“I don’t want to share my body with anyone else.”
“Not anyone?” he asked with mock innocence, his confident fingers rolling lower toward my heavy, sensitive breasts.
“You’ve already made your mark on me for the next few months.” I flicked pearls of soap at his face teasingly. “It wouldn’t feel as outrageous if we got in bed together.”
Devon’s fingers slid to the back of my neck, digging in delicious, slow circles. “Let’s make a deal—you’ll answer a few questions, and if I’m satisfied with your answers, I’ll bring you to release.”
“Nice grandiose ego you’ve got yourself there. I still own vibrators, you know,” I groaned.
But he was right. My whole body was aflame. I wanted to grab his collar and pull him down with me.
“It’s okay to need someone sometimes,” Devon whispered, the warm air from his mouth skating over the shell of my ear. He was so close that I could feel the heat of his body against mine. Every hair on my body stood on end. My nipples ached, and my thighs rubbed together underwater.
I was minutes away from slipping a hand between them and doing the job myself.
I turned to face him, our eyes meeting. Blue on blue. His, crystal clear as the morning sky. Mine, a much darker shade, dotted with purple around the irises.
“It’s never okay to need anyone,” I croaked.
“That’s a terrible way to exist, Sweven. I’ll always be there for you. Rain or shine.”
“How many questions?” I sniffed.
“That wholly depends on your answers.”
I nodded my approval.
“Question number one. Why didn’t you tell me a man stalked you in Boston Common all those months ago?” Devon cupped my breasts, his thumbs rolling around my nipples, making my whole body quake.
My breath hitched. “I didn’t want you to interfere with my life more than you already had.”
“Second question—have there been any more signs since that someone is after you?”
I didn’t want to admit that there were. Didn’t want him to put more Simons on me. Anyway, I truly did believe Frank was probably done. The parking lot thing was a one-off. Why else would he make himself known?
When Devon noticed my hesitation, one of his hands slipped from my breasts, sliding down my stomach, his pinky flicking my groin with just the faintest touch. I gasped and writhed shamelessly. How was I supposed to conduct a conversation like this?
“This is blackmail,” I said hotly.
“I never pretended to be fair. Now answer the question.” He bit the shell of my ear softly.
“Yes. A letter arrived shortly after Boston Common. Threatening to kill me. That’s when I started carrying my gun everywhere.”
“Why didn’t you go to the police at that point?”
“I didn’t want the bad press to stick to Madame Mayhem or have you and my family on my case. I get hate mail on a daily basis. And look, months have passed with no more signs.”
“Do you know who it might be?”
His hand cupped my pussy, but there was no penetration. Just the delicious pressure of him holding me there while I helplessly tried to arch myself into his touch.
“Y-yes,” I stuttered, closer to the edge than I should be when he’d barely even touched me.
“Who?” Devon pressed.
“A man named Frank. A former bartender of mine. I fired him a few months ago for grabbing a burlesque girl. I saw him in the parking lot today.”
“Why aren’t you sitting at a police station right now?”
“He is just a kid, and his girlfriend is pregnant. They have no money. He just wanted to let off some steam. Probably sent a friend of his to scare me in the Common.” Although that still couldn’t explain the man at Madame Mayhem the day Devon had taken me home. “I don’t think I’ll hear from him again.”
“You’re crazy, and you’re carrying my baby,” he said matter-of-factly, more to himself than to me.
He didn’t move his hand from my mound, but he didn’t give me the release I craved either. Why did he withhold my orgasm like that? Wasn’t this a crime against humanity?
“I’ll be fine,” I bit out. “I’ve taken care of myself for a long-ass time now. Never had any problems.”
“A few little rules, and then you can go back to entertaining me in my bed,” Devon clarified, letting me know I was not off the hook yet.
I didn’t answer, because I wanted to get it over with and for him to just touch me there. It was pathetic, but desperate times called for desperate measures. I needed to take my mind off things. This was a coping mechanism, okay?
“Rule number one—you never leave Simon’s side when you’re at work.”
“Bodyguard Si?” I laughed throatily. “Whatever.”
“No. Not whatever. You’re not a teenager, Emmabelle. Give me a yes or no answer.”
Sheesh.
“Fine! Yes.”
“Rule number two …” I felt his pinky grazing my opening. My whole body awakened with excitement. I eagerly opened my legs for him. Finally, I was getting some action that didn’t require any batteries.