LITMIR.BIZ

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      “You should have texted me at least,” Ashley said. “Oh, Brooke, I’m so thrilled for you. I can only imagine how excited I’ll be when I become pregnant. I hope our babies are close together and can be playmates!”

      Ashley had grown louder and louder, her exuberance drawing the attention of the others, who cast indulgent smiles in Ashley’s direction.

      She was animated and talking a mile a minute, throwing her hands this way and that, and nearly crashed into a passing waiter. Only Devon’s and Cam’s quick lunge for the tray of drinks prevented complete disaster. Ashley continued, oblivious to the chaos around her.

      Then she impulsively hugged Brooke again. For the third time. Then she hugged Paul. Then she hugged Brooke again, the entire time wringing her hands in excitement.

      Cam chuckled and shook his head. “You’ve got quite the chore on your hands, Dev. Keeping up with her is going to wear your stick-in-the-mud ass out.”

      “Don’t you have somewhere else to be and someone else to torture?” Devon muttered.

      Cam glanced Ashley’s way once more and Devon swore he saw genuine affection in his friend’s eyes.

      “She’s cute,” Cam said as he put his wineglass aside.

      “Cute?”

      Cam shifted uncomfortably. “She’s sweet, okay? She seems … genuine and you can’t ask for more than that.”

      Devon stared agape at his friend. “You like her.”

      Cam scowled darkly.

      Devon laughed. “You like her. You, who doesn’t like anyone, actually like her.”

      “She’s nice,” Cam muttered.

      “But you don’t think I should marry her,” Devon prompted.

      “Shh, she’s going to hear you,” Cam hissed.

      But Ashley had already drifted away from Devon and was solidly ensconced in a squeal-fest with Brooke as others had heard the news and had descended. She wasn’t going to hear an earthquake if a fault suddenly opened up under the building and sucked everyone in.

      “If you think she’s so cute and nice, why the big speech about not being a martyr and getting married, et cetera?” Devon persisted.

      Cam sighed. “Look, I just hate to see her get hurt and that’s what’s going to happen if you aren’t straight with her. Women have a way of knowing when men aren’t that into them.”

      “Who the hell says I’m not into her?”

      Cam arched an eyebrow. “Are you saying you are? Because you don’t act like a man who’s into his future bride.”

      Devon frowned and looked around, making sure they weren’t overheard. By anyone. Least of all Ashley’s overprotective family. “What do you mean by that? You, Rafe and Ryan know the real circumstances of my relationship with Ashley but no one else does. I’ve given no one reason to suspect that I’m marrying her for any other reason than I want to.”

      Once again Cam shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe because I know the real story it’s easier for me to see that you aren’t as excited as your lovely bride to be is over your impending nuptials.”

      “Damn it,” Devon swore. “Now you’re going to have me paranoid that I’m broadcasting disinterest.”

      “Look, forget I said anything. I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s none of my business anyway. She just seems like a sweet girl and I hate to see her get hurt.”

      “I’m not going to hurt her,” Devon gritted out. “I’m going to marry her and I’m damn sure going to take care of her.”

      “And you’re being summoned again,” Cam said, nodding in Ashley’s direction. “I’m going to take off. I’ll walk with you over to Ashley so I can offer my congratulations again and say good night.”

      Devon started in Ashley’s direction then listened attentively while she introduced him to one of her cousins—one of the many in attendance—and then waited while Cam said his goodbyes and kissed her on both cheeks.

      But the entire time, his mind was racing as he processed his conversation with Cam. Was he coming across as someone who was less than enthused about his upcoming marriage? The very last thing he needed to do was drop the ball when everything was so close to being in his grasp. Finally.

      He’d worked too damn hard and long to allow any slips now. If he had to wed Satan himself to seal this deal, he’d don the fire retardant suit and pucker up.

      Five

      No matter how many nights she’d already spent in Devon’s apartment, she still got butterflies when she entered his bedroom to get ready for bed. Granted she’d only been here a week and it was still a little uncomfortable and awkward because she still didn’t feel any sense of ownership when it came to his home.

      She was pulling on her satin nightgown when Devon’s chuckle broke the silence in the room. She turned quickly, her brow furrowed as he regarded her in amusement.

      “What’s so funny?”

      “You. Every night you spend so much time putting on that lovely nightgown only for me to promptly take it off you when you come to bed. By now one would think you wouldn’t bother.”

      She flushed. “It seems … presumptuous … to think you want … I mean to assume you’d want …”

      “Sex?” he finished for her.

      She nodded, her cheeks flaming.

      He grinned and pulled her toward the bed. “I think it’s a safe presumption that I’ll always want sex with you. Feel free to assume all you want. I assure you …” He bent and kissed her lingeringly. “That I’ll never ever …” He slid his mouth down her jaw to her neck and nibbled at her ear. “Not want …” He licked the pulse point at her neck, and her knees buckled. “To have sex with you. Unless I’m in a body cast and even then I’ll be thinking about it.”

      Her nose crinkled and she shook with silent laughter. “It’s true then. That sex is all a man ever thinks about?”

      “We occasionally think about food.”

      She laughed aloud this time. “My mother is scandalized that I’ve practically moved in with you.”

      “Not practically,” he said as he slid one strap over her shoulder. “You have moved in with me.”

      She shrugged. “Well she was aghast. My father told her to stop being such a worrywart, that you and I were getting married and it was only natural that we’d want time together before the big day to see if we were compatible. Eric, on the other hand, seemed pretty ticked. He thinks Daddy’s nuts to allow me to move in with a man who’s boned half the city—his words, not mine.”

      Devon straightened his stance and stared at her with an open mouth. “Do you always do that?”

      She sent him a perplexed frown. “Do what?”

      He shook his head. “Blurt out whatever comes to mind.”

      Her frown grew deeper. “Well, I guess. I mean I haven’t really thought about it. It is what he said. I mean I didn’t really pay any attention to him. He’s just really protective of me and he always gets snarly when a guy starts paying attention to me.”

      “I hardly think me asking you to marry me can be compared to some random guy paying attention to you,” he drawled.

      “Well, but I’m living with you now so he obviously knows we’re having sex and he doesn’t like to imagine his little sister having sex. With anyone.”

      Devon shuddered. “Who would?”

      She

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