The Rake (Boston Belles #4)(61)

“All I’m saying is that I’ve got this,” I mumbled, examining my colorful, pointy fingernails.

“Is that why you called me?” he bit out. “Because you’ve got this?”

Our first fight. Awesome. How could I explain to him that I didn’t like people butting into my business? Into my life? That I couldn’t rely on others?

“My bad. Next time, I’ll call someone else.”

“No, you won’t. I’m the only person capable of dealing with your brand of bullshit for longer than an evening.”

He parked in front of my apartment building, got out, rounded the car, and opened the door for me, doing it all with a face that hinted he was going to chop me into shrimp-sized pieces and feed me to the sharks.

“Thanks for the ride. You’ve been a lovely companion.” I slipped out of the car and proceeded to my entrance, feeling very much like a misbehaving child tossed into their room for a timeout.

He followed me wordlessly. I knew better than to send him away. First of all, I didn’t want to be alone right now. And second, I was the one who called him.

When we got to my apartment (stairs again, whoopy-woo), Devon disappeared into my bedroom to talk to Joanne on the phone. He asked her to arrange for my car to be towed. He also asked her to put Simon on the phone for him. Ah, good ole Si, the bodyguard who pretended to do shit no one needed done in the club, like filing or sorting boxes into the different recycling bin.

The fact he once jumped on top of me to defend me when Ross accidentally dropped a beer crate was a dead giveaway.

“…is not why I bloody pay you. Step up, or I will ensure your next job is a McJob.”

There was a brief silence.

“Then do better!” Devon roared.

When he returned to the living room, his eyes landed on me. He looked like an eagle zeroing in on his prey. “You’re shaking and sweating.”

“No, I’m not.” The fact that my teeth chattered as I said it didn’t help my case. Goddammit. It was only Frank. I could take him down if I needed to, right?

Wrong. You need to stop being a pussy and go to the police. So what if his girlfriend is pregnant? You aren’t the one who knocked her up.

“Come. I’ll draw you a bath.” He walked over and offered me his hand. The easy laughter and polite manner that usually oozed from him was gone, though. Now that I thought about it, it had been gone the entire day, from the moment he answered the phone and then when he picked me up.

Horrifyingly, I realized Devon had stopped flirting with me.

He had given up on me. On us.

Well, good. That was exactly what I wanted. I was happy he was done making shit awkward.

When I remained planted on the couch, he scooped me up and carried me to my bathroom.

“I hate it when you’re being perfect,” I moaned.

“Ditto, darling. Especially when it’s wasted on you.”

He sat me on the closed toilet seat and drew me a hot bath, rolling his sleeves up to his elbow and exposing his Michelangelo’s Moses forearms.

Oof. I missed sex.

My insides twisted hotly, tension building inside me.

What was life without sex? Just work and taxes and a good dose of dish-washing.

It was so unfair that I didn’t want to have sex with anyone who wasn’t the father of my child for the duration of my pregnancy.

I couldn’t even rationalize this decision. Maybe I did have some leftover traditionalism in my body, residue from sharing a roof with Persy for most of my life.

My eyes followed every movement of his corded arms as he dropped a bath bomb into the tub.

“So, have you been sleeping with anyone interesting lately?” I shifted on the toilet seat, eyeing his strong, long fingers.

Was I … getting turned on right now? The friction from the surface beneath me made my nipples pucker. I removed my clothes, item by item, while Devon twisted his face like something smelled horrible in the room.

“I thought you were done torturing yourself.”

“Come on,” I laughed, boomeranging my blouse to the floor. Though I wasn’t showing yet, my breasts were already heavy and veiny. Much bigger than he remembered. “I know you’re still having sex with other people. Let me live vicariously through you. I forgot what it feels like.”

Dryly, he said, “You have enough experience for the entire East Coast, darling. Grab some gingko and use the power of your imagination.”

“Remind me, what do you do once the two of you are in bed? I forgot,” I purred, ignoring his annoyance.

He looked at me like I was crazy. And in that moment I was.

“You haven’t been drinking, have you?” he asked worriedly.

I laughed. “No. I’m just … tender around the edges.”

“Sounds like code for unhinged.”

“Come on…” I smiled, “…I’m trying to be cordial.”

“I noticed. We’ve been in the same room for close to eight minutes and you still haven’t tried to stab me.”

He turned off the faucet and stood up, stepping aside. “Let me help you in.”

“You can join me too, if you feel so inclined.” I tried my hand at a half-hearted seduction, too horny to afford my pride.

He completely ignored me, ushering me by the small of my back to the bathtub.