“What?”
“Well, for one, those shorts make it look like you have an ass, so I’m enjoying the view.”
“Ugh!” I roll over to deprive him of staring at my butt. “Dick.”
“Mm.” Devlin licks his lips. With a fluid strength, he pushes off the doorframe and stalks closer to the bed. He leans over, planting his hands on either side of my hips. “Two…I bought you that.”
I look over at the closet. A maid costume hangs from the door.
“Wh—Are you fucking kidding?” I screech, scrambling up the bed. “No way in hell.”
Devlin follows me like a beast on the prowl, the muscles in his arms flexing as he crawls up the bed to cage me in again. He’s enjoying this. My trickster devil has me at his mercy with no escape.
Narrowing my eyes, I push up on my hands to get in his face. Devlin’s eyes flash and he grins. A bolt of heat zips down my spine. I fight the screaming need to let my legs drop open, where he could fit his hips between my thighs.
I take a breath and snark at him. “I’ll make you regret it. I’ll find your room in this insane pampered maze and smother you in your sleep.”
A flirtatious smirk pulls Devlin’s mouth into an attractive curve. He dips his head down to drag his nose over my cheek, breathing on my neck. My body seizes up, my core throbbing steadily, hot and insistent.
“If you come into my room after dark, you better be prepared.” Devlin’s voice is deep and full of forbidden promise.
I bite my lip. “For what?”
“Anything I want, little thief,” he whispers roughly.
He nibbles on my neck, making me squirm at the delicious sensation of his teeth on my skin. My nipples tighten to hard buds and my body demands more. I want to wrap my legs around him, grind with him until I scratch the needy itch for release.
Devlin growls, the sound tugging at the heat building in my stomach. His tongue swipes over my pulse point, ripping a gasp from me.
Cool air prickles in a wave across my body as Devlin pulls back. His lids are heavy. I blink, coming to my senses.
“You—Get out.”
“You don’t tell me what to do, Blair.” Devlin’s gaze goes from heated to cool in seconds. He traces my collarbone and holds my neck without pressure. “You’re mine and I decide when I’m done.”
My pulse rushes in my ears. His hand around my neck is my shackle, a collar to control me. And I don’t hate the feel of it.
The thing growing between us since the fake kiss is becoming a slippery slope. If I’m not careful, I’ll lose my footing and find myself enjoying this.
“Get out,” I repeat, voice steadier than my liquid insides feel.
Devlin stares me down for a long stretch. I hold his gaze, pushing all of my resolve into it. My heart pounds. He can probably feel my rapid pulse beneath his fingertips. I don’t look away, refusing to back down.
After another minute, Devlin sits back. “There’s plenty of food in the kitchen. The housekeeper makes sure it’s stocked.” Dragging a hand through his tousled hair, he nods to the maid costume. “That was a joke. I wanted to see your face. But I won’t say no to you wearing these or your duck shorts around the house.”
A heated flushed engulfs my face at the sultry lilt of his voice. “Perv. Don’t think about whatever it is that’s putting that look on your face.”
He leers at me, dragging his teeth over his lower lip.
It’s only the first day, not even twenty-four hours in his house, and I’m already grappling with maintaining the balance between us.
The line in the sand is blurry at best.
I push against Devlin’s chest, and he cups my hands, trapping them. “If this is my room, whatever I say goes in here.”
He squints. “Fine.”
“Good. So get out.”
Devlin leaves me to my own devices. For the first time all afternoon, I face the fact that I’m living with my monster. I fall back on the bed. It’s so comfortable, I can’t contain another grateful groan.
This may be the craziest thing I could agree to, but right now I’m planning to enjoy this bed.
I stay in my new room for a while, marveling that my futon could fit in here, like, five times. It’s big, but plain, with a large closet, a window with a deep ledge perfect for a book bench, and the biggest bed I’ve ever been in.
After dozing until it’s dark, my stomach starts to growl. I venture out into the house to explore on my way back to the kitchen.
The house has so many rooms. I pass a nice study with a real fireplace and cedar shelves built into the wall, filled to the brim with so many books. The staircase has floating risers, giving the illusion I’m levitating on air as I descend to the lower level.
Throughout the house there’s modern art. I pause in front of an abstract painting to study its muted tones and the shapes used. I love art, but not a single piece in this house makes me feel anything.
There’s no connection. It’s all lifeless. Cold.
Wrinkling my nose at the painting, I navigate my way to the kitchen.
There’s no sign of Devlin. It’s kind of creepy. How did he feel when it was only him in this house? I frown, considering how lonely a big place like this would be by myself.
Maybe it’s why he grew into such an unbearable jerk.
I wonder if he ate as I raid the fridge. I go for a handful of baby carrots so I don’t have to find anything in the cabinets or work the microwave that looks like something designed by NASA.
On my way back to my room with my snack, I halt in the hallway.
Devlin emerges in a cloud of steam from the bathroom. He’s freshly showered and wearing nothing but a low-slung towel. There’s a tattoo on his ribs, beneath his heart.
It’s the first time I’ve seen it.
The tattoo is a cluster of shooting stars, delicately inked. Awareness tingles in my back, where my own star tattoo marks my body.
We’re the same—black hair, tarnished hearts, and star tattoos.
Devlin runs his fingers through his wet hair. His muscles ripple with the movement.
Holy hell.
I swallow, clutching my carrots.
Devlin prowls over, following me when I stumble back a step, my back hitting the wall. He presses his body into mine, his strong torso rubbing against my breasts through my thin t-shirt. My breath snags in my throat.
“What do we have here?” Devlin teases in a playful tone. He tucks some of my hair behind my ear. “Lost?”
The heat of his skin bleeds through my shirt.
“No.”
“Oh, I see.” Devlin chuckles and drops his hand to the towel. “Were you sneaking around out here hoping to get a good look?” He acts like he’s going to rip off the towel. “Want me to drop it?”
My throat is thick when I swallow. “No.”
“No?”
I shake my head.
“You sure?”
His voice is a sinful caress against my skin, the low rumble stealing my breath away. I bet he can feel my hardened nipples against his chest.
“Devlin.” My gaze zeroes in on his lips.
His mouth curves into a slow, smug smile, dimples on display. “Your room is that way, roomie.”
Devlin peels away and goes into his room. It’s the door on the other side of the bathroom.