Swallowed (Devoured #2) (7 page)

Julianna flicked through the channels and drank the
rest of the wine straight from the bottle. She hadn’t been sober since
approximately thirty minutes after Kirk left the hotel room.

She knew he said it was over in so many words, but
she still couldn’t believe that he’d meant it. After all, her pussy was sore.
Guys who didn’t like you didn’t make your pussy feel like this. If she so much
as sneezed she was brought back immediately to the hotel, to the memory of
looking down between her legs and watching him lick her senseless.

She had to give credit where credit was due. The
proficiency with which Kirk had fucked her with his tongue, well, it made it
look like every other guy who’d ever attempted that was merely licking a stamp.

And there weren’t that many once she started
thinking about it. Because, as everyone knew, that was something guys only did
when they really, really cared about somebody. It was the most intimate thing
she could think of.

And though she’d heard food was the fastest way to
win a man’s heart, surely letting him fuck your mouth was a close second? She
could still picture the look on his face as he did it, like he couldn’t believe
his luck. And he bought her a present.

It was obvious. She meant something to him. It was
just a matter of time before he realized it and things heated up again. Sex
wasn’t enough with him. He was so sweet. All that stuff he said about her being
sexy and deserving a guy that she didn’t have to share. It was all true, of course,
and very nice of him to say, but she didn’t want just any guy. She wanted Kirk
Jenkins.

Mrs. Julianna Jenkins. It was pretty much the cutest
name she’d ever heard. Almost fated if she had to guess. There was no way he
could go back to his wife. Not really. Not forever. They were newlyweds and he
was obviously already bored of her!

And if she knew anything about marriage it was that
things didn’t get steamier as time went on. Quite the opposite if the rumors
were true. Eventually, picturing her while he screwed his wife wouldn’t be
enough for him, and he would come crawling back. Right between her legs where
she liked him best.

Julianna steadied herself as she stood up from the
couch. Then she went to the kitchen to get another bottle of wine, passing the
nightdress where it was draped over a kitchen chair. She grabbed it to throw it
in the wash, but something stopped her. Instead, she spread it across the
counter and looked at it.

She dragged a finger over the hardened cum stain and
decided not to wash it just yet. After all, the stain was probably set anyway.
She threw it back over the chair and grabbed another bottle of red, not
bothering with a glass.

She lay back down and checked her phone. Still no
text from him. She didn’t want to seem desperate so she couldn’t call. Even
though she ached from missing him. This was exactly why she was so
anti-feelings and anti-relationships. Because of this exact pain.

Julianna picked up the phone and waited impatiently
through the musical ring tone.

“Hey Ju.”

“Hey Heather.”

“Are you drunk?”

“Drinking.” Julianna hiccupped. “Not drunk.”

“What’s the occasion?”

“He went down on me.’’

“The professor?”

“Yeah, he fucked me with his mouth-”

“Jesus, Julianna. Hold on a second. I’m at work!”

“Don’t you write a sleazy sex column?”

Heather sighed. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I can
have sleazy conversations on the phone at my desk. I already have enough
trouble being taken seriously.”

Julianna laughed. “What’s so great about being taken
seriously? Overrated if you ask me.”

“Well I didn’t. Anyway, I have some privacy now.
Tell me everything.”

“That’s pretty much it. He went down on me, fucked
my mouth, gave me a present, and told me it was over.”

“Whoa.”

“So I’m calling you right now so I don’t call him.”

“Good idea. I thought you told me he was going to
leave his wife.”

“I still think that.”

“But he told you it’s over?”

“But he did all that other stuff at the same time!”

“Yeah, there are definitely some mixed signals
there.”

“So what do I do?”

“I think you have to leave him alone, Julianna. He’s
a married man.”

Julianna pulled her feet up onto the couch. “Really?
Even with the mindfuck of the present and everything?”

“What was the present?”

“Lingerie.”

“Weird,” Heather said. “I don’t know what to tell
you. It sounds like he doesn’t know what he wants.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s me. I mean, just based on how
things are when we’re together.”

“Right.”

“I really like him, Heather. I didn’t want to like
him, but it’s too late.”

Heather sighed. “Look, I know that I’m the last
person you want to hear this from because you’ve always felt that I have
notoriously bad taste in men…”

“Why would you say that?”

“Cause you’ve made it quite clear and Sam confirmed
it.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay, really. It’s fine,” Heather continued.
“The point is, I think you need to stay away from this guy to avoid getting any
more hurt than you obviously already are.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, he’s clearly using you because his
marriage is fucked up.”

“He’s not using me.”

“Whatever. You’re using each other, and it’s not
healthy,” Heather said. “There’s only one place you’re going to end up if you
don’t stop pursuing this guy.”

“Where’s that?”

“Hurtsville, U.S.A.”

Julianna rolled her eyes.

“Seriously, Julianna. As a friend, I’m telling you
that this guy isn’t going to leave his wife for you, and you’re never going to
have anything of substance with him besides cheap, secret sex.”

Julianna was quiet.

“Are you there?”

“I thought you were going to make me feel better?”

“You didn’t let me finish.” Heather took a deep breath.
“I know you already know what I’m about to say, but just in case you forgot
since you’re drunk off your ass, I’m going to remind you.”

“Go on.”

“You are a beautiful, smart, sexy young woman with
nothing but wonderful opportunities ahead of you.”

Julianna sat up a little. “Better.”

“And the world is full of clever, funny, handsome
rich men who would beat each other to a pulp just to hold your hand, much less
date you and spoil you like you deserve.”

“Uh huh.”

“So stop wasting your time on this cheating loser.
He doesn’t deserve you. Let him crawl back to his poor, betrayed wife and try
to save his miserable marriage, and do not allow yourself to be sucked into his
bullshit, his mixed signals, or his bed again.”

Julianna gnawed on a hangnail.

“Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t make me come down there and kick the shit out
of this guy, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Forget him.”

“Okay.”

“Call me in a week when your hangover’s gone.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, bitch,” Heather said. “You know that.”

Julianna hung up the phone and cocked her head at
it. For a moment, she considered Heather’s logic. After all, she was considered
an accepted expert when it came to sexual matters and relationship problems.

But in the end she put the phone on the table,
picked up the wine, and decided Heather was an idiot. She didn’t know what she
was talking about.

Kirk would come around eventually. And everything
would work out just how she wanted. Just as it always did.

Kirk woke up to a familiar smell and smiled before
he even opened his eyes. He stretched in bed before wiggling into his slippers and
grabbing his robe where it hung on the door.

As he followed the sound of the sizzling griddle
into the kitchen, he felt like his life was finally back to normal again.

When he saw Madeline flipping pancakes in her
pajamas, he couldn’t remember ever being so happy. He wrapped his arms around
her waist, snuggled his face into her blond bob, and breathed her in.

“Good morning,” she said.

“Good morning.” He peered over her shoulder. “Those
smell delicious.”

“I could make a few chocolate chippies, too, if you
want.”

“Do you have powdered sugar to go with them?”

“You know it.”

“What a nice surprise.” He sat down on the barstool at
the end of the counter. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Are you kidding? I owe you more than a few meals in
bed after how patient you’ve been with me.”

“I’m just glad you came around. I was really
starting to worry.”

“You mean you were really starting to get sick of my
mom calling you every day.”

He looked at her over the rim of his glasses and
laughed. “Your words, not mine.”

Madeline rolled her eyes. “Coffee’s made if you want
a cup. I’d love one if you’re pouring.”

“Say no more.” Kirk got up and filled two mugs with
the fresh, fragrant brew. “Cream?”

“You trying to fatten me up?” Madeline asked over
her shoulder.

“Can you blame me?”

“Go on then.” Madeline nodded. “Might as well put
some sugar in there as well.”

Kirk smiled. “Want to eat at the table for a
change?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Kirk placed the coffees on the table and grabbed two
placemats from behind the toaster. He used to hate setting the table, but that
was before he knew what the alternative to eating there was. He hoped it would
be a long time before he had to eat another frozen dinner in front of the
Discovery Channel.

Madeline carried some plates stacked with pancakes over
but jumped up from her seat before she sat down as if she’d sat on hot coals.
“I almost forgot!”

Kirk watched her to see what all the fuss was about.

She grabbed a teaspoon and a bag of powdered sugar
from a kitchen cabinet and came back. “Figured I’d just bring you the bag.”

He leaned over and gave her a little kiss and made
an exaggerated “mwah” sound. “Good call.” He cut into his pancakes and groaned
when they hit his tongue.

Madeline smiled.

“I missed you even more than I realized,” he said
with his mouth full.

She laughed. “Well I’m glad to be back.”

He slipped his hand over hers.

“Thanks for your patience, and thanks for helping me
snap out of my funk.”

“That’s my job.”

“I’ve just never been so sad, honey. I just couldn’t
even get out of bed.”

“I know.” He took another oversized bite. “I was
there.”

She looked down at her plate and picked up her
coffee cup. “To you.”

He clinked his mug against hers. “To us,” he
corrected.

“Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“I want to try again.”

Kirk looked down at his plate. “What for? They’re
perfect! And I already ate most of them.”

Madeline laughed. “No. Not the pancakes. I want to
try for another baby.”

Kirk stopped chewing. He had hoped she would come
around eventually, but he hadn’t expected her to make a full recovery so
quickly. “Right now or after we’re done eating?”

She elbowed him playfully and laughed. “Seriously,
though.”

He smiled. “I know, honey.”

“Not that I didn’t know it before, but after these
last few weeks, I just think if you’re half as good a father as you are a
husband, our babies will be the luckiest kids on the block.”

Kirk felt a knot in his gut. “Thanks,” he said. “I
try.”

“And I want you to hold me to what I said on nights
when I have a headache or say I’m too tired.”

Kirk raised his eyebrows.

“Promise?”

“Sure. Yeah. I promise.”

“Cause I know you’re up for it more than I am and you
must’ve been going crazy these last few months, but I’m going to try really
hard to make it up to you.”

Kirk leaned over, put his hand around the back of Madeline’s
neck, and looked into her brown eyes, admiring their newly regained sparkle.
“Are you sure? That’s going to take a lot of pancake batter.”

She smiled. “I’m sure.”

“Well in that case, I have a present for you.”

“You do?”

“I do. I was hoping this day would come, and I
wanted to be prepared!” Kirk scuttled to the hall closet in his slippers and
tunneled through the shoes and coats until he found the wrapped box with the
bow on it.

He returned to the table with a big smile on his
face and put it down in front of his wife.

“That’s for me?”

“Yup.”

“What is it?”

“Open it.”

She pursed her lips and pulled the ribbon away until
it unraveled. Then she carefully ripped the paper along the sides and lifted
the lid off the box.

“Oh my goodness!” Madeline’s face lit up as she lifted
the silk nightdress out of the box by the straps, careful not to drag it
through her pancakes. She held it up in front of her robe and swayed from side
to side.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it,” she said. “It’s so sexy. I mean, wow.”

“I thought the red would look great on you.”

She reached out and took his hand where he sat at
the end of the table. “Thanks, babe.” 

He scooted his chair out. I wanted you to have it
for whenever you were ready to try again.”

She sat in his lap and put her arm around him. “That
was really thoughtful of you. How did you know I’d come around?”

He shrugged. “The other day when you called and said
you were ready to make an effort to feel better, I was just so excited.”

“That’s when you got it?”

“Yeah. Right after you called.”

She wrapped her arms around him and cradled his head
against her chest. “What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful husband?”

He looked up and put his fingers under her chin. “I’m
the lucky one.”

“Well, let’s make our own luck together from now on.
Like before.”

“Oh you’re getting lucky alright!” He shook her
waist gently from side to side. “Just as soon as you eat your pancakes. You’ll
need plenty of energy for what I have planned for you!”

Madeline giggled and sat back in her seat, a wide
smile plastered to her face. “We’ll have to make it quick, honey. My folks are
coming over in a half hour.”

Kirk’s face dropped.

“Gotcha!” She stuffed a bite of chocolaty pancakes
into her laughing mouth.

Kirk shook his head. “You sure did.”

“I’m just kidding,” she said, covering her full
mouth. “We’ve got nothing to do today but each other!”

Kirk smiled. “I like it when you talk dirty.”

“Well then you’ll love hearing about what I think of
your efforts to tidy the house while I was out of commission.”

Kirk groaned.

“I’m just kidding, honey.” Madeline stood up. “You
know I’m grateful for everything you’ve been doing.” She picked up some plates
and walked over to the sink.

As soon as her back was turned, Kirk slipped his
phone out of his pocket and saw that he had a text from Julianna. He deleted it
along with her number. She was an adult. She would understand eventually.

Then, over his last few bites of chocolate chippies,
he renewed his vows to his wife and looked forward to a bright, uncomplicated
future.