“You don’t have to worry. Evidently, during the course of last night’s activities, she didn’t think I rose to the occasion, if you know what I mean. One more nail in my gay coffin as far as she’s concerned.”
Eyes widening comically, Grant’s jaw slackened. “Wait!” he began to laugh, holding up a finger as he tried to grasp this new line of thinking. “My baby sister told you that you’ve got a little willy?”
Devil’s shoulders sagged as the other man cackled. There was really no end to his humiliation. It really wasn’t fair, either. He was trying to do all the right things. Granted, this was a nightmare of his own making, but the Almighty could spare a little mercy, couldn’t He? Especially since he was doing his level best to act like a good, upstanding Christian man.
“You know, when you’re done laughing at my misfortune, could you spare a minute to actually say something useful?”
Wiping his eyes with the back of his arm as his laughter tapered off, Grant nodded. “I’ll try. It’s gonna take a Herculean effort, but for you, I’ll give it a shot.”
“I need better friends,” Devil muttered with a sigh.
“Okay,” Grant said after a long pull from his glass. “Let me see if I’ve got all this straight. Last night, you went to my baby sister’s house, ostensibly to clarify things between you. While there, you found yourself accosted by my petite sibling. During the course of this assault, she ascertained that you had a tiny wee wee…”
“I didn’t learn her thoughts on my wee wee until this morning, but yeah,” Devil grumbled.
“Wait. You stayed the night?” Grant all but roared, again drawing stares from the surrounding tables.
“On the couch,” Devil clarified quickly, noting the bulging vein in Grant’s head. “Calm down!” Christ, Karen would kill him if he gave Grant a heart attack. And two Ramsey women on a rampage would be way too much for him to bear. “I stayed the night because after I put a stop to things, Molly got a little… emotional. She threw a punch that would have made Ali proud and stormed off to her room. I stayed because I wanted to put things right between us first thing this morning.”
“And that didn’t go the way you’d planned,” Grant surmised, relaxing slightly as he nailed his friend with another look.
“Since she’s drawn the conclusion that I like guys, I’d say no. Something went very wrong!”
Holding up his hands, Grant closed his eyes. “Okay, so you stayed the night. On the couch. You both got up this morning and she magically thought you liked dick?”
“No! I told you, I tried to explain about the women. But, something went wrong. I told her that it wasn’t what she thought… those girls and myself, you know? At first, she didn’t believe me. Then, I tossed my phone at her and told her to start calling them to verify my story. I knew that I hadn’t screwed any of them. Hell, I barely kissed any of them. I had nothing to fear.”
“And?” Grant urged, avidly listening to every word.
“That’s when her eyes got big and glassy, but that wasn’t the scariest thing, Grant. The woman got quiet. Like still as stone, coulda-heard-a-pin-drop quiet.”
“That’s bad.” Grant shuddered. Molly mouthy and raging was a good sign. A man could work with that. Molly quiet? Nuh uh, that meant somebody better batten down the hatches because all hell was about to erupt.
“Yeah,” Devil said succinctly. “The next thing I knew, she’d jumped out of her chair and given me a pep talk about the dangers of the freaking closet and how I was here and queer, and it was a valid life choice!”
Grant managed not to choke on his beer again. Barely. “You are soooo screwed, man,” he mumbled into his glass. “When she figures out that you’re not a homosexual, the fires of hell are going to surround you.”
“Thanks for that,” Devil growled, reaching for his beer and taking a healthy swig. “Do you have any suggestions here?”
“Is it too late for you to enlist in the army? What’s their cut-off? Seriously, Dev, Afghanistan might seem like a great vacay compared to facing down Mol when she figures all this out.”
“You are so incredibly helpful. I don’t know why I didn’t call you sooner,” Devil spat sarcastically, lifting a hand to rub his tense neck. Glancing at his watch, he grimaced. “I’ve got approximately six hours to figure this out. Molly said she’d meet me at my house around seven to work out all the pesky details of our wedding.”
“You’ve got to tell her the truth,” Grant insisted quickly. “The longer you let her believe the lie, the worse her wrath will be.”
“I didn’t lie!” Devil yelped. “She assumed. Before I could make her understand, she shoved me out of her house. This isn’t my fault. I’m innocent!”
Laughing, Grant shook his head. “You poor bastard,” he drawled sympathetically. “You really are a clueless son of a bitch. Haven’t you figured out that when it comes to a woman, we’re always at fault?”
“Aw, fuck!” Devil buried his head in his hands. “The only good news that I’ve gotten today is from Nana. The cardiologist thinks he’ll release her from the hospital by Wednesday.”
“I know.” Grant nodded. “I checked in this morning when I made rounds. The old woman is thrilled, Dev. She’s having visions of grandchildren dance through her head.”
“Tell me about it,” Devil replied, lifting his head. “She nearly took my head off for not having Molly with me today. She had her heart set on seeing the Delancy diamond on Mol’s finger.”
“How’d you get around that?” Grant asked with interest. He had to admit he was having a ball watching the normally staid Devil tap dance to the matrimonial beat.
“I explained that I didn’t feel right about offering the ring to Molly until I’d spoken to your parents. I swore that I’d bring Molly directly to Nana after that was done. I thought I’d have Molly invite me over to their place after church on Sunday. The Ramsey clan still does the Sunday family dinner, don’t they?”
Rubbing his hands together gleefully in anticipation of that event, Grant nodded enthusiastically. “And this is one dinner that I will not be missing.”
“Oh, Jesus,” Devil moaned. “You couldn’t even make this part easy on me?”
“Hell, no. Besides, you might need me. I’m a doctor, you know. I’m fully trained and qualified to administer CPR to whichever of my unfortunate parents should need it.”
“Your parents love me,” Devil yelped indignantly.
“Yeah, when you were romancing somebody else’s daughter,” Grant offered truthfully. “Dad’s gonna want to gut you with a dull spoon,” he guessed with no small amount of enthusiasm. “It’s gonna be awesome!”
Staring at his best friend, Devil could only blow out a long breath and hang his head. Molly was going to kill him, Grant was laughing at him, and their parents would probably have him murdered in his sleep.
And this was the family that he desperately wanted to join? God was definitely not on the Devil’s side.
Chapter Twenty-Three
As the Georgia sun began to set in the west, Molly Ramsey determinedly shoved her VW Bug into park and scowled at the sprawling mansion in front of her. Anger still rolled off her in steaming waves hours after the truth had finally soaked into her body.
Devil freaking Delancy was not freaking gay.
DAMN IT.
His homosexuality would have solved a lot of her problems, but nope, the man couldn’t even oblige her by having the decency to be gay. Facts were facts, however. She had to deal with what was, not what she wished were true.
Glancing at her slim wristwatch, she knew she was over an hour early. She’d intended to be; taking Devil by surprise was all part of the plan. It might be the only way she gained an advantage with the manipulative jerk. Checking her reflection in the rearview mirror, she quickly pressed her glossed lips together.
She’d taken special pains with her appearance tonight. Dressed in a form-fitting pair of jeans that clung to her ass like a second skin and a pale green top that complimented her hair
and eyes, she had even taken the time to wear makeup. Artfully applied by Sami, she’d been made to look almost as good as one of the model-like sticks that the son of a bitch normally dated.
Sami and Vivian had been right. A good looking outfit and a little makeover could make a woman feel much more self-assured. She was quick to remind herself, however, that she’d done this for herself.
She had certainly not made the effort for the undeserving lout residing inside the house ahead of her.
Hell, no.
Shoving open her car door, she stood, confident in her three-inch heels. Squaring her shoulders, she walked up the cobblestone path leading to his door. Standing there on his doorstep, she reminded herself that she was the one in control. This was her ballgame; she got to call the rules. Jabbing the doorbell, she waited, barely containing her impatience.
Catching her breath when the door swung open a few seconds later, she met Devil’s startled eyes with a calm, impersonal smile. “Hello, Devil,” she greeted him sweetly. “May I come in?”
Molly couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the look on his handsome face as his eyes moved over her. Slack jawed and speechless, he seemed stunned by her transformation, and she gave herself a tiny mental pat on the back. She’d have to listen to her gal pals’ advice more often. They’d both been sure that with a little creative thinking, she’d be able to knock the Devil off his game.
It appeared they were right.
“Molly,” Devil managed hoarsely as he finally found the ability to speak. “You’re early.”
Swishing past him and putting a purposeful sway in her hips, she nodded as she turned to face him. “Yep, I am. You and I need to talk, Dev,” she informed him brightly, more determined than ever to present a carefree image to the daunting man watching her every movement.
“We do,” he agreed, closing the door and following her into his spacious living room. Open and airy, it was filled with comfortable furniture that fit his large frame. None of that chrome-and-glass modern crap for him. “There are some things I need to clarify. Immediately.”
“You mean like the fact that you’re not gay?” she asked casually, tilting her head as she turned to watch his reaction.
Blinking, Devil stared at her. “Figured that out, have you?”
“It took a little while, but yes, I did.” Molly didn’t flinch as she admitted her error. “I made an assumption this morning. I’ve had time to reevaluate the situation and determined that I misread the situation. I understand that you are a perfectly heterosexual man.”
“I didn’t lie to you,” Devil pointed out quickly, uncertain how to take this new, composed Margaret Ramsey. She’d bent to sit on the edge of his sofa, her small hands clasped in her lap as she looked back at him.
“I never said you did,” Molly replied in a neutral tone. “The mistake was mine. I apologize.” She was doggedly trying not to angrily point out that he could have tried harder this morning to make her understand her mistake. She’d come here to negotiate after all. Opening fire on him for his ineptitude in dealing with the female population at large wasn’t on the agenda.
She could save that for after they were married, she consoled herself with an inward smile. Once she wore his ring, she was going to make his life a private, but unmitigated, hell on Earth.
Suspicious now, Devil took a cautious step toward where she sat. “You’re being awfully understanding, Mols. Do I need to be worried?”
It was obvious that her sudden change in attitude was making the older man nervous, and she enjoyed the feeling of empowerment that gave her immensely. Smiling benignly, Molly pressed a hand to her chest. “Don’t tell me that you’re scared of little old me. You’re just being silly, Devil.”
“Uh huh,” he replied slowly. “What’s the catch? Did you somehow find a way to rig this place to explode? Hire a hit man? Got a gun in your purse? What gives, Molly?”
“It’s simple. I’ve decided to stop fighting the inevitable.” Molly shrugged nonchalantly, refusing to rise to the bait he dangled in front of her. She had to keep her wits about her and her temper under control. There’d be time enough to punish him later. “We both already know that you’re going to get your way because you’ve already realized that I’m not going to hurt a dying old woman that I consider a grandmother by telling her that her grandson made up a marriage proposal. I’ve come to talk terms, Devil. Sit down and let’s get this farce of a show on the road,” she ordered, tipping her head to indicate the vacant cushion beside her on the leather couch. “As you know, we’ve got quite a few arrangements to make between us.”
She was so very proud of herself; her smile never faltered as she spoke.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Perching on the edge of the couch, Devil warily eyed the woman he was going to marry. Something wasn’t right here. No, Molly was much too calm to be considered normal.
The Molly he knew didn’t do calm. She got mad. She cursed. She threw things. Occasionally, she threw those things at his head.
What she did not do – hell, what she’d never done - was sit sedately beside him with a serene look on her pretty face and her hands clasped in her lap while she waited for him to run the show.
Something was off.
And he smelled a rat – a Gucci-strutting, Prada-toting rat.
“Sami,” he growled, clenching his jaw when she merely smiled faintly at him. “It’s Sami. She put you up to this. She’s the one that put you up to all this,” he charged, wildly gesturing at her enticingly wrapped body.
Raising an eyebrow, Molly tilted her head. “To what, exactly?” she asked, feigning innocence. “I have no idea what you are talking about, Devil.” She offered him a condescending smile. “Would you like me to get you a medicinal scotch? You look like you could use one.”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Molly Ramsey,” he retorted, shaking his finger under her nose. “You’re taking advice from a she-cat with claws.”
“I’ll certainly send your regards to Samantha,” Molly offered sweetly, blinking in innocence. “But, the only advice she offered me was regarding the cleanest way to dispose of your body should I decide to kill you.”
“Then it was Viv,” Devil muttered. “I don’t know which one it was, but it won’t work. You’re not gonna distract me with tight jeans and a low cut shirt,” he huffed, even as his eyes lingered on the milky white cleavage her blouse revealed.
“I happen to like this shirt.” Molly sniffed delicately, lifting her hands to adjust the material over her shoulders and making the fabric gap enticingly over the swell of her breasts. “You don’t think it flatters me?” she asked, pulling her shoulders back and pushing her breasts toward him.
Devil’s mouth went dry. There was too much skin – way too much skin on display for him to be able to think clearly. The blouse was pretty enough, but the breasts made the ensemble pop. He opened and closed his mouth twice before he found his tongue. “Very pretty,” he mumbled, flushing as he forced his eyes away from the tempting flesh presented to him. Running a hand over his sweating brow, he tried to remember what he’d been about to say before she’d taken another metaphorical swipe at his sanity. “Now, put your secret weapons away, Mols.”
Rolling her bright eyes, Molly relaxed. “They’re boobs, not bombs, Dev.”
“Six of one, half dozen of the other,” he muttered, keeping one eye on her chest as she settled back on the couch. “I believe you mentioned something about terms, didn’t you?” he asked.
Hell, he could talk terms. He was a born negotiator. Considering he was about to navigate the biggest merger of his life, he knew he needed to be sharp. That meant taking his eyes off her gorgeous breasts. And getting the hell away from her before he did something insane like tackle her to the floor and rip off the pretty blouse to get his hands on what he really wanted.
Lunging toward the liquor cabinet on the opposite wall, he thought that scotch sounded pretty damn good right about now. “You want something?” he asked over his s
houlder as he reached for the bottle of Lagavulin.
“Club soda,” she replied evenly.
“Afraid I’m trying to get you drunk, Molly?” he asked with a faint smile as he prepared her drink.
“Nope, I just want every one of my brain cells firing while I broker this deal,” she replied lightly behind him.
Frowning as he turned and carried their drinks back to the low coffee table, he shook his head. “You make this sound like a very sterile business transaction.”
“Isn’t it?” she asked, raising her eyebrow as she took the soda from his hand.
Reclaiming his seat beside her, he sipped his scotch. “Things didn’t feel cold last night. In fact, I was pretty warm. And you were positively scorching,” he goaded her, carefully watching her face for some kind of reaction.
“You got me,” she admitted with a shrug. “You caught me at a weak moment, Devil. There’s no point in denying it. I was horny. It’s been a while and you’re not altogether repulsive. I’m sure I would have responded to any man in the room, given my alcoholic indulgence last night. Don’t feel too special, Devil. I’m pretty sure I would have jumped the pizza guy if he’d shown up.”
“Gee, thanks,” he muttered, disappointed that she was still acting as cool as a cucumber. And the thought of her jumping any guy other than him was enough to make him murderous.
“You’re welcome,” she returned politely. “At any rate, last night was an error in my usually sound judgment. It won’t happen again.”
“Even though you now realize that I’m a red-blooded heterosexual man with all the normal needs and urges?” he teased, determined to find a way to break her facade.
“Especially since I now know that you’re a red-blooded heterosexual man with all the normal needs and urges,” Molly clarified. “Now, can we move onto more important matters? Given the fact that you’re working on a tight timetable, I think it’s important to solidify what you expect our short term arrangement to be,” she informed him as she slipped a notepad from the bag at her feet.
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