In the past week, beyond that erotic encounter in Jace’s bedroom, she’d only visited the twin’s home as a quick stop-off to allow them to pick up clothes for the next day. Though her place was smaller, both of them seemed to prefer it. She didn’t mind. Their sterile decorating scheme gave her hives.
Plus, they had the world’s tiniest kitchen and barely any cooking utensils. Devi didn’t know how they managed not to starve.
Okay, focus.
She pressed the doorbell and resisted the urge to fidget. What if they hadn’t received her gifts? What if they chose not to go out with her? What if Marcus had fled the country? What if… Oh.
The door opened and Marcus’s wide shoulders filled the doorway.
God bless frugal living
and a healthy savings account
. The suit she had bought this morning had been worth every penny and fit him perfectly. She gave thanks he had left a spare suit at her home for the store to match in size. The dark blue set off his brooding looks and the perfect cut emphasized his build. No wonder Jace enjoyed her wearing clothes he helped pick out. A strange feeling of cavewoman possessiveness rose in her at seeing Marcus in clothes she had selected.
“Wow. You look great. I mean, you always look great, but you look really, really great.”
Stop babbling
.
“Thanks.”
They stared at each other for an awkward minute, and she searched for something to break the silence. “Hey, your black eye is barely noticeable.”
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He hunched his shoulders and muttered something.
“What?”
“I said, it’s makeup. I raided my secretary’s drawer after she left. I owe her some concealer, whatever the hell that is.” He scowled and looked so darkly sexy she had to resist throwing herself at him.
He surveyed her from head to toe, and she was gratified by the widening of his eyes. “You look beautiful.”
“Oh. This old thing.” She brushed a hand against the shimmering emerald green fabric of the skirt. She had bought the beaded choli top and skirt on her last trip to India a few years ago, thinking she would lose a few pounds and be able to wear it without being self-conscious, but it had sat in the back of her closet. Today, she had forsaken the little black dress they had bought during their mall trip last week in favor of this outfit. She had known the sensual and exotic fabric would appeal to her men. Her flesh warmed where his gaze lingered on the expanse of skin revealed between the bottom of the top and the top of the skirt, on the cleavage pushed up and offered by the halter style. She didn’t feel the slightest bit self-conscious, had no desire to cross her arms over her stomach or tug on fabric. Marcus and Jace spent hours worshipping her breasts and belly. How could she not feel confident?
Marcus held the door open for her and she stepped past him into their small foyer. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I’m okay.”
“Jace is getting ready.”
“It’s okay, we have some time. Are you two…?”
“Cool? Yeah.” He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about your kitchen again. We haven’t pounded on each other in a while. Forgot that it takes some getting used to for spectators.”
“It’s all right. Marcus, we didn’t really get a chance to talk about everything, and—”
He raised his hand and cut her off. “Not right now, please.”
She opened her mouth, but the pleading in his eyes stopped her. In any case, she had the feeling she could repeat ’til kingdom come that his past didn’t bother her, and he wouldn’t believe her. Marcus was a man of action, not words.
“Wow.” Jace stopped on the staircase and looked down. “This is some view.”
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She smiled, relief making her feel briefly lightheaded at seeing Jace, just as devastatingly gorgeous in his own designer suit. The shoes she had provided looked perfect on his feet.
They’re
really all yours
.
“It couldn’t possibly be better than the view I have.”
He smiled, his eyes shining as he walked down the stairs and right up to her. He hooked a finger into the V of the top, dead center between her breasts, and pulled her close. “I want you to wear just the skirt to bed tonight,” he murmured, and pressed a kiss to her mouth, his hand cupping her breast and squeezing through the fabric.
At the same time, Marcus’s large hands molded against her ass. “You’re an idiot. Naked is clearly the way to go.”
She laughed in happiness against Jace’s lips and extricated herself from their grasp. “I’ll gladly wear whatever, or nothing, later. But right now, we have somewhere to be.”
“As overdressed as I feel, I think we look underdressed next to you.” Marcus rubbed the back of his neck. “Where are we going?”
She caught Jace’s eye, and he gave an imperceptible shake of his head. So he hadn’t told Marcus their likely destination tonight. She hated to keep a secret, but it would probably be more effective to keep the particulars to herself for a bit. “Um, out.”
Marcus glanced between the two of them with a suspicious look. “Why do I feel like you two know something I don’t?”
Because you’re too damned perceptive.
“I don’t know. Oh, look at the time, we need to go.”
She herded them to the door, barely giving them time to turn on their house alarm. During the twenty-minute drive, she regaled them with stories about difficult customers and managed to keep their attention away from their destination until she pulled into a posh gated community.
“So where are we?” Marcus asked from the passenger seat. He frowned at the gaily lit home.
The huge ranch house’s long driveway was lined with cars. Since they had arrived a bit late, they parked on the street.
Devi patted her nose with the powderpuff one last time before checking her reflection critically in the pull-down mirror. “It’s my mother’s house.”
“Your—what?” Marcus snapped his head around so fast Devi winced in sympathy.
“It’s my sister’s birthday party. Remember, I told you about it last week?”
“But what are we doing here?”
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“We’re going to attend it, Marcus,” Jace spoke up from the backseat. Devi caught a definite warning in his tone.
Marcus frowned over his shoulder. “You knew about this? You two discussed this before, didn’t you?”
“Well…”
“And Devi didn’t want us both to come. That was the reason for the whole blowup last night.”
Devi winced. Yup, too damn perceptive.
“I don’t think I need to ask why the sudden turnaround, huh?” Marcus glared at her and crossed his arms over his chest. “What, did you feel so sorry for us, you had no choice? Well, fuck that. I’m not stepping foot inside that house.”
“Watch your tone, Marcus,” she snapped. “I don’t know if I need to tattoo it on my forehead, but I don’t pity you. Give me some credit.”
“Don’t be an ass. Sit in the car if you want to, but I’m not.” Jace climbed out and opened Devi’s door.
She stood slowly. Jace encircled her waist with his arm. As comforting as the gesture was, she felt miserable inside, knowing Marcus would not be joining them. She had psyched herself up for this, had reveled in the knowledge that it felt good and right.
Before Jace could close the door she leaned down so she could meet Marcus’s eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. But I truly want to be here with you tonight. I would be so proud to be on your arm.”
“So people can gossip?”
“At the end of the day, I’m concerned first about what I think of myself, and then what you and Jace think of me. Everyone else comes in a very distant third.”
“You tell yourself that now.”
She lifted a shoulder in a tiny shrug. “And I’ll tell you that next week, and next month, and next year. But I guess that’s how it is when you’re in love with someone.”
Marcus inhaled, and his eyes glittered in the waning light. “You’re confusing lust with love.”
“If you choose to believe that, fine.” She tossed the car keys on the seat and closed the door.
“Ball’s in your court now.”
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Her lack of tears made her proud, but each step away from the car was harder than she had believed possible, even with Jace at her side. He squeezed her hand. “He’ll come around, sweetheart.”
She gave him a sad smile. “I hope so. For all our sakes.”
They arrived at the front door and she tried to focus on the present. She brushed some imaginary lint off his shoulder. “Ready to run the gauntlet?”
“For you? Any time.”
She took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.
~ * ~
“And then I said, what’s the point? She’ll sue someone else next week.” A loud burst of laughter from the crowd around Jace made Devi smile from where she stood next to her mother.
“Devi, why didn’t you tell me you were seeing someone? And he’s so sweet.” Devi breathed a sigh of relief at her mother’s softly accented praise. Her parents had immigrated to America in the seventies, and while she had never come right out and said it, Devi knew her slightly old-school parent dreamed of Indian son-in-laws, preferably ones she handpicked. Devi loved Mama deeply, though often it seemed as if Leena and Rana mothered her more. Mama had always been a little absent from their lives—first running the business when they were young, and now with all her charitable boards. Rana claimed this was a good thing. While Mama indulged and left her and Leena to their own devices, she remained sharply critical of her eldest daughter’s choices and flamboyance.
“I’m glad you like him,” Devi answered.
“Are you kidding me? Everyone loves him.”
True to form, Jace had managed to charm everyone he met, paying special attention to her mother and Leena.
“I just knew she had someone on the line,” Leena bragged as she walked up, her eyes twinkling. “She’s been wearing makeup and clothes that actually fit her body.”
Her mother gasped in mock surprise. “No!”
“I know, and then she has the nerve to be surprised with all the compliments she’s received tonight.”
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Both of them laughed, and Devi rolled her eyes but stood up straighter. She had been receiving a huge number of compliments tonight, and she knew the reason didn’t lie in her clothes, but the sudden boost of inner confidence she must be transmitting. Before, she had always felt hidden and out of the way. Now she was aware of her effect on people. Men openly admired, much to Jace’s whispered mock dismay, and women watched her with covetous eyes.
After a lifetime of living in the shadows, it felt rather good.
“Hey, is Rana here yet?”
Leena’s question put a bit of a damper on Devi’s mood, and their mama’s too, if her tightened lips were any indication. “If that girl shows up with that tattooed lowlife I saw her with last week, I will insist she leave my house.”
“Mama, not tonight, okay? That girl is your daughter too.”
A dark shadow moved in their mother’s face and she remained silent, lines of disappointment making her look much older than a handsome woman in her mid-fifties should.
Devi rested on pins and needles, waiting for Rana as well, since her arrival would drop the other figurative shoe. Like a coward, she had half-hoped that Leena would have spoken with Rana last night after meeting Jace, thus learning the truth early and sparing them a scene here tonight, but no luck. Well, she would just have to take it as it came.
She shifted, uncomfortably aware of someone watching her. She took a sip of the punch in her hand and searched through the gaily dressed crowd.
Marcus’s height made him easy to spot. Her breath caught. “Um, excuse me. There’s someone I need to see.”
She made her way through the dancers, uncaring and unnoticing of those who hailed her, until she stood in front of him. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
She inhaled his scent. “I am so happy you’re here.”
A small smile graced his mouth. “I think you’re crazy to feel that way.”
“Tough. They’re my feelings.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced around. “Nice party. Seemed stupid to sit in a car for hours when I could be in here scarfing down appetizers and dancing with a beautiful woman.” The music segued into a slow dance and Marcus bowed formally over her hand, charming her. “Would you do me the honors?”
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She walked with him to the dance floor and they slipped into the group of swaying couples.
“Dancing with just one woman? Surely you’d get bored.”
“There’s only one woman I see who’s worth dancing with. Who’s worth going home to.” He stepped in closer, his breath brushing across her face. “Did you mean what you said?”
She didn’t pretend to misunderstand, and she didn’t need to think twice. Love for him beat through her veins. “Yes.”
“It’s only been a week.”
“Sometimes all it takes is a day.”
“And it’s not because of what Jace told you?”
She rested her head against his chest, where she could feel the thump of his heart. She had the feeling she would need to repeat this again and again, until Marcus truly believed her. His pride was enormous. “I feel bad for the little boys you were. But my love is for the wonderful men you’ve become.”
It was too much to hope Marcus would say “I love you” back to her right now, but she didn’t mind waiting. Marcus cleared his throat. “I still think you’re crazy. And Jace and I must be too.”
“Then let’s be crazy together.” To her surprise, Marcus danced the waltz with grace and expertise. “Where did you learn to dance?”
“My mom made us learn when we were kids. Jace and I had to actually take turns being the woman. It was very emasculating.”
She laughed and rested her head against him. Over his shoulder, she caught a glimpse of Jace, still engaged with a large knot of people. He nodded in response to the chattering man at his side, but he watched them, a small, satisfied smile on his face. He inclined his head in a salute, and she wiggled her fingers and grinned back at him.