Page 31 of Devil’s Candy

Her eyes go wide. “Oh. I thought you were telling me you weren’t interested in caring for anyone.”

I pull back, staring at her as I realize what she was thinking. I kiss her again, but this time it’s gentle, easy. “You fuck me like that again, and I might be your slave.”

She softly laughs against my mouth. “Noted.” She rubs her cheek against mine. “And for whatever it’s worth, that was the best sex I’ve ever had. The only time that even comes close is the last time we had sex.”

I slide my hand under her neck, cradling her head as I open her neck to me, trailing my lips down her silky skin. “Just so that we’re clear, we are going to try to top today. And if we don’t, we’ll just keep trying.”

She laughs then, husky and sexy as hell, her body so soft under mine. “Deal.”

Once I’ve taken care of Vinnie, we can talk about what’s next. I’ve got a few ideas, but I need to know what she sees for herself.

I saw her cutting hair today, and she shines when she’s working on other people. My guess is, she’s going to want to keep up with her profession.

Which I think could work.

I lift her up off the couch and carry her to the bathroom. Once I’ve got her all cleaned up, I need to feed my woman, and she is my woman, and then tuck her into my bed.

Candy is going to be spending a lot of time in my bed.

And when she isn’t, she’s going to move free and easy in this world, knowing that her man is the kind that would never let anyone or anything hurt her.

Never.

I scrub her clean and then dress her in one of my T-shirts. She pads out into the kitchen, her legs on full display, smelling like me in my clothes, which fills me with deep fucking satisfaction.

It’s also hot as fucking hell as she bends down and looks into my fridge. “I think you’ve got the stuff for me to make a chicken noodle soup. Interested?”

My brows lift. “You’re going to cook for me?”

She shrugs, looking down. “I’m really glad to be here and happy to help however I can.”

This fucking woman. So many people want to take, take, take.

But with her, it’s all fucking give.

It’s not that I haven’t given too, but not because she’s asked for a thing.

“I’ll tell you what. You make dinner and I’ll go back to your apartment and collect the rest of your stuff.”

“You’re sure you’ll be safe?” she asks, her brow furrowing.

That is adorable. I’m not going to tell her just how dangerous I am, but my safety is the least of our worries. “I’m perfectly safe.”

She pushes up on tiptoe and kisses my lips, her arms winding around my neck. I pull her body in close, breathing her in.

I hope Candy doesn’t change her mind about me, because I’m not sure I’m letting her go. Ever.

That feeling I had earlier, that Candy should have the kind of man that makes her feel safe, comes back.

If my girls are truly protected and happy with the Smiths, then maybe it’s time for me to direct my energy somewhere else.

A woman like Candy would be a joy to make my own.

I kiss her once, twice, before I ease back. “Won’t take me longer than an hour.”

She nods and then starts searching the cabinets, pulling out a pan and a cutting board.

“Once I leave, stay in the apartment. You won’t be able to get back in if you go out.”