Despite all the information Kurt had given him, Devon couldn't pinpoint why Renee seemed so familiar, and had from the start.
He knew who she was now. Knew what she did for a living-ran a doggy daycare, which was pretty damn interesting.
But why had she snuck in last night? What had she been searching for when he'd caught her red-handed? And, more so, would she try anything again?
He suspected she would. Which, if she had any sense, she wouldn't dare.
But that wasn't his only motive for inviting her to dinner. There was also the very simple fact that he wanted her in his bed again.
He'd assumed that his desire for Renee would have diminished some, especially after last night's escapade. But his desire to possess her again was just as strong, if not more so.
He continued watching her sip at her wine. Her hands trembled. Her lashes swept up and she met his gaze. With a smile, she got up from her seat and came around the table to where he was sitting and eased onto his lap.
He wondered just what she was up to, and then her mouth closed over his. He gripped her waist, letting her tongue stroke deep into his mouth.
His cock started to do the thinking, but instinct warned him not to let his guard down. That's when he noticed her hand reaching over his wine glass and returning a moment later. She kissed him, touched him, for what must've been several minutes, before she lifted her head and licked her lips.
"You didn't kiss me when I arrived," she said softly, "and I wanted to remedy that."
The hell she did.
He didn't stop her as she sat back down in her own chair. Devon's anger reached a slow simmer inside him, but he was careful to show no outward reaction.
The wine glasses were black, which made it damn impossible for him to see what she'd put in there. He lifted his glass and made the appearance of drinking, but simply whet his lips.
A moment later his chef arrived with their dinners.
"I hope you enjoy salmon," Devon said, once his chef had left again.
"I love salmon." She smiled, although it seemed a little bright and forced looking. "Actually, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the bathroom before we eat."
"Of course."
He watched her disappear through the French doors leading to his master bath, as if she couldn't wait to escape his scrutiny. Then, after she'd disappeared from view, he turned to contemplate his glass of wine once more.
Chapter Ten
Renee glanced in the mirror and shook her head. She was a bad, bad person. What kind of woman would drug someone?
"They're just sleeping pills," she whispered back to her pale image.
Two little sleeping pills. Granted, twice the dose that Lucy said to take. But Devon was a large man and he'd probably needed a bigger dose. Even then, it would probably only make him woozy, not knock him out.
And in the morning, he'd just remember falling asleep after some good foreplay. Maybe. Hopefully.
Still, she'd had to leave before watching him take another sip of the tainted wine. Her acting skills were pretty much between level shitty and sucktastic. He would've realized something was wrong right away.
Renee took a deep breath before going back to rejoin Devon on the patio.
He smiled at her as he sipped his wine. Her stomach rolled and she dropped her gaze. Don't think about it.
She sat at the table and picked at her dinner, too nervous to eat very much, but hoping the wine calmed her nerves.
"Not hungry?" Devon raised an eyebrow as he glanced down at her plate.
No use trying to keep faking it.
"My mind is on other things." She glanced at him through her eyelashes in what was probably an awkward attempt at being flirtatious.
"I may be able to help with those other things." Devon laughed and set down his fork, then tossed his napkin on the table. "Let's go inside."
And here we go.
"I have a fantasy," she murmured once they were back in the bedroom. "That maybe you could help me with."
"Is that so?"
She started unbuttoning his shirt. "Mmm hmm."
She slid the shirt off of his shoulders and then reached for his belt buckle.
"I've always wanted to have a man defenseless and at my mercy."
He made an interested sound, a deep type of growl in the back of his throat.
"What did you have in mind?"
Renee unzipped his fly and then pulled his pants down so he stood in only his boxers.
"Well, for starters, this." She fell to her knees before him, nuzzling him through the thin cotton.
The answering hiss of pleasure had her smiling, and through the boxers she closed her mouth over his growing erection.
His fingers tangled in her hair.
"I like what we're starting with," he said thickly. "What comes next?"
"Eventually, you do." She sucked him through the cotton, and his cock strained against the boxers. When she lifted her head, she asked, "Would you let me tie you up?"
"You want to tie me up?" His fingers tightened in her hair.
"Only if you're comfortable with it."
"Sweetheart, you can do anything you want."
Renee stood up. Well, that had been easy enough.
She looked around for her purse, and then remembered she'd left it outside.
"Give me a second." She winked. "I came prepared."
When she returned a moment later Devon-now naked-was reclining on the bed, watching her approach with a lazy look in his eyes.
Lazy? Or were the drugs already kicking in? She'd have to work fast.
"Scarves," she announced, producing the various colors of silk from her purse. "And I promise this won't hurt a bit. That is unless you want it to."
Devon smiled, baring teeth this time as she went to work tying him down. First she secured each of his wrists to the wrought iron headboard of the bed. Next, she tied each of his ankles to the bedposts at the foot of the bed.
Renee sat back on her heels to admire her handiwork.
There, that should do. She eyed the result with satisfaction. Now she was in complete control.
Devon kept his breathing even as he watched her steadily, waiting to see what she'd do next. He suspected it was more than sex, though hoped it wouldn't completely eliminate the potential for it.
"So this fantasy thing," she began, trailing a finger through the patch of curls on his chest. "I've heard that rumor about you being descended from a pirate. Is it true?"
What the hell? That was not at all what he'd expected her to say.
"Reading the tabloids, are you?"
Her eyebrows drew together and her lips thinned. "It's not just the tabloids."
"So you have a pirate fantasy? Is that it?" He quirked an eyebrow. "If getting tied up and ravished is on your bucket list, you're doing it wrong. And you could have warned me so I could at least find my eye patch."
Her scowl deepened. "I just was curious if there was any truth to it. Because it would be kind of hot if you were."
He gave a brief smile. "I really have no idea. My concern is with the present, not the past."
She stared at him, not seeming pleased with his reply. She leaned forward and drew her tongue across his taut stomach and his abs clenched.
"So no super cool gold bars, or fabulous jewelry passed down in the family then?"
What was this? An interrogation?
"No."
She moved her mouth lower and he struggled not to groan. On second thought, if this was an interrogation, she could keep at it.
"No cool emerald necklace, gold rings, or, ruby brooch?"
"Sweetheart, I don't own any jewelry," he drawled, emphasizing the word jewelry with as much derision as if she'd asked if he owned a bra.
Her jaw clenched. "Oh come on now..."
She trailed kisses down the rest of his abdomen until she reached the top of his cock. She kissed his thigh.
Unwittingly, his hips arched against her mouth. The flimsy scarves held him down a bit, though.
"I'd show you the crown jewels if I had them. But seeing as I don't, you're just going to have to settle for the family ones."
She glanced up at him from where she lay between his legs. "You're looking a little tired, Devon, are you feeling okay?"
He watched her through half-mast. "There are ways to wake me up."
"Hmm. Duly noted," she said, before her mouth closed over the head of his erection.
Devon groaned, and his head dropped back against the pillows as he did exactly what she asked.
Pleasure slammed through him as she licked and sucked at him, before taking him deep into her throat. Her tongue continued to stroke the underside of his cock, rubbing against every damn sensitive spot he had.
Being tied up was a novelty. This was a complete roll reversal.
"Take off your dress and let me look at you."
She ignored him, pleasuring him without mercy. Not that he wanted any. His abs contracted and he knew he was getting close. Maybe she did too, because she backed off and lifted her head.
"Do you like me being in charge?" She pushed her dress up over her hips and straddled him.
"Currently undecided," he replied tightly. "Ask me again in a fifteen minutes."