Alisha put the book down on the coffee table and twisted to wrap her arms around him. “Well, they look lovely. I’ll be glad to go with you and knock them off the hunt. But we could probably spring for a couple bottles of wine, now that Marcus gave us a salary increase. As long as your dad isn’t too crazy with his requests.”

Devon stroked his palms along her strong arms. “We can do that. And you let me know if you need help with Vincent, okay?”

* * *

She nodded. Paused. There was an awfully awkward question that had to be asked. “Are we actually seeing each other, or are we just getting the fucking out of our system? I wouldn’t worry about labeling it except for, well, we need to know what to tell . . .”

Thankfully Devon caught on right away. “The team, right?”

She nodded.

It was his turn to pause. “I’m not sure how to answer. I mean, I like you, and I think we’re hot together, and I don’t have objections to the team knowing we’ve hooked up, but . . .” Devon caught her by the chin. “Being blunt, I’m not looking for forever. If you think this will end with us in a family portrait surrounded by a swarm of kids like in the photo album, I’m telling you now, no. I don’t want a family.”

Jeez. “That was blunt.”

He sighed. “Yeah, the silver-tongued playboy scores again with his incredibly seductive words. This is the part when you run screaming from the room.”

“Or sneak off and wish you a nice life because my biological clock is ticking and I can’t waste any time on a guy who’s not interested in making babies and settling down?”

Devon’s wary expression lightened. “Are they handing out scripts nowadays? Because I swear I heard that exact line from someone once.”

Alisha rolled her eyes. “Devon, thanks for being honest, but now you tell me. Do I act like the type of woman who’s waiting for my knight in shining armour to snatch me up and impregnate me so I can be fulfilled?”

“Not at all. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” Devon sighed. “I’m happy for my siblings, but damn, if they project onto me one more time the glory that is parenthood, I swear I’m going to scream.”

Alisha could understand the sentiment. “I don’t want kids. Not now, maybe not ever, so no, I’m not expecting this thing between us to lead to the maternity ward. God, getting pregnant right now would be horrid for so many reasons I can’t even begin to articulate.”

His utter relief made her laugh.

Devon nuzzled her neck. “How about we play it by ear when it comes to the team—although be prepared to be razzed like crazy.”

“I figured that.”

“And while we’re fooling around? I expect you to only see me.”

“Ditto.” Alisha kissed him, the slow tease of his lips moving over hers making her shiver in anticipation. “I assume you can do only one woman at a time.”

“Please.” Devon rolled his eyes. “I have no idea how I’ll survive without multiple partners on a daily basis, but if you insist.”

He determinedly worked his way down her jaw to her ear. Her neck. Alisha had to think hard about the other thing she needed to ask. “So, not to change the subject or anything, but are we good in terms of my freak-out the other day?”

The slick of his arms down her back to adjust her position brought her directly over his groin, intimate parts lining up nicely. “I think the fear factor in the cavern was explainable, and you’ve proven that simply being in a watery situation wasn’t the issue. I have no worries and, as far as I’m concerned, it never happened.”

She’d figured they’d moved on, but to actually have him confirm it was a relief. “Thank you.”

“You did the job today,” he pointed out. “The only exception would be the next time we have to go underground. I’d keep a heads-up. Make sense?”

“Totally.” Alisha placed her hands on his shoulders and dug her fingertips into his muscles. “I’m in complete agreement, because there are no guarantees. Who knows what triggered the attack? Maybe I was too tired, or stressed from something else.”

“Or maybe the thought of a river rushing at us in the dark with no way out of its path was enough to freak anyone out.” Devon caught her by the hips and slid her over his hard length. “I was traumatized by the whole ordeal. You need to help me forget.”

The solid length of his cock under her gave a hint what kind of distraction he was looking for. “Were you traumatized? Poor fellow.”

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a condom, and held it in the air.

Alisha laughed. “Maybe we should do something about your fear of the dark.”

She clicked off the table lamp and turned the room black.

What followed was an exercise in sensory deprivation and sexual overload. With the lights gone, there was nothing other than the pale moonlight sneaking in the windows. The small house was tucked far enough onto the back lane that there were no streetlights. No cars whipping past on a regular basis to add illumination. The faint lights from his music system. The digital clock on the microwave. That was it.

What they lacked in sight was more than made up with tactile pleasure. She tugged his shirt free, and he lifted it over his head, and suddenly she had more sexy territory to explore than she could cover in a reasonable amount of time. Stroking the cuts of his six-pack made him moan. Sliding her palms up his chest made her respond the same way, her sigh definitely on the happy side. Then it was her turn to remove her top, his hands cupping her breasts instantly, his thumbs unerringly discovering her nipples.

“How do you do that in the dark?” she asked, the final word turning into a gasp as he tweaked harder.

“They’re like homing beacons.” He kissed her, slow and thorough as he teased, the pinches and tugs on her breasts escalating in pressure, then easing off until she couldn’t stand it. She rose to her knees, her hands buried in his hair. Even without lights she could guide him to where she needed him most.

“Bossy.” His warm lips pressed against her nipple, his tongue slipping out to tease her.

“You know you want to take a big bite,” she insisted.

Devon sucked her nipple into his mouth and she gasped, pleasure shooting through her hard enough to shake her legs. One side. The other, his hands supporting as he lifted her to his mouth and greedily brought her to the point that she was writhing.

He tugged her sweats off her ass, switching his hands to fisting her flesh. Hard squeezes, softer circles—all the while his tongue lashed her skin until she desperately needed him inside.

“Please, Devon. More.”

Both of them scrambled in their urge to get naked. When she would have resettled into his lap, she found herself being firmly placed into a new position. “Hands on the back of the couch,” he ordered.

When she grasped the fabric he slipped from under her, muscles sliding against her briefly as he wiggled off the couch and ended with his head between her spread thighs. There was a pause, the sound of the condom being opened.

Only he was in no position to be using it anytime soon. “Devon?”

“Oh man, you are wet. So fucking sexy.” Devon breathed deep, and cupped her ass again, holding her so she couldn’t retreat. He kissed the inside of her thigh, then licked his way up to the crease between leg and torso. She laughed and wiggled, but he held her steady. “There’s no escape,” he warned.

His mouth covered her sex, and she moaned. Pleasure roared through her, a tingle of tight ecstasy centered where he touched her before spreading in waves. Devon slipped a finger into her sex and stroked lightly. Not enough to send her over, but in connection with his tongue, more than enough to make her breathing hitch.

Then he switched his attention and ran his fingertips along her crease. When he stopped to tease the small, sensitive skin of her anus, she shivered.

“Yes?” he whispered against her sex. “Okay?”

She nodded, then forced herself to speak since he couldn’t see it. “It’s not my usual thing, but I don’t mind. Oh . . .”

He’d sucked her clit, rapidly teasing the heated bundle of nerves. At the same time he pressed his finger in to the first knuckle. A tiny intrusion that seemed so much more.

“Oh, my God.”

He did it again. And again, until she was quivering over him. When he finally slid his finger all the way in she tipped, the dual assault launching her past the point of no return.

She wasn’t done shaking, her body still clutching around empty air as he stole from under her and heat pressed against her back, their bodies skin on skin.

“Ready?” Devon teased his cock between her labia, rubbing the sensitive nub of her clit and making her shake.

“My brain isn’t working.”

He dragged a hand down her back, his fingertips tracing delicately on either side of her spine as he adjusted his hips, the head of his shaft slipping into her. “Don’t think, feel.”

He thrust, spearing her on his cock, and soon feeling was all she had left.

Their rattled breathing was loud in the room at first, punctuated by the strangely erotic wet sounds as he plunged in deep, their hips slapping together. He grasped her tightly as he worked her over, her breasts swinging as he took her. Their bodies once again pinned together as he shortened his strokes and leaned over. Chest to back, skin rubbing, the slick of perspiration sliding them together perfectly.

Nothing was left but the sensation of touch. Being touched. Inside, and out. He surrounded her, filled her, and Alisha soaked it in. Relished it. Accepted the nearly punishing assault.

Impossibly, hovering again on the edge of release.

Devon snapped his hips forward and groaned. “So good. So tight around me.”

Alisha gripped the back of the couch harder, the smooth leather under her fingers compressing as she braced herself. She leaned into his thrusts to increase the force.

Devon slipped a hand over her stomach and covered her clit with his fingertips, pressing lightly, then firmer as she panted her agreement.

“Yes. Yes, oh there. There.”

She squeezed her eyes shut so hard, stars floated past as she spiraled out of control and took him with her. Devon shouted her name, their hips sealed tight, his cock jolting inside her as her sex tightened around the rigid length.

Her arms quivered and he laughed, pulling her upright for a moment, twirling them both and collapsing onto the couch with her in his lap, his cock still embedded in her body.

The aftershocks continued for a long time, each one dragging a moan from her lips as he slowly gentled her, teasing his fingers over her clit, his other hand stroking up her body to caress her breasts, her neck.

He turned her head to the side and took her lips again. Breathless, openmouthed kisses followed as they gasped in an attempt to refill their lungs. Unwilling to stop in spite of their need for air.

Alisha finally broke away, resting her head on his shoulder as she stared into the darkness. “I’m seeing stars.”

Devon chuckled. “I left the stars a few hundred miles back. I’m into the outer reaches of the galaxy already.”

He reached out and she covered her eyes as the light came on. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was feeling shy, or because she didn’t want him to see that she was feeling slightly vulnerable after letting go so hard.

He kissed her temple again, then helped her upright. His cock slipped from her. “Back in a minute,” he whispered.

Devon went to deal with the condom, his butt cheeks flexing nicely in the faint light as he strode from the room. Alisha grabbed her clothes from the ground and pulled them on. Found her bag, slipped on her shoes.

She glanced up to discover Devon standing nearby, his broad shoulder leaning against the wall. He’d pulled on boxers, which did nothing to hide the rest of his incredible muscles. The magnificent ridges and taut muscles she’d just had under her fingers.

Her sigh was most definitely a happy one.

Devon’s grin widened. “I like that sound. You heading out?”

Alisha nodded. “I should take my stuff, and myself, home. That was awesome, though.”

She stepped in closer and raised her lips.

He kissed her as he smoothed her hair from her face, his touch gentle. When she pulled back, he winked. “Anytime.”

He grabbed her bag and walked with her to her car, his nearly naked body highlighted in the faint outdoor lights.