Devon crossed the shelter’s parking lot and caught up with Bria as she made it to the corner store. “Bria,” he said. “Are you all right?”
“I really wish people would stop asking me that. I need cigarettes, OK. There is nothing wrong with me.”
“Listen,” Devon said, “people are concerned about you because we care.”
“Sounds like the same load of crap she offered in there,” Bria said, nodding toward the shelter. “I don’t need help, I simply need a home.”
“And that’s why you’re here, but even if you get a job, if you have something in your past that you’re running from, it is going to come back and hurt you in the long run.”
“I–I ... Just leave me alone, OK?”
“I will, for now. But you know that it’s required for you to do the career training, and you’re missing class right now,” Devon said, his brows furrowed in confusion, disappointment, and anger. “Who is he, Bria? Who are you running from?”
She stopped cold, as if Devon’s words cut through her soul. “What?”
“I know the signs,” he said quietly, closing the space between them and placing his hand on her shoulder. “My mother ran from an abusive man.”
“I’m not running,” she said, then dropped her head. “I’m scared.”
He nodded. “You need to talk to someone. There’s help for you, but you can’t run all your life.”
“But ... What if he finds me? Who’s going to protect me then?” she asked as she began to cry. Devon wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed and her body trembled.
“No one is going to hurt you,” he said. “But you should take advantage of the counseling services here. What he did to you is not your fault.”
“You said your mother ran?”
“Yes, but it didn’t help her. She didn’t get away from my father completely, she was diagnosed with cancer, and because we only ran, when she needed treatment, she had to go back.”
“I don’t want to go back. I can’t.”
“You don’t have to. Come with me,” Devon said as he took her hand in his. They walked inside, and Marie shot a quizzical look his way as Devon and Bria dashed down the hall. Marie saw Shay crossing over to her and could hear that she was calling her name, but Marie’s mind was walking down the hall. She wondered if Bria would be all right. Had Devon been able to talk to her and let her know that people actually did give a damn about her?
“Marie! Did you hear me?” Shay asked. Then she followed Marie’s gaze. “I see you’re just as worried about that girl as everybody else around here.”
“I hope Devon can help her with whatever demons she’s dealing with,” Marie said. “But, that doesn’t mean I should ignore you. I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
“I got a copy of the press release off the printer and I wanted to suggest some changes,” she said, handing Marie the page with notes in the margin. “The first thing is, we want the media to come here and do the interviews, because this is a fund-raiser for the shelter.”
“I thought about that,” Marie said. “But what about ladies who don’t want people to know that they’re here?”
Shay stroked her chin. “All right, I didn’t think about that. But we’re going to be included in the interviews to let people know we’re not sitting back just doing nothing, right?”
“Of course,” Marie said. “I tell you what, why don’t we schedule a day when the media comes to the restaurant and all of you who have been working so hard on this can be interviewed.”
Shay tilted her head to the side and looked at Marie. “You’ve done this before, huh?”
“My business is getting in the news,” Marie replied with a wink. “That and shopping.”
“So, how do I get a job with you?”
“We will have to talk about it,” Marie said. “But you do know your press release writing.”
“We’re not just homeless dummies. Before I lost everything, I worked in the banking industry and for a public relations company for a while, too. But the money dried up and there was nothing else I could do.”
Marie nodded, knowing that the economy caused a lot of qualified people to lose their jobs, but she had no idea how hard times really were. Shay was highly qualified at what she did, but the job market was extremely limited. Marie made a mental note to see if she and Adriana could help Shay find a job. She wished that she could hire her on the spot, but with the business that they’d lost due to her arrest, she wasn’t sure if she could.
“Enough of my sob story,” Shay said, noting Marie’s silence. “So, when are you going to set up this press conference?”
“I will get back to you tomorrow with a date,” she replied as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse. “Let me call my partner and see if we can get something set up.”
As she dialed Adriana’s number, Devon came down the hall with a somber look on his face. Marie quickly hung up the phone and turned to him. “Is everything all right?” she asked.
“I got to go and dismiss class. Do you need a ride home?” he asked quietly.
“If you need to stay, I can make other arrangements,” Marie said. “Is Bria OK?”
Devon nodded and instinctively kissed Marie on the forehead. “She will be and I don’t have to stay. We were almost done with the lesson and I want to talk to you about what you did today.”
Marie felt as if she was melting from his lips gracing her forehead, but she knew that kiss meant nothing. Right?
Devon wanted to kick himself as he stood there looking at Marie. Why couldn’t he keep his lips to himself when he was around her? Kissing her made him want to taste the most intimate parts of her essence. But he couldn’t fall for her or give in to his lustful needs and desires. Then again, would it be so bad if he did? She made it clear this morning that she wasn’t pretending to want to head between the sheets for special treatment at the shelter. She’d even went above and beyond with the way she reached out to Bria. Still, Devon was leery, wondering what could be going on behind those beguiling eyes and who Marie Charles really was.
Marie ran her hand down his forearm and smiled sweetly at him. Devon returned her smile and then quickly returned to the kitchen.
“All right, ladies,” he said to the remaining students. “We’re going to have to cut class short today. Here’s what I need you to do: Finish with the chopping of the onions, oregano, and peppers. Shay is going to be in charge for the rest of the day, and when you store these vegetables, keep them sealed tightly. Tomorrow, we’re going to make an Italian soup.”
“Is everything all right?” Skylar asked.
“Yeah,” Devon said, thinking about Bria’s meeting with a counselor. He’d finally seen the young girl smile and let down that guard she’d built around herself. He wished that his mother would’ve found that kind of support and help when she’d needed it.
“All right, people,” Shay said. “Let’s get chopping.” Devon waved to the women, took a deep breath, and headed out the door.
He watched Marie as she stood by the entrance of the shelter, speaking in hushed tones on her BlackBerry. Part of him teemed with jealousy. Was she talking to the guy who’d sent her those roses? Maybe she’d decided to forgive him his trespasses and was making plans to make up with him? Anger like that was attached to love; being friends with women taught him the signs of a woman not over her ex. Devon crossed over to her in time to hear her say, “All right, Adriana, we’ll talk about it more when I limp into the office. And yes, I need some flats. Three good pairs. Can you stop laughing?” Marie turned around and caught Devon’s stare. “I have to go.”
“Didn’t mean to interrupt,” Devon replied.
She dropped her phone in her oversized leather purse and smiled. “No problem. I want to talk to you about something,” she said as they headed to his car.
“What’s that?”
“When Shay and I were going over the press release, she told me that she was a former PR agent.”
Devon
nodded. “Yeah, that’s why she’s heading up the publicity for the fund-raiser.”
“I’m going to talk to my partner and see if we can offer her a part-time job,” she said.
He turned and faced her, feeling the urge to kiss her again. “Really?”
“I don’t know how much we can afford to pay her, but I’m going to try and make sure that will help her get back on her feet,” Marie said.
“That’s really great.” His heart warmed intensely, seeing this side of Marie.
“Well, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Since my arrest, we’ve lost some contracts and I’m not sure where we stand financially.”
“I’m impressed that you want to help,” he said as he opened the passenger-side door for her. As Marie slid inside, Devon placed his hand on her knee. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she said as she looked down at his hand. The heat from his hand made her shiver. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, they just sat there, an unspoken sexual tension crackling between them.
“Let’s do lunch,” he said. “I know an exclusive place where we can talk without interruption.”
“Just talk?” she asked, her voice oozing sensuality.
“I think we’ve moved beyond just talking,” he said as he leaned in to her. Marie wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her lips against his.
“Are you sure?”
“More than anything. What about you?”
Instead of replying, she slowly ran her tongue across his full lips, and Devon shuddered in hot delight before taking her offering into his mouth, relishing the minty taste of her kiss, and dancing his tongue in each corner and crevice of her hot and willing mouth. Reluctantly, he pulled back. Marie looked at him with surprise in her eyes. Was he about to change his mind? Was he about to talk about that imaginary line they weren’t supposed to cross? Didn’t he realize that after a kiss like that, the line had been crossed and erased?
“Let’s go,” he said as he tore away from her and headed for the driver’s side of the Mustang. Devon started the car, and while stealing glances at Marie, he peeled out of the parking lot.
For about a mile, they rode in silence, then Marie mustered up the voice to ask, “Where are we going?”
“To the most exclusive bed and breakfast in the city,” he replied as he turned down Davidson Street.
“How is it that I’ve never heard of this place?” she asked with her eyebrow raised. “I pride myself on knowing all of the hot spots in the city.”
“Like I said,” Devon replied as they pulled into the NoDa City View lofts, “exclusive.”
She looked up at the new housing complex and smiled. “You live here, huh?”
“Yes. And the food is amazing, if I do say so myself,” Devon replied.
“Is that so?”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said as he pulled into a parking spot. Devon hopped out of the car and crossed over to the passenger side of the car before Marie could even remove her seat belt. He opened the door and lifted her from the car. Marie wrapped her arms around his neck and he brushed his lips against hers. “We have a lot of stairs to climb,” he said, then winked at her.
“I bet you carry all of your girls up the stairs,” she said.
“You would be the first I carried and brought here,” he replied. She eyed him suspiciously. There was no way this sexy man was celibate, not with all the thirsty women in Charlotte who would love to link up with a celebrity.
“You don’t believe me?” he asked as he climbed the stairs.
“Nope. It sounds like I should be erecting a statue to Saint Devon,” she quipped.
Devon shook his head and laughed. “Never said I was a saint, and I have something that’s very erect that you can crown.”
Marie was surprised at his brash tone, turned on, and ready to see where that crown would go as he unlocked the door to his loft.
Once they entered, he placed Marie on the leather sofa in the middle of the living room. Glancing around the room, she saw another side of Devon, rugged and über masculine. The room was decorated in deep browns and blacks, giving the area a smoldering tint, even with the blinds of the wide bay windows open and the sun slicing through. The soft leather against her legs made her wonder if they could be comfortable making love right in this spot. He straddled her body and lifted her legs, sitting them on the wooden coffee table in front of the sofa.
“Comfortable?” he asked, his voice a husky whisper.
Marie nodded and stared into his eyes as he unbuttoned her shirt. Marie was so glad she decided to wear her favorite red lace bra as he pushed the tunic down her shoulder. Devon stroked her shoulder, moving his hands slowly down her body, causing her to writhe with anticipation. His fingers felt like butterfly wings as they moved down to the waistband of her leggings. With a quick motion, he’d slid them down her hips, his fingers moving against her skin like hummingbird wings. She could barely keep still, trying to move against his touch, but Devon held her in place. “Be still, woman,” he ordered. “I’ve been waiting to see these curves up close.” Devon slipped his forefinger under the lace crotch of her panties and sought out her throbbing pearl. She was so hot, so wet, and removing his finger, he brought it to his lips to find out she was so tasty. Marie moaned as he lifted her right leg to pull her pants all the way down. Easing between her legs, Devon rubbed her to a near climax through her lacy red panties before pulling them to the side and covering her sweet wetness with his mouth. Marie tossed her head back in ecstasy as he wrapped his tongue around her pleasure. Her thighs shivered and her body tingled as he expertly licked and sucked her to a loud orgasm. Marie had never screamed so loud as her body went limp. She’d nearly forgotten about her sprained ankle until her left foot slipped from the table and slammed on the floor. “Oww, oww, oww,” she howled. Devon grabbed her foot.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he removed her shoe, checking her bandaged ankle. “Should I take you to the hospital?”
“It’s all your fault,” she said, trying to joke through the pain. “That magical tongue of yours made me forget all about my injury.”
Devon told her to stretch out on the sofa, and he grabbed a pillow from the love seat in the corner and put it underneath her foot. “I’ll get you an ice pack and some Advil.”
Marie blew him a kiss as he headed upstairs. Closing her eyes, she wondered if this was ever going to happen. Maybe her foot slipping had been a sign that she should slow things down with Devon. But now that he’d given her another sample of what he could do to her body, the only thing that would keep her moving slowly would be her bum ankle.
Chapter 12
Devon stood in the kitchen wondering if he needed an ice pack for himself as well. His body wanted to melt with Marie so badly that he ached. And it was an aching that would stop them from doing anything. Her ankle. Grabbing the ice, a glass filled with orange juice, and a bottle of Advil, he headed into the living room. Even though Marie had a look of pain on her face, she looked so beautiful lying on the sofa, adding color and sex appeal to his room with that lacy red bra against her chocolate skin.
“Orange juice and Advil,” he said as he tapped two pills into her outstretched hand. Then he handed her the glass before placing the ice pack on her ankle.
“This isn’t the day you had planned, huh?” she asked after swallowing her painkiller.
“You know what they say about planning. Besides, I had no idea we’d end up here, together. My plan was to work you at the shelter.”
Marie took another sip of juice and nodded. “Right,” she said. “So, why did you bring me here?”
“I think that’s obvious,” Devon replied.
“Yes, but where do we go next?” she asked. “You tried so hard to deny what we both wanted. Do you feel like you made a mistake crossing that line?”
“No,” he said. “I feel like we haven’t crossed it enough. But, you have to get on both feet first.”
Marie looke
d down at her ankle. “Right.”
Devon leaned down and kissed her slowly, flicking his tongue against hers and making her moan. Her mouth was nearly as delicious as the rest of her. He didn’t have a problem admitting that she was becoming his addiction. And Devon had every intention of indulging in it every chance he got. Still, with her in pain, he had to pull back.
“Lunch. I still owe you lunch.” Devon handed her the remote to his TV. “I’m going to get cooking and you relax.”
“Careful, Mr. Harris,” Marie said with a smile. “I could get used to this really quickly.”
“Used to what?”
“You pampering me and waiting on me hand and foot.”
He winked at her. “Play your cards right and I might make a habit of it.”
While Devon was in the kitchen, Marie sat up, quickly dressed and then stretched her arms above her head, lazily resting against the sofa. When was the last time she’d been pampered by a man? Her normal MO was to get what she wanted and move on. Sure, she had been engaged to William, but that relationship had been about two things, shutting Greta up and trying to fit into the sensible pumps her father wanted her to wear. A wife and a mother. Less flamboyant and media hungry. But that wasn’t what she wanted for herself. However, she was seeing something new and different, something that was more important than her image as Charlotte’s party girl.
Maybe making a fool of myself that night was the best thing that happened to me, she thought as she turned the TV on and flipped the channels mindlessly. When her cell phone rang, it startled her, and Marie nearly tumbled off the sofa when she reached for her purse. Looking at the time on Devon’s cable box, she was sure it wasn’t Adriana, because it wasn’t close to three o’clock. She didn’t recognize the number, but answered anyway. “This is Marie Charles.”
“Hello, Marie,” a voice she wished she wasn’t hearing said. “Did you get the roses I sent you?”
“William, why are you calling me?” she snapped.
“I’ve been thinking about you and missing you. That’s why I sent you the flowers.”
Recipe for Desire Page 11
