preparation. Then I worried if he came right at eight I’d feel pressured if we didn’t have a mob by eight ten. I asked him to stay away until at least half past.”
“I’m surprised he agreed.”
“Me, too.”
Just then the man who enriched Chloe’s colorful world pushed through the kitchen door. “What’s wrong?”
“Just a case of nerves,” Monica said, pushing away from Chloe with a wink. “I’ll drag a chair outside and help Daisy get her head on straight. The moose head, that is. Five minutes and counting!”
Monica rushed out and Devlin moved in.
Chloe’s already-racing pulse pounded. “You were supposed to stay away until we got past opening.”
“Tried. Failed.”
“I’m glad.” Chloe saw the compassion in those blueberry-blue eyes. The man was so intensely gorgeous he stole away Chloe’s breath. Or maybe this was a panic attack. “Can’t breathe.”
Devlin held her close and smoothed a strong hand down her spine. “I know I had my doubts about this venture, Chloe.”
“And rightly so. I have no experience—”
“You have heart. Imagination and determination. Not to mention you’re a gifted chef.”
“Daddy co-signed—”
“And you’ll make good.”
“Daisy—”
“Is the happiest I’ve ever seen her. Anything else?”
Chloe’s heart warmed, her spirit soared. With Devlin holding her in his arms and looking at her with bone-deep love, it was hard to fret about secrets and failures. She couldn’t predict Rocky and Jayce’s future, but she could imagine a happy-ever-after for herself and the man she’d jumped off a bridge with. Holding tight to that mind-set, Chloe gazed at Devlin. “I could sure use a good-luck kiss.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it, hon. You and Gram worked hard for this. It’s all good.”
She smiled a little, confidence stoked. “I could still use a kiss.”
“Anytime, Chloe.” Devlin stroked a thumb over her cheek, nipped her lower lip as a sensual prelude. “Anywhere.”
Chloe wiggled against his arousal. “Hold that thought,” she said with a playful grin. “I’ve got a dream to debut.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Manhattan, New York
“Your stamina’s pretty impressive, Bello.”
“So’s your insatiability.” Jayce fell back on the mattress, heart pounding from another intense round with Rocky. He’d ended up spending the night, not that they’d slept much. Every time he thought he’d sated her cravings, she got another itch. Not that he was complaining.
She rolled onto her side—a smokin’ naked goddess—and stared down at him, her lush lips curved in a cocky smile. “Too much for you?”
Brow raised, Jayce trumped the goddess’s arrogance. “If anyone cries uncle, it’ll be you, Dash.” He noted the spark in her gaze, the flare of her nostrils, and the quickening of her pulse at the base of her throat. Though she’d never admit it, Rocky liked being dominated. At least in bed. He’d sensed it the moment he’d pressed her against the wall and taken control. He also sensed she’d never allowed another man to be the aggressor, not wholly. Every time she tried to shift roles, Jayce twisted the moment, ultimately “telling” her to do what she “wanted” to do. The more he dominated, the greater her need. He wasn’t even sure if she was aware of how he manipulated her in bed—which made him a bit of a bastard.
He was finding it hard to care.
“I keep waiting to feel awkward about some of the things we did last night.”
“Why?”
“Some of it was a little adventurous, even for me.”
“I don’t recall anything out of the ordinary.”
“So you do stuff like that with all the women you take to bed?”
“I don’t have a stock playlist when it comes to sex. Depends on the woman.”
She raised a brow at that. “What kind of woman am I?”
His lip twitched. “The adventurous kind.”
She narrowed her eyes while shoving a mass of disheveled curls over her bare shoulder. “This isn’t working
“I’m surprised he agreed.”
“Me, too.”
Just then the man who enriched Chloe’s colorful world pushed through the kitchen door. “What’s wrong?”
“Just a case of nerves,” Monica said, pushing away from Chloe with a wink. “I’ll drag a chair outside and help Daisy get her head on straight. The moose head, that is. Five minutes and counting!”
Monica rushed out and Devlin moved in.
Chloe’s already-racing pulse pounded. “You were supposed to stay away until we got past opening.”
“Tried. Failed.”
“I’m glad.” Chloe saw the compassion in those blueberry-blue eyes. The man was so intensely gorgeous he stole away Chloe’s breath. Or maybe this was a panic attack. “Can’t breathe.”
Devlin held her close and smoothed a strong hand down her spine. “I know I had my doubts about this venture, Chloe.”
“And rightly so. I have no experience—”
“You have heart. Imagination and determination. Not to mention you’re a gifted chef.”
“Daddy co-signed—”
“And you’ll make good.”
“Daisy—”
“Is the happiest I’ve ever seen her. Anything else?”
Chloe’s heart warmed, her spirit soared. With Devlin holding her in his arms and looking at her with bone-deep love, it was hard to fret about secrets and failures. She couldn’t predict Rocky and Jayce’s future, but she could imagine a happy-ever-after for herself and the man she’d jumped off a bridge with. Holding tight to that mind-set, Chloe gazed at Devlin. “I could sure use a good-luck kiss.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it, hon. You and Gram worked hard for this. It’s all good.”
She smiled a little, confidence stoked. “I could still use a kiss.”
“Anytime, Chloe.” Devlin stroked a thumb over her cheek, nipped her lower lip as a sensual prelude. “Anywhere.”
Chloe wiggled against his arousal. “Hold that thought,” she said with a playful grin. “I’ve got a dream to debut.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Manhattan, New York
“Your stamina’s pretty impressive, Bello.”
“So’s your insatiability.” Jayce fell back on the mattress, heart pounding from another intense round with Rocky. He’d ended up spending the night, not that they’d slept much. Every time he thought he’d sated her cravings, she got another itch. Not that he was complaining.
She rolled onto her side—a smokin’ naked goddess—and stared down at him, her lush lips curved in a cocky smile. “Too much for you?”
Brow raised, Jayce trumped the goddess’s arrogance. “If anyone cries uncle, it’ll be you, Dash.” He noted the spark in her gaze, the flare of her nostrils, and the quickening of her pulse at the base of her throat. Though she’d never admit it, Rocky liked being dominated. At least in bed. He’d sensed it the moment he’d pressed her against the wall and taken control. He also sensed she’d never allowed another man to be the aggressor, not wholly. Every time she tried to shift roles, Jayce twisted the moment, ultimately “telling” her to do what she “wanted” to do. The more he dominated, the greater her need. He wasn’t even sure if she was aware of how he manipulated her in bed—which made him a bit of a bastard.
He was finding it hard to care.
“I keep waiting to feel awkward about some of the things we did last night.”
“Why?”
“Some of it was a little adventurous, even for me.”
“I don’t recall anything out of the ordinary.”
“So you do stuff like that with all the women you take to bed?”
“I don’t have a stock playlist when it comes to sex. Depends on the woman.”
She raised a brow at that. “What kind of woman am I?”
His lip twitched. “The adventurous kind.”
She narrowed her eyes while shoving a mass of disheveled curls over her bare shoulder. “This isn’t working
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