Wanted by the Devil (4 page)

             
People waited politely to meet her and to bring Devlin and her drinks and food. She sipped a cold beer as she watched the bikers pull glass beer bottles from a row of stocked coolers. Coolers that sat right underneath a sign that said 'no glass containers.'

             
She had to laugh. The MC certainly did not follow the rules. But they did come up and introduce themselves, one by one. She finally met the big biker with long curly hair, Jack. He was Devlin's second in command. Then there was Donahue with merry blue eyes and black spiky hair, always hovering somewhere near Jack or Dav. She met Mike, also known as Whisky beard, one of the young prospects who she recognized from high school who had an angry red splotch on his cheek. There were too many other names to remember them all. She hoped she'd get the hang of it eventually.

             
Eventually. Everything about this felt like he was interested in being her boyfriend. Did bikers even date? She decided not to worry about it. Not yet.

             
In the midst of the introductions Kaylie noticed that at least a few people were less than enthusiastic about Devlin's arrival with her. The red haired biker seemed to be annoyed about the scenario. But it wasn’t him that set off alarm bells in Kaylie’s head.

             
Two women stood off to the side. Both were blond and attractive. One of the women was in her 30's but the other one looked only a couple of years older than Kaylie. Long blond hair, peachy skin, and a body that looked like she could moonlight as a swimsuit model. She would have been stunning if not for the pinched look on her face. For a moment Kaylie wondered what was wrong with her. Until she realized what is was. A heavy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

             
Oh. She was jealous.

             
Kaylie wondered if the girl had been Devlin's girlfriend before her. Maybe he ran through girls like tissue paper. Maybe she was being taken advantage of. She felt herself getting quiet, letting the conversations around her wash over her like water.

             
"Let's take a walk."

             
She looked up at him and nodded. Devlin pulled her out of the crowd to a path that circled the lake.

             
"Okay Kaylie, what's bothering you?"

             
He didn't sound mad, she realized thankfully. But he was throwing her off balance. He really did not beat around the bush did he? Well, then she wouldn’t either.

             
"I'm not sure what I'm doing here."

             
"You're going for a walk. After that you are going to a picnic and after that, you are going to a carnival."

             
She stopped walking and gave him an exasperated look. He just grinned at her. The man was far too pleased with himself.

             
"Yes, but why?"

             
"Because you graduated."

             
"But why am I here
with you?
"

             
He gave her a knowing look and leaned back against a tree, crossing his arms.

             
"Don't tell me you don't know."

             
"I'm not being coy Devlin. I know you like me. I just don't know how many other girls get the royal treatment. There was a blond back there giving me evil looks. I don't want to step on someone else's territory."

             
He laughed.

             
"You are definitely not coy. Yes, I like you. No, there aren't any other girls. And no one has ever gotten the royal treatment before you.
Ever.
"

             
She narrowed her eyes at him, undecided.

             
"Come here, Kaylie."

             
She stayed where she was, lifting her chin. He laughed again and was on her in a second, lifting her up and over his shoulder like she weighed less than a rag doll. He carried her back to the tree and leaned her against the rough bark. Then he leaned over her, boxing her in with his arms.

             
Her breath was coming fast and shallow as he leaned forward with a heavy lidded look in his eyes. She looked away, suddenly nervous. He lifted her chin with one hand, forcing her to meet his eyes. What she saw there took her breath away. He wanted her. Even more than she realized. It was written all over his face.

             
"I know what I want and I go after it. I don't lie and I don't cheat. I'll take care of you if you let me Kaylie."

             
Her mouth opened slightly at his proclamation.

             
"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

             
He just grinned and leaned forward, his mouth less than an inch from her ear.

             
"I'm asking for a little more than that. I play for keeps."

             
"Oh."

             
Her whole body was tingling from his nearness. She was trembling a little bit she realized. She hoped he didn't notice. He kissed her ear and then moved below it, nuzzling her neck deliciously with his soft lips.

             
"So?"

             
"What?"

             
Her voice sounded breathy, a ridiculous caricature of a woman in the throws of lust. He kept kissing her neck, working back up to her ear.

             
"Is the answer yes?"

             
She could barely think but she managed to get out a shaky nod and a whispered yes. He was staring down at her with a triumphant look on his face.

             
"Good. Because I wouldn't have left you alone anyway."

             
She should have been annoyed at his cockiness but she wasn't. Instead it sounded like an oath of something. Something deep and true.

             
They both moaned as their lips met. He was finally kissing her, their breath commingling as they grasped each other desperately. He lifted her slightly, pushing her back into the tree trunk and pressing his body against hers. She gasped at the feeling of his hardness pressing into her belly. Oh god, he wanted to…

             
He was laughing again as he pulled away, stroking her hair gently. He lifted his body away from the intimate position they’d been in. She sighed as he broke contact, wanting him back against her almost immediately.

             
"No Kaylie I'm not going to try to do
that
in a public park."

             
"I knew that."

             
"Did you?"

             
She just stared at him, hoping her breath would return to normal, hoping she'd get used to the whirlwind of emotions he created in her so easily. It was annoying, how easy it was for him to turn her upside down. She decided it was important for her peace of mind that he didn't know the full extent of the control he had over her body and senses.

             
Because if he knew, who knew what he would do?

5

             
Devlin stared down at Kaylie. He was sorely tempted to find a private place to continue what they'd started but he put it out of his mind. He knew he wouldn't go through with it anyway. Kaylie was not the sort of girl you took in a parking lot. She still looked concerned, even though he'd kissed her senseless less than a minute before.

             
"Any other questions for me sweetheart?"

             
"Yes. I mean, just one."             

             
"Go ahead."

             
"Why me? It can't just be my-"

             
He grinned and raised an eyebrow.

             
"Your charms?"

             
She nodded sheepishly. Her charms were exceptional and certainly part of the reason he'd been drawn to her. But that wasn't why he'd first noticed her. In fact, he had started going to the diner because of Johnny.

             
"That's part of it. You are incredibly beautiful Kaylie."

             
She looked doubtful at that. He tried not to laugh again. His girl was sheer perfection. Beautiful but not vain, naturally sexy without any artifice or vulgarity. She deserved a real answer though, not flattery. He took a deep breath, hoping she wouldn't take this the wrong way.

             
"It started with Johnny."

             
"Johnny? The little boy who-"

             
He nodded. Johnny was mentally disabled. Sweet kid, industrious, even had a paper route. But he was special, and he'd had a hard time of it with the other kids making fun of him. The trouble was, he was just smart enough to
know
he was different. That was the hardest part.

             
"Johnny was always talking about this pretty girl who gave him an extra scoop of ice cream at Mae's. The kid loved going to that place. He even got a second job mowing lawns so he could afford to go in twice a week."

             
"He was a sweet boy. All I did was talk to him."

             
"It meant a lot to him Kaylie. So after he died I went in there to have his favorite. In his honor."

             
She smiled sadly.

             
"Banana split with extra nuts."

             
"Right. And then this stunningly beautiful girl walks over and takes my order. I couldn't believe there was an angel like you in this town. I knew I had to make you mine.”

             
“Me? You are joking right?”

“
Do I seem like I’m joking?”

She
stared up at him and he raised his eyebrow as he smiled at her. She blushed immediately which made him smile even wider.

“
Unfortunately, you were a little too young for me. So I had to wait."

             
"I still don't understand. Did Johnny come around the clubhouse or something?"

             
"Yeah, he hung out there a lot. Johnny was my brother."

             
Her sweet little mouth dropped open and a look of concern replaced the disbelief that had been there a moment before.

             
"I'm so sorry Devlin. I didn't know. We were all so sad about what happened to him. Oh god-"

             
She stared at him, finally putting the pieces together. Johnny and his mother had died in a car accident. That meant...

             
"You lost your mother too… Oh god, I'm so sorry."

             
He smiled at her softly. He really appreciated her words of condolence. They meant something.

             
"Thank you."

             
"So that's why you came in every week?"

             
"I had to check up on you and see how you were doing. I kept hoping you'd give me an extra scoop of ice cream but you never did."

             
He looked so sad for a minute that she laughed. A serious look came over her face. It looked like the disbelief was back.

             
"You've been waiting this whole time? That was almost two years ago!"

             
He shook his head. He wasn't going to lie to her. She didn't need to know how many girls he'd had, or how many offers he'd turned down, including a couple of girls who'd wanted to fool around last night at the clubhouse  after he'd dropped her off.

             
"I'm not a monk Kaylie. But I will be true to you."

             
She looked thoughtful for a minute. So she wasn’t going to raise a fuss about all the other women. And there had been a lot. That was a relief. There was no way to explain that away, even to an innocent like Kaylie.

             
"Okay. I will be true too."

             
He laughed and she slapped his shoulder.

             
"What's so funny?"

             
"Nobody would try it sweetheart, no matter how much they wanted to."

             
She blushed, clearly understanding what he was saying to her. Nobody messed with Devlin or his riders.

             
"Come on, let's get something to eat."