“I am not feeling like I’m basking in the warm glow of your love,” Armando asserted, tripping as Devil “helped” him over the threshold (namely by putting his hand on Mannie’s back and shoving).
Looking at Nick, Devil shrugged and jerked his head toward Mannie. “Well, you better get on the stick if that’s how he feels,” he replied, swiftly slamming the door as the sound of both men’s amusement was noticeably dulled by the wood barrier between them. “Now, go home!” he shouted through the wood as he heard the back door open and close.
Chapter Eleven
Molly
Molly hummed a happy tune as she swiftly made her way back up the bricked path that ran from the main house to the guest house. Things were finally looking up, she thought giddily. Mannie and Nick were back together again and stronger than they’d ever been. Things hadn’t gone perfectly with her idea of inviting Nick’s parents here to work things out with him, but his father had decided to support his choices. And, for now, she was going to believe that having the love of one out of two parents on his wedding day to Armando was more than enough. She’d start working on Sofia’s attitude while the two lovebirds were on the honeymoon. Until then, she would be positively overwhelmed with things to do.
She was still working on her mental to do list when she reached the back door to their sprawling house, letting herself inside quickly, her high heels clicking against the Italian tiled floor beneath her feet. “Devil? Honey, I’m back from Nana’s!” She called as she tossed her keys and phone on the black granite kitchen counter. Grabbing the apron, she looped it over her head and began tying it behind her back when she heard her husband’s deep, annoyed voice thunder, “Just what the hell are you doing, woman?”
Startled, Molly frowned when she spun around to find her husband staring daggers at her. Pressing a hand to her thudding chest. “Damn you, Devil! You just scared ten years off my life,” she accused as he slowly, methodically advanced toward her. His moves were smooth and graceful, like a big cat stalking his prey. And evidently, Molly looked like one tasty snack if the look in her husband’s eyes were an indication.
“I’ll ask again, Mols. What. Are. You. Doing?” he asked, each word falling out of his mouth with a vicious snap of his teeth.
Widening her eyes, Molly shook her head in confusion. She wasn’t sure why he was angry, but he could just get over it. She was in too good… no, great, a mood to let her mercurial husband influence It. “Well, if you must know, I was going to clear the dining room table since the chef’s services didn’t include clean-up and then, I was going to….”
“No.”
“No?” Molly echoed, her head tilting as she considered her husband. Had the man gone crazy? Had this most recent mess with Mannie finally pushed him over the edge?
“No,” he confirmed again, this time shaking his head as he spoke, his eyes glittering as they sized her up from about two feet away.
“O-kay,” Molly replied slowly. “What the hell is your deal, Devil? Be happy. The wedding is back on, the wicked witch backed her broom right on out of here, and thanks to Nana, we’ll have a quiet, cry-free evening without Little Miss Devlynn. I can get loads accomplished while….”
“Molly, get naked,” Devil demanded in a low, insistent voice.
“What?” Molly yelped, her own jaw dropping as his words registered with her.
“Get. Naked. Now,” Devil bit out, breathing deeply as he watched her every movement.
“Devil, I’ve still got a lot to…. Oh my God!” she shrieked, as her husband reached one hand out and ripped the still untied apron from her hands, watching as he hurled the cotton fabric toward the sink. “What the hell….”
“Naked, Molly, means no clothes,” Devil explained with exaggerated patience, following Molly when she scrambled backward, shaking her head.
“I know what naked means, you Neanderthal!” Molly yelled, her heart skipping a beat as Devil smiled that smile at her – the one that simultaneously made her panties melt and her stomach flip. Holding out a hand, she cooed with a serene smile, “Now, darlin’, you know I still have….”
“… to fuck your husband repeatedly. Oh, I know, sweetheart,” Devil interjected with a wicked grin all his own. “I can’t wait,” he declared, lunging for his wife and catching her by the sides of her fitted silk shirt. Putting one hand on either side of the material, Devil pulled, too impatient to deal with the buttons. He wrenched the fabric apart and stifled a groan as Molly’s lovely lace covered breasts appeared.