherwise we’d already be back at my place.”

  “Then why don’t you?”

  He shook his head and pushed down his automatic reaction to her suggestive tone. He already wouldn’t be able to leave the table for the next ten minutes until his arousal died down. “I’m trying to do the right thing here. I told you we’d take our time with this, and I’m a man of my word.”

  She studied him for a moment before settling a hand on his thigh. Tense muscles bunched under her gentle touch. “I don’t want your word, Blake.”

  He could hear the rush of blood in his ears, and he fought to control his breathing. “What exactly are you saying, Victoria? Because I need to know right now.”

  Her eyes flickered with uncertainty and her teeth raked across her lower lip before she responded, the words leaving her mouth on a whisper. “I want you.”

  “Are you sure about this? Absolutely positive? Because once we do this...”

  She pressed a finger to his lips. “Take me home, Blake. Your home.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  He pushed open the door of the little bungalow and allowed Victoria to precede him inside. The door closed with a decisive click and he snapped the lock into place. As soon as the sound reached Victoria’s ears, she whirled toward him, eyes wide. Adopting the most casual position he could muster, he propped one foot on the door behind him and shoved his hands into his pockets. She watched him warily as if she were second-guessing her decision, and he forced himself to slow down. She knew why they’d come back here—she’d even been the one to suggest it. But saying something and following through with it were two very different things.

  He offered her a tight smile. Jesus, he felt like an awkward teenager again on his first date. “I can take you home if you’d like.”

  She bit her lip before answering, her gaze darting around the room. “No. I...”

  Her words trailed off, uncertainty clouding her features. He pushed off the door and extended a hand to her. “How about we start with the grand tour?”

  She glanced around the room. The ranch-style house was older but clean and cozy, and he tried to see it from her point of view. It looked lived-in without being cluttered, and the furniture was large and comfortable. Her perusal of the room brought her gaze back to him and her eyes lit on his hand. After what he was sure was an intense internal deliberation, she slipped her palm into his.

  He guided her further into the room and swept his arm in a grand gesture. “Living room. There’s the kitchen and dining room,” he added, pointing to the small kitchen at the back of the house.

  A short hallway broke off to the left and he stopped in front of a doorway. “I use the spare bedroom as an office.”

  Although to call it an office was kind of an overstatement. Boxes stood two-deep, stacked head-high around the perimeter of the room, and the only workspace was an equally cluttered desk, papers and paraphernalia scattered across the oak surface.

  Victoria glanced inside, her eyes wide as she let out a startled laugh. “Good lord, are you hoarding inventory for a warehouse?”

  “I have a lot of stuff.”

  She tipped her chin up to him, gray eyes sparkling with mirth. “You think? And they say women are high maintenance.”

  Blake wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. “Hey, cut me some slack. I just moved in.”

  “Are you kidding me? This place looks like it belongs on an episode of Storage Wars!” She threw her head back on a laugh, but it was cut short as he slipped a hand down to smack her bottom. She danced away from him, retreating further down the hall, one hand covering the stinging flesh as she pouted prettily. “Ow!”

  “Serves you right.” He narrowed his eyes and slowly advanced toward her. She bit her lip and threw a quick glance over her shoulder, already taking a step backward. He lunged at her with a low growl, and her high-pitched shriek morphed into laughter as she whirled away from him. His eyes flared with surprise as she darted into the one room he hadn’t shown her yet—his.

  Blake smirked as he took off after her, slowing his pace as he crossed the threshold. She stood across the room, body trembling with mirth, the large king-sized bed between them.

  “Trapped now, beautiful.” Blake rounded the foot of the bed with slow, measured steps and he watched Victoria’s body twitch with anticipation. With a sudden burst of movement, he hurdled the corner of the bed and swept her into his arms. Victoria let out a squeal but managed to evade his clasping hands and scramble free. She was almost across the bed when Blake grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him.

  Victoria dissolved into a fit of laughter as he rolled her to her back. One knee pressed to the mattress between her legs, he caged her in his arms. Her gray eyes met his and her smile faded, her gaze suddenly serious and intent.

  His heart raced as he stared down at her. Her skin, though perpetually tan from the hot Texas sun, was flushed, and he traced a finger softly over the apple of her cheeks. Her eyes fluttered closed under his soft touch, and he ran the tip of one finger down the curve of her jaw and over her bottom lip. Victoria’s chin lifted instinctively, and he brushed a kiss across the plump flesh of her mouth.

  Her eyes slid open and met his gaze as he pulled back. Her hand lifted to cup his cheek and he turned his chin into her palm, the bristles of his five o’clock shadow grazing her soft skin. “Goddamn, sweetheart. We should stop.”

  “What if I don’t want to?” Victoria’s tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip, and he let out a low growl.

  “Damn it, Doc, I’m trying to be a gentleman here.”

  Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, her voice low and breathy. “Don’t.”

  He met her halfway, ravaging her mouth, and her fingers deftly slipped the buttons free of their holes. The fabric hung loose at his sides and she placed her palms on his chest, the heat of her touch searing his flesh.

  “Tell me.” It was an order, and her eyes widened a fraction. He needed to hear the words. “Tell me what you want.”

  The wait was agonizingly long before she finally broke the silence. “You, Blake. I...” She licked her lips and blinked up at him, eyes hooded and sultry. “I want you.”

  He stared down at her with a reverence he hadn’t realized he possessed. It was almost unfathomable that she would trust him with this. His heart swelled with pride and admiration as he brushed the hair away from her face with one hand. He needed to take his time with her, make sure she enjoyed this first time because he sure as hell planned on doing it more than once. A lot more.

  Eyes never leaving hers, he inched her dress up, his fingers gliding over the creamy flesh of her thighs. She trembled below him, and he used his mouth and tongue as coercion. Trailing kisses over her stomach, he pulled the dress over her head, leaving her in a pair of lacy black panties and a matching bra. He lifted a brow and she squirmed under the scrutiny.

  He bent and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “You’re so beautiful, Victoria. Every inch of you is absolutely perfect.”

  To reinforce his words, he placed a row of gentle kisses down the column of her neck to her breastbone. Fingering the scalloped edging of the sexy black bra, he pulled the cup down to reveal her lush breast. Her back arched with pleasure and she let out a low moan as his thumb flicked over the sensitive nipple.

  “I want to see all of you.”

  His hands snaked behind her and deftly unclasped the bra, then slid the thin straps down her arms. Her breathing hitched as the cool air touched the rosy peaks of her breasts. Acclimating her to his touch, he skimmed his hands over the indent of her waist, the flare of her hips. She was so beautiful, so perfect—and she was all his. Desire boiled within him, infusing him with a power he’d n
ever felt before. He felt like he’d splinter into a thousand pieces if she pulled away from him now.

  “Are you sure about this? If not...”

  Her fingers curled into his hair, effectively silencing him as she pulled his head down for another kiss, and he gave in to the sweet bliss.

  THE MAN COULD kiss. His mouth coaxed her to trust him as he trailed his fingers lower to the apex of her thighs, and Victoria shifted restlessly, mindless with need. Her heart beat a million miles a minute—whether from anxiety or anticipation, she couldn’t be sure. His fingers slipped beneath the skimpy black lace of her panties, and he inched them down her legs, slipping them off over first one stiletto, then the other. Turning his attention back to her, he brushed the tiny bundle of nerves and she let out a low moan, fisting her hands in the sheets. The sensation was wonderful, better than anything she’d ever imagined, and her legs fell open to accommodate his questing fingers. He slid down further still, swiping through her slick folds, and she arched her hips, wanting, needing him to touch her there, everywhere. She couldn’t get enough. One long finger slipped inside, and her channel tightened around him. He was gentle, almost reverent, and it felt unbearably good. He’d awakened her passion last night, and now she needed more.

  “Blake.” The note of pleading in her voice made her want to cringe, but she refused to regret it. His eyes snapped to hers, almost burning her with their intensity. He looked ready to devour her, and she shivered under his gaze. “Blake, please.”

  He settled his heavy weight over her, bracing himself on his forearms, staring down at her. “We can stop any time.”

  She shook her head. No, she wanted him—all of him. There was no going back now. When she’d told him her story last night, he’d been sympathetic, even angry on her behalf, but hadn’t once made her feel vulnerable or blamed her for what happened. Instead, he’d torn down the last of her walls, taken the bad memory and replaced it with passion and something deeper, more intimate than she’d ever known. She trusted Blake with her safety—and her heart.