Restore Me (15 page)

He answers on the first ring, sounding less than
pleased. “Hey, baby.”

“Hey, why the grumpy tone?” I dawdle in front of
the store, pacing back and forth in front of the window and
admiring the “Opening Soon” sign.

Damon sighs loudly. “My sister has invited
herself over for dinner. She says we have to talk, but if you want,
I can get rid of her.”

“No, no, that’s okay. We have to meet each other
at some point, right? I’ll cook something. What do you have a taste
for tonight?” I can nearly hear him grin devilishly.
Naughty
man.
“And no, I’m not on the dinner menu. I’m dessert.”

“Damn right you are. Make that cheese and potato
stuff again,” he says, sounding way too excited to be eating my
poor man casserole. I’m beginning to think that he has a thing for
comfort food; we’ve had macaroni and cheese once a week per his
request for the last three or four weeks.

“You got it, Big Man. See you in a few.”

“Bye.”

I hang up and hustle to my car so I can get
home.
Home.
It’s a word that still dazzles me. I have a home
and it’s with Damon and Hemingway. I couldn’t possibly want for
more.

***

I fish out my keys
and unlock my doors with the fancy key fob. I toss in my bag first
then go to get in.

“Jo?”

I spin around to see who’s called my name.
“Andy? What the hell are you doing around here?”

He chuckles, showing off his straight white
teeth. “My apartment is just down there. We’re changing up our
route; I think Spot was getting bored with our old route.”

I look down at his dog and the first thing I
notice is that it’s a solid black lab. “You named your black lab
Spot?”

Andy shrugs and looks down. “Lots of dogs are
named Spot.”

I scrunch up my brows and shake my head. “What
the hell is it with men and their inability to name their
pets?”

Handy Andy lets out a deep laugh and cocks his
head. “And just what would you name him?”

I squat down and take Spot’s handsome, silky fur
face in my hands. His chocolate eyes look back at me calmly. It’s
easy to name this one. “Chaucer. Definitely a poetic kind of dog.”
I stand and put one hand on my hip, pleased with my choice.

Andy just laughs, of course. “I think I’ll stick
with Spot.”

I laugh a little, too. “Of course you would.” I
smile back at Handy Andy then pat Chaucer/Spot on his satiny black
head.

“See ya, guys.”

“Yeah, I hope so.”

I roll my eyes and guffaw at Andy’s bold remark.
“Bye, Andy.” I slide across the leather seat and shut the door.
Damon won’t be happy with me chatting with Handy Andy. I won’t
bother bringing it up; it’ll only make him grumpy, and he’s already
in a mood thanks to Elise.
This should be an interesting
night.

As the elevator doors chime and slide open,
butterflies start flying around in my stomach. His sister already
dislikes me. The stupid broad blames me for Damon not talking to
her while he was recovering from the overdose.
Whatever.
I
don’t give a shit what she thinks, but for Damon’s sake I’d like to
at least like us to tolerate each other. Hell, maybe she and I can
even have polite conversation.
That’s a novel idea.

The minute I step into the penthouse, I hear
Damon’s deep, booming voice. He’s shouting.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
I make my way into the living room as
quietly as possible. Damon is sitting across from Elise. Her back
is to me. Damon’s eyes immediately go to me as I enter the space. I
can tell that he’s irritated with her already. Elise follows
Damon’s gaze and turns in her seat to see me. She doesn’t look
anything like him, and if I didn’t know, I’d never believe they’re
siblings. I see she has Grams’ blue eyes, though.

I smile curtly at her and Damon stands to
introduce us. Elise follows suit, standing and making a production
of smoothing the wrinkles out of her sleeveless summer dress.

“Elise, this is my girlfriend, Josephine.
Josephine, this is my sister, Elise.”

I nod and step forward to offer my hand. She
takes my hand, but suspicion is written across her pretty, fair
features. An awkward silence descends on the room and I leap at the
opportunity to escape.

“Elise, it’s nice to meet you. I’ll get started
on dinner and let you two talk.”

“Oh no. Please sit and talk with us. It seems
you have a lot of control over my brother. Maybe you can talk some
sense into him.”

Excuse me?!
I narrow my eyes on the
smartass then shift my gaze to Damon. He runs his hands through his
already disheveled hair and plops down on the couch.

“Fine.” I cross the living room to sit beside
Damon. It’s no wonder that he doesn’t want to talk to her; she’s a
pushy bitch.

Elise sits primly back on the couch, patting her
perfectly coifed blonde hair. “I was just telling Damon that family
is important. Even when we don’t necessarily get along, we still
have to support each other.”

“Oh, cut the shit, Elise!” Damon’s deep voice
startles she us both. “I’m not shocked that he needs money, he
always does.
I
am
shocked that you’re here, doing his
bidding.”

“He’s our dad!” she snaps.

“So you bail him out.” Damon growls.

I sit back to watch the shouting match. Having
no siblings of my own, this is all very entertaining; especially
when they push each other’s buttons.

“I can’t. Isaac refuses to give him anything.”
Elise looks down at her lap, clearly ashamed.

“Looks like my brother-in-law and I have the
same opinion of his drunken ass.”

“Please, Damon. It sounds like he’s really in
deep this time,” she pleas.

“Did he tell you how much he owes?”

“Forty-five,” she mumbles.

I look over at Damon to see his eyebrow shoot
up. He feigns amusement and laughs loudly. “Oh, that’s just
brilliant. He’s racked up a 45,000 dollar bill with some loan shark
or a bookie that’s likely been squeezing him for weeks to pay up.
Jackass. Well, I won’t help him. He’s going to have to take his
beating like a man and figure out how to pay the guy.”

“What if they kill him?” Elise screams as she
leans forward. “You can buy some cheap slut a new car and some
stupid store but you won’t help your own father?”

It’s my turn to look surprised and I am. She has
balls, I’ll give her that much, but insulting me in front of my
face? After she asked me to stay and talk with them?!

Damon jumps to his feet. His chest heaves in and
out. His cheeks burn red. “Josephine means more to me than he ever
will. I’d rather throw away every cent I’ve ever earned than give
anything to that man. That’s the one and only time you’ll ever talk
about the woman I love that way. Do it again and you’ll be dead to
me. Now get out,” he roars.

I smile at his endearing defense of me. My Big
Man can be quite intimidating.

“Damon—” she protests.

“Out!” he bellows, jabbing a finger towards the
door.

Elise’s head snaps back like she’s been smacked.
She heads for the door and I almost feel bad for her. It’s clear
that she knows nothing about Damon’s relationship with Edward, what
he has endured at the hands of his father. Damon told me himself
that no one knows. Just me and Versan; though I imagine Grams has
an inkling. I step in front of him and lay my palms on his chest.
His heart is racing. He needs to forget all of this bullshit. We
may be skipping right to dessert tonight.

***

“Look at me.” I cup
his jaw in my hands and guide his attention from the door to
me.

He resists and I get up on my tip toes and kiss
him with everything I’ve got. He needs to relieve some stress and
I’ll do just that. He groans as I slip my tongue into his mouth and
explore his skillful tongue. I pull away from him just a fraction,
so I can look in his eyes. “Dessert is ready,” I mumble against his
lips.

“Read my fucking mind,” he grumbles then bends
over, grabs me around the waist and tosses me over his shoulder. I
laugh and smack his ass playfully as I dangle down his back. My
brown waves sway with each step he makes. He lugs me towards the
kitchen. I’ve been his appetizer in here one time. It’s only proper
that I be his dessert, too.

He squats down and gently sets me to my feet. He
kneels down in front of me on one knee and looks up. My heart stops
for a moment when I realize how incredible he looks in front of me
on bended knee. He knows exactly what he’s doing, too, because he
smirks mischievously.
Asshole.

“Not today, Josephine,” he says with a smirk,
lifting one of my feet and sliding off the wedge heel. He drops one
sweet kiss on the inside of my ankle then puts my foot back to the
ground. He lifts my other foot and repeats the sensual gesture,
removing my shoe then kissing my ankle.

I’m thankful he isn’t watching my cheeks burn
red with embarrassment. I’m sure he saw the look on my face. The
image of him on one knee is now burned into my brain and has me
thinking all sorts of things. I’m quickly distracted as he slides
his hands under my cotton dress and up my legs, those big hands of
his snaking around to cup my ass. He leans in and rests his head
against my stomach for a moment. I can see his lashes flutter
closed. I feel so worshipped. So cherished.

His fingers curl and hook into my damp lace
thong, guiding it down my thighs to my feet. I step out of them.
Damon shoves them aside on the kitchen floor. He gets to his feet
then grips my hips to lift me. I’m propped up on the countertop,
waiting. He smiles devilishly and steps over to the refrigerator.
With the door open, I can’t see what the hell he’s digging for. The
door closes and Damon holds up his prize.

“Strawberries a la Josephine, my new favorite
dessert.”

My stomach flips then coils. I don’t know what
he plans on doing with those strawberries but I have a distinct
feeling that I’m going to like it.
A lot.

He opens the package and takes his time choosing
a plump, dark red strawberry. He holds it up to me like it’s the
prize of a lifetime. “Lean back,” he whispers.

I comply immediately and lean back on the
countertop. He hikes my dress up around my waist so that I am
completely exposed to him. With one more glance at me, he licks his
lips deliciously then lifts my legs, leaning over and placing the
palm of his free hand down on the counter on one side of me, the
crooks of my knees now on top of his shoulders.

My stomach flutters. My center tingles and
yearns to feel his mouth on me. The strawberry in his hand
disappears between my thighs. Cool air hits my throbbing clit as
Damon blows his breath on me. The tip of the cold strawberry
startles me. I gasp when I feel it dip into my slick pussy. Damon
slowly draws the strawberry up my center to my neglected clit. My
heart pounds in my chest. He brings the strawberry to his lips and
takes a bite. He holds it out to me.

“Taste,” he demands.

I pop open my mouth and let him feed the
strawberry to me. I bite down on the fruit. Damon watches me
closely as I savor what he’s given me.

“See why you’re my favorite flavor?” he
whispers.

I’m frozen, in awe of him.
Fuck, that was
hot.
Before I know it, his mouth has landed on my wet, pulsing
center. His masterful lips seal around my clit, creating a glorious
suction, while his tongue flicks back and forth over my most
vulnerable spot. I toss my head back and moan. He hums his
appreciation and it sends a vibrating sensation reverberating
through my core. My breathing is sporadic. My heart drums hard in
my chest. His tongue plunges into my channel and he begins making
slow strokes against the walls of my pussy.

“Ah!” I cry out. My hips rise of their own
volition in time with his tongue. My toes curl and stiffen so hard
that cramps instantly form in the arches of my feet. His tongue
glides back to my clit. I feel two of his fingers skirt the rim of
my opening then push deep into me, making circular movements within
me. His mouth seals over my clit again, but this time his tongue
flutters so fast over my clit that I can barely breathe. A decadent
orgasm blooms low in my stomach. With one more curl of his fingers,
I blow apart. His ministrations slow and soften while I ride out my
climax. I’m barely allowed a moment to breathe before he has tossed
me over his shoulder again.