“You really love music, huh?” Damen asked.
Gideon snapped out of it and jumped to his feet. He shoved the guitar at Damen. “I guess.”
“You want to be a musician when you grow up?” Damen knew some kids dreamed of it. For a while, Stefan was determined to follow that path. Creed and Damen never tried to talk him out of it, but they had hoped he would let it go. Their dad had been a musician by trade, a poor one, because he drank up any profits and ruined opportunities by getting into fights while drunk. Damen was glad his daughter Nita hadn’t inherited their love of music, at least not so far, and if he had his way, she never would.
“I don’t know,” Gideon said. “I just like it a lot. I never thought about playing any instruments.”
Damen wondered if had he inadvertently introduced the kid to new ideas in that direction? “Well, you’re only what, nine?” He guessed low on purpose to see the kid’s reaction.
Gideon frowned and clenched his hands into fists. “I’m eleven!”
Damen chuckled. “My mistake. I apologize.”
“Sorry.” Gideon ducked his head and shuffled his feet. “I’m kind of short for my age. Everybody in my class is always taller.”
“Hm, most likely your growth spurt hasn’t happened yet.”
Gideon rolled his eyes. “That’s what my mom keeps telling me. I think it’s just what grown-ups tell short kids to make them feel better.”
Damen laughed. “Okay, how about some science?”
“Huh?”
“How tall is your mom?”
Gideon told him, and Damen nodded.
“Okay, how about your dad?”
The boy hesitated, and Damen kicked himself. Maybe he didn’t know or had never met the man. Then Gideon got a funny look on his face. “Your height.”
“Great. I’m six feet. So, the formula goes like this—to predict a boy’s height you add five inches to his mother’s height and add that to his father’s height. The total is then divided by two. Can you come up with the number?”
“I’m uh…do you have any paper?” Gideon said.
Damen didn’t know if Gideon was too nervous to calculate in his head or unsure of the formula. He ran down the figures as he counted them in his head. “So basically, we can predict that you’ll be about six feet tall when you grow up. There’s no guarantee of course. It could go up or down by a couple inches, but you’ll probably be close to that. What do you think? Sound good?”
Gideon’s mouth fell open. “You didn’t make that up, did you?”
Damen grinned. “No. I collect a lot of useless facts up here.” He tapped the side of his head. “But in your case, it came in handy.”
“I always have a hard time in school. I can barely pass my classes, and my mom has to put me in tutoring every year. I hate it. I hate being stupid. I wish I was smart like you.”
“Easy, partner.” Damen squeezed his shoulder. “You’re not dumb.”
“Tell that to my grades.”
Damen scratched his head. He had zero idea how to make Gideon feel better about himself or how to encourage him. The height thing came easy because he had studied up on it for no other reason than it was something to do. That was a hobby of his, right up there with getting a Ph.D. in Forensics for the hell of it.
Most subjects came easily to him. Studying wasn’t something he needed to make a habit of in school. He just retained most everything, except when it came to English Lit, and he had had Heaven for that. Being a man who never had to struggle with school, how the hell could he give Gideon advice?
“Well, uh…” he began, fumbling.
“It doesn’t matter. Da— Uh…”
“It’s fine. You can call me Damen if you want.”
The boy looked taken aback. Maybe his mother was strict about respecting adults.
“Or whatever you like,” he amended quickly.
“Can I come again?”
Damen glanced toward the doors and noted the sun had gone down. “Of course you can, as often as you want, but you need to get your mother’s permission. It’s getting late. You shouldn’t be out there alone. I’ll walk you home.”
“No!”
Damen’s brows rose.
“I mean I’m not a little kid. I can get home by myself, and I live close by.”
Damen hesitated. He rubbed his jaw and then had an idea. “Okay, that’s fine. I’ll see you again, okay? Maybe we can talk some more, and heck, I’m sure I could convince Stefan to teach you a little on piano. I don’t play it.”
Gideon glanced over at the piano and back at him. “Is it all right if I play with you instead?”
“Sure, bud.”
The bright smile flashed, one Damen was starting to like. He touched the top of the kid’s head and watched as he headed out. Damen made a hand signal, and Guy came into view from wherever he had been. A nod toward the boy sent his bodyguard into motion, and he slipped out the front door after Gideon.
Chapter Six
Heaven stood before the crate of tomatoes and counted out the number needed in the kitchen. She was helping out back here for the next couple of hours, and she didn’t mind. The break from serving tables meant she could avoid fighting to keep her eyes off Damen for a while. The man seemed always to be on duty when she was. She shouldn’t complain, because this was what she wanted, to see what Damen was truly like. The problem came in when fatherhood was the farthest thing from her mind, and all she thought of was sleeping with him.
Heaven already knew she was two seconds from accepting his offer to become lovers again. Nervousness and fear had faded, and desire took over. One more time, her idiot mind kept telling her. Just sleep with him once after so long, and everything would be okay.
Yeah, right. She couldn’t believe it, but after the idea presented itself she couldn’t dismiss it either. Annoyed at herself, she started out of the larder but froze when angry voices reached her from the hall.
“We need to talk,” Creed snapped. “In my office.”
“I’m busy, Creed, and don’t you want our guests to eat when they get here?”
“Don’t give me that attitude, Shada. You’ve been putting me off for weeks.”
“Well, the restaurant is not the place to do it.”
“It is when you leave our bed at the crack of dawn to avoid me!”
Heaven winced. She moved over to the door and eased it wider. There was no squeak from rusty hinges, of course. The Marquettes ran a tight ship, but knowing it didn’t stop her nerves.
Heaven had just gotten the door wide enough to slip out, planning to escape into the kitchen in case Creed and Shada came her way and thought she purposely eavesdropped. Before she could clear the door, a bulky figure pressed her backward and pushed the door almost shut. She thrust at Damen’s chest with no result whatsoever.
“Move, Damen,” she whispered. “I was just about to get out of here.”
“Too late. They’re right outside.”
She didn’t believe him, but it did seem like Creed and Shada’s voices had grown louder. Heaven maneuvered around Damen to face the door, but he stood so close behind her, she felt the heat off his body. He crowded her on purpose, the bum. The larder was plenty big enough for the both of them. Damen’s hands came down on her shoulders, and he squeezed. Her ridiculous body behaved as if he had rubbed a hand between her legs. To try to regain control of herself, she focused on the arguing couple.
“Nobody’s avoiding you, Creed. Stop being dramatic.”
“So you’re being completely honest with me?” he demanded.
“Yes!”
“Then what’s this?”
Everything went quiet. Heaven would kill to see what he showed her.
“I-I-I,” she stuttered.
Heaven looked over her shoulder at Damen. He shrugged, but then his gaze shifted to her lips. She swiveled her head back to face the door.
“You don’t understand.” Shada’s voice was almost too quiet to hear.
Now,
Creed wasn’t yelling either. “No, I don’t. You agreed to marry me, and you said we could try for a baby. I didn’t push you into it. Now I find out you were back on the pill without telling me.”
Heaven slapped a hand over her mouth, and Damen cursed.
“Creed,” Shada cried.
“Fuck it, Shada. I’m done.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“We’re done. I can’t fight your fear. I’m not going to anymore.”
Running steps in the hall reached Heaven, a door slam, and then Stefan’s voice. “Creed, wait a sec. Where are you going?”
Heaven looked up at Damen again. “You should go after your brother.”
“No.”
She spun to face him. “Don’t you care?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then, why don’t you talk to him? He must be hurting.”
“I’m sure he is, but…”
“But what, Damen?” She put her hands on her hips, waiting for him to give her a good explanation.
“He didn’t want me to tell anyone.”
“Tell them what?”
He grunted and leaned against a shelf, folding his arms over his chest and crossing his legs at the ankles. “Damn, he’s stubborn. He didn’t even want me to tell Stefan, but I don’t blame him for that. Knowing my youngest brother, he would have blabbed the truth to Shada so she wouldn’t be hurt.”
Heaven’s eyes widened. “Are you saying he’s been cheating with someone else? I find that impossible to believe.”
Damen smirked, but she thought she saw a spark of annoyance. “Are you into my brother?”
“Of course not. I’m just pretty sure Creed is crazy about Shada, and honestly, if they can’t work it out, then what hope is there for the rest of us?”
“True.” Damen extended a hand and dragged Heaven closer. She stumbled over his feet and fell against his chest. His arms encircled her, trapping her in place. “That’s why relationships are not the answer. The answer is in mutual satisfaction.”
“Damen, let me go. The kitchen staff is expecting this food.”
“The one you were collecting it for is Shada. Am I right?”
She glared at him.
“I’m guessing she’s not in the mood to cook anything right now, so no one needs the tomatoes.”
“Have you always been this cold, and I wasn’t aware of it?” She fought to get free. His fingertips traced along her spine, and she shivered. Thank goodness he stopped just above her butt, but it was far too late for her panties either way. Her pussy was practically begging for his attention.
“I’m not cold,” he whispered, bringing his lips close to her throat. “Just realistic.”
“Damen, let me go.”
“I don’t want to.” He kissed her skin right where her pulse raced. “Let me make love to you tonight.”
Her fingers curled into his shirtsleeves. He moved his mouth from her throat to her lips, but just touching. If he thought she would open to him, he could wait forever. Heaven shut her eyes, struggling against her own desire. Damn it, why does he have to smell so good and feel so good? It’s not fair.
Heaven managed to turn her head.
“Are you mad at me?” he asked.
She didn’t answer, and he sighed.
“Creed found the pills yesterday. We talked about it. He wanted to break it off with her to force her to see that what she wants more than anything is family.”
“That’s his logic?”
Damen shrugged. “He’s an idiot. They broke up at the beginning. It didn’t work then, and it’s not going to work now.”
“He’ll end up hurting her.”
“My brother is obsessed with Shada. He’s not going to let her get away, so don’t worry about it. What you should worry about is when he’s fighting with her he’s evil incarnate.”
“Are you exaggerating?”
“Nope.”
Heaven began to shake, and Damen cursed. He hugged her tighter.
“Hey, I was joking. I’m sorry. That was in poor taste. Shh, Heaven, baby, he would never hurt you.”
She tried to escape him, but he wouldn’t let go until she calmed down. When she stopped shaking, and the fear ebbed, Damen captured her lips in the gentlest kiss she had ever experienced. He didn’t force his tongue into her mouth but teased her lips in slow, sweet caresses that undid her defenses. He stroked her back, not venturing to her butt, but comforting and igniting passion at the same time.
Heaven lost track of the outside world as she raised her chin higher and accepted Damen’s kiss. She parted her lips and invited his tongue in. He baited the tip of her tongue with the tip of his, and she explored deeper into his mouth. He moaned against her lips and drew her higher into his embrace. His erection went from her belly to pressing between her legs, and she cried out in need. The next instant, she found herself on her feet, free of his hold.
Damen walked away a few steps, running his hands through his hair. Heaven liked how he disordered it, and wanted to mess it up some more. Preferably with him on top of me.
She almost moaned a second time but suppressed it. “I need to get back out there.”
Her feet didn’t move, and he didn’t say anything. She licked her lips and turned toward the door.
“Heaven.”
“Yes?”
“Let me make love to you.”
She chewed her bottom lip and then released it. “Okay.”
“I’ll pick you up—”
“No.”
He made no sound when he moved up behind her, but she felt him there.
“We’ll work out a schedule, and I’ll let you know. Okay? Please, that’s the only way I can accept it right now.”
“I don’t like waiting for a woman to call.”
She spun to face him, grinning. “Well, get over it. Women have been doing it forever. Plus, I’m worth it.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Good.” She kissed her fingers and pressed them dramatically to his lips then left the larder with a flourish. She must be outside her mind, she’d done it. She had agreed to be Damen’s lover. This time, she would protect her heart.
* * * *
“We could have gone to my house,” Damen said.
Heaven thought he sounded a little annoyed, but she put it down to him hating that she was calling the shots. Well, he hadn’t said no so far. She moved ahead of him into the hotel room after he used the key card to get in. The jazz singer in the lobby eight floors below and the ding of the glass elevator moving from floor to floor muffled to nothing when the door closed.
“You said you would give me anything.”
“True, but this feels somewhat impersonal.”
“Are you a woman, Damen?”
He frowned.
She fell onto the bed and kicked her shoes off. The softness of the mattress made her lie back and stretch while moaning. Right away, the side of the bed sank with Damen’s weight. He leaned over her, his gaze intense as he stared.
“Should I prove I’m not?” he asked.
“The thing on my thigh proves it.”
“That could be anything.”
“Well, you could show it to me, I guess. I can pass judgment after.”
“Judgment!”
She laughed.
“Heaven.”
She heard the seriousness in his tone. He stroked her cheek with the backs of his knuckles, and she couldn’t help leaning into his touch. Flutters stirred in her belly, and her pussy clenched with anticipation.
“Is it okay, Heaven?”
She didn’t understand. “Is what okay?”
“I want to take your clothes off and make love to you. You need to know I won’t hurt you. I’ll be gentle.”
He was killing her. Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked until the feeling went away. For a minute, she considered if it was all right. For a long time, she’d hesitated to remove her jacket at work, trying to recall whether there were bruises
anyone would notice on her arms. She had been in New Orleans long enough for any and all bruises to fade.
Heaven moved as if she wanted to sit up, and Damen rolled away. She sat on the side of the bed and began unbuttoning her blouse. Today was too hot to wear a jacket, so her arms were already bare. She’d been proud of herself for wearing a short-sleeved blouse.
When the buttons were all undone, she pushed the material over her shoulders and down her arms. The new white lacy bra was sexy against her cinnamon skin, and she noticed her nipples had hardened to the point that they were obvious behind the barrier. Her boobs weren’t that big, but they were okay. She was a bit smaller than she wanted to be, even more so than she was all those years ago. Living free had started taking care of that already.
“Touch me, Damen,” she said. “I’ve wanted it for a long time.”
He slid closer and helped her remove the blouse the rest of the way then tossed it onto a nearby chair. A hand sliding along her hip, he found the button at the back of her skirt and pinched it open. When Heaven heard the zipper lower, she shivered. Damen stilled.
She leaned toward him and nibbled his bottom lip. “Don’t be so scared to hurt me. I’m not that delicate.”
“I know you’re strong.” He caressed her mouth with the pad of a thumb and tipped her chin up. His mouth slanted over hers made her pant and cling to him. Damen tasted good too. He could be a drug if she let him, but she had already told herself, this was temporary. Okay, she had already upped the one time thing to three times, but she drew the line there. Of course, that was dependent on if they enjoyed themselves.
Heaven drew back and pulled his glasses off his face. His eyes mesmerized her to the point that she forgot what she was doing. He took them from her hand and laid them on the bedside table. She came to herself and began unbuttoning his shirt. Was his body the same?
Yes!
Muscular, tanned, beautiful, he made her mouth water. She ran her hands over his chest and plucked at his small, flat nipples. Damen’s sharp intake of breath brought an answering one from her. She leaned in to lick his skin, loving the saltiness and the heat. Moaning, she kissed her way from his chest to his throat and explored all around the base of his neck. At his chin, she brushed her nose along there and luxuriated in the smoothness of his skin and the scent of his aftershave.
Damen (The Marquette Family Book Two) Page 6