Lovely Neighbor (Lovely 1)

I pull back when something bumps my side hard enough to make me break the kiss. I look down to see Moose shove his head between us, wanting attention.

“I think someone felt left out.” Devin scratches him behind the ear. “Or maybe jealous I’m kissing his girl. I’d be mad too, big guy.”

“He can be a little bit of a brat.” Moose keeps on looking adorable, trying to make a liar out of me. “Remember when you made me carry you three blocks because you gave up walking?”

“You carried him?” He points to Moose. “Three blocks?”

“And up a flight of stairs.”

“Is that true, Moose?”

He rubs his head into Devin’s chest, getting hair all over his suit. Yeah, between Moose and me, we’ve ruined it.

“Don’t let those puppy eyes fool you.” I give in and pet him too.

“Are you hungry?”

“I can always eat, but maybe I should order for us. After the Chinese, I know I’ll only order half the menu instead of the whole thing.”

When I get up, Moose jumps down from the sofa and checks his bowl for random treats I sometimes drop into it.

“Hey.” Devin grabs my hand and looks down at my knee. He pushes my dress up a little and looks it over. “Don’t move.” He’s up and running from the living room before I can stop him, and when he comes back he’s got a small first-aid kit. “I’ll never hear the end of it if Renee finds out I used this thing.” He gets on the floor in front of me and places the kit beside him on the sofa. “When she brought it over I told her I didn’t need it and shoved it in the back of my bathroom closet.”

“I won’t tell.” He looks up at me. “Unless you steal the last crab rangoon again.”

“I’ll make a note to order extra next time.” He opens the first-aid kit.

“It’s really not that bad.”

“Indulge me.” He goes to work cleaning my knee but keeps talking. “Why don’t you tell me what happened today.”

“Isn’t it clear?” My eyes drift back to the ruined folders.

“You might need to break it down for me.”

I let out a long sigh. “Are all lawyers so concerned with the details and facts?”

“Yes, the facts.” He cleans my knee with some alcohol, and I wince. He lets out a curse. “Sorry.” I feel cool air on my knee and look down to see him blowing on it. “Keep talking.”

“Right, so this is going to sound crazy.” He fights a smile. “Your folders attacked me.” Devin looks over at the folders then back to me. “I might need a lawyer.”

“You might.” He opens a big Band-Aid and puts it over my knee. Then he knocks all the air out of my lungs when he kisses it. “I’ll get you a good one. I know a few, but I think I’ll need the whole story first and then we can work out the timeline.”

He sits down on the sofa again, and I take a seat next to him. Thankfully he’s not mad about the folders, so I spill and tell him everything.

“That was sweet of you. I didn’t actually need the folders, so no harm done.”

“Oh.” I look back over to the ruined documents.

“In fact I could have printed them at my office but—” He shrugs.

“But what?” I think I know the answer, but I want to hear him say it.

“I needed a reason to see you.”

I bite my lip as I look at him. “I wanted to see you too.” He’s so damn handsome and I can see his dimple again. “I’ve been wondering about you since that first night I stayed here.”

“I hope I lived up to what you pictured.”

“So far you exceeded anything I could have dreamed up,” I admit.

“So far?” He reaches out and touches the ends of my hair. “Are there other things you’ve been dreaming about that we haven’t done yet?” I swallow.

“You have no idea.”

His hand slides up the outside of my thighs and to my hip. “Let’s see if I can guess,” he says before he comes closer.

I can feel my heartbeat in my throat as he closes the distance between us and kisses me again. This time the kiss isn’t soft and tentative. Instead it’s filled with a promise of what’s to come.

Chapter Fifteen

Devin

I can’t remember the last time I kissed someone, and it was never like this. I want to feel her everywhere and touch every inch of her body, but yet I could keep only kissing her and that would be enough.

Somehow, we ended up lying on the couch on our sides, facing each other. Her leg is up and over my waist while I’ve got my arms around her and I’m holding her close to me. It’s innocent, yet what we’re doing is anything but that. There’s so much heat between us and passion like I’ve never felt. Who is this woman and how is she doing this to me?