by Colt, Elodie
“You like it?” I ask, still unsure if Devon would be happy with this gift.
Susan’s face hints at a smile. “I like the ruby because of its unique color, but you know I’m more into the, let’s say, alternative gems. What did Malcolm Forbes say? ‘Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs.’”
I chuckle. “True.”
“Stop right here, young lady,” Susan orders, and a passing waitress skids to a halt, lowering her plate so Susan can fetch a napkin and load it with gourmet appetizers.
The waitress prances off in her short Santa dress while Susan pops an olive into her mouth.
“A pretty thing, that one,” she muses, and I don’t miss the furtive glance she sends me.
“Yeah.”
“Tell me, Nathan. How come that a gallant man like you is still single?”
I snort at her choice of words, flopping back my hair. “I was already married, remember?”
She swats a hand through the air. “That cheeky little miss was hell on heels. Her pretty face obscured her lack of personality. She was only after your money, and you know it.”
“Ouch.”
She pats my shoulder. “What you need is a woman with a heart. Whoever she is, if you need that to make her happy,” she goes on with a nod to the ruby necklace, “then be prepared to file for your next divorce soon.”
And with that, she scurries over to Janice and her collection of Christmas jewelry, leaving me baffled and utterly helpless.
~~~
As a man with a job in the jewelry business, there’s one thing that’s never an issue: Finding the perfect gift for a woman. Birthday, engagement, Valentine’s Day, conciliation—no matter what the occasion, I can make her happy.
At least, that’s what I thought until I met Devon.
After the Christmas party finally came to an end, I stood there for God knows how long, staring at the ruby necklace just like I used to stare at the sixth nook in my office. Susan was right. Devon’s pendant cost a few bucks, but to me, it’s worth more than all the gems combined in my gallery. If I want to give her something of real value, then I won’t find it here, hence why I’m on my way to Susan’s Treasures.
The chimes above the door jingle as I step inside the store, and as usual, the scent of oriental incense with a whiff of all the other things Susan likes to smoke pollutes the air.
“Just a sec!” she hollers from the other end while I mosey through the grandeur of Susan McElroy’s fashion collection.
“Take your time,” I call back with a grin, knowing she’ll recognize my voice.
A second later, she hurries out from behind the curtains, the shock on her face signaling she’s surprised to see me here.
“Nathan,” she says in astonishment, her steel-gray hair back in her funny updo, and her denim jumpsuit hanging loosely on her body. “To what do I owe the pleasure, my boy?”
I scratch my chin. “I’m looking for something, and I was hoping you could help me out.”
“Oh, are you planning another auction?”
“No, actually, it’s personal this time.”
She pushes her cat-eye glasses up her nose, her expression turning from quizzical to surprised and finally to complacent.
“I knew it!” she yells and punches my shoulder.
“What?”
Ignoring me, she hustles me over to a set of chairs that look as if they were imported from Buckingham Palace, and I take a seat.
“I’m glad you didn’t go for that ruby necklace.” She sits down opposite me. “So, what’s her name?”
“Uhm, her name is…” I trail off, fumbling with my tie. “Actually, I don’t know her name.”
To my surprise, Susan just sends me a smirk instead of fishing for more details. “What are you looking for?”
“That’s the thing… I have no idea.”
She leans back in her chair, her cornflower blue eyes riveted on me as she gives me a wink. “Tell me about her.”
“Okay, uhm…” Scratching a spot on my head, I scramble my brain trying to determine what information could be useful. “She’s Russian, likes spicy food, likes yoga, drives a bike, keeps dragonflies as pets—”
Susan’s hand shoots up, and I stop as she darts up to her feet and scuttles away to disappear somewhere in her jungle of artifacts. A minute later, she sweeps over to me with a cocky smile on her face and something hidden in her fist.
“I like the girl,” she says when she sits down.
I cock an eyebrow. “How so?”
“Keeping dragonflies as pets requires patience and intensive nurturing.” Opening her hand, she presents me a necklace with a beautiful dragonfly charm. “Dragonflies have been on this planet for over three hundred million years and fascinated artists since the beginning. They symbolize change, purity, and harmony,” she explains as I pluck the necklace from her palm to examine it under the light.
Two inches long, 10-karat yellow gold with a rose gold bodice on a gold chain. It’s a simple and timeless piece with hand-sculpted embellishments and strands of granulated beads forming the wings. A hundred and twenty dollars is my guess.
“This is perfect,” I say in awe.
“Of course, it is.” She throws me a smug grin.
“How much?”
My hand vanishes underneath my suit jacket to pull out my wallet, but Susan places a hand on my arm.
“Leave it be, my boy.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. How much?”
Standing up, she turns her head sideways and taps a finger onto her cheek. “A kiss, if you’d be so kind, Mr. Crawford.”
Shaking my head, I huff out a chuckle and rise up to press a long, sweet kiss onto her wrinkly cheek.
“Thank you, Susan. I owe you.”
“No, you don’t. Just get that girl and see to it that you’ll introduce us soon, so I can give you my praise.”
My smile is forced, but I nod anyway and make my way outside just as something pings inside my suit jacket. Waiting until the door closes behind me, I pull out my phone.
Devonport: Say yes.
I halt, my eyes riveted on the screen.
Oh, my dear girl, I will always say yes to you, no matter how many times you push me away.
One day, I’m going to shatter your resolve. One day, I’m going to set you free. One day, I’m going to win that fucking game.
But for now, I’m happy to play.
“Green means go, idiot!” I yell out of my window and honk the horn like a maniac.
The guy in the ugly-as-fuck Pontiac Aztek flips me the bird before he finally finds the gas pedal, and I’m glued to his rear as he rolls into motion. You’d think they declared a state of emergency with all the people driving like it’s there first time just because the streets are a little icy.
I bite the inside of my cheek, fidgeting in my seat. Yes, I’m in a bad mood, and I won’t find peace until I’ve finally got Devon in my arms. She postponed our fifth date for two days due to ‘the time of the month,’ and I was so close to saying to hell with it, I don’t care! That was the point when I realized she’s slowly becoming an obsession, and despite me nearly pulling out my hair in frustration, I played it cool and wrote back a nonchalant, ‘No problem.’
Fuck, my insatiable hunger for this woman is getting out of control. The thought of touching Aiko when she had her bleeding never even crossed my mind, but it seems I’m compromising all my principles when it comes to my dragonfly girl.
My girl…
“You’re delirious, Nathan,” I mutter to myself while I grip the steering wheel so hard, it hurts my knuckles.
Finally, I arrive at the Five Seasons hotel on Staten Island—the same location where we met last time—and I put the car into reverse, parking like an asshole and using two parking spots at once. I don’t care. I have five minutes left until I can meet Devon, and I don’t intend to waste a damn second.
I strut down the hallway like a man on a mission, nearly losing my pat
ience the whole minute it takes me to convince the security guy that I don’t plan on choking anyone with the necklace in my hand, and breeze past him as soon as he’s done. Inside the changing room, I yank off my Bottega Veneta suit, tossing each piece of clothing onto the counter before bashing my wrist against the scanner in a hurry to open the door.
Devon’s husky laugh reaches my ears the second I stumble into the cozy room, and I have to blink a few times to let my eyes adjust to the darkness.
“Did you just run a marathon?” she asks with a chuckle, and as soon as I spot her standing opposite me, the tension leaves my body in one whoosh.
“Got stuck in traffic,” I grumble before I cut the distance between us and pull my object of desire close.
Claiming her lips, I muffle whatever she wanted to say, and I nearly groan when my tongue darts out to lick the inside of her mouth. I pull away and put my forehead against hers, letting the scent of passion fruit mixed with gasoline caress my soul.
“Ross,” she mumbles.
“I’ve missed you…”
My hands explore the silky something she’s wearing tonight, and my heartbeat quickens with every inch I cover.
“I’ve missed you, too,” she whispers.
Then why not save us both the torture, get the hell outta here, and meet right now at the hotel bar? I want to scream at her, but instead I close my eyes as her fingertips skim along my jawline, drawing comfort from her touch. There’s only one thing I can do—worship her until our bond is so strong, she can’t fight the pull any longer.
“I’ve got something for you,” I say at last, resting my hands on her hips to turn her around.
“Are you going to punish me again?”
Using my most seductive voice, I drawl, “Not tonight, my dragonfly girl.”
My attention is solely on her as I let my words sink in, and a cheeky smile builds on my face when she tenses in my arms, the breath hitching in her throat. Sweeping her soft hair to the side, I expose her neck, so I can lock the necklace behind her head—something that turns out to be quite a feat in the darkness.
“What’s this?” she asks in a timid voice, and I guide her hand up to the charm now dangling above her breasts.
“Feel it,” I whisper into her ear, relishing in the way she shudders against me.
With my hand over hers, I sense her fingers gliding over each curve and edge until her chest rises with a gasp.
“A dragonfly charm,” she utters in astonishment, and I smile against her neck, caressing it with my lips.
“Merry Christmas, Devon.”
She sucks in a shuddering breath, holding it in her lungs, and I can feel her pulse quickening where my tongue swipes over her puckering vein.
“Breathe,” I command with a smile, but instead of an exhale, I hear a sob, and my heart plummets into my stomach.
Fuck. She’s crying!
“What’s wrong?” I ask, panicked. “Did I make a mistake? I’m sorry if I…”
My sentence fades off when she shakes her head in a hasty motion, her hair tickling my cheek.
“Share a secret?” she whispers.
She sounds very vulnerable all of a sudden, and I steer her toward the bed before I lower her down onto my lap. Keeping my arms tightly around her, I nuzzle her shoulder, offering her comfort while she takes her time to gather her composure.
“My mother died shortly before Christmas,” she says. “That’s why I hate Christmas.”
My lips press into a flat line. “I’m so sorry, Devon.”
Well done, Nathan. Fuck, I want to facepalm myself!
Devon squirms in my lap, and I loosen my embrace so she can place her knees on either side of my hips.
“But now you have given me a happy memory of Christmas,” she adds in a gentle tone, “so thank you for the amazing gift.”
Oh, thank goodness…
Leaning in, she claims my mouth in a way that leaves me craving for more, but too soon, she pulls back, waiting for me to keep my end of the deal about sharing a secret.
“Okay, well…” I start. “My father is still alive, but really, he’s pretty dead to me. When I was eighteen, they put him in jail, and I haven’t seen him ever since.”
Devon tilts her head while I fumble with her new necklace, using the chance to brush my hand over the swell of her breasts.
“You’ve never paid him a visit?”
My teeth drill into my lower lip. “No. He did something inexcusable. He knew the risks and put everything on the line. He got what he deserved.”
Devon is quiet for a long moment, and I curse myself for ruining our precious time with my scorn.
“Sorry, I didn’t want to sour the mood.”
Pulling her closer, I rejoice in the warmth of her delicious body.
“You didn’t,” she says with a smile, her fingers playing with the necklace again. “You know… If we ever crossed paths, you’d recognize me as soon as you saw this.”
If… I hate how that sounds. My grip on her legs becomes nothing short of possessive, and I nearly growl out my irritation.
“Trust me, I would recognize you anyway,” I grumble in a dark and intimidating tone before I hoist her up and swivel her around so her back is to me, my hard-on pressing into the crease of her ass.
She’s clad in nothing more than a flimsy piece of fabric, and my dick salutes in anticipation as I glide down the straps of her nightgown—at least, that’s what the silky material feels like.
I nudge her legs apart with my knees, my fingers aching with the urge to touch her where she needs my touch the most, but I try to savor the moment, spanning my hands over her thighs and sliding them up her skin. Her inner muscles shudder under my sexual onslaught as she seeks the friction, and I grant her wish, cupping her sex when I finally reach the hottest part of her body.
A wail leaves her lips, and the mere sound of her desire hits me with a blinding rush of emotions. Jesus Christ, my thirst for this woman is reaching unbearable levels. A twisting coil of need and lust and longing that’s growing bigger and bigger until I’m close to losing my sanity.
I slide in a finger, her head rolling back onto my shoulder as her pussy sucks me in—so slick and hot, I want to bury my cock in her core and stay there forever.
“Yes,” she whispers.
“Dammit, Devon, you’re so tight,” I grind out, the blood pumping through my length in a fast, strong rhythm.
The longer I move my finger in and out, the wetter she becomes until her juices trickle down my hand. While my palm rubs her nub, I push in a second finger, eager to hit all her nerve endings at once. The multitasker that I am, my other hand fumbles for a condom, and I rip open the package with my teeth, setting the rubber aside for now.
I can feel she’s close to reaching the peak, but as much as I want to drown in her scream, the need to own her right now is so overwhelming, I clamp a hand over her mouth so she has no other choice but to claw her nails into my thighs to let out her release. Bucking her hips, she nearly falls off my lap, and I tighten my hold in a near bruising grip, trapping her in until the last tremble shudders down her spine.
But I don’t give her time to catch her breath that’s still coming out in rasps. In one quick movement, I roll down the condom before I thrust into her with a carnal growl. She curses something under her breath, and I grip her chin from behind, bringing her head closer to mine.
“What did you say?” I demand, upping the game by playing the dominant part and quickly losing myself in the sexual frenzy.
My smart girl is a fast learner because she gives me an answer almost immediately, even though her voice is so rough, I can barely understand her words.
“I said, fuck, you feel so good…”
“Yeah? How about now?” Curling one arm around her torso, I guide her up and down.
“Better.”
Keeping my pace, I move the same hand down again so my fingers can continue to play with her clit.
“Yes. Oh, my God, yes…
”
Shit, since when has she become so vocal? It’s all I can do not to explode on a roar and shoot my load right now.
Fisting her hair, I yank her head back, exposing her neck so I can sink my teeth into her and suck the skin from her bones.
And then she starts to whimper, and I know I’ll never be able to hold back until her epicenter explodes, so I keep my cock buried inside her and only move my fingers, rubbing her ferociously.
“Please, please, please… Oh, please, yes, let me come… Let… me… c—”
The last word gets lost somewhere in the void swallowing us as a high-pitched scream wrenches from her throat, one that lasts so long, it’s astounding how much air she’s got in her lungs.
A second later, I crack apart at the seams, and I swear I see little unicorns dancing in front of my mental eye. It’s only when the pressure eases off that I rip my mouth from her neck, realizing that I’ve probably branded her with a lovebite that will stick for a whole month.
And I will never get to see it.
Winded, we both collapse onto the bed, and I pull her down next to me, cradling her against my chest. My hand brushes over her head as her heart continues to flutter like a hummingbird’s wings.
“Are you okay?” I ask when I find my voice again. “Was I too rough?”
“No,” she answers with a smile and places a kiss onto my chest, one that feels way too intimate for a couple sharing nothing but four hours per month.
Our bracelets beep simultaneously, telling us that we’ve got only minutes left, but we don’t move.
“I can’t wait for next time. It will be mind-blowing,” I say after a beat of silence, trailing my fingertips up and down her shoulder.
Devon props herself up on one elbow. “Why? What will happen next time?”
I grin, dragging my teeth over my lip. “It’s the sixth time, so I’m going to give you six orgasms.”
Throwing her head back, she utters a throaty laugh that makes me hard all over again.
“Quite a challenge to accomplish in two hours,” she says.
I move my hand down to the curve of her hip, loving how her abs clench at my touch.
