On the Steamy Side - Louisa Edwards [100]
Whatever this neckline was called, Devon decided, it was now his favorite way for any dress to be put together.
“You look very handsome,” Lilah said. “I like you in your chef whites.” Her cheeks were dark red.
“You always do that,” he said, stepping close and palming her jaw. “What?”
“Whenever anyone gives you a compliment, you brush it off like you don’t believe it.”
Lilah fussed with the bodice of her dress. “It’s hard, you know? I’m not used to it. Not like my family back home called me names or told me I was ugly, or anything, but when there are that many kids in one house, all fighting and scrapping for attention, it’s easy to fade into the background. I guess I’m still more comfortable there.”
Devon started down at her porcelain brow, long, sweeping lashes and perfectly tiny mouth curving just a bit down at the corners. “Then I’ve got bad news for you, Lilah Jane, because everyone who sees you in this dress is going to notice how exquisitely beautiful you are.”
“Stop it,” she said, laughing and pushing at him a little, but her mouth was curving up now, so Devon didn’t stop.
“It’s true,” he declared. “In fact, I almost want to forbid you from wearing this thing in public—I kind of hate the idea of the whole world catching on to what I see every time I look at you.”
Fluttering her lashes coquettishly, Lilah grinned up at him, the hottest pink blush still staining her cheeks. “And what is that, exactly?”
He framed her face in his hands and let his voice show how serious he was. “No matter what you’re wearing, even if it’s one of those hideous, oversized flowered shirts, I just see you. My sweet Lilah Jane. And I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
She arched up and pressed a swift kiss to his mouth. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse with emotion.
“I swear, Devon Sparks, you could charm the birds from the trees.”
“Is Tuck upstairs?” Devon wanted to show him the final menus, all printed up with the eight delicious courses. They looked awesome.
“Frankie spirited him away the minute we came in the door. Something about teaching him a neat new trick. I shudder to think.”
Devon smoothed her sable curls back from her pretty, heart-shaped face. Smiled when they sprang instantly back into place. “Ah, Frankie’s okay. Not saying I’d hire him as a male nanny—what would that be, a manny?—but he’s all right.”
Lilah gave him one of those laser looks that seemed to sear right through him. “And how are you?”
“Freaking out.” He didn’t really hide things from Lilah anymore. Didn’t see the point.
“Oh, sugar.” Lilah attempted a sympathetic look, but couldn’t quite pull it off given her own obvious excitement. She’d been almost jittering ever since she came in.
“Looks like you’re thrilled enough for the both of us,” he noted.
“I might be,” she said with an air of exaggerated mystery. “I might, just possibly, have a surprise for you later. But only if you’re very good.”
“I am loving the sound of this,” Devon purred.
“Not that kind of surprise!” She hit him on the arm. “Okay, well, maybe that, too. Would it make you less nervous to be thinking about . . . that instead of concentrating on all the people out in the dining room?”
He loved that after all the things they’d done together, the ways they’d learned to please each other, she still fumbled over what to call it.
“Absolutely,” Devon told her. “In all fairness, I think you should give me a teaser now, just to be sure my head’s in the right place.” He trailed a hand down her front, fingers nimbly slipping into her bodice to find warm skin.
“That’s what would be fair, huh?” Her eyelids had slid to half-mast, her breath starting to come faster. Christ, they were good together.
“Oh, sure,” he breathed, bending down to mouth the words into the pale column of her neck. “Common decency is dictating the whole thing.”
The couch was close, but the desk was closer.
A few—embarrassingly few—hot, sweaty minutes later, and Devon was feeling quite a bit looser. Lilah twisted her