“Can I sleep at Mimi Marla’s house tonight?”
The question, asked from the doorway of Broussard’s home office, almost startled Devon out of her absorption with his 2013 invoices. The man was lucky he hadn’t been audited by the IRS, with the lack of organization he had going on. When she’d first walked into the office two weeks ago, she’d almost run back out again. Broussard apparently just brought paperwork in big boxes from his shop and dumped it in this room. He’d been slightly shamefaced when he admitted he always said he’d get to it later, but never did. But with a busy business, three boys who were active in school and sports, and a wife he was crazy about, Devon figured he had enough on his hands already.
Besides, she actually liked sifting through the invoices and receipts. Broussard had put a radio in the office for her to listen to and she took breaks when numbers started blurring together, so it was ideal for her. She’d only ever worked for her parents in their store, had never done more than take inventory, work the register and stock shelves, but this she liked. It was quiet—unless she heard a song on the local college radio station she really liked—and when she craved company, she just walked across the yard to visit Tabby, who always seemed to welcome visitors.
And then there were the surprise klatches when all of Deuce’s sisters-in-law and mom would arrive, bearing cupcakes, cookies or anything else she really shouldn’t eat, and coffee, and they’d all chat and laugh. It reminded her of the Guillory Girls’ night outs she had with her sisters. They’d slacked off toward the end of her marriage with Brady, as his possessiveness grew out of hand, but she’d loved bonding with her sisters. Doing that with Deuce’s relatives was just as fun and they never made her feel like she didn’t belong.
What was rare was for Edward to pop in the office while she was working. He treated Tabby and Marla’s houses like his personal playground and Deuce’s nephews were his eager companions. Their laughter and excited chatter filtered into the office while she worked, making her smile every time she heard her son’s giggle. He was finally coming out of his shell in a way he hadn’t back home. Having friends his age he could play with for hours and hours, tell his little boy secrets to, had obviously worked wonders on Edward and for that alone Devon would be forever grateful to the Gaudets.
But God forbid she should thank them for anything, because they looked at her as though she was crazy, as though it was perfectly normal to take a mother and son into their family and make them feel as though they’d always been there. Marla wouldn’t hear of Devon doing anything and had even pulled the elder card when she wanted to get her way. Remington was another source of frustration, but mostly in the way of coddling her. She would’ve felt singled out if she hadn’t witnessed him doing the same thing for his wife and daughters-in-law. The man was simply a gentleman to his core, although he was also outrageously outspoken, especially when he was telling her she needed to do something about his wayward son. Like help him settle down.
“Mom?” Edward prodded, bringing her out of those embarrassing thoughts. He was standing in the doorway, his little body all fidgety, face sweaty and red from running around with his “cousins”. “Mimi Marla and Paw-Paw Remy said they’re going to build forts and watch Transformers tonight with Ocean, Stone, Frost and Blaze and they asked me to sleep over too.”
His voice squeaked at the end, his excitement evident at the thought of a sleepover, but inside Devon was panicking. Not at the thought of Edward staying overnight with Marla and Remington, but because it meant she’d be alone with Deuce. All night.
Her heart hammered at the thought. Oh, she’d been a very good girl, not ogling him when he came in from his morning run. She only allowed herself a peek at his sculpted chest with the light dusting of dark hair that narrowed down to a trail that disappeared beneath his waistband. Only a peek. Any more than that, and she’d probably jump him. Then there were the casual touches he gave without even thinking. Just like his dad and brothers, he was affectionate and gentlemanly, touching her back when they walked side-by-side, holding her hand to help her in and out of his tall truck, giving her a quick hug when he was laughing about something. And each touch, each fleeting connection ramped up her desire for him higher and higher until she was almost desperate for a detachable showerhead in the guest bathroom.
The arousal she hadn’t been able to feel for Brady’s drunken attempts at sex had returned tenfold just from being in Deuce’s presence, hearing his voice as he conversed with his brothers, or laughed at something Edward said or did. She was a woman on the edge and now she was going to be alone with him?
“I don’t know,” she blurted.
His face fell. Like just crumpled, as though she’d told him there would be no Christmas this year and it made her heart hurt. She didn’t want to disappoint him. She loved that he was growing so close to Deuce’s nephews and parents but, on the other hand, their stay in LaSalle was temporary. Right? The stalker would be caught and they’d return to Grand Terre. But the relief and anticipation she should’ve felt was strangely absent. She couldn’t even picture not seeing Deuce every day, or listening to Edward talk nonstop about all the fun things he did with his friends. In Grand Terre, they hadn’t lived next to other kids, their neighbors were all elderly.
It didn’t seem fair to compare their life in LaSalle to what they’d had in Grand Terre, but she did it anyway. The only thing anchoring her to her hometown after the divorce and scandal was her family. And they wouldn’t even think twice about her moving away if it meant she was happy. But was that what Deuce wanted? She thought he watched her with more than a friendly interest several times, but he hadn’t acted on it. His frustration with the stalker was evident, but she wasn’t sure if that was because they’d worn out their welcome in his home, or if he was concerned over her safety.
“Please?” Edward asked in the tiny voice he hadn’t used since Brady was in their lives. “Ocean and Stone get scared without their big brothers and they need me.”
She stifled a laugh. Ocean and Stone were older than him by a couple of years and she’d never seen more fearless kids in her life. And the stories their mothers told her during their chats almost had Devon sitting Edward down to tell him never to do what they suggested. But she hadn’t. It was hard to let him spread his little wings, something Marla and the other women seemed to understand, but she was going to let him do it. Let him fall and skin his knees, run wild—to an extent—and let him be a kid.
She’d just have to be strong enough to withstand the temptation of Deuce Gaudet for a single night.
Hiding her trepidation, she smiled. “Okay, you can sleep.”
Her reward was Edward’s body slamming into her for a quick, tight hug before he tore himself away, running out the door shouting, “She said I could sleep!”
The cheers that greeted him had her shaking her head with a goofy grin. She could do this. Then she thought about how quiet and intimate the house would be without Edward there… Maybe she should ask if she could share a fort with one of the boys instead.
Deuce came to pick her up at his usual time and Devon was as nervous as a teenager being asked to homecoming. She wiped her damp palms on her capris, trying to appear completely calm and collected, but inside her heart beat in triple time. Edward was already ensconced in a sheet fort in the middle of Marla’s living room with Ocean. Stone was on his way with the movies, Remington had pulled sleeping bags out of storage and Marla bustled around the kitchen humming to herself, at peace because she had a parcel of hungry boys to feed.
Everyone was acting like this was normal, while Devon thought she’d fall apart. Then Deuce walked in and there was a gleam of predatory anticipation in his eyes, as though he’d been waiting for a night like this. Her breath caught when he met her gaze, that slow, sensual smile tugging at his lips.
“Ready?”
“Uh,” Devon stalled, tugging at the hem of her t-shirt. “Edward’s sleeping here tonight.”
“Then you and I are going out for dinner,” he announced as he sauntered by, a hint of spicy cologne and his natural musk trailing behind him. He stopped to ruffle the boys’ hair, earning grins, before going to the kitchen to hug his mom. Devon had to admit it, there was just something attractive about a man who appreciated his mother and not in a creepy, Norman Bates kind of way. “Let us know if y’all need anything. I made reservations for us at the Glasshouse so we won’t be too far if Edward decides he wants to come home with us.”
Devon’s mouth dropped open. “Did you—”
But Marla cut her off by waving her hand. “How do you kids say it? ‘I got this’.”
Remington hurried over and wrapped Devon in a hug, kissing her cheek loudly. “Order the fettuccini, it’s the best in the whole state. One of those travel shows featured it.”
Devon looked from Remington to Deuce and back. “But did he plan to—”
The sneaky man in question stepped up to hug his dad before snagging Devon’s wrist. “Let’s go. You’ll probably want to shower and change before we need to be there.”
She tried dragging her feet, except the feel of his skin on hers, the devilish gleam in his eyes kept her moving forward. Remington followed close behind as though to make sure she went. “But Edward—”
“Bye, Mom!” her traitorous son shouted from the safety of his fort.
“Yeah, bye, Uncle Deuce,” Ocean called out and then started making kissing noises which whipped Devon’s head around.
The boys started laughing, she just wasn’t sure if it was her horrified expression or because they were little, annoying boys, but she didn’t get the chance to find out because with a heave from Deuce and a small shove from Remington, Devon was out the house.
“What’s going on?” Devon asked, because she was beyond confused. Yet strangely enough, it wasn’t fear making her stomach flutter. Oh no, that was all anticipation and excitement.
“We’re having an adult night out,” Deuce told her firmly as he led her to the passenger side of his truck. “I don’t know when the last time was you had one of those, but they’re these amazing things that grown-ups do once in a while. They go out to a nice dinner, have a glass of wine or whatever they want to drink, talk about adult things, order expensive food they don’t have to cook or clean up after, then they go home and relax.” He said all of this while helping her into the truck, but paused before closing the door. “I thought you might like a chance to just be Devon and not Mom for a night.”
“Oh,” she whispered, taken completely by surprise.
Thankfully he just gave her a wink before he closed the door and strolled around the front of the truck, giving her a moment to absorb the sweetness of his plans. As she strapped the seatbelt in place, Devon tried to remember the last time she’d gone on a date or out to dinner without having to worry if the restaurant offered anything Edward would eat, and she couldn’t think of it. Brady hadn’t been big on them going out. Whether that was because he didn’t want to spend the money, or because he wanted to keep her all for himself, she didn’t know and didn’t care. She’d had a truckload of lunches with her sisters, but those were always quickly grabbed meals while they waited on customers at the store.
The last time she’d gone out… Well, it’d been the night Logan put the moves on Ant, she thought. Maybe it was a time after that?
“What’s got you frowning?” Deuce asked as he got into the truck and turned the ignition.
“Just trying to remember the last time I went out.” She shook her head and shrugged. “I can’t think of when it was, so it must’ve been a long time ago. At least two or three years.”
“You’re a fantastic mom,” was all he said, as he put the truck in reverse and backed down the drive. “Edward’s a great kid and that’s all thanks to you.”
She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the flush climbing her neck. “Thanks.”
“No, you are,” he insisted as they headed toward his house. “He’s polite, caring, smart as a whip and, to be honest, he’s a hell of a lot better behaved than we were. Are,” he amended with a grin. “Mom earned every single gray hair she has before Welsh even graduated from high school.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I’ve heard a lot of stories.”
And had been charmed by every single one.
They were both silent the rest of the ride to his house, but Devon could’ve sworn every block that passed, the tension between them grew. His spicy scent filled the cab of the truck, making her skin slick. Although if anyone asked, she’d swear it was a hot flash making her sweat.
“I should’ve asked what you wanted to eat,” Deuce blurted as they turned on his street. “I can cancel if you want to go somewhere else.”
While she’d been thinking about jumping him, he’d been thinking about what they were eating. Obviously, they were operating on different wavelengths. “Um, I’m not picky, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Another awkward silence fell, but it was thankfully cut short by them pulling into his driveway. Knowing the routine by now, Devon waited for him to come around to the passenger door to let her out, accepting his help without even giving it a thought.
They entered the house, still floating on that quiet when suddenly Deuce said, “Our reservations are for seven thirty, so you have about an hour and a half to get ready.” He paused. “That’s enough time to get ready, right?”
If he were Brady, no. If he were Brady, she’d have to put her hair in rollers and spend a good thirty minutes on her make-up to get the beauty queen perfection he demanded. With Deuce, she was almost positive she could go with a more natural look and he wouldn’t mind. Although… Her stomach twisted. Maybe he expected her to look the way she had that first night they met?
“Um, how fancy is this Glasshouse?” she asked nervously.
He laughed. “Not fancy at all. It’s a little hole in the wall restaurant, but they really do serve the best food in town. Mom and Dad have been going there since as far back as I can remember, so I know the owners very well. That’s why I wondered if maybe you wanted to go somewhere with a little more uh, ambiance.”
Her lips twitched. The way he said ambiance was half-disgusted, half-puzzled and wholly adorable. “No, that sounds fine. I just wanted to know if I had to go full beauty queen, or only partial.”
Deuce cocked his head to the side, studying her to the point she felt fidgety. “Not sure what you mean, babe. You always look like a beauty queen to me.”
And that right there was about the time Devon fell in love with Duson Charles Gaudet.
Why was he so fucking nervous? Deuce ran his hand through his hair. Again. What the hell was the point in even brushing the shit into a somewhat decent shape if he was going to fuck with it? He almost ran to the oven to check his reflection, but the soft clip-clop of heels on the tile stopped him.
He tugged at his shirt, making sure his shit was straight, and looked up just as Devon walked into the kitchen. And he promptly forgot all about what he was wearing because she looked like a million bucks. Shiny gold hair spilled over her shoulders in loose waves, surrounding a face that could’ve launched a thousand ships. She’d done something, put make-up on in such a way that if he hadn’t seen her fresh-faced for two weeks, he’d have thought was completely natural, but still managed to look sultry. Sexy.
But it was the sundress she wore that caught his attention because, while it wasn’t revealing, it showed more of her than he’d ever seen. Stopping just at her knees with little, fragile straps holding it in place, it hugged her breasts, showcasing a sweet cleavage that begged for his mouth, before flowing down to swirl around her thighs. The strappy sandal things she wore gave her added height and made her legs look a mile long.
“Is this okay?” she asked in a hesitant voice, as though she expected him to tell her to change.
He had to clear his throat a couple of times before his vocal cords worked. “You look amazing.”
Her smile. Fuck him, but her smile was like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds, it was so bright, filling him with warmth. “Thank you,” she whispered. “You look…” Those killer brown eyes flicked over him with appreciation. “You look very nice.”
And if she kept eyeing him like that, he was going to take her right here and now. “We need to go,” he said louder than he intended. Because they needed to get the fuck away from anything that could be used as a bed.
She gave him an uncertain smile. “Okay, let me just grab my purse.”
She spun with grace, hair swinging out to show off the delicate expanse of her exposed back and Deuce knew he’d either have her in his bed before the night was through, or he’d be adding to his water bill from a long, cold fucking shower.
She returned before he was able to get his dick under control, her smile all shy and excited. Telling his body to cool it, Deuce approached her, hand out to guide her. It was automatic. Except this time, when he brushed her back, it was skin his fingers met. Not clothing. The burn was instant and he knew she felt it too because she stiffened with a muffled gasp.
The quick look she shot him from under her eyelashes was wary welcome. It wasn’t whole-hearted acceptance of this attraction, but it was a start and that was enough to prompt Deuce to lead her out of the house to his truck. Watching those silky legs climb into the cab, the skirt of her dress pulling up higher on her thighs, was torture. As he walked around to the driver’s side, he adjusted himself and prayed to God and all the saints that he’d make it through the night.
Pulling out of the drive yet again, Deuce decided some casual conversation would help to get his libido under control, but Devon beat him to the punch by asking a single question, “How did your day go?”
Just like that, his desire died. Whenever he thought about how this whole investigation had stalled, his blood boiled, from frustration and anger. “It didn’t go well,” he admitted. He shot her a quick look just in time to see a frown pull at her mouth. “Sometimes leads don’t pan out the way I hope and unfortunately, this case might take longer to close than I originally thought it would.”
She was quiet for a while, and then said softly, “I feel like he’s ruined my whole life. I thought…” She paused with a sad laugh. “I honestly thought the day I received the divorce papers that it was over, that my life could start. But then the letters started coming in. It’s like he’s still determined to run my life even from prison.”
Deuce’s fingers curled into his palm, his hand forming a fist that would fit perfectly right in the middle of Brady Folsom’s face. “I’ll catch them, Dev,” he promised. “I just haven’t found the key yet, but as soon as I do, you’ll be free of everything.” Of me.
She traced a random pattern on her knee, her gaze down. “The funny thing is, I thought I’d be impatient for it to be over. But I’m more upset over the fact that this is frustrating you than anything else. Isn’t that stupid?”
His body went hot then cold, then hot again as he tried to understand what she was saying. Without being able to see her face, unable to read her body language in the dim light of the truck, he was about as hapless as any other man when talking to a woman he wanted with every ounce of his soul. “I don’t think it’s stupid,” was all he said.
But she gave another laugh. “I should want to hurry back to Grand Terre. My family’s there, my whole life has been there.”
She went quiet again and he held his breath because this moment felt momentous. He forced his eyes to stay on the road ahead of him, although every part of him strained to look at her, to see if she felt the same that he did. That they belonged together.
Then she spoke again just as the sign for the Glasshouse came into view. “Edward’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him, even with my family. He’s taken to your nephews as though he was born into the family, he adores your parents. And you gave him that,” she finished with a whisper.
Deuce pulled into the parking lot and parked in the first spot he saw, turning off the engine. They sat in the quiet for a while, the soft ticking of the truck cooling down the only sound to be heard over their breathing.
He turned to her. “And what about you? How do you feel about being here?”
She was still looking out the windshield, the Glasshouse’s neon sign casting her face in shades of red and blue. But he could still see her smile. “I love your family. I adore your sisters-in-law, and if your father were thirty years younger, I’d ask him to run away with me.” She took a deep breath before facing him. “And I really like you, Deuce. I don’t know if I should even be telling you that.” She shook her head. “That makes me feel like a kid, but it’s the truth. I… You’re one of the best men I’ve ever met in my whole life and I guess I just want to see where this leads us.” He saw her eyes widen and a look of horror cross her face. “I can’t believe I said that. Okay look, if you’re not—”
But he was already moving, cupping her jaw in his hand and pressing his lips to hers and silencing her backpedaling before she could even hint that he didn’t want her. Didn’t want to see if they could make something grow between them. He swallowed her words, his tongue flicking out to taste her, really taste her, and the arousal that had died at the mention of her troubles came roaring back to life.
The desperate sound he made in the back of his throat was echoed by Devon as her hands came up to clutch his hair. It stung, but fuck if he cared. It just showed how much she wanted him back and that was sexy as fuck. Then her tongue met his, slid along his in a shy foray that made his cock ache with want. He hadn’t been this turned on by a kiss since he practiced kissing Ciara Morrison back in seventh grade, but he was hotter than he’d ever been. Because this woman was the one. The. One.
He tilted his head to the side, needing more, and he got it. Devon didn’t just accept his kiss. She returned it, her mouth as hungry as his. The little gasps she made, taking in his breath, giving him hers, the exchange intimate and so fucking beautiful Deuce never wanted it to end. Never wanted to stop kissing this woman who’d turned his whole life upside down from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her.
And it seemed Devon didn’t want it to end either, because she somehow managed to get out of her seatbelt and into his lap, her hot, panty-covered pussy grinding on him through his slacks. He groaned. It felt fucking amazing and his hands started roaming, searching out the softness of her breasts, the generous curve of her ass, helping her to grind against him. And then he traced a line against that silky, damp material, seeking—
HONK-HONK!
They broke apart, both of them breathing as though they’d just participated in a triathlon. Deuce looked around to see the windows had begun fogging up on the truck, but he didn’t see that anyone had noticed their make-out session. He was just about to tell Devon that when she climbed off his lap, her breathing ragged as she hurried back to her seat, smoothing down her dress, hands fluttering up to fix her hair.
“I can’t believe I did that,” she muttered as she tried to put herself back together. “I swear I’m not a nymphomaniac. I didn’t even like sex. Then I met you and I feel like a damn teenager.”
Deuce opened his mouth, not sure what he planned to say, but never got the chance because she kept talking as she pulled a compact out of her purse to check her makeup.
“Even when I was a teenager, I never felt anything like that.” She shook her head and ran her finger under her eyes. “Your sisters-in-law tried to warn me about the Gaudet magnetism or whatever they call it, but I thought I could handle it. Boy, was I wrong.” She closed the compact with a sharp snap. “Now we’re going to go in there, eat some food, drink some wine and talk about adult things.” She put the mirror back in her purse and turned to look at him. “Then we’re going to go back to your house and put that big bed to use. Okay?”
Not entirely sure if she was reacting out of frustrated desire and not really caring because it suited him perfectly, Deuce did what his dad always told him to do when confronted with a woman on the edge. Agree. “Okay.”