My words stop him cold and I fancy I can actually see his mind working when he realizes what I’ve said.
Yeah, after seeing this house, a long ago childhood fantasy come to life I am well aware of the effort he’s making to give me what he thinks I want and therein lies the problem; he doesn’t know, has no clue but he’s doing what Devon does, going full steam ahead to get his hands on me.
Thrilling, but nowhere near my goals.
I really want this to work, really I do. Nothing would make me happier than living in this doll house and getting to know not just the guys but Devon too, but I’m gonna need more than astumbling declaration of ‘I want to love you’ to make things worth working for.
“You’re here to negotiate?” he asks and I almost laugh when his eyes take on a calculating light.
Smug fool.
“Yes and no. I will move in here with you and give you two months, only, to see where things go. If at the end of those two months you and I aren’t working out I’ll go home and we can talk about visitation when the time comes. That’s all I’m willing to give right now and it’s a lot more than you deserve after the shit you pulled at the hotel. Take it or leave it.”
“I’ll take it.”
Too quick Baxter I think, smirking and holding his eyes.
“Separate bedrooms.”
I walk out and bounce downstairs into the kitchen before he can say another word or ask hard questions that I am in no way ready to answer. This is a last surge effort to get my life in order but if it doesn’t work, which I honestly don’t think it will, I have a backup planning ready and waiting for the moment Devon drops the ball.
“Oy get your hands off the food Garret! Ladies first. You’re a right pig you are!”
I spend the night watching the three guys fight and squabble over everything from food, to the movie and even who gets to sit with me on the sofa.
In the end its Devon who takes up the other half of the space, his glower and outright threats convincing the others of the danger of coming anywhere near me.
“Stay.” They all say later when the credits start rolling and I stand to stretch, looking around for my ballet flats and car keys. “We’ll make up the guestroom.”
“Too late to drive now.”
“I’ll make breakfast and-”
“Slow down guys! Okay, listen up. Your brother and I have a lot to discuss before anything is resolved and I really don’t feel com-”
“Settled then. Davy go fix the spare bed, imp and I will be up later after we’ve spoken. Garret you’re on breakfast duty tomorrow. Ryan go pull her car in please.”
I could protest this take charge attitude and probably get my way but the truth is I feel strangely reluctant to leave these guys and a lot more comfortable knowing that I can sleep peacefully with four men watching over me and keeping me safe.
And then there’s the ever-present gooey inside that keeps telling me to give in and let Devon take charge and have me. The truth is I want to stay and be his. I want to belong to this family who doesn’t judge or demand and looks at me as if I hang the stars.
“So, talk.”
I scrunch my face at him as the boys run to do his bidding and look around the room, narrowing my eyes at the gross orange doily hanging off the back of one of the sofas.
“Imp.”
“Devon. Look, here’s the deal. Me’n Dill are tight and short of miracles happening the guy is willing to give a relationship with me his all. Hell, he’s willing to put a ring on it and make it stick. But I promised myself that I would do the right thing and by that I mean I’m willing to give you a chance to prove you’re not as much an asshole as I thought.”
I hold up a hand when he opens his mouth and take a deep breath, going all in, well for me right now anyway, before my natural reticence stops me from taking a leap.
“I’ll move in, eh eh eh, hear me out before you start doing a victory dance. I’ll move in and we can be friends, but I am not in a million years getting anywhere near your bed. That ship has well and truly sailed and sunk somewhere off the Bearing Sea. It’s gone but for the sake of my sanity and because I just truly adore your brothers I’m willing to give this co-parenting thing a go. Deal?”
Chapter Eighteen
Dev
The words are barely out of her mouth before I’m nodding and taking her baby soft, much smaller hand in mine. Why would I give in so quickly you ask?
Because I am a master of the deal and one thing I know how to do is keep my bloody cards close to the chest and my game face on. Little miss smarty pants thinks she’s just cut me off at the knees but the truth is she hasn’t.