Staring out at the congregation, the Pastor dropped his Bible back to the podium and smiled. “That’s right, my brothers and sisters! Today, we’re gonna talk about what makes a righteous and good marriage!”
And as Molly hung her head in the audience, she heard Devil chuckle beside her.
“I think you might wanna pay attention to this sermon, honey,” Devil teased against her ear and squeezed her shoulder gently.
Lifting her eyes to the ceiling of the church, Molly shook her head. “It’s official. I think the Lord really has forsaken me,” she acknowledged as Sami, Viv, and Devil all stifled chuckles.
If she was going to hell, she was bound and determined to take passengers along with her on the ride!
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ninety minutes later, Devil guided a shell-shocked Molly out of the church with a hand on her lower back. Pausing to shake hands with the Pastor and his wife, Devil followed her down the steps to where Grant and Karen waited for them on the sidewalk.
Rubbing his hands together, Grant greeted them with a wide smile. “So,” he drawled. “Is today the day of the big announcement or are you just gonna prep Mom and Daddy for upcoming events?” he asked eagerly.
“Grant,” Karen chastised, smacking her husband’s arm as their children played in the nearby grass, “Keep your voice down.”
Keeping Molly’s hand in his, Devil squeezed gently. “Today is indeed the day.”
“Well, wait,” Molly interrupted quickly, shaking out of her sermon-induced fog and latching onto Grant’s idea like a lifeline. “Maybe Grant is onto something. A little prep might not hurt. Maybe we just mention to Mom and Dad today that we’ve been seeing each other. Give them a little time to digest that before we spring an engagement on them.”
“Today, Margaret,” Devil insisted firmly, turning to nail her with a hard look. “No backtracking.”
“I, for one, still can’t wrap my head around this,” Karen murmured, her long dark hair bouncing against her shoulders as she shook her head and looked between Devil and Molly. “You could have knocked me over with a feather when Grant told me about the plan y’all hatched.”
“Not y’all,” Molly corrected quickly, shielding her eyes from the afternoon sunlight. “Him,” she said, jerking her head in Devil’s direction. “This is all his fool idea. I’m going along with it for Nana’s sake.”
Devil shrugged, sharing a grin with Grant. “Hey, whatever gets you to the altar on time, babe.”
“Devil Delancy!” Anne Ramsey called from behind them, “Get yourself over here and give me a hug!” she ordered as she hurried down the steps toward her children.
Molly watched as Devil turned and enveloped her mother in a bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground as her father rolled his eyes behind her. “Hello, Daddy,” she greeted her father, moving quickly to press a kiss to his clean-shaven jaw.
“Hey, Peanut,” Walter Ramsey murmured, wrapping one arm around his daughter’s waist and hugging her against him. “We were surprised to see you and the Devil show up together,” he said, winking at Devil as the younger man put Anne back on her feet. “It’s good to see you, son,” he declared with a grin, reaching out and shaking Devil’s hand.
“Yes, it’s been too long!” Anne tittered, patting his back. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“I actually escorted Molly this morning. I do believe she might think my soul’s in need of saving,” he replied with a grin at Molly.
“Oh, good grief,” Molly muttered, holding her hand out to Sami as she and Vivian joined the group.
Slipping the small silver flask into Molly’s hand, Sami grinned. “Problems?” she murmured, casting a look over at Molly’s family.
“You have no idea,” Molly whispered, sliding the small metal container into her purse and watching as Devil and her parents chatted amiably as people spilled out of the church. “Tell me that you and Viv are coming for lunch,” she demanded under her breath. Misery loved company, and by God, she needed all the support she could get for this little explosion that was waiting to happen!
“Sorry, I’ve got a case to prep or I would,” Vivian apologized with a sympathetic look.
“And I’ve got a runway show for charity this afternoon,” Sami explained with a shrug. “Grant promised to video it for me, though.”
“You’re both abandoning me?” Molly asked desperately, shifting her gaze between the two women who were supposed to protect her from such horrors as the family fireworks.
“Oh, honey,” Vivian consoled, “You’ll be fine. The Lord is with you.”
“And apparently so is the Devil,” Sami cackled as Devil turned to snag Molly’s wrist and pull her against his side.
“Toodles!” Sami waggled her fingers at Molly as she and Vivian headed toward their cars.
Staring longingly after them, Molly could feel her family’s eyes on her and Devil. Forcing a smile as she faced her parents, she couldn’t help but notice that they both stared at her oddly. If it hadn’t been for her greying auburn hair, her mother could have been an identical twin of Dixie Carter...and she had Julia Sugarbaker’s attitude to match. And the older he got, her father bore a passing resemblance to a taller Martin Sheen. At this point, though, Molly was certain that neither of them were interested in any part of the three-act comedy that was developing around them.
Before she could try to come up with any sort of comment or explanation, Devil explained with a smile, “Molly, I was just thanking your mother for inviting me to lunch this afternoon. She said she’s serving her legendary pork tenderloin.”
Pork tenderloin? Molly’s eyes widened as she hid her left hand behind her back. “Momma, you only cook that when we’re having guests for Sunday dinner. You didn’t know about Devil, did you?”
Curiously eying the arm Devil had snaked around her daughter’s waist, Anne slowly lifted her eyes to Molly. “No, I didn’t. Although, I am just delighted he’ll be joining us. I actually had invited that handsome new youth pastor to eat with us. You met Pastor Davis last week, remember?”
“Oh, God,” Molly murmured weakly as she realized her well-intentioned mother had orchestrated yet another of her matchmaking schemes. At least once she was married, those would end. Maybe there was an upside to holy matrimony. “Yes, ma’am. I remember.”
“Well, he seemed real interested in getting to know you better. He’s around your age, handsome, and most importantly single,” Anne confided meaningfully. “I invited him before we left for vacation, dear. I don’t think the poor thing gets many home-cooked meals, and he needs to spend time with a family.”
As he watched his sister’s face pale more with each passing word, Grant murmured excitedly to his wife, “This gets better and better,”
“Quiet,” Karen chastised him softly, elbowing him sharply in the ribs.
“Well, we’d better be on our way,” Anne proclaimed with motherly authority. “Molly, would you like to ride with your father and me?” she asked pointedly even as she smiled sweetly at Devil.
“Actually, I think I’ll need Molly. We need to make a couple of business-related phone calls on the way, don’t we, Sugar?” he asked with a warm look down at Molly. Glancing back at her parents, he smiled. “Your daughter keeps me on the straight and narrow path. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Anne beamed at her daughter. “Is that so?”
“Uhmmm….” Molly hummed uncertainly, wishing the Earth would open and just swallow her whole. Between Devil’s hands on her body and her mother’s keen eyes watching their every move, she was about two steps away from running screaming for the hills.
“On the seventh day even God rested, son,” Molly’s father teased Devil good naturedly. “Don’t you ever take any time off from the wheeling and dealing?”
“Rarely, sir. But I think that will be changing soon,” Devil answered with a grin and another fond look at Molly that her eagle-eyed mother immediately noticed.
“Well, a
lright,” Anne conceded with a faint nod. “Don’t talk and drive, though, you two. Pull off on the side of the road and take your time. We’ll see you back at the house.”
Watching as the family dispersed to their vehicles, Devil grinned down at the shocked woman beside him. “I think your momma just gave us permission to go parking for a bit, sweetheart.”
“In case you missed it, my mother is trying to hook my wagon to a preacher’s cart, Devil,” Molly hissed under her breath as he opened her car door.
“That’s only because she doesn’t know about me yet – a situation that we’re going to rectify in short order,” he informed her with a wink as she settled in the leather seat before he slammed her car door closed.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Molly had the good grace not to open Sami’s flask until Devil had maneuvered the Mercedes onto the highway. Twisting off the cap, she eyed the contents warily. With Sami, anything could be in there.
Vodka, whiskey, rum… honestly, it was a crap shoot.
Once, when they were in college, she’d borrowed Sami’s flask and taken a shot of pure grain alcohol. Now, that had been a hell of a night.
Shrugging her shoulders, she said a silent prayer and tilted the flask to her lips. Mmmmmm…. Johnny Walker Red, she thought, moaning as she swallowed.
“What the hell are you doing?” Devil barked from the driver’s seat as he glanced toward Molly in time to see her tilt the silver container to her lips a second time. “Is that a flask? Where did you get a flask?”
“I’m medicating,” Molly retorted defensively, shaking her head quickly as the whiskey slid down her throat and into her belly. “In case you missed it, I’ve had a hard morning, what with running into the ex-boyfriend from hell and all. Then, I had to listen to the Pastor rhapsodize on the righteous and good marriage, knowing the whole time that my marriage is going to be a complete mockery of the institution. So, don’t you dare judge me, Devil Delancy,” she ordered sternly, ignoring his disapproving frown as she then gestured out the windshield. “You might want to consider taking a hit of it, too. This lunch that you’re so anxious to attend has disaster written all over it.”
Sighing heavily as Molly continued to mumble in her seat, Devil looked for a mostly deserted road for him to pull over. Spotting the sign for Fox Creek, he made a right off the highway onto a gravel road.
“Where are you going?” Molly asked, gripping Sami’s flask as the car bounced down the uneven path. “If I spill whiskey on my dress and walk in my momma’s house smelling like liquor, she’ll never forgive either one of us.”
“Your mother said to pull over and talk,” he reminded her as he drew the Mercedes off the road next to the creek. “I’m merely following directions.” He killed the engine before turning to look at Molly.
“My mother thought you’d be making business calls, too,” Molly muttered, tightening her fingers around the flask in her hand.
“First, you need to give me that,” Devil ordered, extending a hand and motioning for the container with his fingers. “This had to be Sami’s work.”
Pulling the flask to her chest, she glared at Devil. “Don’t blame Sami. It’s your fault I needed it in the first place.”
“Be that as it may,” Devil replied, gently prying the flask from her fingers and recapping it, “I’d rather not take you to announce our engagement half-sloshed.”
“Buzzkill.”
“You’re stressed, sweetheart. I understand that,” Devil soothed, stretching his arm across the seat to tuck her hair behind her ear. “In a few hours, this will all be behind us and we can begin planning our wedding.”
“Oh, that’s when the real fun will start,” Molly laughed shrilly, turning to stare at him with panicked eyes, the liquor serving no use whatsoever. “You were there when Grant married Karen. My mother turned into a matrimonial Mussolini, Devil! My sweet, loving momma turned into a wedding-crazed kamikaze, and she was the mother of the groom at the time. I’m a daughter, dammit. This will be soooo much worse. She’s going to lose her freaking mind!”
Wrapping his hand around her stiff neck, Devil gently worked the knots lodged in her spine. “Molly, we’ll handle it. I promise.”
“You. Are. Deluded. Or stupid. Are you stupid, Dev?” Molly asked, nearing hysteria as visions of a bridal tsunami danced in her head. “You sound stupid. Which is unfortunate since you can buy and sell half of Atlanta and bring down hell on Earth on pretty much anybody you choose,” she rambled, barely drawing breath. “That’s how you took down Sean, isn’t it? You threatened him? I saw his face when he left the church. He was positively ashen. I enjoyed that. Being married to you might have a few fringe benefits I hadn’t thought of. Not nearly enough, however, for forcing me to endure my Momma and the wedding frenzy that will soon be bearing down on me, of course, but enough that at least I know I’ll never have to worry about running into Sean again.”
Pressing a finger to Molly’s moving lips, Devil fought a smile as he shook his head. “Take a breath before you pass out, honey,” he ordered softly. “I want you to listen to me. No, Sean won’t be causing you any further problems because, yes, I took care of it.”
“How?” she demanded against his finger.
“I simply presented him with two images – one of what his life would look like if he left you alone and one of what it would look like if he didn’t. He chose wisely. I’ll always protect you, Molly. I won’t tolerate any threat to you at all.”
Was it terribly wrong that she was turned on right now, Molly asked herself as she stared into his hypnotic eyes. Power had never been something that particularly amped up her libido, but damn if her panties weren’t growing damp listening to him talk. Maybe the liquor was helping after all. More could only be better, right?
“Gimmee the flask back, Devil,” Molly begged, reaching for the silver flagon again. She needed something to loosen her up. If she walked into her mother’s house in this condition, the woman would immediately know something was in the air. Her momma could give the Walking Dead a run for their money when it came to sniffing out subterfuge.
“Nuh uh,” Devil denied, moving the flask out of her grasp a millisecond before she could make contact. “That’s not happening, babe.”
“I need something to help me unwind,” Molly argued, leaning forward to try and snag the liquor. Obviously, the man was determined to see her become crazier than a bessie bug before the day was over!
Smirking, Devil’s eyes darkened as he tucked the metal flask inside his suit coat. “Now, that…that can be arranged,” he murmured, cupping the back of her neck and drawing her lips to his. “I can definitely help you unwind,” he promised before sliding his tongue against the seam of her lips.
Gasping at the sensual stroke of his tongue against her mouth, Molly moaned as Devil’s teeth nipped her lower lip. He thrust his tongue inside her mouth, kissing her slow and deep as one hand moved to her breast, cupping it through her dress and squeezing gently. “Mmmm,” she hummed into his mouth, meeting his tongue with hers as they began a sensuous duel for dominance. A second later, she felt her seat suddenly shifting, and somehow realized that he had pressed the automatic buttons that sent them both sliding backwards. She had never been more thankful for a split front bench seat in her life!
It was an intricate game of parry and feint, advance and retreat as their tongues danced erotically together. Every slide of his lips against hers only made her hungrier for more of him. Gripping his neck, she pressed her mouth harder against his, demanding he give her everything he had to offer. One day in the future she’d be sure to ask herself when she had become this wanton woman, but right now she had bigger fish to fry!
Devil suckled Molly’s tongue as his hand slowly drifted from her breast to her hip, caressing gently. “That’s it, baby,” he whispered between nips to her upper lip. “Just let yourself fall into it,” he breathed, easing the hem of her dress up her bare leg. Lifting his mouth from hers, he licked a path down the curve
of her neck as his fingers drifted over the soft skin of her thigh. “Are you wet for me, Molly? Am I making you wet for me?” he asked, lightly sucking at the throbbing pulse in her neck as she whimpered in need.
As his fingers encountered the damp silk, she moaned, her head falling back against the leather seat. “I love hearing you cry out,” Devil growled against her cheek, pressing a wet kiss to her alabaster skin while his fingers teased the lace edge of her wet panties. “Do you want my fingers, Molly?” he asked huskily, dropping kisses along her delectable neck as he continued to tease her silk-covered mound with light strokes of his fingers.
“Mmmm, yes,” Molly breathed, shivering with delight as she felt his tongue swirl against her collarbone. “Please, Devil,” she pleaded, rolling her hips to try and find the friction she needed.
“Say it, sweetheart. Tell me to get you off and I will,” Devil urged, tugging her earlobe with his teeth as her legs moved restlessly against the supple leather seat. “Just say the words, baby, and I’ll satisfy every desire you have,” he crooned, dragging one knuckle lightly up and down her panties.
“Devil,” Molly panted desperately, rocking her hips and pushing her mound against his hand. “Please!” Nothing mattered at that moment but the feelings he was creating in her. She no longer cared that they were out in the open, literally within sight of anyone who drove up the deserted road. She only wanted him.
“Say it,” he growled against her cheek. “Tell me to fuck you with my fingers,” he coaxed her in a gravelly voice.
Sizzle Page 21
