Chapter 11
ELIZABETH
I’m covered in dust and little chunks of drywall, my muscles are aching and trembling with fatigue, and in spite of the discomfort, I’m happy.
Happier than I remember being since I was a kid. Before Mom died and Grandfather took us away from Dad.
“Hey. What’s with the frown?” Devon steps beside me, a matching frown on his face. “I thought you were having fun?”
“I am. But that got me thinking about the last time I felt this happy.”
“And that makes you sad?” His hand is on my lower back, rubbing comforting circles.
“The last time I remember being this happy was before my mom died.”
“How old were you?”
“Seven.”
I can see a million questions flicker through his eyes but he doesn’t ask them.
“Grandfather went to court to get custody of me and Edward.”
“From your father?”
“Yes. And I don’t know how he did it, but we weren’t allowed to have contact with Dad until we were eighteen.”
“You’re joking.” With a shake of his head, he adds, “Not joking.”
“I wish.” I look at the demolition around us. We’ve taken a large section of the wall down but the thought of my grandfather has ruined my excitement and I don’t want to keep going. “We should clean up and start working on our plans.”
“Okay.” Devon removes his hand and steps away. A chill slithers up my spine. “I’ll get some buckets.”
I let him go with only a nod then walk around the room building piles of debris. We’ve been up here since he fed me the most delicious omelette I’ve ever eaten, and I know he’s letting me lead what we do today.
Letting me ignore my disaster of a life for another day.
At some point I’m going to have to face what happened yesterday. The consequences of running away without an explanation. The fallout of discovering my ex is a lying cheat.
But I’ve been working on that in my head. It’s amazing how breaking shit down physically helps you break things down mentally.
I smile. Devon was right about that.
“Now, that’s better.” He’s back with a stack of buckets to put the crumbled wall in. “Nothing prettier than your smile.”
Heat fills my cheeks and I duck my head to hide the blush. “Drop a bucket next to each pile and we’ll get this mess cleaned up fast.”
“Okay. You don’t like compliments. Noted.”
“No!” My head jerks up, my gaze snapping to his. “It’s not that.”
He takes a few steps toward me like I’m a wounded animal he’s frightened will run. “Then what is it?” He even lowers his voice so as not to spook me.
“I don’t get them.”
His eyebrows scrunch together over his nose. “No one has ever complimented you?”
I can understand his confusion and why he might feel that way, and I don’t censor my thoughts when I reply. “I’ve had them. Just not a lot of them. And the genuineness of them…” I shrug.
“Well, that stops today. From now on you will receive at least two a day.”
I smile. This man who barely knows me continues to treat me better than my own family. Well, except Edward. My brother has done his best over the years but somehow that’s different. It doesn’t quite give me the same rush of pleasure Devon’s compliments do.
“C’mon, let’s get this cleared up. I put a lasagna in the oven the last time I went down for drinks and I just checked. It’s ready.”
I look at Devon then down at myself. “Ah…I think we need to clean up more than this room.”
“We do.” The grin he shoots me is downright devilish. “That’s why I turned the oven off so it doesn’t burn.”
“Good thinking.” My voice wobbles a bit as he moves into my personal space.
“But we really shouldn’t let it go too long.” The smirk on his face sends a wave of heat through my belly into my sex. “It’ll dry out.”
“Oh.” Word or sound, I’m not sure what it is because Devon is trailing a fingertip down my cheek, over my jaw, then down my neck and under the collar of his borrowed t-shirt.
“Yeah, we should save time, and water.” His smile turns mischievous before he adds, “By showering together.”
I shiver. And I’m not cold. No. I’m suddenly hot. Burning up from the inside out. “O-kay.”
Grinning, he drops his head and plants his lips on mine for a kiss that’s over far too quickly. “Let’s get moving.”
I’m left speechless—breathless—while Devon is moving around the room as though nothing happened. Shaking myself out of the lust daze, I follow his lead and set about filling buckets.
We get most of the refuse in the buckets. What’s left will have to wait. I’m about to ask if he wants to take them downstairs when he stalks across the room toward me.
“Ah, Devon?”
“Time to get cleaned up.”
His words and expression have me trembling, my lower belly tightening. “Um…”
When he’s close, he lunges. Bends and wraps his arms around my thighs, the next second I’m upside down and staring at his ass, no air in my lungs.
Blood rushing to my head and bouncing on his shoulder, I laugh. And not just a little laugh either. It’s loud and full of joy and clenches my stomach so hard it hurts. I had no idea I could laugh like this.
“Now that’s a sound I could get used to.” Devon strides across the hall into the bedroom and straight for the connecting bathroom. Flipping me upright, he has me on my feet a second later and orders, “Strip.”
My mouth hangs open as he does exactly what he says. First his shirt, over his head and tossed on the floor, then his pants, dropped to his feet and kicked aside.
Devon Boyd is naked in front of me, and I can’t believe I’m here. With this man. He’s hot in a way I’ve never seen in real life and when I remember everything we did last night…
When I ran out on my wedding, I never dreamed I’d spend the night with a man who treats me like I’m important. Looks at me like he wants to devour every inch of me.
“You’re not naked.” His voice is gravelly, almost a growl, and a shiver skips down my spine. “You keep looking at me like that and we won’t make it into the shower.”
My gaze jumps up to meet his. “I...” Swallowing, I wonder what the hell I thought I was going to say. I was staring at his cock. Mesmerized by his very thick and leaking cock.
“Lizzi.” He takes one step. “Get.” Another step. “Naked.”
He’s in my personal space but I don’t feel crowded. I feel hungry. Greedy for whatever put that look in his eyes. Gripping the hem of his borrowed shirt, I pull it up slowly.
“Lizzi.” My name is a warning, and a thrill shoots through me.
Putting both of us out of our misery, I whip the shirt off the rest of the way and throw it in the direction his clothes went.
“Fuck.” His gaze is locked on my chest.
I grin. I’m braless. Having small boobs has its advantages. With a tug on the bow holding up the shorts Devon loaned me, it doesn’t take much for them to hit the floor and reveal a bra isn’t the only thing I’m not wearing.
“Motherfucker!” He moves into me, presses his body to mine, eyes pinning me in place. “You’ve been naked under my clothes all fucking day?”
“I haven’t washed my clothes yet.” It’s a flimsy excuse and I’m not even sure why I’m giving him one.
“My washer is broken.” His gaze dips before bouncing back up again. His eyes are dark, the pupils blown wide, and his nostrils flare. With a shake of his head, he murmurs, “You’re going to be the death of me.”
He can talk. He had me breathless and boneless last night, and if I’m not mistaken, I’m going to be the same way again sooner than later.
We stare at each other for so long I wonder if he’s having second thoughts about being with me again, and it takes every ounce of strength I have not to cross my arms. Cover myself.
“Whatever just went through your head, get rid of it.”
“What?”
“The look on your face. The fear that flashed in your eyes. Forget it.” His hands palm my face and tip it up, and he lowers his head until his lips hover over mine.
“I’m going to turn the shower on and we’re going to get cleaned up; then I’m going to push you against the wall and fuck you until you’re screaming my name and forgetting your own. ”
I know he intends to follow through on his words, but I want something else. He got to taste me last night and I’m eager to do the same. Reaching for his hand, I step back and pull him with me. “Only if I can suck your cock first.”
“Fuck! You really are going to be the death of me.”