by Beverly Rae
Devlin fought to maintain some shred of dignity. “You’re not getting this right. I like women. And I like fucking women.” He stood up straighter, trying to puff up his chest as well as his image. “And let me tell you, I’ve fucked my share of females.”
Three pairs of mascara-laden eyes studied him. Ever the brilliant one, Trixie asked the question Devlin could almost see chugging slowly through their tiny brains. “Then I don’t get it. If you like women and I’m good enough, why won’t you come inside and get it on?”
Bluntness, thy name is Trixie. “I’d love to.” Please, oh, please, let them believe me. “Except for one thing.”
“Yeah? And what would that be?”
“I belong to one woman and one woman alone.”
To his utter relief, all three women let out a group “aw”. Tears welled up in Trixie’s eyes, compassion flooding her face while the other two gathered him into their arms. Conrad, however, let out a long moan.
“Wow. A one-woman man. I ain’t never met one of those.” Roxy’s astonishment at his declaration almost floored him.
“This is so special. Don’t worry. Now that we understand, we won’t take you away from her.” All three women shook their heads, fervent in their commitment.
Devlin raised a questioning eyebrow at Betty. Maybe Betty Big Boobs should be called Betty Big Heart.
“Even though we could, you know.”
Apparently neither her heart nor her boobs were as big as her ego. Devlin adopted a pious look and nodded, extricating himself from their clutches. “I’m glad you understand.” He caught his friend’s eye and shot him a silent message. “But C-man, on the other hand, is a lady’s dream come true. A regular sex machine in bed.”
The women dropped Devlin’s arms faster than lead weights off the side of a punctured hot air balloon and scooted over to Conrad. Roxy pulled him toward a door with the sign Hottie Hangout emblazoned on the front and shoved her friends off him. “Back off, bitches. I saw him first.”
Yet Betty wouldn’t let Roxy get away with anything—much less with Conrad. “Like I care. He likes blondes best, don’t ya, sweetie?”
“But can’t we all play with him? I thought we all shared.” Trixie opened the door and wiggled her fingers at Devlin. “By-ee, Devvy. Run on home to your lucky woman.”
“Ladies, ladies, there’s no need to fight over me.” Conrad grinned at Devlin. “But I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you, either. You see, I’m running the ship while Dev’s off courting his true love.”
“A ship?” Trixie grabbed onto his shirt. “You mean you’ve got a ship? How big is it?” She cuddled against Conrad’s chest and batted her eyelashes at him. “Do you have one of those yacht thingies? Are you rich?”
Devlin jumped in before Conrad could respond. “Honey, he’s got the biggest ship around.”
All the women froze, eyes wide, gaping at each other before simultaneously emitting the same word. “Oooh!”
Conrad laughed. “Good one, man. But what about business?”
Devlin winked at him. “Give me a call in the morning.” He gave his friend a good-natured shove toward the door. “If you survive.” Chuckling, he turned on his heels and slipped into the night.
ƒ
“Tala.”
She’d known it was him. Even before he knocked, she’d known he’d be standing on the other side, and no amount of rational thought could have prevented her from opening the door.
“Devlin.”
They stared at each other, sizing each other up. And yet, she wanted him as much as she ever had. More. Still, that didn’t mean she didn’t want some answers.
Turning on her heel, she dashed into the living room, leaving the door wide open for him to follow. With a yell of frustration, she confronted him. “Now can you explain? Tell me what’s going on with you?” With us.
She saw the flash in his eyes a second before his face hardened. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“But you did.” She crossed her arms, trying to maintain a stern exterior. “You did hurt me. You bit me. All I want to know is why you did it. The real reason.”
“I was hoping you’d know why.”
He was as confusing as he was sexy. “Quit playing games with me. How the hell would I know why you bit me?”
He scowled. “You should know it here.” He fisted his hand over his heart. “You should instinctively know.”
She paused, at first unsure what he meant. Then, slowly, the truth of his words seeped through her. Needing to think without those mesmerizing eyes boring into her, she turned to one of her wolf posters. Yet she didn’t see the poster.
An image of Devlin cradling the she-wolf’s head in his lap came to her. Anyone who could care for an animal like that wouldn’t hurt her on purpose. Another vision of him holding her after they’d shared amazing soul-sharing sex shook her resolve to hold firm, breaking the ice-cold reserve she’d tried so hard to build. Something inside her told her he was right. She should know.
“I think I do,” she whispered. She sought his eyes, hoping he could see the plea in hers. “I think I do know.”
She released pent-up air and unfolded her arms, letting him cross over to her. An ache for him lashed through her abdomen, shooting her libido into overdrive. His hands, stirring and comforting at the same time, rested on her arms. Following her desire, she leaned into him, molding her soft body to his hard one. “I don’t know how, but somehow I know it. That we’re right.”
She laid her head against his chest, seeking to be even closer, and slipped her arms around his torso. His body felt so good, so right, easing the tightness in her chest so she could finally breathe easier. She had been barely breathing the whole time he’d been gone.
He hugged her close and ran his hand down her body, stopping at the slope above her bottom. She smiled and slid her hand along his body to rest in the same place above his rear. Move lower, Devlin, and I’ll do the same. “So why didn’t you explain?”
“I tried, but you weren’t ready to listen. You needed time. You may need still more.”
“Oh.” The tighter he held her, the less she cared about the reason. Memories of their lovemaking sent shivers through her and anything threatening those feelings, their connection, fled her brain. Yearning, hot and fluid, ripped away everything else, making her pulse in anticipation.
Devlin moved his hands into her hair, bringing her gaze to his. “Tala?”
She nodded, sure of his question and her answer. “Yes.”
“I would never hurt you. Didn’t mean it as something to hurt you.” She caught the quick flash of regret on his face. His gaze dove into hers, imploring her, commanding her to believe.
She inhaled a quick breath as tears stung her eyes. She searched his face and found the answer she’d dreamed of. “I know.”
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” Diving into her being, he searched inside her for the truth. “Unless you want me to.”
His soft teasing grin settled the massive butterflies fluttering in her stomach, leaving nothing but trust behind. Taking his hand, she led him to the bedroom. Once they’d reached the bed, she turned to him, took his face between her hands and brought his mouth to hers. Her tongue slipped between his lips, seeking his, finding his. As their tongues played, she snaked her hands around his ribcage, bringing his shirt along with her. He shook it off and let the material pile at his feet.
Nibbling at his bottom lip, she flipped open his jeans, pushing down the zipper by yanking the flaps apart. Devlin copied her with her jeans, tugging them off her hips so she could step away from them. The rest of her clothes soon joined the jeans, shrugged to the floor.
Tala pushed him to a sitting position on the bed and dropped to her knees. His excited groan thrilled her almost as much as her eye-level view of his enlarged shaft. Wrapping her palms around him, she licked the underside of his cock, gliding her tongue along the thick trunk until she reached the tip. Devlin grabbed her hair to keep her clos
e, but she resisted, pushing against the bed for support.
With slow precision, she twirled her tongue over his tip until he had to let go of her hair to fall back on the bed. Stroking him first with her hand, she slid her tongue over her fingers, along his trunk and higher to tickle the already oozing head. When he jerked, she cupped his balls, moving her fingers to massage them. He gave a tortured, happy moan. Smiling, she paused, removing her mouth from him.
“No, don’t stop.”
Pleased by the thickness in his voice, she licked him once, then deep-throated him, driving him as far into her mouth as she could. The crown of his shaft bumped the back of her throat and her saliva washed the pre-come from his skin. She held him in her mouth, dragging all the taste she could get from him, sucking, wrapping her tongue around him. Still cupping his balls, she fingered the curly hair around them. He gasped and clutched at the bedspread.
“Tala. Oh, shit, Tala.”
She slipped him out of her mouth, enjoying the soft popping sound it made. “Do you like it, Devlin?”
He growled and reached for her, but she weaved out of his reach. “Uh-uh-uh. This is my turn.” Again, she dove onto him, pulling and sucking. When she stopped again, he cried out as she’d intended for him to do. “Sit up, Devlin. I want to watch your face.” He followed her directions, urging her to take him into her mouth again. She tilted her head, still tugging on him, to see the ecstasy flow over his face.
He is mine. She worked with her hands and her mouth, and rejoiced at the thought. Giving head to any other man would have felt wrong, dirty, even submissive to her. But not with Devlin. With this act, she’d claim him as her own. For good and bad.
She sighed, letting her warm breath cascade over her hands and down his shaft. He uttered another louder growl. Playing with his balls, squeezing them with just the right amount of pressure, she coaxed more sounds of delight from him. Her tongue explored his dick, starting at the base where his hair tickled her nose and slowly making a clockwise trip around the thick shaft. At last she reached the summit and toyed with the cap, the remaining obstacle before she arrived at the peak of the mountain.
Now all I have to do is plant my flag. The fantasy took flight as she imagined standing on a lava-covered mountaintop, plunging her flagpole into the ground. I, Tala the Conqueror, hereby proclaim this Mount Devlin. She giggled, sending short puffs of air along the vein-covered length.
“Oh, damn, Tala. Stop dragging this out. Suck me dry. Now.”
His words, along with the act of taking him, made her greedy with power. She pulled off him and heard him gasp in dismay. “Oh, I’ll suck you. Don’t you worry about that. You just better worry that you can handle me. But first, I want to take a good look.”
Taking him in both hands, she smiled and ran a thumb over the weeping end of his cock. Leisurely, she touched the tip of her tongue to one of the blue veins and tracked its course to the end. He moved his ass closer to the edge, obviously wanting her to take him into her mouth again.
“Are you ready, Devlin?” At his nod, she dragged him inside quickly, then slipped him out even faster.
“Oh, shit, yeah!” He brushed her hair over her shoulders. “I’m going to blow my top.” Tracking his fingers through her hair, he licked his lips and watched her, waited for her. His unblinking amber eyes dug into her, begging her to take him.
She smiled, considered making him wait longer and decided against it. Besides, the flood between her legs wanted him now. Sending him a special look, she opened her mouth, placing only the oozing head into her mouth.
He growled, impatient and needy.
Slowly, inch by inch, she took him in, playing her tongue along the underside of his cock. He growled again, letting go of her to grip the bedspread. “Oh, damn, that’s so…”
She sucked him, taking him into her mouth in an agonizingly slow trek, then reversed her way, inch by inch, until she reached the mushroomed top. Keeping the head in her mouth, she nibbled on the tip, tasting his growing orgasm.
At last, she popped him out and grinned at him. “Good?”
“Hell, no. Not good.” He was breathing heavily, his amber eyes now clouded over with unspent lust. “Fucking fantastic.”
The growl he made burned through her, sparking her yearning into a searing flame. She had to steady herself, refraining from spreading her legs and ramming his cock into her. Hang on. Don’t stop yet.
First, she wanted to tease him. She fondled his balls, loving the way he moaned at her touch. Then, without warning, she deep-throated him again, taking him to the back of her throat. He cried out and tightened his hold on her hair.
Ignoring the pain his grip caused her, she sucked harder and harder, dragging her mouth to the end and then diving down on him again. Her tongue went wild, lapping up all the tastes he gave her. Pumping with her hands to match the rhythm of her mouth, she gave her man all the love she held inside her. And waited for his explosion.
Suddenly, he cried out and shoved her away from him. “You’re torturing me, woman.”
“That’s kind of what I was going for.” Tala giggled and squeezed her breasts together, knowing they would capture his attention. “Woman, huh?” She arched an eyebrow and shot him an I-don’t-know-about-that look. “I guess woman is better than babe. But not by much.”
With a grunt, he grabbed her underneath her arms and lifted her, pulling her on top of him. She squealed and scooted with him toward the center of the bed. “So you don’t like me calling you woman, either, huh?” He buried his face in the curve of her neck, his chuckle tickling her skin. “Would you prefer ‘my queen’? Or how about just plain old beautiful?”
“Nope. I have a name. Use it. And be careful, bud. No more biting. Got it?”
In answer, he slid his tongue along her collarbone and the red gashes remaining from her wounds. Deliberately taking his time, he made his way across her chest until his mouth latched onto her breast, sucking at her tit like a starving man.
Spreading her legs, she guided him inside her. “I need you, Devlin. Big time.” Wiggling her eyebrows at him, she added, “And I do mean big time.”
He growled again. Why did he growl so often? Not that she minded. In fact, she loved his growl. Yet the question went unanswered, her train of thought lost to his cock thrusting into her. Rock hard, his shaft plunged into her cave, digging deeper until he could go no farther. The walls surrounded him, claiming him, holding him to her. She locked her legs around his hips and rode him, forever binding herself to him.
He quickened his pace, ramming into her faster, making his balls bump against her wet slit. Taking her tit in his teeth, he lashed the taut nub with his tongue. His raw growl washed over her again, exciting her, driving her need higher.
She slammed into him, wanting to take all of him. “Oh, Devlin.”
He responded, rumbling a low moan against her tit to flow warmly over her breast.
She met each of his thrusts with her own, pulling him to her with her arms and her vagina. Heat, unrestrained, roared inside her and her release escalated, soaring to the sky. Throwing back her head, she let loose with an animal-like scream in the same instant that Devlin turned his head to the side and howled.
ƒ
“I have never tasted anything so good in my life.” Devlin licked the fingers on one hand while balancing the takeout box on his other.
“Hey!” Tala playfully bumped against him.
“Well, almost never.” His wicked grin sparked a small fire in her abdomen. “I’m telling you, if mankind never does anything more than invent pizza, he’s fulfilled his purpose in this world.”
They crossed the restaurant parking lot together with the late afternoon sun warming their backs. Tala giggled. “So forget about world peace, just keep the pizza coming?”
“Give everyone in the world free pizza and you’d have world peace. And solve world hunger at the same time.”
Tala laughed and punched the button on her car’s remote. Who’d have though
t so much could come in such a short time? After spending a relaxing day together, she was looking forward to another night of bliss wrapped in Devlin’s arms. She slipped her arm in his and greeted his smile with one of her own.
Whether the smell or the flash of movement out of the corner of her eye made her stop, she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was both. Yet when she looked at the bushes, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. However, she couldn’t mistake the familiar stench.
“I know that smell.” Devlin wrinkled his nose in distaste.
She glanced at him, not surprised he’d caught the odor, too. “Yeah. I’m trying to place it, but— Oh, crap.”
“What?” Devlin folded her into his arms and scanned the foliage around the pizza parlor’s lot. “Did you see something?”
“I thought I did. And I remember what—or who—makes that stink. It’s George Groggins’ aftershave.”
“Who?”
She pulled away from Devlin to search for the ex-employee. “You know. The man who hurt the she-wolf. He must be somewhere close by.”
“Not for long.”
Was that Devlin’s voice? Tala turned to study him closer. His tone was lower than she’d ever heard, meaner, like controlled chaos ready to break free. She’d expected him to react, but was unprepared for what she saw.
Devlin inhaled a quick sharp breath and, without warning, his face changed, contorted, until he didn’t look like himself. His jaw altered, shooting outward. His mouth opened, forced wide by his rapidly growing teeth.
Holy shit.
Tala stared at Devlin. Are those fangs? Falling backwards, she gawked at him, forgetting about George. How did any man, anyone, have teeth like that? Amazed, yet strangely drawn to the sight, she tried to match what she saw with anything logical. She bit down, surprised to find that her own teeth felt too big for her mouth. I’m losing it. Maybe someone put drugs in the pizza? She gritted her teeth again, but this time her teeth seemed normal. Am I drugged?
A growl rumbled through him as he stalked in a circle, checking out the surrounding vehicles. “Do you see him anywhere?”