Lovely Neighbor Page 8

  “Not in the way you’re thinking,” I laugh, because although we technically slept together, we haven’t slept together.

  “I knew it!” There it is. “You two are a perfect match and I’m taking full credit for it.” She walks quickly to the door. “Come on, sugar. I want to see this for myself.” I follow her out, wondering how this lunch is going to go. Grams can be a wild card and I’m not sure what she’ll say in front of Devin.

  We walk to the parking garage, and as we get in Grams’ car, I get a text.

  “Devin said he’s ordered food for us so we don’t need to pick anything up.” I should have seen that coming. I wonder if his sister will be joining us. I really liked her, and watching her and Devin together is endearing.

  “Of course he did. That man is always thinking five steps ahead.” Grams winks at me, making me wonder if she played a part in Devin and me coming together. Then a thought occurs to me and I narrow my eyes.

  “Your spare room isn't under construction, is it?” I ask as she pulls out of the parking garage.

  “You got me,” she laughs, clearly smug about it.

  “You’ve been planning this from day one?” I can’t with her. She saw an opening to get me closer to Devin and she took it.

  “I knew I just had to get you together, but it was like pulling teeth and I couldn’t manage to make it happen. He’s always working and I never know when you’re going to pop in for a visit until a few days before.”

  “Why did you think we’d be good together?” Devin and I clicked from the very start, and it feels like I’ve known him longer than I really have. Everything comes so naturally between us.

  “He’s a good man. He just needed a woman that could snag his attention and I had no doubt you could do it.”

  “I wish I had as much confidence as you have in me.” She truly believes that I can get any man I want.

  “That’s what makes you special, sugar. You don’t realize how beautiful you are inside and out.”

  “That’s sweet, but I think you have to say those things.”

  “I never say anything I don’t want to.” She has me there. “I also know he could get you to come out of your shell.”

  I don’t know what it is about Devin, but I just feel comfortable around him. There are small moments when I’m shy, but nothing big that keeps me from being with him.

  “Sometimes it’s hard to believe we’re related,” I say as she pulls up to Devin’s building a few moments later.

  I inwardly groan when we walk in and I see the same security guard from the last time I was here standing behind the desk.

  “Erin.” He says my name before I can say anything at all. Oh god, Devin must have told him who I am.

  “That’s me,” I say, and Grams looks like she’s about to burst with excitement.

  “You’ll want to take the elevator to the twenty-second floor.”

  “Thanks.” I smile, thankful he didn't bring up the other day. I’m still embarrassed about how I ran out of here.

  “They know you already. That man is always barreling right into what he wants,” Grams laughs as the elevator opens and we step on together. She hits the button before I can and smirks. “You didn't have a chance once he saw you.”

  She’s right and that warms me all over. Devin has gone full force into making us something more.

  “You do know this is all a bit crazy, right?”

  I wouldn’t change a thing because the past few days have been the best of my life. Before now I felt like I was drifting and unsure about what I was going to do with my life. With Devin I feel grounded and I’m thinking about the future. I know for certain I want him, and when he jokes about living together, it’s all too tempting. I worry that it’s too soon and we might ruin what we have.

  “Love makes people do crazy things.” The doors to the elevator open and Devin is standing there waiting for us.

  “Erin.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses me.

  “Devin.” I grab his shirt and pull him close. How can he always leave me breathless?

  “Sorry, Betty,” he says when he ends the kiss.

  “Don’t mind me.” She waves her hand. “I’m all for this. I’m not getting any younger and I want grandbabies.”

  My face heats and I feel embarrassed that Grams is talking about my sex life. Not only that, but she’s throwing out that we should have kids. She’s going to scare the man away.

  “I’m working on it.”

  Devin takes my hand and I’m shocked at how easily he agreed. People turn to look at us in surprise as we pass. I’m sure I look a little flustered after the kiss and the baby comment. I have no doubt these two are going to have me agreeing to move in with Devin by the end of lunch.

  Not that I’m going to put up much of a fight.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Devin

  “That was delicious, Devin. Thank you again for inviting me.” Betty nudges Erin, and I hide my smile behind my napkin.

  “Thank you for coming, it made my afternoon.”

  We’ve spent the last hour talking and I’ve learned a lot about Erin as a child. Mostly I’ve gotten to sit back and listen to Betty tell me all the things she loves about her granddaughter, and seeing her light up has been wonderful. Erin cringed a time or two, but I could see how much she loves her grandmother and how special their bond is.

  “What plans do you ladies have for the rest of the day?” I place my napkin on the table and take Erin’s hand in mine.

  “I’m in charge of bringing the liquor to our Bunko game tonight.” She winks at Erin. “I hear there’s going to be a stripper.”

  “Grams!” Erin calls, and I have to smother my laugh.

  “I keep trying to get you to come, but if that won’t do it, nothing will.”

  Erin hangs her head and shakes it, and I lean over and kiss her cheek. “Good, that means I get dinner with you tonight all to myself.”

  She looks up and there’s worry in her eyes as she bites her lip. “About that.”

  There’s a sinking feeling in my stomach while I wait for what feels like bad news.

  “I’ve got to fly back to my apartment tonight.” She looks to Betty, who is as surprised as I am. “If you don’t mind watching Moose for me. I can’t take him on the plane and it’s just going to be a quick trip.”

  “Why do you have to go so fast?” I think about my cases and travel I have coming up and I know there’s not much time in my calendar, but I can make it. “If you give me until the weekend I can go with you.”

  “That’s so sweet, I really appreciate that, Devin, but I called my landlord this morning and he said he could only do tomorrow.”

  “I can watch Moose, sugar, but are you sure you don’t want one of us to go with you?”

  The thought of her going back to the place that was broken into makes me uneasy.

  “Yeah, I think it will be fine. I’m going to stay the night with my friend Jenna and come back the next day. I called a moving company too and they’re going to meet me there tomorrow so I can get out of there quickly.”

  “It seems like you’ve got this handled by yourself.” I don’t mean for my words to come out harsh, but I can’t help it.

  “I tried to make it so that no one would be inconvenienced.”

  “Sugar, I would have been more than happy to go with you.”

  “Why don’t I go?” I offer quickly, trying to insert myself in a situation that she didn’t ask me to be in. If this makes me pathetic, I don’t care.

  “You just got finished telling us about your big case tomorrow.” Erin smiles softly at me like I don’t understand what’s going on.

  “I can get Renee to cover for me.”

  She shakes her head and squeezes my hand. “You guys, I will be fine. I’ve got this under control. I’m going with my friend to the apartment and I’m meeting my landlord and the movers there in the daylight. I’ll be back before you know I’m gone.”

  “That’s not like
ly,” Betty says, and I grunt in agreement.

  “The sooner I can get this finished, the sooner I can come back.” This time she’s looking at me with pleading eyes that are begging me to understand her.

  “Fine,” I say, and she sits up hopefully. “But under one condition.”

  “Anything,” she blurts out.

  “Come with me to Milan when you get back.”

  Her blank expression almost makes me laugh. I probably would if it wasn’t for being irritated about her going back to her old place.

  “Are you serious?”

  “If she doesn’t, I will,” Betty whispers, and I smile.

  “Yes, I’ve got to go there for a couple of days for work. Come with me and keep me company. We can leave whenever you get back.”

  “Yes!” She leans over to hug me, and I end up pulling her into my lap.

  “Good. Now hurry up and get your place cleared out so we can make this real.”

  “It feels like a dream,” she whispers, and I agree.

  “I’ve got to go before those ladies start calling and asking where I am,” Betty says as she grabs her purse. “What time is your flight, sugar?”

  “At ten tonight. Jenna is meeting me at the airport.”

  “I’ll make sure Erin gets there safe. Are you sure you have to run off so soon?”

  “You’ve obviously never met a group of old ladies low on alcohol.” She winks as she leans down and kisses Erin on the cheek. “Call me when you land. I love you.”

  “I love you too.” She stands up and hugs her grandmother.

  Just as Betty leaves, Renee comes into my office. She talks to Betty for a quick second before she comes in and says hello to Erin.

  “Has my brother given you the grand tour of the place?” she asks, and Erin shakes her head. “Come on, I’ll show you my office. It's way nicer than this dump.”

  Erin looks around my office and laughs as we follow Renee out into the hallway.

  “We’ve got the whole floor up here and the one below it for human resources and marketing. Devin mentioned to me you’ve got a degree in graphic design. If you’re in need of a job we’ve got an opening.”

  “Actually—”

  “Renee,” I warn, cutting Erin off.

  Renee shrugs as she keeps walking and Erin looks at me. It’s not that I don’t want Erin to work, and her working here might be amazing. I just don’t want her to feel like we’re giving her a handout. Erin is so smart and could have any job she wanted. We’d be lucky to hire her, but the selfish part of me likes knowing she’s home waiting for me while I’m working. Does that make me an asshole? What if those fantasies include giving her everything she’s ever wanted?

  “Down this way we’ve got our junior attorneys’ offices. We allow college students to do their required hours here and shadow cases. We take on a lot of high-profile clients, so it's a good experience for them.” Renee stops and shows off a few of the offices, and I squeeze Erin’s hand.

  “It’s so big up here.” Erin looks down another hallway that leads to the tech department.

  “We’ve got a lot of square footage.” Renee pretends to whisper as we walk past the room with all the computers in it. “This is where we keep IT and our breakroom if you ever need any refreshments.”

  Renee jokes as we pass by the doors, and I see several people working. For a moment Erin falters in her steps and I glance over at her.

  “You okay?” I look down at the floor to see if she tripped over something, but there’s nothing there.

  “Y-yeah.” She looks past me and to the open door behind us. “I thought I saw something.”

  A second later, Garry, the head of IT, comes out of the room and waves at us as he goes into the breakroom.

  Erin blinks a few times and looks away.

  “You look like you saw a ghost.” I pull her close, but she smiles and tries again to shake it off.

  “I’m fine, I think I’m just tired.” She leans in and places her hand on my chest. “Someone woke me up at the crack of dawn.”

  “I can’t imagine who would do such a thing.”

  “Eww,” Renee says as she grabs Erin by the hand and takes her down the hallway to her office. “Now this is a view.” Renee holds out her arms and spins when we walk into her office, and Erin laughs as she looks at me.

  “How?” she asks, and I shake my head.

  “I lost the coin toss.”

  “Always bet on tails,” Renee says and holds her hand up for a high five. I ignore it, but Erin slaps her hand and as much as my sister is trying to torment me, I love seeing the two of them becoming friends.

  “I’m taking Erin to Italy.”

  Renee gasps and then beams at Erin. “You are going to have the best time. Let me give you the name of my gondola guy.”

  “Later,” I say, pulling Erin close to me and kissing the top of her head. “We’ve got to go.”

  “Fine, but I want details.” She puts her hand to her ear like a telephone and whispers “call me” to Erin.

  “I guess I should be going home and getting packed,” she says as we go back into my office.

  “You’ve got a little time, right?” I close my office door and lock it behind us.

  Erin looks around me and then into my eyes. “Yeah, I’ve got a few minutes to spare.”

  “Good. Lose the panties.”

  Her eyes widen as I take my jacket off and slowly drape it on the chair beside me.

  “Right here?” She looks around and I shrug as I unbutton my sleeves and start to roll them up.

  “Take them off, Erin.”

  She nervously fidgets with her fingers before she finally reaches under her dress and I see the pink cotton come down her legs.

  “Give them to me.” I hold out my hand with my palm up, then take a step toward her and wait.

  She blushes and tucks her chin as she picks them up and brings them over to me. My hand closes around the warm material and I bring them to my nose. They smell so fucking sweet and her mouth hangs open as she watches me. I do it once again and then tuck them in my pocket before I back her up against the sofa along the far side of my office.

  “Devin,” she whispers when I make her sit down and I kneel in front of her.

  “I need something to hold me over until you get back,” I say, jerking her ass to the edge of the couch, and she falls back against it. “It won’t be enough, but it will do the job until I can have the rest of you.”

  I throw her legs over my shoulders and then push her dress up the rest of the way. Her naked pussy is so fucking pretty and waiting for me to eat it. She’s ripe like a little peach and I growl as I lean down and suck her juices.

  She’s so goddamn tight like this, I can hardly get my fingers inside her. But she tastes like home and all I want to do is live right here between her thick thighs.

  “I’m going to miss this,” she moans, threading her fingers in my hair.

  “Hurry back,” I growl and suck on her pussy.

  She cries out again, and I have to put my hand over her mouth. I shouldn’t give a fuck who hears me loving my woman, but I don’t want her embarrassed.

  Thoughts of her leaving me and not coming back make me lick her faster, suck her harder and slide my fingers in and out like I’m fucking her. I should have fucked her last night and this morning so I could have her every way possible. I was waiting for the right moment, but knowing that she might slip through my hands makes me want to hold tighter.

  If I got her pregnant, she’d be mine in every way and tied to me forever.

  That thought makes me hard as fuck and angrier that I haven’t done it yet. “Mine,” I say against her pussy, and she rocks against my mouth. Thoughts of breeding her and having her on my cock flood my mind as she cums on my face. Her orgasm is hard and fast, but it’s not enough.

  When I keep going and make her have another, this time when she cries out, I don’t get my hand to her mouth fast enough. The whole floor probably heard her cries, b
ut that doesn’t stop me. I’m too far gone in her pleasure to think beyond making her feel good.

  “Devin.” Her legs fall limp around me and she pulls me to her.

  We kiss and I ache for more, but I know this isn’t where I want our first time to be. She deserves better than the couch in my office, and although I don’t want to wait, I will. She’s worth waiting for.

  “I’ll be back really, really fast.” She smiles against my lips and I nod.

  “You better be or I’m coming for you.”

  “Promise?” She looks up at me and I nod.

  “Forever.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Erin

  “Is she dead?” I hear Lucas whisper loudly to Jenna as I hold in a laugh and he pokes my cheek.

  “Leave her alone.” When I open my eyes, I see Lucas standing over me.

  “She’s alive!” he shouts when I pull him down onto the sofa with me and kiss his cheek.

  “Go get dressed, you little troublemaker,” Jenna tells him, and he jumps up.

  “Froot Loops!” he shouts as he runs out of the living room.

  I sit up on the sofa I crashed on late last night and smile at him.

  “Sorry.” Jenna shakes her head, laughing. “You want a bowl of Froot Loops too?” She pulls a bowl out from the cabinet and makes Lucas one.

  “Coffee?” I let out a yawn as I stretch out.

  “I know that sofa isn't the most comfortable.”

  “It’s fine.” I wave her off as she hits the coffee machine for both of us.

  “I can’t believe you’re leaving me for good. Not that I can blame you after all you’ve told me about Devin.” I smile just hearing his name. “Look at you. You’re totally in love.”

  We stayed up way too late last night talking about him. I’m going to miss her and our slumber parties. When Lucas comes running back into the kitchen, he hops up in the chair and starts playing with his iPad, shoving a giant bite of cereal in his mouth.

  “You’ve got ten minutes,” Jenna tells him as she pours the coffee and we walk into the living room.