by Macy Beckett
“Yes,” Devyn said. She could do this—indulge in some steamy action with her ex—as long as she kept her feelings out of the equation. So she threw her arms around Beau’s neck and thrust her tongue into his mouth in a kiss that turned from hot to scintillating in an instant. Groaning, he pulled her into a crushing embrace and captured her mouth like a soldier headed for war. Her lips throbbed, but she wanted it harder. Desperation overtook her, and she clawed at his shoulders as if to pull herself inside him.
Beau tugged her hips out of the chair, and before she knew what had happened, Devyn was flat on her back while a wall of delicious muscle pressed her into the carpet. He parted her thighs and settled between them, then slid the full length of his erection against her from base to tip and back again. Pure pleasure had her bowing back with a gasp, but she wanted more than dry friction this time.
She wanted everything.
“Inside me,” she ordered, reaching between them to unbutton her pants. “Right now.”
Beau didn’t argue. He pushed aside her hand and took over. In seconds, he had her zipper down, and he roughly shoved her pants to her ankles, where they remained trapped against her shoes. Her panties soon followed. She started to kick them off, but Beau touched her for the first time in earnest, and she was helpless to do anything but moan with the pleasure.
“Mercy,” he whispered, spreading moisture over her folds in an erotic massage. “You’re already wet for me.” He made a male noise of appreciation and repeated, “So wet.”
She opened wider for him and shamelessly begged with her hips. When he skimmed a thumb over her sensitive bud, she made an embarrassing mewing noise and rocked against his hand. Propping on one elbow, he studied her while barely dipping a finger inside, playing at her entrance until she grew aching and swollen with need. In turn, she reached into his shorts and curled a hand around the steely length of him, and then stroked his shaft, teasing him with a feather touch that drew beads of arousal to the tip.
Their breathing came in ragged gasps for the next few minutes as they locked eyes and drove each other toward the brink. When a sheen of sweat had broken out across Beau’s forehead, he asked, “Are you on the Pill?”
“I have an IUD.”
“Do you want me to get a condom?”
“No.” Devyn couldn’t wait that long. Tugging him closer, she used his satin head to stroke the juncture of her thighs until Beau groaned and nudged inside an inch. That first luscious invasion felt so good that Devyn’s toes curled in her shoes.
“More,” she pleaded. “Hurry.”
But Beau took his time, using his plump tip to stretch her so slowly she had to bite her lip to contain a scream. “God, baby.” His eyes clenched tightly as he struggled for control. “You feel so good it’s unreal.”
Panting, she rolled her hips to take him an inch deeper when someone pounded on the bedroom door and yelled her name. “No!” Devyn cried, suddenly remembering the instructions she’d given her sister. “No, no, no!”
Confused, Beau glanced at the door. “Ignore it. Whoever it is, they can come back later.”
Another series of knocks sounded, followed by Allie’s voice. “Answer the door, Devyn. I’m not going away until you do.”
“It’s okay,” Devyn shouted to her sister. “Forget what I said before. I’m fine.”
“No dice,” Allie said, pounding her fist harder. “I’m not leaving without you. Don’t make me call Marc to bring the master key, because I will!”
Devyn looked at the virile body braced above her, especially the long, thick erection poised between her thighs, and she gave a pitiful whimper. She told Beau, “We have to stop for a minute.”
After taking in the situation, he gaped with disbelief. “You told her to come here and cockblock me?”
“Kind of.” Devyn scooted away from him and tugged up her pants. “Just wait, and I’ll get rid of her.”
Beau pulled up his shorts and pushed to his knees with a grunt of frustration. “You never cease to amaze me, Dev.”
“Hold that thought.” Without bothering to zip her khakis, she rushed to the door and opened it a crack. Allie peered back at her, gripping her hips like a maiden aunt, guardian of virtue. “Go away,” Devyn hissed. “I don’t need you.”
Before she could shut the door, Allie wedged her shoe inside. “A deal is a deal. You’re coming with me.”
“No, I mean it—”
Allie flashed a palm. “If you change your mind, Beau will still be here in the morning.” Delivering a pointed look, she added, “After you’ve had a chance to clear the hormones out of your system.”
“Please let me stay? I promise I’ll never ask you for anything, ever again.”
“Begging won’t work.”
“Pleeeeeeease?”
“Come quietly, or I’ll drag you out by force.”
“Pretty please with a cherry on top?”
“Not even with whipped cream and sprinkles.”
Devyn let her head thunk against the wall. “You’re not going to leave, are you?”
“Nope, so you might as well tell him good-bye.”
Why did Allie have to be such a good sister?
“Fine,” Devyn sighed. “Give me a second.”
“I’ll give you ten.”
Of course, Beau had overheard the entire conversation. He was standing out of view against the side wall, watching her like he didn’t know whether to ruffle her curls or wring her neck. “You’ve got to go,” he said flatly.
“Yeah, sorry.”
He blew out a dry laugh that assured he wasn’t angry, only frustrated. He moved in and pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. “It’s okay. I told you we could take it slow, and I meant that. I’ve got all the time in the world.”
When Devyn slipped into the hall and shut the door behind her, Allie made a show of inspecting her wrinkled pants and untucked shirt.
“Tsk, tsk.” Smiling, Allie gave a disapproving shake of her head. “You’re so easy.”
Devyn slung an arm around her sister’s neck as they strode toward the stairwell. “You have no idea.”
Chapter 8
Everything changed after that night.
Logically, Devyn knew she should stay away from Beau. She fully acknowledged that she was playing with fire, and since he’d burned her once, he would probably do it again. But try telling that to her raging libido.
Beau had given her a taste of perfection, and now a hunger had opened up so deep inside her that it eclipsed everything else. He’d even dominated her sleep, appearing in dreams to stroke her with his masterful fingers and impale her with his iron shaft. She had awoken from each fantasy gasping, suspended a hairsbreadth from climax and unable to do a damn thing about it because Ella-Claire was a light sleeper.
If there was a female equivalent for blue balls, Devyn had it.
As the days passed, she found herself rationalizing a relationship with Beau—nothing serious, of course. No flowery poems or I love yous or promises of forever. She would keep it casual and guard her heart. She’d even reflected that a fling would be good for her health. Didn’t scientists claim that orgasms released endorphins and decreased stress? Who couldn’t use a few more endorphins? Maybe if she took things nice and slow—seriously slow, as in molasses speed—there was no harm in letting Beau try to earn back her trust.
Right?
But it seemed like she was trying too hard to convince herself, which usually meant something was wrong. For that reason, she avoided him and threw all her energy into her job at the education center. Or she tried to, at least. There was no escaping Beau in such close quarters. Their paths crossed several times a day, like at the coffee station each morning.
Right now, he stood so near that the sleeve of his starched white jacket brushed her bare elbow. Devyn focused on peeling back the foil lid to her creamer, but the intoxicating scent of Beau’s aftershave had her fingers slipping. As he took his first sip of coffee, she slid a covert glance at him to
watch the muscles work in his throat. Her heart rushed at the sight, sending heated blood to some pretty interesting places. No man had a right to look so sexy this early in the morning.
“Want some help with that?” he asked.
Devyn nearly dropped her creamer. “No, thanks. I’ve got it.”
Beau’s lips quirked in a grin when he caught her staring at his neck. He lowered his voice to a deep rumble that flowed over her like warm honey. “How’d you sleep last night?”
“Fine,” she lied. “You?”
“Like a baby.” Leaning another inch into her space, he murmured in her ear, “I’ve got that great big suite all to myself. Gives me plenty of room to spread out naked on my king-sized bed.”
Devyn’s eyes closed while her skin pricked into goose bumps.
“Wouldn’t mind sharing it, though,” he added. “If you asked me real nice. But I can’t guarantee you’ll get much sleep. In fact, I promise you won’t.”
The creamer slipped from her hands and plunked to the table. Without missing a beat, Beau picked it up and handed it to her, then told her to have a great day and strode from the room.
Damn it. He was enjoying this, the arrogant bastard . . . the delicious, hard-bodied, toe-curling arrogant bastard.
Devyn shook her head to clear it. Forget the creamer, she would drink her coffee black today. She grabbed an apple turnover and headed for the education center, but she realized halfway down the hall that she’d forgotten a handout on her dresser. When she returned to her room and opened the door, she drew back in shock, sending coffee sloshing over the rim of her cardboard cup.
Ella-Claire sat on the dresser while Thing Two braced his hands on either side of her hips and leaned in for a kiss. At the interruption, they flinched and turned toward Devyn with noticeably different reactions—guilt from him, sexual frustration from Ella-Claire. By now, Devyn could recognize the symptoms of a woman unfulfilled.
“Uh,” Thing Two stammered, giving a fake businesslike nod at Ella. “I think we got that lash out of your eye.”
“Oh, come off it,” Devyn said. She shut the door and pointed in a silent request to her handout, which was stuck under Ella’s butt. “She didn’t have anything in her eye. You were macking on your half brother’s half sister.” God, that sounded even more absurd when she said it out loud. “Your secret’s safe with me. But don’t insult my intelligence by pretending nothing’s going on. Just sack up and own it.”
It seemed her advice was wasted on Thing Two. He mumbled an excuse about running payroll and promptly bolted from the room.
Ella handed over the sheet of paper while deflating like an old balloon.
“Sorry about that,” Devyn said. “If I’d known you wanted to be alone, I would have come back later. Next time, hang something on the door like a hat or a hair elastic so I’ll get the message.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Ella-Claire sank back against the dresser. “Even if he had finally kissed me, I doubt he would ever do it again.”
“Wait a minute.” Devyn had assumed the two were already getting it on. They shot off so many sparks she expected someone to lose an eye. “You haven’t kissed yet?”
Ella shook her head, sending her ponytail into motion. “Nothing more than a peck on the cheek. I was telling the truth when I said Alex and I are best friends.”
Wow, Devyn’s smutty radar was off. “But you want more?”
The girl shrugged and picked at her manicure. “Yes. Maybe. I always had feelings for Alex, but I kept him in the friend zone. He was a player, just like his brothers,” she said, glancing at Devyn. “You know, a typical Dumont guy.”
“Yeah,” Devyn deadpanned. “I know.”
“But in the last few months, he’s changed. Matured. He takes on extra duties around here instead of hitting the bars, and he hasn’t been with anyone since the time he and Nicky accidentally slept with the jazz singer.”
Devyn shook her head in disbelief. Only a Dumont man could end up in the middle of an unintentional three-way.
“It’s a long story,” Ella said. “Anyway, I’ve started to think there could be hope for him, that maybe he’d end up more like Marc and less like their dad.”
“But you’re worried about the curse,” Devyn said, completely understanding. It was a valid concern.
Ella flapped a hand. “I don’t believe in all that.”
You should. “Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s Marc,” Ella said with a frustrated sigh. “He can barely stand for any of his brothers to look at me. If he found out that Alex almost kissed me, he’d throw him overboard. I’m not even kidding.”
“I get that.” Devyn had felt protective of her own sister when Allie had gotten involved with a Dumont. “But you’re an adult, and sooner or later he needs to respect your wishes.”
“That’s what I keep telling Alex, but he idolizes Marc,” Ella said, staring at the door as if replaying how quickly Thing Two had fled the scene. “I don’t think he’s scared of what Marc might do to him. I think he’s afraid of disappointing his big brother.” She drew a stuttered breath. “But what about me? Why don’t I matter? Why is it okay to disappoint his best friend?”
Devyn felt a prickle of sympathy for the girl. If Thing Two wasn’t ready to pursue a relationship with Ella, it would seem he hadn’t matured all that much. Devyn crossed the small room and unzipped her duffel bag, then found a sachet of gris-gris. She had mixed a batch last night to untangle her own muddled emotions.
Handing the pouch to Ella-Claire, she said, “Here, this is for clarity of heart, so keep it in your pocket. It will help lead you in the right direction, but you’ll have to do some of the work yourself.”
Ella nodded for her to go on.
“It’s time to have a ‘Come to Jesus’ talk with Thing Two.” At the girl’s puzzled expression, Devyn corrected, “I mean with Alex. Be clear about what you want, and tell him to make a choice—no more straddling the line. Either he’s in, or he’s out. But don’t let him string you along.” She gave Ella’s arm an encouraging squeeze. “You’re a smart, beautiful young woman, and if he’s not willing to fight for you, then he’s not worthy.”
Ella smiled and a tear spilled down her cheek. There was gratitude in her gaze, but fear too, like she already knew what Alex’s response would be and she didn’t want it confirmed.
“Be strong,” Devyn told her. “Don’t settle for less than what you deserve.”
When Ella promised to take the advice to heart, Devyn left for the education center, where her counseling skills came in handy for the second time that day.
Jason, the older sibling of the honeymoon crashers, sat on the floor in the corner of the room, slouched against the wall with the bill of his Saints ball cap pulled down over his eyes. On a typical day, he dragged into the room with a heavy sigh and an eye roll, but a reluctant smile would follow once Devyn set up a science experiment. This morning something was clearly wrong. He had never looked so dejected.
Nearby, his younger brother immersed himself in Super Mario World, fingers flying over the control buttons, his tongue pressed against the corner of his mouth while his gaze stayed fixed on the television screen. Nothing out of the ordinary with that one.
None of her other students had arrived, so she sat beside Jason in the corner and tipped up his hat. “Hey, there,” she said. “You okay?”
His eyes met hers for an instant before he jerked down the bill. “I don’t feel good. I just want to be left alone.”
She touched his cheek with the back of her hand, noting that he didn’t feel warm. “Do I need to send you to the infirmary?” Her instincts said no, but it was worth asking.
Jason brought both knees to his chest and shook his head.
“Should I page your mom?”
The boy made a noise of contempt. “She probably wouldn’t come. She’s too busy with Dave.” He said Dave like it was the foulest of swears, which explained a lot.
“Ah.” Blended f
amily angst. That was a hard transition to make, and Devyn didn’t envy any of them. “Sounds like you’re not a fan of your new step-dad. He seems like a nice guy to me.”
Another grunt.
“I don’t know Dave that well,” Devyn said, “but I’ve noticed something important about him that makes me think he’s a good man.”
Slowly, Jason lifted the bill of his cap and peered at her. “Like what?”
“The way he looks at your mom.” Devyn gave a serious nod. “When they come to drop you off and pick you up, he acts like she’s the only woman on the boat.” She thumbed toward the infants on the other side of the partition. “When Cameron’s mom showed up yesterday in a bikini top, every guy in the room stared at her. But your step-dad didn’t even notice. He was too busy holding your mom’s hand and kissing the top of her head.”
Jason made a yuck face. “He always does that.”
“Seems like he really loves her.” When the boy shrugged with indifference, Devyn asked, “Isn’t that what you want? Someone who thinks your mom is the most important person in the world?”
Jason dodged the question. “He’s not the most important person to her. That’s me and my brother.”
“Of course.” Now Devyn understood the root of the problem. Jason felt displaced. “And that will never change. A mother’s love for her children is like nothing else on earth. But you know what?”
“What?”
“Someday you and your brother are going to grow up and leave home.” She knew the boy wouldn’t believe her if she said so, but there would soon come a time when his mother was no longer the center of his world. “Eventually, you’ll start your own family. And think how lonely your mom would be if she didn’t have your step-dad to keep her company.”
That seemed to get through to him. Jason pursed his lips and stared at the foam-tiled floor for a few moments. “I’ll always take care of her, no matter what.”
“I know you will,” Devyn said. “But you’ll have a job and a wife and kids. That will take up a lot of your time.” When he didn’t respond, she gently tweaked his ball cap. “Don’t you want your mom to have a best friend who loves her? Someone to make her happy when you’re not there?”
