Page 78 of Twice as Tempting

Chapter 25

“Let’s get you out of this thing,” Damian said in her darkened bedroom. He took hold of the zipper on the Catwoman costume and slowly eased it down to just past her navel. His fingertips were warm as they brushed the bare sliver of skin that he had revealed. “I couldn’t wait to be alone with you,” he said, his voice muted because of the pounding in her ears.

“I’m burning up in here. Hurry up and take it off,” she said.

He chuckled as he peeled the fabric away from her breasts and off her shoulders, but then he stopped and bent his head down to pull a nipple into his mouth. Kelly’s arms were still trapped in the tight costume, and she was helpless against the onslaught of his warm tongue as he swirled it around first one nipple and then the other.

Finally, he pulled back, and with his help, she wiggled out of the costume. Damian lifted her into his arms and laid her on the bed. He gazed down at her and said, “I love you, Kelly.”

“No, he doesn’t,” said a woman’s voice. “He’ll never love you. He only loves himself, himself, himself…”

The incessant buzz of the alarm clock broke through her sleep-muddled brain, and Kelly bolted upright. She was sweating, and her breath came in short pants.

“It was just a dream,” she said repeatedly until her heart rate returned to normal. And then the events of the previous evening came flooding back, and she realized that the woman’s voice in her dream was Amanda’s.

Kelly hadn’t heard a word from Damian after Emma had dropped her off, and she hadn’t really expected to. Even though she wanted to confront him, she forced herself not to, and she had even turned off her phone so she wouldn’t be tempted to call him. If he could be stubborn, then so could she! Besides, this time, none of it was her fault. As Zack had said, Damian owed her an apology, and she would make herself wait for it.

It was Sunday, and since Brett had asked for the day off, Kelly had to work. She was glad that she wouldn’t be sitting around her apartment stewing over Damian all day, and she decided that she might even go in early.

Kelly showered, dressed, and ate breakfast, and she purposely ignored her phone until she was ready to leave. Not surprisingly, there were no texts or missed calls from Damian. There was only one lengthy voicemail from Emma telling her not to worry—that Damian would come around.

When Kelly opened her front door to a cool, overcast fall day, she noticed that Damian’s truck was already gone. Like her, he had probably gone off to work, with the hopes of escaping his troubles for a little while.

A couple hours later, Kelly was at the bookstore, responding to emails about the next book club meeting, when Mrs. Simmons hobbled in.

“Just the lady I wanted to see,” Kelly said. “The votes are in for our next romance book.”

“First things first,” said Mrs. Simmons. “How did the Halloween party go last night? Do you have any pictures?”

Ugh. Kelly had forgotten that she had told Mrs. Simmons about the party, but the spry old woman didn’t forget a thing! “Well…” She must have hesitated for too long, and Mrs. Simmons jumped on it.

“That boy better be treating you right. I warned him the other day…”

“What? You warned him?”

“Yes. At our first book club meeting. I told him that you were special and that he better treat you right or some other man would.”

Kelly threw her head back and laughed. “And what did he say to that?”

“He promised that he would.”

“I don’t know what it is, Mrs. Simmons, but with Damian, I feel like I’m constantly on a rollercoaster ride. First, we’re up, then we’re down… sometimes I think that I would rather ride the merry-go-round.”

“Ha! Merry-go-rounds are boring. Rollercoasters are a lot more fun! Believe me.”

Suddenly Kelly realized that she didn’t know that much about Mrs. Simmons’s personal life outside of their shared interest in romance novels. “Is that what your life was like with Mr. Simmons?” she ventured.

Mrs. Simmons’s face lit up with a sweet smile. “We had our share of ups and downs, that’s for sure, but I loved him right up until the day he died. Still do, as a matter of fact.”

“I hope that I get to experience that kind of love someday,” Kelly said wistfully.

“Perhaps you already have, but your Adonis is too mule-headed to admit it. Sometimes men need a swift kick in the…”

“Mrs. Simmons,” Kelly warned, cutting her off just as a male customer walked in.

“Sorry dear,” she said and wandered off to the romance section.

The man walked right up to the counter. “How can I help you?” Kelly asked, trying not to stare. He was shorter than Damian and leaner, and his eyes were the most extraordinary bluish-green color that she had ever seen. His light brown hair was close-cropped, and he sported a smattering of facial hair, but it was those eyes that really drew her in. He was exactly the type of man she would have been attracted to in the past. Damn you, Damian, for spoiling me for any other man!