BLIND HER WITH BLISS

She’s trying to find herself. He’s attempting to hide. Together they’ll discover a truth that threatens them both …

Investigating the death of her best friend, uptight accountant, JULIE TILLING, discovers a world of adult nightclubs and Internet intrigue. When shock jock DAMON COREY rocks her world in a wild night of lust, she wonders if she’s found love … or the key to solving a murder.

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* Praise for BLIND HER WITH BLISS (Tilling Passions Series Book 1):

5 STARS Miz Loves Books ~ Ms. Pierce has penned a wonderful mystery with twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing until the very end.

5 RIBBONS Romance Junkies ~ … the best contemporary romance I have read this year.  A hot and sweet story…a book to go back to when you are in a sentimental mood.

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* Praise for DECEIVE HER WITH DESIRE (Tilling Passions Series Book 2):

4 STARS Just Erotic Reviews ~ The suspense plays perfectly with Ayden and Deirdre’s romance making you want to keep reading without any breaks…I really enjoyed [Deceive Her With Desire] and can’t wait to read the other stories in this series.

5 STARS Romance Writers Reviews ~ This book had me literally on the edge of my seat. It was a hot romance filled with suspense. I will be looking for more books by Nina Pierce, she is an incredible author!

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* Praise for CHEAT HER WITH CHARM (Tilling Passions Series Book 3):

4.5 STARS The Readers Round Table ~ Loved, loved, loved the suspense in Cheat Her With Charm by Nina Pierce! I was impressed with the plot, the set up, and the well written story line that really had me hooked from the beginning.

Blind Her With Bliss
Book One of the Tilling Passions series

Nina Pierce

Copyright © 2011 by Nina Pierce

Published by Nina Pierce of Rhode Island. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. (www.NinaPierce.com)

Email

Nina@NinaPierce.com

Cover Artist

Dar Albert

www.WickedSmartDesigns.com

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

Dedication

To Alan, the real hero of my life—who’s taught me to laugh and love without reservation

and the true meaning of soul mates.

Blind Her With Bliss

Tilling Passions Series Book 1

by

Nina Pierce

Chapter 1

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…

How could this have happened to someone so young? Julie Tilling dabbed at the tears ruining the makeup she’d meticulously applied to her rounded cheeks. She stared at the coffin suspended eerily over the marred earth of the cemetery, not sure what to make of this farce. Her best friend from high school was dead, and it seemed everyone in the small town of Delmont, except her, believed Jason McCarty had perished at his own hand. There were rumors circulating about gambling debts, medical school cheating scandals, and even unrequited loves, but Julie didn’t believe any of it. Jason simply had had too much to live for to take his own life.

She’d known Jason for—well, she couldn’t remember a time when the McCarty and Tilling families hadn’t been friends. And though she’d graduated from high school nearly a decade ago, memories of her and Jason still made Julie smile. She’d shunned the backbiting and name calling of her female peers, and he hadn’t been the jock type. The two of them had spent four years running the thespian and honor societies, Key Club and yearbook. Though he’d gone off to medical school, and she’d studied her way to an MBA, they’d always found time for each other over the years.

The loss of her best friend had ripped away a piece of her heart and Julie doubted the ache it left in its wake would ever subside.

Like a good sheep, Julie joined her parents in the procession of town’s people paying their last respects. But unlike the other mourners filing between the coffin and Jason’s father, Julie was not avoiding the man’s vacant stare. Julie wanted old Doc McCarty to know she would not let her questions over his son’s senseless death be buried with the coffin.

Hunched into an overcoat, Doc McCarty looked much older than his sixty-two years. As if reading her thoughts, his head lifted, and he caught her eye. Lines of misery morphed his normally serene features into a grotesque mask of pain and anger. The menace in his eyes speared pain straight to her heart. Of course, he was angry; the poor man was now alone in the world. Julie choked back a sob as someone stepped in front of him, breaking the string of tension momentarily connecting them.

Repeating the action of others, she pulled a white rose from one of the arrangements flanking the casket and placed it on Jason’s coffin and made a silent promise. She would continue to dig for information about his death—even if the local police hadn’t bothered.

* * * *

The sun was well past its zenith, but that didn’t diminish the weight of the July heat glistening on Julie’s skin. A couple of weeks had passed since Jason’s funeral, and she still couldn’t shake the unsettled feelings about his death. Perhaps today it wasn’t grief making her sluggish as she dragged out of her tiny car, but the oppressive humidity. It must be somewhere around ninety-five percent. Maine summers weren’t very long, but they could certainly be uncomfortable.

Julie trudged across the parking lot into the floral shop at Tilling Garden and Plants. She ran her fingers through the thick strands of hair she’d meticulously straightened that morning. There was nothing left of the salon-sleek hairstyle save for a rusty mass of frizz. What a pain in the ass.

“I’m here,” she called out in unison with the bells jingling over the door. The scent of eucalyptus and jasmine filled her nose and she breathed deep, letting the calming aroma fill her.

“I’m out back.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Julie mumbled, winding her way through the displays of silk flowers and potted plants, past the empty front counter to the back work room.

“That’s a pretty outfit, Jules. Not everyone can wear grey. But it’s definitely a good color for you.” Her sister Meghan barely turned away from the assortment of roses scattered on her workbench.

Julie wasn’t sure that was a compliment, but she knew her younger sibling had intended it that way, so she took no offense. “Thanks.”

Younger by a year, Meghan looked radiant as always. Nothing ever looked good on Julie. Her sister’s chestnut curls were pulled back in an elaborate French twist with tiny wisps framing her pixie features. Meghan didn’t need to wear the makeup accenting her almond eyes and high cheekbones. Her flawless skin would have been beautiful without the subtle strokes of color. Unlike Julie who attempted to cover the smattering of freckles across her nose and thicken the sparse eyelashes she’d been blessed with.

“So what’s up with the frantic phone call, Meg?” Julie asked, leaning in to give her sister a gentle squeeze and a kiss on the cheek. “Nice bridal bouquet. Hard to believe you’ll be carrying your own soon.”

“I know. How cool is that? Just like Mum and Daddy.” Meghan held out her left hand. The three-quarter-carat marquis diamond caught the afternoon light shafting through the window and sent it dancing on the walls.

Julie tamped down the quick spike of envy. The fact that her sisters seemed to have all the luck in the love department while she continued to strike out certainly wasn’t their fault.

“Anyway, the phone call.” Meghan giggled, shrugging her shoulders. “I just can’t figure out the new filing system you set up in the office. I need the bill for the Harriman wedding tomorrow and Chelsea’s paycheck, but I couldn’t remember the combination to the safe. Then I had these invoices from the flower delivery. Those I just threw on top of the desk, along with the mail for the last couple of days.”

At least she had the grace to blush at her own shortcomings.

“It’s Friday, Jules. Peter and I have a date,” Meghan continued. “I knew you wouldn’t be busy. Could you be a peach and dig it all out for me? You’re so much better at all the organizational stuff.”

Exasperated, Julie bit her cheek to hold in a sigh. “Meg, the combination is the month and day of our parents’ anniversary. Simple. Four numbers.” Since Meghan wasn’t really listening to the details, Julie walked into the little office off the back room as she talked. “The invoices go in the basket on top of the desk marked ‘in’. And you could have sorted the mail to separate the junk from the bills,” Julie muttered the last observation. Two days’ worth of sale flyers and bills littered the otherwise immaculate desk.

“What?” Meghan hollered from the workbench.

“Never mind, I’ll do it. Like always,” Julie said to no one.

“Hello, anyone here?”

The backdoor slammed. Another two steps and her baby sister, Deirdre, would have seen Meghan. Julie rubbed at the annoyance pounding behind her temples.

“Jules is in the office,” Meghan replied.

Tilling Gardens and Plants had been the brainchild of her sisters. Open five years, her younger siblings had floundered financially for the first two. When Julie received her MBA with honors from Northeastern University in Boston, she’d had plans too big to fit into the rural town of Delmont. But her sisters’ not-so-subtle hints at bankruptcy had piled onto her already high level of guilt at leaving home. Add the weight of aging parents with declining health and it had become a burden she couldn’t ignore.

Returning to Delmont as their partner and business manager had ensured Julie would be close should her parents need her. Of course it didn’t hurt that the floral and landscaping business had flourished under her business guidance and was now supporting the three of them quite nicely. Still, the strains of her family obligations often stretched her patience to the point of breaking—like now.

“Oh, Jules, glad you’re here.” Deirdre’s work boots trailed mud and who knew what else through the work room into her office.

“Hey, Dee, watch the mess,” Julie said.

Deirdre ignored the reprimand. “I’ve got a couple of checks.” Fishing through the deep pockets of her cargo shorts, Deirdre produced a wad of crumpled papers. “Sorry about the gum wrappers,” she said and dropped the multi-colored mess on the desk. “There’s a check there for the Nabin’s stone walk and a deposit for the English’s job. And since you’re here, let me run back out to the truck and get the estimate for some tree work and my mileage log for the week.”

“We pay her mileage?” Meghan stepped up behind Deirdre. “That hardly seems fair.”

Julie rolled her eyes. “We’d pay yours too, if—”

Her words were lost in the heated exchange of her siblings. Julie didn’t have the patience for her sisters’ petty debate. Air whistled through the fingers pressed between her lips before thought snapped over her synapses. After twenty-nine years, Julie had found it was the only way to get their attention.

Struck dumb by the piercing noise, both women stared at her. Julie swallowed her irritation before patiently walking them through Business 101 for the umpteenth time.

* * * *

Damon Corey leaned low over the handle bars of the liquid cooled Harley. Wind whistled past the tinted visor of his helmet, but it couldn’t muffle the roar of the chrome dual exhaust. Noise equaled power, and at the moment, he had both. The only time he had control over his life was on the bike. Kicking the motorcycle up another gear, he watched the red needle creep toward one hundred miles per hour. This was freedom.

Damon had at least thirty-five miles of back roads through the Maine woods before he hit the outskirts of Bangor and the residential neighborhoods. That was plenty of time to think and reevaluate the priorities in his life.

He seemed to be doing it a lot lately.

He’d moved to Delmont while snow still blanketed the ground like a layer of thick icing. It seemed like a life time ago. It hadn’t taken him long to endear himself to his neighbors. He felt at home in his rented house sitting back from a quiet street where everyone waved when you passed. He wondered what their reaction would be if they knew who he really was.

Though many people pined for more action than rural towns could offer, Damon wasn’t one of them. Growing up on the streets of Philly, he’d been involved in more than his share of excitement. If that hadn’t cured him, the stint in the army before college definitely had. At thirty-one, he was more than ready to find a place he could permanently call home.

He hated where he was going, what he had to do when he got there.

Damon didn’t want to think about that now. Now, he’d enjoy the sky as the sun slipped behind the trees, trailing crimson streaks in its wake. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh scent of the pine forest whizzing by.

He could only hope that someday soon this would all be over.

* * * *

The phone on Julie’s dashboard let out a melodious tone and vibrated in a small circle. Checking the display, she pushed the button on the hands-free set. “Hello, Meghan.”

“Hey Sis, Peter and I are sitting in the restaurant having an argument.”

“Only a differing of opinions.” She heard Peter, Meg’s fiancé, speak into the phone, and then plant a juicy kiss on her sister’s cheek, loud enough for Julie to hear.

“Stop,” Meg said away from the phone. “He’s only sucking up because he wants you to agree with him. Now, when it comes to fish raised in a farm over organic beef…”

Julie half-heartedly listened to her sister’s jabbering. Meghan didn’t really want anything, just the reassurance Julie would be on the other end of the phone. Why wouldn’t she? Julie never had plans. Julie never had a date. Julie was just Julie; solid, dependable, everyone’s Rock of Gibraltar. Wouldn’t they all be surprised to know where she was headed?

Stretching her neck to peer in the rearview mirror, she checked the scarlet lipstick painting her mouth. The silken, black strands of the wig swished around her cheeks as she shook her head. She liked this look, even the black liner circling her eye.

She looked very alluring, very un-Julie, which is exactly what she was going for. The boring CPA whose shoulders sagged with the weight of family obligations would never dare do the things she would do tonight. But this woman in the mirror had the brass balls to take on the world—she hoped.

Turning her attention back to the road, she answered her sister. “No, Meghan, in reality, they both have their pros and cons, so you’re both right.”

“Oh, Jules, pick a side.”

“Between you two? Not in a million years.” Julie laughed.

“So, what’re you up to on a Friday night? You sound like you’re in the car.”

“It’s such a nice night. I decided to go for a drive.” She paused for a moment, convincing herself she wasn’t being deceitful. “Nothing exciting. Same old, same old. Listen, Meg, I need to let you go. Enjoy your dinner.” Julie clicked off the line before her sister could ask more questions. It wasn’t in her nature to lie to her family, but she didn’t really want to explain herself to her sister. There was no way her family would understand Julie’s need to do what she was about to do.

Picking up the newspaper clipping, Julie laid it over the steering wheel. In the waning sunlight, she scanned the highlighted section of the article she’d nearly memorized. “Elvis Castonguay, owner of Starry Knights, a singles’ club in Bangor, has known Jason McCarty for several years. ‘Everyone here loved Jason. He was a good guy. We were surprised by his sudden death. It’s such a tragedy. But no one knows what he was thinking. Who ever really understands a thing like this?’ asks Castonguay of McCarty’s apparent suicide.” Julie folded the clipping and tucked it into her purse. “Well, Elvis, I’m thinking you may know more about Jason’s death than you mentioned to the papers and I intend to find out what it is.”

She rechecked the directions she’d printed from the internet, disappointment flooding through her when she realized she’d followed them correctly. The businesses along the city streets had become increasingly more run down and the apartment buildings packed more tightly.

The sign for Starry Knights parking area was little more than a hand painted arrow into an old lot. Warily, Julie bumped the Escort into a rutted parking space, wondering again if she’d completely lost her mind. She was no Miss Marple and this wasn’t some fiction novel. This was real life and there would be no handsome hero to save her from hidden dangers. She had only the can of mace in her purse to protect her.

Surrounded by brick buildings on three sides, the parking lot had only a single streetlamp casting a feeble orange light over the cracked and worn pavement. Fear tickled the fine hairs on her neck. She couldn’t imagine Jason coming to this part of the city, let alone being a regular at the nightclub. And now that she was here, seeing the rundown building, Julie wasn’t sure she had the guts to go through with her plan.

The shrill ring of her phone scared a gasp from her.

“Julie, here.”

“Hi, honey. It’s Mum.”

The comforting sound of her mother’s voice was a sharp contrast to the unfamiliar surroundings. “What’s up, Mum? Everything okay? I thought Dee was there. I thought the three of you were going out tonight?” The questions fell out of her mouth in rapid-fire succession.

Her mother chuckled. “Our Julie. Always the one to worry.” Alice Tilling let out a feathery sigh. “Everything’s fine, dear. We already went out. Your father isn’t feeling well, and he’s gone up to bed. It’s only nine-thirty, for goodness’ sake.” Julie caught the twinge of exasperation in her mother’s voice. “Deirdre left about a half an hour ago, and I guess I’m feeling a little sorry for myself. It’s such a beautiful night. I’m sitting in the backyard, sipping iced tea alone and listening to the crickets. Just wanted a little company. You’re not busy are you, honey?”

It didn’t matter that the parking lot gave her the heebie jeebies. Her mother needed her and Julie didn’t have the heart to disappoint.

She locked the doors, pulled the mace from her purse and settled into the seat. “No, Mum, never too busy to talk with you.”

Chapter 2

Damon stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the DJ platform. His dark glasses made it difficult to see in the dim lights of the popular Starry Knights nightclub, but they helped disguise his face, so he’d learned to deal with the inconvenience. Raking his fingers through his thick mass of curls, he tried to settle his jangled nerves. As many times as he did this, the minutes leading up to a gig never got easier. Damon was more of an introvert. He suffered through nights like this to keep lights on in his apartment and gas in the Harley.

“Starry Knights is proud to present our guest DJ tonight!” The owner of the popular bar, Elvis Castonguay, was above him hollering into the microphone. The radio station had done a great job with publicity. The dance floor below was packed with die-hard fans working to drown out the owner’s introduction. “Let’s give it up for Demon Jones.”

Damon hated his on-air name. The radio station manager had come up with it when Damon had first accepted the DJ job three months ago. “The Demon” they called him. Unfortunately, he had to act every part of that name while he was out in public. The radio station had made it part of his contract.

Damon ran up the stairs to the thunderous explosion of applause and shrill whistles. People loved shock jocks.

“How the fuck’s it going?” He yelled into the microphone as he settled his headset in place. “You bastards ready to get your freak on?” Damon hit the pre-set button, and the music boomed through the speakers. Three hours. He only had to insult this crowd and flirt with the patrons until midnight. He looked over the writhing mass of bodies. From his vantage point he had a great view of the crowd. Two women gyrating to the pounding rhythm flashed him.

Okay, maybe there were some perks to his job.

* * * *

Julie hauled up the leather corset that had dropped a quarter of an inch on her rapid walk in from the parking lot. She hadn’t expected the outfit to expose so much of her bosom. But that’s what she got for indulging in fantasies and shopping on the internet. She yanked on the hem of the leather skirt trying to keep it from exposing her lacy thong. But pulling on it only dropped the corset again. She needed to stop fiddling. Sex kittens on the prowl didn’t worry about exposing too much skin. And that’s who she wanted to be tonight—a voluptuous vixen cruising for a wild night of uninhibited sex with a stranger. Hopefully that would get her into see the owner, Elvis Castonguay.

Standing just inside the door of Starry Knights, Julie caught a couple of guys ogling her. Heat rushed up her neck, and instinct had her hand splaying over her cleavage. They both turned away. Stupid. The bulging eye reaction was exactly what she’d been hoping for when she decided to venture out of her comfort zone and buy the outfit. Maybe she just wasn’t cut out to be Julie Tilling, shameless sex goddess.

And maybe she had simply expected too much from herself on her first visit to a bar. Julie hadn’t done the usual college experimenting that so many people enjoyed in their carefree youth. Valedictorians didn’t have much time for frat parties and bar hopping. But maybe it was time to change all that, even if it was nearly a decade too late.

“Just go with it,” she mumbled, trying to boost her waning confidence. No one knew her here. She could be or do anything she wanted without repercussions. Buoyed by that thought, Julie threw back her shoulders and let her chest lead the way. Undulating to the thunderous cacophony of music and voices, the throng of people on the dance floor moved as a single mass of heated bodies. Someone grabbed her butt. Too stunned to acknowledge the intimate touch, she continued to maneuver her way to the bar. How did people do this night after night?

“I’ll have an iced tea,” she shouted into the bartender’s ear.

“Long Island?”

“No, Delmont.” That was a strange question. Why would he care where she was from? Maybe he was just hitting on her.

“The iced tea?”

“Yes, thank you.” She leaned in seductively, offering him a view of her cleavage. The bartender lifted a shoulder and turned away. Story of her life.

Leaning her back against the bar, Julie scanned her surroundings. The blue, red and yellow spotlights revolving over the heads of the revelers created a pulsing array of color and shadow. She could just make out the outline of people in the far recessed corners of the club. Subdued lighting at her back lit the bottles of liquor and provided ambient work light for the four bartenders, but did little to illuminate the patrons in front of her. Anonymity seemed to be a high priority at this club and that was just fine with her.

Julie paid for her drink and stood at the bar, trying to get a feel for her surroundings. Sipping the iced tea, she swirled it in her mouth, savoring the unique blend the bar added to the mix. Whatever they did to it gave her favorite drink a nice kick. The pounding beat of the music and the push of people trying to get the bartender’s attention kept her nerves jumping. After the second slurred dance request, she gave up trying to relax into the situation and pressed into the crowd, hoping to blend in.

She found a waist-high table at the edge of the dance floor, set down her drink, casually leaned an elbow and tried to enjoy the music. No sense looking like she didn’t belong. The bold moves of the dancing patrons in front of her caught her completely off guard. Not only were they enjoying the music—but each other. Hands flitted over body parts not meant to be touched in public. Women pressed against women, men danced with men, several groups of mixed sexes sandwiched each other in enticing gyrations that looked more like intimate seductions than casual dancing.

The same sex thing didn’t bother Julie. Her baby sister was bisexual. Deirdre’s current lover was a wonderful woman and freelance writer named Brianna. What surprised Julie were the sexual overtones of the dances. That, coupled with the fact no one seemed to care she and everyone else was watching both stunned and excited her.

A beautiful blonde moving in time with the music caught Julie’s eye. As if performing for Julie, the woman ran her hands up her torso and back down to her hips. Her tongue traced the curve of her parted lips. The man behind her, oblivious to Julie’s curious stare, cupped the woman’s breasts and pumped his hips against her bottom.

Julie broke eye contact, but not before her body responded to the obvious invitation. The heat of embarrassment slid from her collarbone to her hairline as her nipples tightened, sending a warm quiver of need down her core. Gulping greedily from the glass beaded with moisture, she worked to cool the hot wash of arousal coursing through her body.

Fortunately, the last pulses of music faded away and the dancers left the floor. All eyes turned to the platform above. Two women were cradled in the DJ’s muscular arms. His fingers splayed wide over their hips.

“You ladies having a good time?” he asked.

Their blonde tresses and breasts bounced enthusiastically.

Julie had seen commercials featuring tonight’s DJ, Demon Jones, but nothing compared to the man standing above them on the stage, making her mouth water. She took a long pull on her drink as her eyes swallowed him. His dark hair was slicked away from his face, unruly curls falling around his temples. His trademark stubble accentuated the strong jaw and deep cleft in his chin. Pulling her bottom lip through her teeth, Julie wondered what it would be like to nibble at that jaw. She took several long pulls from her iced tea. Where had that come from?

Demon Jones was the bad boy of radio. She never listened to the filth he passed off as entertainment. But looking up at him now, she understood why so many women were enamored by the man. He was a dark-haired Adonis. He dwarfed the women in his arms. Their heads were snuggled comfortably into the curve of his broad chest, and their hips pressed into his muscular thighs. The jeans he wore did little to hide his masculinity.

How would it feel to run her fingers over that bronzed skin? Julie fanned her face, emptying her lungs in a loud rush of air. She drank down more iced tea, hoping to soothe her raw nerve endings. But the drink seemed to be adding flickers of flame to her blood rather than cooling it. Heat gathered between her thighs and Julie shifted her weight from one foot to the other, but that only managed to slide the thong along her sensitive flesh.

“Want to be part of the entertainment?” Demon asked the women.

“Anything for you, Demon.” One of the blondes pushed her hand into his open shirt, exposing his strong pecs.

Whistles and catcalls erupted from the floor.

Demon looked down at the crowd. Even from this distance she could see the rakish smile and raised eyebrow. “Well, maybe later, darlin’.” The man on the platform rotated his hips, causing giggles to bubble out of the women. “You ladies ready to be part of the show?”

Again with the head bobbing and boob bouncing.

“Let’s hear it.” Demon raised his arms, and the crowd exploded. He pushed a button on the console, and the music thrummed through the speakers. He stepped back into the shadows, giving the women the spotlight.

The crowd called out body parts they wanted to see while the women did a bump and grind. They lifted their shirts, teasing their audience with peeks at the soft underside of their breasts. They pushed at the waist of their skirts exposing flat bellies and lacy under things. Enthralled, Julie sipped at her drink. As if on cue, their shirts flew over their heads with the last beat of the song cascading down on the audience. Demon stepped around the women, his thick arms encircling their chests and covering their nudity. He swung them out of the spotlight. The next song pounded out a new rhythm, and the dance floor began moving wildly. Spectators became dancers once again, their rising libidos throwing them into a frenzy of sexual play.

Julie’s straw vibrated as she gulped the rest of the cool libation. Her head spun in the dizzying heat of the bar. She could use another iced tea, but the bartenders suddenly seemed a long way off. Closing her eyes for a moment, she worked to control the light-headedness, but that only caused another round of vertigo.

The music seeped into her muscles. She wanted to dance. Make that needed to dance. Julie clapped her hands over her head in time with the percussion of the music. Her legs were a little unsteady as she moved away from the table. If she had had any liquor, she would have thought she was a little drunk. But she hadn’t, only the tea. Had someone spiked it? She’d heard about that. Knowing the drink hadn’t been out of her sight, she dismissed the thought immediately.

Her body swayed of its own accord, and she maneuvered her way deep into the mass of bodies, losing herself in the crowd.

* * * *

Half-naked bodies were everywhere, both men and women. It shouldn’t surprise Damon. That’s what Starry Knights offered its patrons—unfettered public exposure. The local cops knew what happened in the bar, but as long as no one got hurt, they left Elvis and his clientele alone. They probably would have shut down the club immediately if they knew what went on in the lower floors of the building. But they didn’t. He was one of the few who people did.

Only one more set. A mere twenty minutes separated him from his freedom. Then Damon would find a nameless beauty, leave with her draped over his arm and end the night looking like the Romeo of radio everyone believed him to be.

He’d thought it a great perk when he first took the job at WKOR in Bangor. Female groupies were always looking to sleep with the bad boys of the airwaves. But the whole thing was becoming tiresome. He wasn’t cut out to be a love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy. Problem was it had become part of who he was. People expected him to be a playboy, especially his boss. It kept people listening and sponsors buying airtime. And when it came right down to it, the bottom line—not his self-respect—was all that mattered.

Damon turned down the music. He hollered epithets into his mic, insulting and demeaning the crowd below. They went wild with enthusiasm. The more scathing his comments, the louder they chanted and clapped. Damon couldn’t help but laugh at the juxtaposition of his remarks to their actions. As long as he lived, he’d never understand the human psyche.

“You’re animals,” he laughed out the words. Their howling calls wafted on the hot air currents drifting up from below. “Okay, time for a dance contest. You know the drill, if the spotlight shines on you, you’re on. What you do after that is up to you.”

Damon raised the volume another couple of notches and the music pounded out, whipping the crowd into a frenzy of flailing arms and exposed skin. Spotlights crossed and flitted over the assembly. The guys in the lighting booth had been through the routine before. They’d been down on the dance floor throughout the night scoping out the crush of bodies, determining the right ratio of men and women. Starry Knights catered to all sexual orientations. Elvis prided himself on keeping his patrons happy. If that meant naked men, he’d give it to them. If tonight was more the heterosexual, lesbian crowd, he’d be sure his people offered them a bevy of beauties.

Whichever the case, Damon was out of there after this contest was finished.

* * * *

Julie had no idea what was happening. The whole evening had been an overwhelming cacophony of sensual overload. The music had stroked her body like the bow of a violin, sending her taut muscles quivering with every pulse. She had danced with women and men, sometimes both. Their hands and mouths wandered her body without inhibition.

Their intimate touches had startled her at first. She’d bolted from the dance floor, too stunned to do anything but sip at another iced tea and watch. Other people’s clothes had disappeared as the night wore on and so had her reticence. No one knew her here. No one cared that Monday she would go back to boring Julie, CPA. Tonight, she could be anyone. And tonight she wanted to be Julie, wanton pinup girl.

So she’d pushed her way back in the crowd, enjoying the pleasant thrumming in her head and belly. She didn’t know how many people had touched her and at the moment, she didn’t really care. She hadn’t been able to return their affections, but others had. She wasn’t sure how many orgasms she’d witnessed, couples having intercourse on the dance floor or women pleasured to climax by partners of both sexes, but she’d become increasingly aroused as the night wore on. Although her body thrummed with need, she hadn’t allowed anyone to satisfy her in public. Even she had her limits.

At that moment, the spotlight illuminated her, cast all eyes on her, taking away her anonymity. Heat rose from the soles of her feet to settle in her cheeks. Julie swiveled her head, not understanding the chanting coming from the crowd. It seemed they wanted her to dance. Hands coaxed her from behind to join the small group gathered in the center of the dance floor. A man grabbed her hand and pulled her against his bare chest. The smell of musk and sweat assaulted her nose. Completely masculine. Completely erotic. His lips crushed down on hers, stealing what little air was in her lungs. He spun her away from him, and just as quickly, twirled her back into his arms. They both laughed. The crowd surrounding the intimate group of twenty began to chant.

It was only a dance contest. This, she could enjoy.

Her partner pulled her tight to his body, his thigh parting her legs. Her partner’s erection pressed against her hip, sending jolts of sensual current down her center. He laid his cheek against her temple, his breath hot on her ear. His hips gyrated in time with the music, rubbing her swollen sex against the soft leather of his pants. She was overwhelmed by the myriad sensations rippling through her. For a moment Julie forgot where she was, didn’t worry about the people around her. She thought only of what her body yearned for, what she’d been craving all night. Release. Closing her eyes, hearing only the music, she lost herself in the pleasurable shockwaves of pleasure rippling over her muscles as her need built to a crescendo.

The supple body of a woman molded to Julie’s back and joined in the rhythmic movement of their bodies. The woman’s heated fingers trailed embers down Julie’s shaky thighs.

Another person? She wasn’t alone with this man? The realization snapped her back from a place she hadn’t wanted to go. A place Julie promised herself she wouldn’t go. What was she thinking? It was not the first time that night Julie had been in this position, but it was the first time she’d actually thought about giving in to the release of sexual need. Later, in a more private place, like her shower, she’d tame the horny beast with one of her toys. But not now. Not in front of all these people. Even this new person she was pretending to be had her limits. With a delicate shimmy and twist she’d perfected, Julie extricated herself from the couple. Unaffected by her departure, the two seamlessly closed the gap between them.

Relief flooded over her as one of the cocktail waitresses motioned for her to come out of the spotlights. She cast a glance over her shoulder. Clothes were being removed from the remaining ten contestants as quickly as dancers were being pulled from the contest. Despite her outfit’s inability to completely cover her breasts, Julie’s dignity and clothes had remained intact. She intended to keep it that way.

Julie melted back in with the crowd. The bright lights and warm bodies had muffled her thinking, steering her off course from her original plan. But playtime was over.

It was definitely time to refocus and get down to some serious business.

Chapter 3

Damon strode along the back of the bar where clusters of patrons hid in the shadowed corners, lounging on overstuffed furniture. All he wanted was to get to Elvis’ office, collect his check and get out of the club without groupies hanging on his arms. He just wasn’t in the mood for empty sex with some fan girl tonight.

The evening’s sets had been loud and raucous, no doubt successful in the eyes of the owner, but they took their toll on Damon and he had no desire to expend more energy continuing the charade. Elvis was one of the few people who knew the real Damon Corey and would understand. It had been Elvis who’d convinced him to move to Maine and take the gig at the radio station. Of course neither of them could have foreseen the meteoric rise Demon Jones would have in the small town. And now that the station was paying him bonuses to do extra public appearances, it was important to keep the Demon’s rep intact. He understood that. Damon didn’t like it, but he knew he had to play the game or risk losing his job. It wouldn’t be the first time Elvis had covered for him and made the public believe that Demon Jones had pulled his usual playboy routine and headed out the back door with a woman on each arm.

He stopped short when he realized the door to the back offices of the club was blocked. A raven-haired beauty stared down the bouncer guarding the entrance from unauthorized customers. The woman stood defiantly with her hands on her hips. Her breasts pushed forward, brushing the guy’s barrel chest.

“Well, I guess I just don’t understand. You’ve let all kinds of people go through that door behind you. I’ve seen them coming and going. Why not me?”

He recognized the feisty woman. Twenty minutes ago, she’d acted like she didn’t understand what was going on when the dance floor spotlight flooded over her. It hadn’t taken much coaxing from the crowd to get her to join the dance competition. Damon had seen lots of women appear all innocent until they were nearly naked in front of the crowd. Not this one. He’d watched her ride her partner’s thigh, her body swaying sensually to the music, her lids hanging heavy with desire. He was sure she’d be like all the rest, slithering out of her clothes and satisfying herself in public. But she hadn’t. She’d done some kind of slink and roll and extricated herself quite gracefully from the writhing bodies on the dance floor, then disappeared.

She’d definitely caught his attention. Damon’s body reacted to the memory. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t too tired to enjoy a drink or two with a lively number like her.

“As I told you, only members can go through, or guests on the list.” The bouncer looked down his crooked nose at her, the strobe lights reflecting off his bald head. He pounded his stubby finger on his clipboard. “Ma’am, if you’re not on the list, you’re not going in.”

“Ma’am? Do I look like a ma’am to you?” she asked, poking the big man in the sternum.

Damon bit back a laugh. There weren’t many who would stand up to this particular bouncer. Just the size of his tattooed forearms was enough to intimidate most patrons of Starry Knights. She seemed unfazed by his size and gruff scowl. Maybe he could save the poor schlep blocking the door, give the woman access to the back rooms and find if she was interested in a little something more.

He didn’t feel quite so tired anymore.

“Hey, man,” Damon said to the bouncer as he stepped out of the shadows, getting a closer look at the sexy brunette. “How’s it going?”

“Hey, Demon. It’s going just fine. Nothing I can’t handle.” He inflated his chest and stepped between Damon and the woman. “You going up to see Elvis?” The man reached for the door handle behind him.

“Yeah, and I’d like to take the lady with me.”

“This one?” The bouncer’s face wrinkled in confusion.

“Yeah, she probably didn’t mention she was waiting for me.” He took the woman by the arm and pulled her around the guy’s sizable bulk. “I guess we got our signals crossed, babe.” He leaned in, stealing a surprised kiss. “I wanted you to wait by the bar, not the door.” He winked at her.

She flipped her hair and batted her lashes. “I just can’t keep anything straight.”

Damon smiled as the woman sent the bouncer a smug look and filled her lungs, no doubt to tell the guy exactly where he could go. Not wanting to referee another confrontation, Damon hustled her through the door the bouncer reluctantly held open for them.

“Thanks for helping me through door number one,” the woman said, batting her lashes and skillfully slipping her arm from his grasp before the door had completely closed.

“You’re welcome…” He let the last word hang, hoping she’d offer her name.

The muted light of the wall lamps mounted in the paneled hall seemed bright after the smoky haze of the bar. Color rose in her cheeks, her breath coming in sexy little pants. Nervous or excited? He couldn’t be sure

The door clicked shut, muffling the loud music. Only the pulsing beat of the percussion sections came through the insulated walls. Her eyes flicked from him to the door and fear snapped across her features before she schooled them.

“Well, it looks like it’s just the two of us. Alone,” she said quietly.

He was sure she hadn’t intended him to see her swallowing her fear before leaning into him and pressing the soft roundness of her breast against his arm. Her hip rubbed provocatively along his thigh. The woman didn’t seem to know which persona she wanted to wear: innocent victim or erotic seductress.

He chose the vamp. Perhaps he was just projecting, but the woman clinging to him like a cat in heat currently seemed to be looking for a plaything. He guided her down the hall. “Alone indeed. I’m Demon Jones and you are…”

“Jul…” She looked up at him through long lashes, her cheeks pinking. “Just Jewel.”

“Do you come to Starry Knights often?”

“No, this is my first time here,” she said, wrapping her hand around his biceps, her tiny steps quickening to keep pace with his lanky strides. “Starry Knights is an interesting place.”

“Well, Just Jewel,” Damon smiled and covered her hand with his, “I need to talk with the owner. But when my business is over, perhaps we could have a little private party of our own?”

“The owner? You mean Elvis Castonguay?” Jewel pulled him to a stop in the empty hall, excitement sparking in her green eyes. “You know him?”

“Yeah, we’re good friends. Why?”

“I was just hoping to talk with him, that’s all.” She shuffled her booted foot over the carpet.

The woman flitted back to chaste innocence. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Though either side of her could be fun in bed, Damon wasn’t sure he wanted to tangle with her split personalities. The dominatrix-style wig was cute on her, but it didn’t fit the heart-shaped face or the childlike green eyes staring up at him.

“Elvis knows a friend of mine who was a regular here at Starry Knights,” she said. “I just wondered what he can tell me about him.”

Damon steered her toward the elevator doors. Sliding the card key from his back pocket into the control panel on the wall, he heard the car descend with his falling libido.

A male friend? More likely a boyfriend. Damon definitely didn’t want to become entangled in that headache. Well, that decided it. He’d take her up to Elvis, dump her at the office and head out the back door into the private garage. The Demon’s reputation as a lady’s man would remain untarnished since only Elvis would know he bailed on the woman and kept himself out of someone else’s problems.

When the doors hissed open, he motioned for her to enter the plush elevator. “Shall we?”

* * * *

Julie wasn’t sure what she was thinking. Evidently, she wasn’t.

Her over-stimulated body seemed to have been calling the shots since Demon had stepped into her argument with muscle-boy. Her head still buzzed from the hazy, blue smoke and the heat generated from so many bodies. And now Demon Jones stood next to her, his presence sucking all the air from the elevator, making it hard for her to fill her lungs.

Keeping her eyes facing the door, Julie checked Demon out in her peripheral vision. He was even better looking close-up. A man like him invited a woman’s fantasies to run wild. She’d like to take off his dark glasses and peer into those eyes, watch them cloud with desire while her hands slid over the sinewy muscles of his chest. Julie had felt the heat and power of him in their brief contact in the hall and had tried to ignore her body’s reaction to his proximity. But when he’d flashed that lazy smile of his, all she could think about was sinking her teeth into his pouty bottom lip.

The wig swished as she shook the thoughts from her head. Where the hell had her common sense gone? They were headed to a private party. Julie knew what he meant when he said it, and yet she’d still followed him into the elevator. Her nipples grew taut, straining pleasantly against the leather of her corset. Her stomach dropped even as the elevator rose. She shifted the weight on her feet, trying to ease the heaviness gathering between her thighs. She’d never had anything remotely close to a one-night stand, but the thought of doing that now intrigued her. Isn’t that how she’d hoped this night would end? But the real question still plagued her—could she actually go through with it?

The doors opened to an office bathed in a soft light emanating from the glass shelves lining the wall on her left. A man she assumed was Elvis Castonguay stood with his back to them. His wide shoulders and narrow waist were silhouetted in the lights pulsing through the line of windows filling the wall on her right. She could feel the throbbing beat of the music more than hear its melody. No doubt he was surveying his kingdom below.

Elvis turned to them. “Demon.” His long legs brought him to them in a few strides. “Another wonderful show as always.” He pumped Demon’s hand. His appraising gaze swept the length of Julie, heating her skin as if he’d touched her. “And who is this ravishing beauty?”

“Elvis, Jewel. Jewel, Elvis Castonguay.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Castonguay,” she said.

“Please, call me Elvis. And the pleasure is all mine, Jewel.” He took the hand she offered, gently kissing her knuckles. “May I get either of you something to drink?”

“I’d like an iced tea,” Julie said, feeling the heat of the room surround her.

“Long Island?” Elvis asked casually.

“No, I’m from Delmont, right here in Maine. Why does everyone keep asking me that?” She shot a glance from one man to the other.

“She is delightful, that one.” Elvis chuckled and waved his long fingers elegantly over his shoulder as he walked away. “Anything for you, Demon?” Lifting the phone on the corner of his desk, Elvis’ hand poised over the buttons.

“No, I’m not staying. I just brought Jewel to meet you.”

Elvis raised an eyebrow. “It’s barely past midnight, my friend. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to enjoy the company of one of those blonde beauties you displayed so nicely on the platform? As always, you know you have a standing offer of my business.”

“Elvis.” Demon let out a heavy sigh, “I appreciate your hospitality, but it was a long set. I think I’ll just call it a night. I’ve still got a long ride home.”

“Such a shame.” Elvis clucked his tongue and dialed the phone. “I guess Jewel and I will enjoy a drink together.”

As Elvis talked on the phone, Demon turned to her. “Jewel, it’s really none of my business what the hell you do…” His fingers raked through his hair as he blew out a breath. “But you do understand that I’m leaving you alone with Elvis.”

“I’m a grown woman. I came here to meet Mr. Castonguay. You’ve introduced me. Now I’m going to enjoy an iced tea and a chat.” The words came out much more relaxed than she felt.

“No, it’s a Long Island iced tea. From your innocent reaction I gather you’ve never heard of it. Or is that just playacting as well like…” His hand swept the length of the corset. “Like the rest of this?”

Fear knotted cold in her gut. Perhaps she was in a little over her head. The man had seen right through her ruse and now she was stuck. But damn, she needed to find out what Elvis knew about Jason. She lifted her chin and threw back her shoulders, hoping to exude a confidence she didn’t quite feel. “I assure you I am not playacting. I have no idea what a Long Island iced tea is, but if that’s the iced tea they serve here, I think I’d like the recipe.”

“You had one of those?”

“Two. And now I’m about to have a third.”

“And I can only assume your designated driver is downstairs still enjoying the music?”

“No, I came here alone. And I’ll be driving home alone as soon as I have a drink with Elvis and talk with him about my friend. I assure you I haven’t been drinking. I don’t need anyone to drive me home.” She brushed her hands down her skirt gathering her dignity. “But like you said, it really isn’t any of your business. I appreciate you introducing me to Elvis, but I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

He grabbed her elbow, pulling her away from Elvis’ desk. “Please tell me you’re not here alone.” He ripped the sunglasses off his face, his nose only an inch from hers. “Are you just begging for trouble? A beautiful woman alone in Starry Knights? Does anyone know you’re here?”

Julie pulled her arm from his grasp, comprehension dawning in her thick skull. “I repeat, that’s none of your business.” His eyes were dark pools holding her captive. He stared at her with, what was that exactly—concern or hunger? At the moment she wasn’t sure which one she preferred.

“Listen, Jewel, you made it my business when you agreed to accompany me up to this little soiree.” Demon spoke the words evenly, but they carried an undercurrent of anger. “If you’re intent on having a Long Island iced tea, which by the way contains equal parts gin, rum, vodka, tequila and triple sec with a splash of cola, then it would be ungentlemanly of me not to insist on taking your car keys and spending the night with me.” His mouth curved in a smug smile as he held out his hand. “It would be irresponsible of me to let you drive home intoxicated.”

Julie stared at him, trying to wrap her head around what he’d just said. No wonder she was finding it hard to think straight. She had been well on her way to getting hammered. How foolish of her. She tried to smile at him, but her lips merely quivered with nerves. “I guess I’d prefer not to have another then.”

He dropped his hand and moved back, giving her room to breathe.

“Well, since you seem to be unwilling to give up your keys, my only question to you is,” he quirked an eyebrow, making him look even more arrogant than he was acting, “would you prefer coffee or cola to sober you up?”

“Either is fine. Thank you, Mr. Jones.”

Folding the sunglasses, Demon tucked the earpiece into the pocket of his shirt so they hung over the black material. He turned back toward the man at the desk. “Elvis, I’ve had a change of plans. I’ll take my usual, and the lady will have a diet cola.”

* * * *

Damon sat on the leather couch, only half listening to Jewel’s conversation with Elvis. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling so protective and it was pissing him off. How she got here and who she left with was none of his damn business. If the woman seated next to him wanted to spend the night with a man, more power to her. It’s what he’d intended when he brought her up here.

But something about her just didn’t sit right.

With her split personalities of erotic vixen and naïve virgin, he wasn’t exactly sure what was going on. One of those personalities didn’t fit and he was pretty sure the woman didn’t have a clue what she’d walked into. He still wasn’t sure if the wig was meant to disguise or aide in her playacting. At this point, it seemed neither did she.

Well, as Neanderthal as it sounded, he wasn’t about to leave her alone. He was fairly certain Elvis wouldn’t use her for his own gain, but Damon wouldn’t forgive himself if something happened to her. He intended to babysit Jewel until she was safely locked in her car and headed away from here.

Elvis sat across from them, sipping from a champagne flute. He’d chosen some bright orange button down shirt to go with his trademark tan pants, creased sharp as knives. Though he had a casual air with his loafers without socks, his long hair was pulled back in a ponytail which meant he’d been doing some serious business. Damon really didn’t want to know which one of his many illegal ventures the man had been working this night.

“Why do you ask about Jason McCarty?” Elvis asked.

“We went to school together. Our families are quite close.” Jewel reached in her purse, pulled out a newspaper clipping and handed it to Elvis. “They quoted you in the paper. It sounds like you knew him.”

“School chums, hmm?” Elvis’ eyes narrowed and he studied the woman next to him. “He actually mentioned being friends with some Tilling sisters. Did you go to school with them?”

“Yes, I’m Julie Tilling.” The enthusiasm drained from her face. The woman’s head swiveled, panic shooting through the doe eyes staring at Damon. “I mean…” She turned back to Elvis. “What I mean is…well, Demon misunderstood when I introduced myself.” She let out a nervous giggle, her hands waving in the air as if to clear away the confusion. “My sisters call me Jules, short for Julie, not Jew-wels, like you wear.” Even in this light, Damon could see her blush. “Anyway, why do you ask?”

Elvis stood abruptly, striding over to the desk. “No reason, I, uh…”

This was odd. Damon had never known Elvis to stumble for words.

Julie rushed over to the desk. “Please, Elvis, if you know anything, anything at all, Jason was my friend. The Delmont police are finished with their investigation. They’ve officially ruled Jason’s death a suicide.” She stopped and looked down at her hands, obviously trying to control her emotions. “I just don’t believe he killed himself. I’d like to find out what really happened.”

Damon heard the tremble in her voice and hoped she wasn’t beginning to cry. Shit, what had he gotten himself into? He gulped down the rest of his drink, setting the glass a little too firmly on the coffee table.

Both of them stared at him.

“Elvis, obviously the lady is concerned.” Damon stood. The sooner this got cleared up, the sooner he could get her to her car and go home. “You said this guy was a regular. Is there anything you can tell her?” Damon wondered if this whole thing had to do with Elvis’ private business downstairs. He shot Elvis a questioning look, but the man shook his head so slightly, only Damon noticed. Relief flooded through him. At least this guy that had apparently killed himself hadn’t done it because of that, at least.

“Why did the police make the connection to you?” Julie asked.

“I was there that day. I was the one who found him.” Elvis’ voice was a mere whisper.

“Oh, Elvis, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. It wasn’t in the papers.” Julie laid her hand over Elvis’ trembling fingers. “I can’t even begin to imagine how awful that must have been for you.”

“A Tilling?” Elvis paused as if contemplating some important information. “There is something I can give you. It’s tucked away in my safe downstairs.”

At that moment, the phone on his desk chimed. “Excuse me.”

* * * *

Julie stood at the wall of windows, staring at the scene below. She had no idea what Elvis went to retrieve. She could only hope it might shed some light on Jason’s death.

“You okay?” The heat of Demon’s breath caressed her neck. “Elvis is a good man. If he said he has something to help, I’m sure he does.”

Thinking about someone finding Jason shot to death overwhelmed her. Sadness stung the back of her eyes and filled her throat. Even after all this time, she was still mourning her best friend. She would like nothing more than to lean into the man behind her for comfort.

“I’m fine,” Julie said. “It’s been a long night, that’s all.” He was so close she didn’t dare turn around. If the compassion filled his eyes, the way it filled his voice, Julie wouldn’t be able to resist falling into his arms, and that hardly seemed appropriate at the moment. Then again, the idea of a private party sounded like something Jewel wanted. Women didn’t dress this way to keep men at arm’s length. Julie wasn’t sure she wanted to walk on the cautious side of life anymore.

“Does it ever get tiresome watching it?” she asked, daring to dip her toe in the waters of seduction.

“What?”

Good, her question threw him off-kilter. “You know. The people and what they’re doing? You see the two men and that woman over there?” Julie leaned to the side so Demon could see around her as she pointed to a shadowed corner of the bar below. “I thought they were dancing, but there’s definitely something more going on.” A nervous giggle escaped her lips. “The man in front is definitely buried deep in the woman, and the man in back…well, I’m not sure what he’s doing. But with their mouths open that way, I’m thinking they’re all really enjoying themselves.” She dared to lean back, her bottom grazing his thigh.

“Oh, they’re definitely getting it on.” Demon braced his hands on either side of her, pressing the solid plane of his chest against her back. They were both testing the waters. “And yes, I get tired of watching.” He leaned close to her ear, his breath the only thing separating his lips from sensitive shell. “They put in extra spotlights that shine on the platform for me so I don’t have to stare at them all night. I mean, even a saint would get a hard-on seeing people go at it for three hours.” He canted his hips, brushing the thick length of him against her ass, proving his point.

Julie was enjoying their brazen flirtation. “I suppose you’re right.” She turned around to face him, purposefully rubbing her breasts across his chest. He didn’t move. “Did you originally bring me up here to relieve a little of that tension, Demon?”

“I don’t think you want to know what I was thinking before we got in the elevator.”

She tilted her head and cocked a brow, inviting him to share. “Oh, but I think I would.”

“This is probably a very bad idea.” He took a step back, but she moved with him.

She’d come this far and she had no intention of stopping now. “Maybe I was a little tipsy in the elevator, but I’m stone-cold sober now,” she said, laying her palm in the center of his chest. Her gaze swept the strong lines of his face, gauging his reaction. Even in the muted light of the office she could see the hunger sparking in his eyes. “We’re way past the stage of chivalry, Demon. I don’t need your protection.” She slid her thigh up his leg, surprised by her own audacity.

“You think that’s what I’m doing?”

She dragged a nail through the dark whiskers along his jaw, thrilling in the quick inhalation of his breath. “Oh, you play the animal, but the heart of a gentle man hides here.” She kissed the center of his chest, her body warming with the power of her seduction.

“Then it may shock you to learn I intended on having my way with you when we got up here. That phone call pulling Elvis away was his attempt to give me privacy.”

“No more than it would shock you to learn that’s what I’d hoped.” She scraped her teeth along the tight cords of his neck. “Elvis said he’d be gone awhile.”

“Not nearly long enough.” Demon wrapped his arms around her, his lips coming down hard on hers. He tasted of lemon and smelled like heaven. His tongue ran along the seam of her mouth, and she opened for him. She swallowed his deep growl of pleasure, the thrill of it shooting straight down her core.

His fingers gripped her neck, pulling her deep into the kiss, while hers frantically worked the buttons on his shirt.

“Do you think they can see us from down there?”

“Not on the couch.” Demon scooped her into his arms and carried her across the room. She kicked off her ankle-high boots on the way. His mouth never lost contact with hers. The pounding rhythm of the music was replaced by the roar of her heart hammering in her ears. He laid her on the couch, coming down on top of her. Julie shoved the shirt off his shoulders, her nails biting crescent moons into his back.

“Demon,” she breathed into his ear, nipping at the lobe.

“Damon. My real name’s Damon. Say it.” And she did. On hiccupping gasps, his name fell from her lips. He leaned away from her, pulling the front zipper down her corset, exposing her swollen breasts. She flushed under his hungry gaze, feeling sexy and wanton. When he leaned down and suckled one steepled nipple and then the other, she came off the couch. Jolts of molten heat shot through her veins with every lick and nibble. She pressed into his face, urging him to take more.

“Beautiful. You’re so beautiful.” He kissed a path between her breasts. “Your skin’s like satin.”

Her nails raked down his back. She cupped his ass, pulling him tightly between her open thighs. Oh, how she wanted this man. A stranger she’d only just met was making her hotter and wetter than she’d been in a very long time.

The chime of a cell phone broke through the fog of desire engulfing her.

“Wait. Just a minute, Damon. I need to get that.” Julie pushed at his shoulders. “My purse, there on the coffee table, my phone’s in my purse.”

He handed it to her, grazing his teeth along her collarbone. “I’m sure it can wait.”

“You never know, it could be an emergency.” Julie flipped open the phone. “Julie here.” Damon drew lazy circles with his finger around her stomach and breasts.

“Hey, Jules, were you in bed?”

“No, Dee, you didn’t wake me. Thanks for asking.” She mouthed “my sister” to Damon who nodded and ran is tongue over the pulse point of her throat and she gasped in response.

“You okay? You sound out of breath.”

“Breathless? Me? Oh, I was just doing some sit-ups before bed…and yes, before you say anything, I know what time it is. Sometimes I stay up this late. It is the weekend.”

“You always do aerobics before turning in?”

“Don’t worry about my fitness routine. Did you want something at this hour?”

Damon laved her breast, and air whistled through her teeth.

“Did you talk to Mum tonight?” Deirdre asked.

His tongue took another turn around her nipple, and she had all she could do to focus on Deirdre’s voice. “Mum? Yeah, she called me earlier. She seemed fine. She told me Daddy didn’t feel well, but I don’t think it’s anything to worry about.”

He nibbled at her earlobe, eliciting another moan of pleasure.

“Jules, you sure you’re all right? You sound funny.”

“It’s late.” Julie faked a loud yawn.

Damon laughed and she covered the receiver. “Shh, I’ll explain later.” He went back to nipping and kissing her neck.

Deirdre was still prattling on, but Julie was quickly losing her ability to focus. The wonderful wet suction at her neck and warm flutter of his fingers over her belly had her thoughts scattering in different directions. “I’m sure Mum’s fine, Dee. Nothing to worry about. I’m hanging up…go back to your game of pool—”

“Wait, say hi to Bri.”

“No, I don’t need to say hello to Brianna. Good-bye, Dee.” She closed the phone and dropped it on the floor.

“You, Damon, are a wicked man.” Julie buried her fingers in his hair. “I want you to—” His mouth came down hard on hers, and he swallowed her words. Damon’s fingers took a slow walk up her thigh, bringing her skirt with them. His thumb trailed over the dampness of her thong. “Yeah, that. Touch me like that.”

“You have entirely too many clothes on.” She reached between them, fumbling at his belt buckle.

“Let me get it.” He stood up quickly, shucking off his jeans and cowboy boots. Julie hadn’t seen many men naked, but this one certainly stole her breath. The sizable erection tapping against his belly was all hers. The man was as aroused by Julie Tilling as she was by him. The thought empowered her, boosted her confidence to play the salacious sex goddess she’d been trying to portray. Sitting up, she took the condom he’d dug out of his wallet. Julie rubbed her thumb against the mushroom head, collecting the glistening moisture. She brought her hand to her mouth, dragging her thumb down her tongue in a move so seductive it had him grinding out a moan.

“Damon, you taste so good.” She looked up at him through her lashes and rolled the latex down the length of his cock.

Damon lowered his weight on her, their bodies melting into the leather. She sighed his name, and he ran kisses up her chin, his hand tickling the inside of her thigh, running up her slick folds and circling her aching clitoris.

Damon’s touches were fire on her body, melting her bones and coursing heat through her blood. Julie couldn’t remember ever feeling this relaxed and sexy with a man. Sex had always seemed so mechanical in the past.

Not this night. This night, she floated on a cloud of pleasure, her mind empty of everything but the sensations Damon offered her body. The heat of his skin against her fingers, the spicy smell of his cologne mingled with the scent of her desire, the sound of her name on his lips, and the way he stared at her as if she were a banquet and he was a starving man; all of it sending overwhelming need sizzling over her nerves. Every cell in her body screamed for him, craved this union with Damon and the ecstasy he offered. She didn’t know it could be like this.

“Damon, I want you,” she whispered.

“Julie.” He covered her mouth with his, their tongues battling as he lifted her hips and entered her with exquisite leisure, allowing her body time to adjust to his girth. He stretched her, but she was so wet he entered without pain, filling her completely. He swallowed the moan she couldn’t contain.

“You feel so good, Julie.”

His name was the only coherent word she could form on her lips.

They found their rhythm, each moving their bodies to increase the pleasure. Damon held her arms over her head with one hand. The other slid between them, rubbing the pearled knot of her clitoris, sending her soaring higher with each stroke. Pleasure jolted along her nerves, tingling out to her fingers and toes. Her internal muscles clenched, pulling him deeper. Her world became narrowly focused on the encouragements and epithets he murmured in her ear, the talented teasing of his thumb and the push and pull of his cock. Her back bowed and she held her breath as her world exploded. Her orgasm rolled over her, making her buck against his powerful assault as she rode the breathless wave of ecstasy.

Damon tensed and let out a feral growl as his orgasm overtook him. He pistoned his hips with such wonderful strength all she could do was hold onto him, anchoring herself against the second orgasm slamming into her.

His hips slowed, soothing her quaking channel. He pulled his arm from between their bodies and came down on her, comforting her with his weight. She flexed her internal muscles, milking the last of his bliss. A shudder snaked through his body and she did it again just to hear her name come out of him on a deep moan of satisfaction.

He pulled her close to him, gathering the pieces and holding her tight. Their chests heaved and their hearts pounded against each other. And Julie wasn’t sure she wanted this to be just a one-night stand.

Chapter 4

Julie set down the steaming mug of coffee and flipped on the Saturday morning news as she settled on the couch. Her body was pleasantly sore from her encounter with Damon. Of course her night tangling the sheets and fantasizing in the shower had only added to the thrumming need making her restless.

The memory of their evening had kept the goofy smile lighting her face through breakfast and two loads of laundry.

They’d barely gotten their clothes back on before Elvis had returned to his office last night. Between their flushed faces and the musky odor permeating the office, there’d been no doubt what the two of them had done in his absence. Julie had wanted nothing more than to blend into the wall and disappear as the men had talked and laughed about Damon’s co-workers at the radio station.

Damon might be used to having sex in near public settings, but she had no idea how to handle the hour-after situation. As soon as she could politely extricate herself, Julie had taken the box Elvis offered her and hightailed it out the backdoor to her car with Damon on her heels. She’d left the man who’d rocked her world with a confused expression and a chaste kiss.

She was so not cut out for the casual sex kitten lifestyle.

Well, thinking about him would get her nowhere. She was mooning over a man who’d probably gotten up this morning without a thought of how his evening had ended. She needed to let go of her fantasies and move on.

The tattered box she’d taken from Elvis sat on the coffee table in front of her. Sadness tripped over regret. Had she missed something about Jason’s demeanor the last time she saw him? Julie didn’t think so. But she still wasn’t sure how it had come to this. All she had left of her best friend was an old yearbook, a few faded photographs and a video tape labeled “Jason’s High School Years”.  Julie retrieved the stupid kazoo they’d used at basketball games and hummed the school song into the silly toy.

“Calling ducks?”

The kazoo flew from her hand as she turned to find her sister standing in the living room doorway.

“What the hell? Don’t you knock anymore, Deirdre?” Julie lived next door to her parents. It shouldn’t surprise her when a family member showed up, but it certainly could be annoying and inconvenient at times.

“The back door was open.” Deirdre came around the corner from the kitchen, a mug of coffee in one hand, a half peeled banana in the other.

“Help yourself.” Julie picked up her mug of coffee from the table.

“Yeah, thanks,” Deirdre said. “You need more flavored creamer, by the way. I just used the last of it.”

“I’ll remember to put it on our shopping list.” Julie didn’t disguise the sarcasm, but Deirdre either missed it or didn’t bother to acknowledge it. “What’re you doing in town on a Saturday? Don’t you have work at the farmhouse or something?”

“Bri wants to have a barbeque tonight. She’s leaving to do a story in Kansas next week and wants to have everyone over. I needed to do a landscaping estimate, and I thought I’d swing in to invite you and the ’rents to dinner. But they must be out grocery shopping or something.” Deirdre flopped onto the couch, bouncing the cushions, nearly causing Julie to spill coffee down the front of her. “So I thought I’d hang out here for a while until they come home.”

“What if I have plans, Dee? You ever think of that?” Julie hadn’t meant for the question to sound so accusatory, but damn, didn’t her family think she had a life of her own?

“Sure, well…sorry. I just saw your car in the driveway and came over to say ‘hello.’”

“Well, I was thinking about going out tonight.”

“You have a date?”

She hadn’t exchanged numbers with Damon, which was really stupid on her part. Still, her sister didn’t need to know that. “Don’t sound so surprised. I do have a social life. His name’s Damon.” The deception heated her cheeks.

“Sorry.” Deirdre dragged out the word into two long syllables.

Deirdre’s sulky tone washed more guilt over Julie. “Forget it. You’re right. We didn’t make any definite plans for tonight. I’m not doing anything.” Julie set the box on the floor and turned up the television.

“What’s in the box?”

“Some old high school stuff, nothing much.” Julie shrugged, not wanting to talk with Dee about Jason. She focused on the television and flipped channels with the remote.

“…WKOR’s own Demon Jones…morning prime time…”

Flashes of Demon’s face came up on the screen as a commercial broke into the morning programming.

“Boo. Hiss.” Deirdre blew a raspberry at the screen. “The man’s a menace to society.”

“You know him?” Julie asked. She shifted on the couch, her body reacting immediately to the memory of his full lips on her.

“No, I don’t know him.” Deirdre sounded appalled.

“Then how can you judge him?”

“Obviously, sister, you’ve never listened to his drivel that passes as entertainment. He’s an opinionated, misogynistic, sexist pig who does nothing but degrade humankind on his show.” She threw the banana peel at the television where it stuck to Demon’s dimpled smile before dropping on the wooden floor.

“Sheesh. Tell me how you really feel, Dee.”

* * * *

Damon had gone for a run, stacked the recyclables, washed both the Harley and the Saturn, even scrubbed the bathroom and vacuumed through the tiny condo. All before eleven a.m. But nothing eased the unsettled feeling of Julie crawling under his skin. Looking for companionship after getting his rocks off wasn’t the Demon’s usual MO. But then again, the women he usually slept with didn’t have an IQ higher than their weight. Julie definitely had the body, but it was her compassion for her friend that had been the magnet pulling him into her arms.

He’d looked up her number on the internet. Thought about calling, but had dismissed the idea. Dressed the way she’d been, he had no doubt that was how she liked to spend her Friday nights—fast, hot, unencumbered sex. Maybe a string of one-night stands.

That’s all he’d hoped for last night as well. So why was he holding the phone in his hand and sweating like a teenager with a crush? He slammed it into the cradle and decided to go for another run.

Forty minutes later, fresh from his second shower, he sat at the baby grand piano, the only piece of furniture in his living room. Perhaps a little Def Leopard or some classic Stones could ease the ache of this woman who seemed intent on invading his every waking thought. Damon didn’t need to pull sheet music from the bench seat. He’d been playing this instrument far too long not to be able to practice for hours without a single note in front of him.

He let his mind wander, his fingers making the notes in his head a reality. He watched his hands caress the keys, but saw only the ivory white of Julie’s fingers wrapped around his cock. He swayed with the crescendo of the music, hearing only Julie’s cries of ecstasy as she writhed beneath him.

“Shit!” His fists slammed down on the keys, and the piano yelled in protest. Not a nice way to treat his pride and joy. But confusion brought his fists down again. Getting involved with a woman, no matter how beautiful, was a stupid idea. His stay in Delmont was temporary at best.

He stalked from the room, grabbing his helmet on his way to the garage.

* * * *

Dust motes danced on the morning sun, filling the kitchen. Rainbows of color reflected in soap bubbles in the sink as Julie set the last of the breakfast dishes in the drainer. She still wasn’t sure how Dee had talked her into pancakes and cartoons. But that was her little sister.

She should go out and do something. Pick up groceries. Lounge at the lake with a picnic lunch and a book. But none of that held any interest for her.

The box beckoned to her from the living room. There was nothing in it. How would she ever unravel the mystery of Jason? She had had such high hopes with Elvis. But he’d given her nothing but a pitiful container of memories. What was she missing?

Abandoning the dishes, she padded into the other room and hauled the box out from under the corner table where she’d tucked it. She hadn’t wanted Dee to ask her any questions. Her sisters already believed she was nothing but an old maid. Wouldn’t they laugh if they found out she’d turned into an amateur detective to solve a mysterious death that everyone had written off a month ago? The hushed whispers about Jason had finally ground themselves out in the Delmont rumor mill. She should be one of those to let it slip into obscurity. But she couldn’t.

Julie picked up the only thing she hadn’t really inspected—the video. A little walk down memory lane never hurt anyone. This she might enjoy, high school home movies. She pushed the tape into the VCR half of her old media player her parents had given her and hit play.

A picture of the high school gym filled the television screen. The bleachers were crammed with proud parents staring down at a gym floor overflowing with the elementary, middle and high school band members in their red and white uniforms. The date in the corner of the tape informed viewers this was the Christmas concert from her freshman year in high school when the braces made it difficult to play her flute. Julie groaned at the memory.

She hit fast forward. Concerts weren’t exciting when she participated in them. She had no intention of sitting through one on tape. People moved in choppy paces, fingers flew over keys on instruments, feet scurried in jerky tempos, and heads bobbed mechanically back and forth. She giggled. Too bad all unpleasant things in life couldn’t be avoided this way.

The picture of the bright gym morphed into bodies. Two bodies. Two naked bodies. Two very naked male bodies in profile, pumping their hips much too fast for comfort.

Julie hit the play button on the remote, and the picture went to normal speed. The sounds of sexual pleasure pounded out of the television speakers. She hit pause. Frozen in time, Jason stood with his arms around the man bent over in front of him. Even in blurry profile, she recognized her friend.

His right arm held the man tight against his stomach, while his left gripped the thick shaft of the other guy’s erection. She shut the television off and paced. Her heart and heels pounded out the same quick tempo as she paced the floor.

“Julie, this is none of your business.” Her thumbs pressed into her eye sockets, trying to push away the intimate image of Jason with a man. “But maybe this has something to do with Jason’s death.” Julie didn’t know he was gay. Was her friend gay? Or was something here just a little off-kilter?

She forced herself to return to the couch and rewind the tape until the dimly lit room with two men pleasuring each other morphed back into the gym. She pressed the play button again and watched the band members fade away to an empty room.

“That’s not why I’m here, man,” a muffled male voice said off camera. “A little reunion sex, Jase. I’ve missed you.”

Laughter. “Your hand on my dick is making a very persuasive argument.”

Heavy breathing and a shirt flew past the lens, settling on the potted plant to the left of the camera.

“But here? You sure it’s safe?” Julie thought she recognized Jason’s voice, but the sound quality wasn’t good.

“Jesus, of course it’s safe. Just shut up and fuck me.”

Entwined bodies moved into view, hands shucking off jeans until both men stood bare as the day they were born in front of the leather couch. Oh, sweet mother. Julie recognized that inviting leather couch that felt like warm chocolate on your skin. Her nipples peaked at the thought.

She’d been with Damon on that couch—in Elvis’ office.

Julie fell back against her sofa, the weight of her discovery more than she could bear. Was there a chance her encounter with Damon had also been taped? She couldn’t think about that right now. This man with Jason was her priority.

From this side angle, she couldn’t see their faces, but she’d known Jason too long not to recognize his well-developed torso and strong jaw line. Her stomach clenched. This was too personal to watch, but too seductive to turn from.

Jason pulled the man’s back tight to him and buried his face in the other man’s long curls of black speaking muffled words of affection.

The man arched against Jason, begging him to take him. He leaned over the couch and offered himself to her friend. The mystery man’s hair fell forward and covered his silhouette. The low lighting made it impossible to make out any details of the man and the poor sound quality muffled their voices.

Though this wasn’t meant for others to see, Julie couldn’t turn away. If she could get anything, some name or distinguishing feature, she might find a clue about Jason. At the very least, she’d have another person to question about her friend’s death. Julie tried to ignore the men’s intimate sex talk, concentrating instead on Jason’s partner. Focusing on the tattoo on the man’s left shoulder, she wondered if perhaps it could give her clues to his identity. There was something familiar about the mark, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Embarrassment flooded through her as sounds of their climaxes filled her living room, but desperation to discover Jason’s lover’s identity kept her riveted to the television. Jason’s lover. How had she not known? All these years and her friend had never given any indication that he was gay. The reality of her friendship warped and blurred.

When the world came back into focus, Jason and his partner had morphed back into the high school gym. Julie was left listening to the middle school band’s off-key rendition of “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen.”

Chapter 5

The music blared through the speakers while the vacuum cleaner hummed along the carpet. Julie did a stutter step with the lively Charlie Daniels’ song about the devil with fire flying from his fingertips. Demon Jones. She sighed at thoughts of the man who had been her first one-nighter.

She was a modern woman of the twenty-first century. Having unencumbered sex with a stranger shouldn’t be affecting her this way. Love ’em and leave ’em, or was it love the one you’re with? Either way, she shouldn’t be wondering what Damon was up to. He’d made it perfectly clear last night he was only looking for a little sexual release. He probably didn’t even remember her name.

Though he had been nice, sweet, even, when he’d accompanied her to the Escort, carrying the box Elvis had given her, he had said very little. Damon’s tender kiss before she’d slipped into the Escort had held none of the passion that only an hour early had rocked her world.

On the way home she’d wondered if she should have asked him out for a late cup of coffee, but convinced herself it was better she hadn’t. It would have seemed too clingy. Men never wanted anything complicated. Well, she could do that, carefree and uncomplicated.

The new her.

Julie sighed. Maybe she’d go over to Starry Knights tonight and find another man instead of going to Deirdre’s barbeque. Wouldn’t that throw the family?

“Julie’s as predictable as time, brilliant as the sun, comfortable as an old pair of slippers, with enough self restraint to hold back the tide.” Julie repeated the monotonous words. For as long as she could remember, her mother had introduced her that way. At one time it had made her feel important. Now the sayings made her sound like an old dotard ready for spinsterhood.

“Julie, you in there?” The pounding on the window startled her.

“Yeah, hold on a minute.” She flipped off the vacuum, turned down the stereo and rushed for the front door.

As soon as Julie turned the deadbolt, Meghan tumbled inside. “Hey, grab your stuff. We’re heading over to Deirdre’s early.” Meghan swiveled her head as if looking for something. “Why’d you lock the door? You don’t have company, do you?”

Julie had locked both doors when she’d watched Jason’s video a second time. It wouldn’t do to have her family see him that way.

“I was getting ready for Dee’s. I always lock the front door when I go out.” My, how easily lies tumbled one after another once they started rolling off the tongue.

* * * *

Damon couldn’t clear his head. Even the roar of the engine and the excessive speeds couldn’t force Julie Tilling from his thoughts or cool his heated blood. He’d taken a stranger upstairs with the intent of having sex, but ended up walking a woman he wanted to spend more time with out to her car. He’d never found himself in this situation, wishing he could take about five steps back in the sequence of events and begin with a simple dinner date.

Julie’s blasé attitude had been stripped away with her clothes. Wanting to see the real woman, he’d taken off her wig before he’d… screwed her? That seemed too crude. Well, whatever it was, he’d done it a second time before they’d scurried into their clothes. As they waited for Elvis, Julie’s gentle probing and genuine inquisitiveness nicked at his armor, and he ended up talking about how much he hated his job. He hadn’t shared that with anyone—ever.

The motorcycle rounded the corner of the neighborhood lined with maple trees and cookie-cutter houses in a neat row. Not the typical sprawling Maine community with old rambling farm houses. This one must have been designed by an out-of-state developer who only cared about the bottom line, not the picturesque beauty New Englanders enjoyed.

The bike stopped in front of 1694 Wicker Way. Julie Tilling. He didn’t know he’d intended on coming here. But now that he was here—yeah, now that he was here—now what? It would be foolish to drive off now. Not when the curtains on several of the front windows up and down the street were pulled back. People driving Harleys didn’t usually keep their arrivals a secret. Especially not when they held the power Damon had humming between his legs.

He kicked down the stand and removed his helmet. Step one. Now what? He should have called. Was she watching him, wondering if he was stalking her? Filling his lungs with courage, he walked up the front steps and rang the bell. No answer. He knocked. No answer.

Damon didn’t know anything about this woman. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in summer. Her social calendar was probably filled. Dumb. He’d been thinking with the wrong head. This had been such a bad idea. He should go home, drink down a few brews to salve his battered ego and head out to a bar for some wild partying. Right. More likely he’d do what he did every Saturday he didn’t have a gig, spend it banging out sultry jazz and rock classics on the baby grand.

“You looking for someone, son?” The older gentleman leaning on the cane in the driveway next door inquired.

“Julie Tilling.”

“You got business with her?’

“I’m Damon Corey, a friend of Julie’s.” Damon strode to the man and offered his hand.

“John Tilling.” The man had a surprisingly firm grip. “Damon, you say?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, you just missed her. Was she expecting you?”

“I was in town and wanted to surprise her. But I’ll give her a call and see if we can hook up later.”

“You dating my daughter?”

That wasn’t expected. “Well, if you call one date dating…” It wasn’t in his nature to lie, especially to a woman’s father.

“Deirdre said Julie mentioned she was dating a Damon. I assume that’s you.”

Dating? “Yes, sir.”

“Well, Julie’s over at the family farm. We’re headed over there now. I’m sure she wouldn’t want to miss your visit.” If Damon wasn’t mistaken, a twinkle sparked in the old man’s eye. “Why don’t you follow us?”

* * * *

Julie loved her family. She supposed this was a good way to spend a summer evening. They were the only reason she’d come back to Delmont. There was nothing wrong with this life. Lots of people would be happy and satisfied. So why wasn’t she?

Perhaps it had something to do with the way Deirdre was wrapped around Bri and laughing while Meghan and Peter waited to take their turns at croquet. Yeah, everyone had someone but her and that just sucked.

“Okay, you two, enough of that kissing,” Peter shouted from the corner of the lawn where he was poised to win the second croquet match in a row. “Just knock Brianna’s ball across the lawn, Dee. No apologies necessary.”

“You wouldn’t do that to me would you?” Bri batted her lashes at Dee.

“All’s fair in love and croquet, Bri.” Deirdre placed her booted foot on her ball that lay in the plush grass next to Bri’s. The croquet mallet came down hard, and the impact sent Bri’s ball sailing into the bushes.

“I give up. Peter’s going to win again, anyway.” Bri walked away and dropped her mallet in the rack. “Hey, perfect timing, your parents are here. I’ll go in and grab the steaks.”

“Oh, come on, can’t I at least get the satisfaction of kicking some female butt?” Peter yelled.

Meghan threw her mallet toward Peter. “You always win. Why don’t you stack the wickets while I help in the kitchen?”

Julie was already gathering the wire arches off the lawn.

“Anyone want anything to drink while I’m inside?” Meghan called.

“Beer,” Peter answered as he pulled the stakes from the ground.

“Make that two.” John Tilling rounded the corner of the house.

“Julie, you want anything?”

“You got any iced tea?” she asked.

“Still drinking those iced teas?”

Julie spun to the deep voice that had haunted her dreams last night. “Damon?” The panic riding on his name was painfully obvious.

“Nice to see you too, Julie.” He bent around the cooler filling his hands and kissed her cheek. “Make this look good. Your dad thinks we’re dating, for some reason.” The words spoken into her ear shimmied down her spine.

“What a nice surprise. I thought you couldn’t make it,” Julie spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, then leaned in again to press her flushed cheek against the stubble of his chin. “What the hell are you doing with my parents?”

“I haven’t figured that one out myself.”

They followed her parents to the picnic table beside the deck and Damon set down the cooler.

“Found him looking for you at the end of your driveway.” John Tilling smiled and slapped Damon on the back before stepping around them both to sit heavily at the picnic table. Julie hated how tired her father looked these days. “I certainly couldn’t leave a young man who’s sweet on my daughter standing alone in the cold as it were, now could I?” He leaned his cane against the edge of the table. “Besides, I wanted to witness the grilling myself. You girls are always entertaining when you’re passing judgment.”

“That’s not true, Daddy. We don’t judge. Everyone’s welcome at the Tilling dinner table.” Meghan came down the back steps and set a tray filled with glasses and a pitcher of iced tea on the end of the picnic table.

Peter scoffed as he followed her, handing beers around. “Riiiiight.”

Meghan backhanded Peter’s gut. “I’m Meghan and this is my fiancé, Peter.”

Damon shook the hands they extended.

“Don’t let my sister’s pixie features fool you.” Deirdre pointed to their mother. “Judge…” She hitched her thumb at Meghan. “Jury…” Deirdre nodded and patted her chest. “And executioner.” She shook Damon’s hand. “But the family just calls me Deirdre.”

“Don’t listen to her, they’re not all bad. Nobody bites. Just a little growling now and again.” Bri leaned against Dee and politely extended her hand to Damon. “I’m Brianna.”

Introductions complete, Julie was at a loss as to where to go next and absently picked up the pitcher of sweet tea to fill a few glasses.

“So how long have you two been dating?” Her mother asked as she began unpacking the cooler Damon had set on the ground.

Iced tea spilled over Julie’s trembling hand. How the hell was she going to explain away the lie? There was no way  she wanted her family to find out about her venture into the nightclub last night and the results of meeting Demon Jones.

With his usual cool charisma, Damon mopped up the spill and wrapped his warm hand around hers, hiding her nervousness. “An old friend brought us together and the chemistry was immediate.” He squeezed her hand and smiled.

The man did have a way of spinning the truth.

“Good enough for me,” Peter said. “Why don’t we get out of this heat to some place cooler, Damon…like the grill?” He leaned in conspiratorially. “They’re always better behaved with full bellies.”

Damon shot Julie a knowing wink that had her tummy doing little flips of pleasure. As he walked away she admired both his nice ass and the way he’d managed to ingratiate himself into her family. Maybe Dee was right and he was nothing more than a cool player racking up woman with his ratings.

There was definitely something dark and dangerous about Damon. Julie just hadn’t quite put her finger on what it was just yet and until then, she needed to guard her heart.

* * * *

Wind whipped past his body, but the thrill of speed was nothing compared to having the heat of Julie pressed against his back. The vise-grip of her arms around his waist spurred Damon into reckless abandon. The faster he pushed the Harley, the tighter she clung. Her breasts were crushed against his back, her legs intimately hugging his thighs. And all he could think about was getting her alone and naked. But perhaps that wasn’t what she had in mind.

No, it wasn’t Demon taking her home. He needed to take this slow. The afternoon with her family had been filled with friendly banter. The people surrounding her in love at the barbeque certainly didn’t seem to know anything about the sexy Jewel who’d been at Starry Knights last night. She’d skirted around questions of how they’d met through an old college friend of Jason’s with barely a stumble. But the tension in her shoulders and pleading looks she’d sent his way had communicated an uneasiness he didn’t quite understand.

Still, it was early and he didn’t want to go home just yet. The sun had barely slipped behind the tree line, throwing ribbons of color over the clouds. The day held a tenuous grasp of the sky even as the purple shades of night fought for control in the east. He wasn’t sure how Julie was feeling about her one-night stand showing up at the family picnic. He’d have to go slow until he figured out how she felt about his unexpected arrival.

“That one.” Julie’s arm pointed to the house he already knew. She jumped off the seat before he had a chance to shut off the engine. “Well, that was fun,” she said with a nervous giggle.

“You ever ride a motorcycle, Julie?”

She pulled off the helmet and fluffed her hair. The corkscrew curls of copper fit her cute features much better than the black wig that had overpowered them.

“Not one this fast,”

He bit back a smile. “No, I meant any motorcycle.”

“Was it that obvious?” Color rose from her chest and deepened her already flushed cheeks.

“I like to be a woman’s first.” Shit. Even clean shaven and wearing his glasses, Demon’s persona had a bad habit of popping up at inopportune moments.

Julie stopped contemplating her toes and stared straight at him. Emotions moved over her face and clouded her eyes, but he didn’t know her well enough to read between the lines. He’d just met this wonderful woman. He hadn’t intended to scare her off.

“Julie, I—”

“No, Damon. It’s fine. I understood the score last night. I knew what this would be when I seduced you.”

He hadn’t thought her cheeks could become redder, but he was wrong.

“You have a lot of women available to you,” she said, quietly. “I’m sure they’re much more experienced than me.” She shrugged and nervously fiddled with the strap of the helmet. “I’m sure you weren’t really expecting the person you found at the family homestead?” She emphasized the last two words as if they were obscenities. “The Jewel of last night was more your speed. I get that.”

Oh, hell no. “No, Julie, I—”

She lifted her hand between them. “No, Damon. Seriously, you don’t owe me anything. Obviously my father dragged you into an uncomfortable situation. Well, you’ve done your social obligation. You politely got through a Tilling family dinner and now I’m home safe and sound. I didn’t mean to disappoint by being the girl next door and not the wild party bimbo you expected.” The helmet landed in his lap. “It seems I have a hard time living up to even a virtual stranger’s expectations of who I should be.” She turned on her heel. “So, thanks. I get it. Good night.”

“No, Julie, really, you don’t understand.” He yelled at her retreating back. “Julie, wait.” Damon attempted to jump from the bike, but the stand wasn’t down, and he had to juggle the extra helmet. “Damn it all to hell. Julie…” He finally managed to extricate himself from the bike and the helmets and caught her just as she pushed open the front door. “Please. I think you’ve misunderstood. Just give me a minute to explain. Then I’ll leave.”

Her arms knotted across her chest for protection. A wounded heart? He’d have to tread carefully. The emerald eyes shimmering in the waning light telegraphed her pain and embarrassment, but her lips were pursed thin with determination. The woman was a walking enigma. Damon suspected she had no idea how damn sexy she looked standing there, inviting him to explain himself—daring him to breach her defenses.

“Look, Julie. I’m not going to lie to you. Demon Jones is very popular with the ladies. Damon Corey…not so much. If you’re looking for the person I was last night, well, you’re in for a big surprise. He’s as fake as Santa Claus.”

The tip of her tongue darted out to wet her full lips. “I still believe in Santa Claus.”

She would. “The Easter bunny, then.”

“But he doesn’t try to pass himself off as anything but the chocolate peddler that he is. I don’t think any hearts have ever been broken by the Easter bunny.”

“Julie…” Damon’s hand found its way to her cheek, his fingers tangling in her hair. She smelled earthy and fresh, and he gulped in great breaths of heaven, not sure he could ever completely fill his lungs. He gauged her reaction as he leaned in, his gaze sweeping her rounded cheeks and pouty mouth. When he brushed his lips against Julie’s satin warmth, her eyes fluttered closed and he nibbled on her full bottom lip. A sweet moan of surrender escaped a moment before she opened for him. Their tongues tasted and explored, and he walked her backward into the living room to shut out any neighbor’s prying eyes.

“Damon.” The husky way she spoke sent blood rushing from his head south, stealing any coherent thoughts. But he knew this was too important to rush.

“Julie, I haven’t stopped thinking about you all day. You crawled into my head last night, and all I’ve thought about is how to be with you again.”

She leaned back to look at him, her brows knit in confusion, her lips swollen from his assault and her cheeks flushed. She looked so damn sexy. His innocent vamp with the killer smile raked her gaze over his face, no doubt searching for deceit. But the hot desire he felt at this moment was about as real as it got.

“I don’t do this…” she said finally, her hand stirring the heated air between them. “Very well. I’ve been told I’m not good at it. I think you may have lucked out last night.”

“That’s not how I see things.” He scooped her into his arms, her laughter quickening his heart rate. “And your bedroom would be where?” He was already heading in the direction she pointed.

They passed family photos and her home office, their kiss deepening, tongues tangling and teeth nipping. Moans were shared and swallowed as they made their way to the bedroom.

Damon lay her on the bed and Julie’s first coherent thought was sex twice in less than twenty-four hours—how very wicked. Even when she’d been in a relationship, she hadn’t been this bold. But the man stripping off his shirt and molding to her body didn’t allow any time for her to second-guess this decision. Who cared if they didn’t know each other? He wanted her. She needed him buried deep inside her. When it came right down to brass tacks, who truly knew anyone?

“You have no idea what you’ve done to me this afternoon in this tank top and flirty shorts.” His breath was hot on her neck. “Little peeks at your back and belly have been driving me insane all afternoon. So much more alluring than the show-all outfit you had on last night. Every time you bent down, I couldn’t help staring at one luscious curve or another.” Damon’s tongue traced the shell of her ear, sending hot tremors of need straight down her core. “And these legs.” His wide palm slid over the outside of her thigh and tickled behind her knee. “Long and smooth and just right for wrapping around a man.”

“You do have a way with words.”

He stared at her. “Julie, they’re not just words. I mean it. I don’t think you realize just how beautiful you are.” His fingers swept the hair from her face. “I’ll admit the wanton sex goddess cavorting on the dance floor last night definitely got my attention. But it was the compassionate woman worried over a friend that held me captive.”

The man was a womanizer. Not that she cared at the moment as he lay bare-chested on her bed, manipulating her emotions and her body into a frenzied confusion of lust. “Damon, you’ve got me here. You’ve sealed the deal. Superfluous flattery isn’t necessary.” Julie forced out a laugh.

“Julie, stop it.” Damon swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. “Stop putting yourself down.” Frustration had him plowing fingers through his hair. “I’ve been used before, but it didn’t matter, because I knew the score before the game began. I just thought you were different. I was hoping ours wasn’t going to be that kind of cat and mouse game.”

“Damon, I’m sorry.” She leaned into his back, her lips grazing the hard set of his jaw. She kissed her way over the tattoo on his shoulder. “No one, and I mean no one, not even my family, has seen this many sides of Julie Tilling. I didn’t mean to reveal so much. It’s just a little…disconcerting.”

“Julie.” He turned to face her and she sat up to meet his gaze. “People aren’t always who they seem. Look at me for chrissake. I didn’t come here today to lure you into bed.” He laughed. “Okay, that’s a lie.” He cupped her face in his hands. “This is what I want, but not because I thought you were easy.” Pressing his forehead to hers, his breath feathered across her lips. “Don’t get me wrong, my thoughts of you today were anything but pure. But trust me when I say you’re like a very pleasant itch I’m desperate to scratch. It’s new and I like it.” He kissed her. “But it’s because I really like you and I want to show you how beautiful and desirable you are. We skipped several rungs of the dating ladder last night, hell, we obviously leaped without one. But it doesn’t make this any less real.”

“This is new to me, Damon, but I’d sure like to keep falling. Last night was a pretty nice leap into the unknown.” Her heart did a stutter-step in her chest.

“A gentleman should never deny a lady.” Damon’s hand molded to her breast, peaking the nipple with a pinch. Her breath hitched as Damon’s talented hands had them both naked, satin skin and power covering her before she could catch her breath. There was only him and the heated compliments whispered against her skin.

He teased her nipples, licking and sucking, pinching and rolling, sending electric jolts of pleasure sizzling along her nerves. Her internal muscles clenched, moisture seeping out to dampen her trembling thighs. His fingers tangled in the auburn thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs, her hips lifting, inviting him lower.

Damon slid seductively down her torso, his tongue and fingers taking a leisurely tour down her stomach. His tongue laved her hip bone as his thick fingers parted her folds. Her nails bit deep into his muscles as the pleasure rippled over her nerves.

“I want to taste you, Jules and I want you to see me ravage your body. Prop yourself on some pillows and see how hungry you make me.” Damon nipped at her inner thigh, and she did as he instructed. He pushed her legs wide, his fingers splaying her open.

“Like a flower, sweet nectar for sipping.” He tugged at her pubic hair with his lips.

She closed her eyes, sliding into the anonymity of darkness.

“No, don’t close your eyes. Watch me.”

She lifted her heavy lids, staring down into the amber depths of his eyes. “I promise to do my best.” An embarrassed smile quivered the corner of her mouth.

His tongue came up her slit, drawing a startled gasp of pleasure from her.

“Your best effort is all I ask.”

One hand spread her wide, exposing her sensitive bud, while the other dipped two thick fingers into her slick channel. His lips came down on her, his tongue flicking the sensitive pearl. Bliss surged outward like hot currents along her nerves, heating her blood and making it hard to breathe. The visual stimulation of Damon’s flickering tongue added another dimension to the heavy ache pulling at her internal muscles.

“You like that?”

The sensation was amazing. She nodded, biting down on her bottom lip, unsuccessfully trying to hold back the lascivious sighs of lust he drew from her. Gooseflesh rose on her thighs as his fingers worked in tandem with his talented mouth. As her tension mounted, her hips bucked against his assault, but he never lost contact with her. Her hands fisted in the comforter, anchoring herself against the waves of ecstasy threatening to drown her.

Every time his fingers pushed, Julie tipped her hips, urging him deeper. His teeth nipped at her delicate flesh, sending pinpoints of delicious pain to her fingers and toes, only to have his tongue lave and soothe. He continued the masterful onslaught, driving her into a tortured frenzied pitch of need until she was circling the precarious precipice of elation. All she wanted was to tumble into that blessed bliss of release, but each time she teetered on the torturous edge, Damon pulled back.

She gasped out his name, begging him to bring her to release. Damon’s tongue flicked repeatedly over her clitoris, sending waves of pleasure washing over her. His fingers pushed and retreated until her muscles spasmed around them and she shouted out in wild abandon as her orgasm tore through her. Damon was relentless, and just as the bliss waned, his fingers and teeth and tongue pulled her back to the edge and threw her once again into the black abyss of delirium. Each time she shattered in ecstasy, he gathered the fragments, only to tear her apart again. How many times she climaxed, she didn’t know. But he continued until she begged him to stop—begged him never to let go of her.

Chapter 6

“So this is all you’ve got?” Damon asked.

Julie sat cross-legged on her bed. After hours of lovemaking she was completely comfortable with her nudity especially since it left Damon’s incredibly sexy body stretched out naked in front of her, his head propped up in his hand. What was making her uncomfortable was having Jason’s past spread out between them.

“Yeah, I’m not even sure why Elvis had this stuff.” Julie waved her hands over the meager contents of the box—everything except the video tape. Thank goodness she’d tucked it away for safe keeping after watching it earlier. Betraying her best friend by showing something so intimate to a man she barely knew just seemed wrong. Still, after all they’d shared that afternoon, the familiar twinge of guilt for her deceit nipped at her conscience. “A bunch of mementos. There’s hardly anything here worth keeping.”

She kept her attention focused on the man who had walked into her life so unexpectedly. They’d laughed and sighed, called out each other’s names in ecstasy. Every inch of that wondrous body of his had been tasted and explored—including the tattoo on his left shoulder.

Julie had successfully dismissed the implications of the ink all afternoon. But Damon’s insatiable curiosity about the visit to Elvis’ office had alarms in her head blaring warnings she could no longer ignore. Despite her attempts to distract him, Damon kept bringing the conversation back around to the box the owner of Starry Knights had given her. Julie had finally relented. But keeping the video secret until she understood why the man in the video and the man on her bed both wore the same markings seemed prudent.

“How’d you know Jason anyway?” Damon asked.

“We were best friends.”

Damon traced a finger around her areola, peaking the nipple. “Best friends with benefits?”

“Eww.” She laughed as she grabbed his hand and kissed the palm. “Jason was like my brother. Our mums were best friends and did everything together. Jason and I used to share the same playpen, but nothing more.”

Damon bent and kissed her knee. “What about later?”

She laughed. “Best buds don’t date, Damon. Neither of us even considered it.” But now, thinking about it, Julie wondered if perhaps there was something more to that. She blew out a breath to clear that line of thinking. There was no way Jason could have been gay and her not know it.

“It’s true, we did everything together,” Julie continued. “Between the two of us we ran the Key Club, the yearbook, the thespian and honor societies and a bunch of other stuff in high school. The only time we kissed was during a production of Bye, Bye, Birdie, and that was so staged that by the time we’d done it for three months, there was no heat to it.” Emotion clogged her throat. “Well…and that New Year’s Eve kiss my junior year in college.” Tears unexpectedly welled in her eyes.

“So you guys did date for awhile?”

“The kiss?” She let out a nasally laugh and shook her head. She wasn’t sure if the sudden tears burning her eyes came from the pain of losing Jason or the memory that came slamming back. “Nothing sexual about that one, either.” She lifted her shoulder, trying to shake off the unexpected sadness without success.

Julie had never shared with anyone outside her sisters and Jason what had happened to the first man who’d broken her heart. But there was something about Damon. Something that compelled her to share her sorrow with him. Something daring her to give him a piece of her heart.

Perhaps it was the tender way he brushed the tears from her cheeks or the compassion shimmering in his eyes, either way, she knew she could trust him with her deepest secrets.

“It had to do with another guy.” Julie swallowed hard, working to soothe the hot coal of pain burning in her throat. “I’d been dating him for almost a year. I’d wrapped my life and my heart around his. I thought he’d done the same.” Unable to meet his gaze, Julie watched Damon’s fingers drawing lazy circles on her thigh. “He was graduating in the spring and moving out west. I was looking at grad schools out there so we could be together. So when he made these elaborate plans to come to Maine and see me during the Christmas break, I was sure he was going to propose.” She shrugged, trying to act like it didn’t matter as much as it had.

“Instead of giving me a ring, he broke up with me. Told me he had been dating his high school sweetheart back in his hometown for a couple of months.” Her cheeks puffed as she let out a shaky breath. “I gotta tell you, that stung. I knew I was naïve, but blind to the fact that going home nearly every weekend had nothing to do with seeing his family? I’m still not sure how I could have been so stupid.” She picked up an old photo of her and Jason and fiddled with the edges. “I was such a mess. My sisters weren’t very sympathetic. I guess they’d figured it out during the summer when he refused to let me visit him. The only person who allowed me to grieve was Jason. He cancelled his New Year’s Eve plans and took me out instead.” She inhaled a shuddering breath. “Jason spent a horrible night consoling me. We kissed at midnight, but it was to comfort, not seduce. He was such a good friend.” Damon’s long fingers smoothed over her thigh, and it was her undoing. A sob escaped.

“Please don’t.” Though she wasn’t sure if she was crying for the loss of her best friend or her broken heart, Julie wanted Damon’s understanding not his pity.

In a graceful move, he swung to a sitting position in front of her.

“I can see the pity in your eyes.” She shook a finger at him. “Don’t feel sorry for me. Not about losing my best friend and especially not about a fiancé that never was.”

Damon’s fingers blazed a leisurely path up her side and over her shoulder, to settle comfortably behind her neck. His thumb caressed her jawbone as he leaned forward and took possession of her mouth, his persuasive tongue exploring and soothing. He pulled away from her and tenderly kissed the tip of her nose. “Julie, I’m not feeling sorry for you. I’m just thinking what a loser your old boyfriend was, and what a lucky guy I am.”

“I’m the lucky one, Damon.” Julie’s fingers tangled in the silky curls of his hair, her gaze sweeping his face. She had been wrong. There was no pity there, only the heated spark of lust in his hooded eyes. Her belly clenched and her nipples stiffened at the memory of what they’d done together.

Leaning forward, Damon sucked her pearled nipple into the wet heat of his mouth. Tiny sparks of pleasure shot out to her fingers and toes. She wanted to give into this, to lose herself once again in his masterful seduction. But the tattoo on his left shoulder, staring up at her, demanded her attention.

She’d immersed herself in Damon’s lovemaking, wanting more of what he’d been offering, refusing to acknowledge the very real possibility that Damon was the man on the tape with Jason. Damon had set her body on fire proving over and over again that he knew his way around a woman’s erogenous zones. And though it made no sense, Julie couldn’t keep pretending it wasn’t feasible that this man with the talented tongue wasn’t also Jason’s lover. Her stomach clenched once again, not with the salacious abandon of desire, but with the very real possibility that Damon knew a hell of a lot more about her best friend than he was letting on.

She should just stop this fiasco and not let her heart cloud her thinking. Heads needed to be clear to work through a puzzle. But the heat of Damon’s lips on her skin sent currents of desire straight to her pleasure centers, turning her brain cells to mush. She should be asking him about the tattoo—not thinking about the way his body fit so naturally with hers.

“Hey, yoo-hoo, Julie.” Damon waved a hand in front of her eyes.

She hadn’t been aware that he’d stopped kissing her breast.

“Where’d you go?” he asked.

Ignoring the nervous tremble of her lips, Julie forced her mouth into some sort of a smile. “I don’t suppose a nice guy like you has any horrible relationship stories.”

“I’m male. We always have horrible relationship stories. You definitely don’t want to hear mine.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and plowed his fingers through his hair.

She spun to her knees and leaned against his back, snuggling into his neck. “I just can’t imagine you leading anyone on then breaking their hearts. You seem like a pretty stand-up guy to me.”

“People aren’t always who they seem, Julie. Including me. There aren’t many guys I know who don’t have something illicit in their past that they regret.” He laughed with obvious disdain. “But I probably have more than most.”

Did she really want to know if this man who had loved her over the past several hours had also had an affair with her best friend? Damon’s actions didn’t feel like an act to uncover information. But perhaps the seduction thing was a means to that end. He had been unusually curious about the contents of the box after all.

“Sounds like you just had your share of fun. Come on, dish.” She continued to press him.

“Let’s just say my college years weren’t fertile soil for establishing good morals and leave it at that.” His clipped tone brooked no more questions on the subject. “Aren’t we trying to figure out what all this has to do with Jason?” He turned back to the contents of the box behind them.

His abrupt change in subject surprised her. Disappointment and confusion weighed down her shoulders. Maybe Damon did have something to do with Jason. She leaned back, hoping the distance would clear her head. “Do you really think there are clues buried in here?”

Damon picked up a couple of photographs. “I’m not sure we’re going to come to a different conclusion from the police, but we should probably go through all of this again. Elvis must have given it to you for a reason.”

“No, you’re right.” Julie rolled away from Damon and sat cross-legged once again, staring at the jumble of things in front of her. Until she understood how Damon, Jason and Elvis were connected—and she did believe they all knew each other—she would troll the waters of Damon’s sexual past with caution. No sense baiting a shark without the right equipment to catch him.

“Okay, here’s what I know,” she said. “Jason was finishing up his medical internship. He had every intention of coming back to Delmont to take over his father’s private practice. He was excited about that. He told me. Why would he suddenly feel like he had nothing to live for? I don’t understand why everyone thinks that was possible.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Jules. There sure as hell doesn’t seem to be a smoking gun in here.” Damon shuffled around the photos. “You didn’t happen to find a tape or anything?”

Julie choked on her incredulity. “Why would you ask that?”

Damon looked at her and made a peace sign with both hands, shaking his head side to side. “I am not a crook.” He laughed. “You know…Nixon and the Watergate tapes?”

She breathed deeply, trying to still her hammering heart. It was a joke. “This isn’t funny, Damon. My friend’s dead. The box is marked ‘Tilling’. Jason wanted my family to have this stuff. But why Elvis grabbed it from Jason’s condo the night he died is beyond me.”

“Maybe you’re not the only one who thinks something’s just a little off about this.” Damon’s brows furrowed with concentration. “Obviously, Elvis thought someone might find something in this junk. Though I don’t know how old pictures and a yearbook will offer any clues.” Mischief lifted the corners of Damon’s mouth. “I bet you’re in here somewhere.” He began leafing through the book’s pages, but Julie snatched it away before he got too far.

“Don’t you dare.” She held the yearbook at arm’s length. “I don’t know you well enough to expose that part of myself to you.”

Instead of grabbing the yearbook, he nuzzled her shoulder. “I’m thinking you’ve exposed just about the most intimate parts of yourself, Miss Julie Tilling.”

She wanted to melt into this. Let his mouth bring her back to the blissful detachment of not thinking of anything but pleasure, but somehow she felt time slipping through her fingers. “Damon.” She bent and kissed the silky black of his hair. “We already said we shouldn’t get caught up in that.”

Undeterred, he nibbled his way to her neck and she laughed.

“Besides, it’s almost eleven, and I know my mother’s watching out the window to see when you leave. Notice the phone hasn’t rung once while you’ve been here.” It had been peaceful without her sisters chiming in to grill her about Damon.

Damon’s expression was serious when he lifted his head to meet her gaze, but humor glinted in his eyes. “They wouldn’t.”

“Oh, they would. And they do. When your motorcycle pulls out of here, the Tilling tag-team phone system goes into action. My sisters are just chomping at the bit to find out the juicy details. Now, focus. There’s no telling how long their patience will last. I really don’t want them calling while you’re still here.” She picked up the folded Mickey Mouse ears from the bed, no doubt a silly memento from Jason’s youth. “What can we glean from this stuff?” Opening them, she lifted them over her head, intent on putting them on, but she stopped when something rolled down her torso.

She picked up the prescription bottle that had fallen in her lap, rotating it to read the label. “Jason McCarty, Lithium, something, something, take one tablet twice daily.” Julie looked up at Damon. “Doc McCarty prescribed Lithium to my mum for depression a year or so ago.”

His features softened and a sad smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “Julie, maybe Jason was depressed, and he really did do this to himself.” His hand slid down her arm.

“I suppose…” Misery sagged her shoulders. “Maybe I can find out something from the prescribing physician.” Julie looked closely at the bottle. “It’s a Dr. Maura Wells.”

“What?”

She looked at him hopefully. “You know, talk to the physician.”

Damon took the bottle and confirmed what she’d just told him. “Well, shit. It was prescribed by Maura.” He dragged the name over his tongue as if tasting the repercussions.

“Do you know her?”

“She’s Elvis’ silent partner at Starry Knights.”

* * * *

Damon paced the carpet in Elvis’ office. After meeting Julie’s family earlier this afternoon, he’d had every intention of coming here tonight and collecting what was his from Elvis and destroying it. He just hadn’t thought he’d be bringing this tantalizing woman with him and tangling her in his hornet’s nest.

But Julie was nothing if not determined. When he’d nonchalantly mentioned he was coming to Starry Knights after leaving her house, she’d insisted on joining him, even donning the black wig from last night. Now, he wasn’t sure how she was going to react to what would happen here.

Well, he’d just have to play the cards where they lay when everything came out.

His gaze caught hers and held, his heart squeezing at her discomfort. Julie’s brows furrowed as she shifted nervously on the chair where he’d put her. The couch was off-limits. There was no way in hell Elvis was getting another show. Anger twisted in Damon’s gut. He’d been so caught up in Julie last night that he’d forgotten about Elvis’ damn camera. And now he wasn’t sure if Julie would believe he hadn’t intentionally taped their love making for his own sordid pleasure.

Because if this day with Julie had proven anything, it’s that his feelings for the copper-haired beauty were deepening. What she thought of him definitely meant something. And if Julie refused to believe him about the tape he’d come to collect, well—that would be unacceptable.

He’d just have to convince her one way or another.

“Julie, Demon, what an unexpected pleasure.” Elvis strode into the room. “Have you come to do an encore performance, Demon? The DJ platform is always open to you, my friend.”

“I left Demon at home.” Damon held out his arms as proof. The faded jeans and T-shirt weren’t the Demon’s style. No one ever recognized him when he was clean-shaven, with his thick hair pulled back neatly in a ponytail, and the wire-framed glasses instead of his contacts. He had been grateful the Tilling clan hadn’t figured out his identity earlier. “I’m not sure you’re going to be too happy to see me when this is finished.” Damon was sure however, that Julie wouldn’t like what she was about to hear.

“Oh, my, Damon, that sounds ominous.” Elvis’ hand fluttered over his heart. His long legs carried him to the minibar in the corner of his office. “Perhaps I can get you both something before we get started?”

“I’ve come to collect what belongs to me,” Damon said, ignoring his feigned hospitality. “And ask you a couple of questions about Julie’s friend, Jason.”

“Ah, I assume you found some clues to Jason’s untimely death in the box I gave Julie last night?” Elvis asked innocently, his hand pausing only momentarily as he reached for a glass.

Julie stood and began pacing around the chair. Heavy sighs puffed her cheeks. The woman was restless, and Damon had no idea what had set her feet in motion.

Ice clinked precisely into the crystal glass Elvis held, clicking off the seconds of tension filling the room. “Yes, well, it is Saturday night, and I am very busy.” Elvis smiled, but it held no warmth. In all the time Damon had known the man, he’d never seen the contempt that contorted his face at this moment.

“You’ve got a few minutes to spare for a friend,” Damon said.

“Oh, is that what we are tonight, Damon? Friends?” Elvis stretched the word out of the sneer contorting his mouth. “From that tone, I’d thought we’d gone into business mode.” Elvis set the glass down and looked over at the woman wringing her hands. “Julie, did Damon happen to share with you the details of our relationship?”

“Elvis, now wait one Goddamn minute—”

“I take that as a ‘no’.” Elvis’ smile was venomous.

What the hell was going on? Damon had come here to talk to Elvis about Maura and Jason and collect the digital recording of him having sex with Julie. Having Julie found out how he knew Elvis wasn’t something he’d planned to have happen tonight.

“There’s no need to get into any of that shit,” Damon countered. “Julie’s got other things on her mind.”

Elvis’ smirk widened. “Oh now, now, Damon, I don’t think that’s true.”

Damon headed for Elvis, intent on strangling the man before he could get out another word, but Julie’s gasp stopped him mid-stride. The truth was going to come out whether Damon wanted it to or not. He should have told her the truth about his connections with Elvis when he had the opportunity tonight.

“I…I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Elvis.” Julie’s fingers worried her rings.

Elvis flashed a smug look at Damon. “No, I don’t suppose you do,” he said, splashing two fingers of gin over the ice and adding tonic water. His motions were slow and deliberate, dragging out the confusion until it stood between Damon and Julie like a wall.

“Julie…” Damon had no idea what to say to her. “Whatever he says—”

Elvis ignored Damon’s stammering. “Like she’s going to believe a word you say. A man intent on conquering a woman and adding her to his proverbial notched belt holds no credibility with someone as innocent as Julie.” Elvis sipped nonchalantly from the glass. “Has any of your pillow talk included the exploits of your college years, or does she know only the Damon side of you? Hmm?”

Damon shook his head. Elvis couldn’t possibly intend to betray his confidence this way. Tripping down memory lane with the owner of Starry Knights certainly wouldn’t bode well for his burgeoning relationship with Julie. He’d managed to pull her away from that line of questioning only hours ago. Now, it seemed Elvis was going to do the job he’d avoided. “Elvis that was a long time ago. Julie doesn’t want to know about foolish college-boy shit.”

Elvis arched one elegant brow. “Which shit are you referring to? The part where we were fraternity brothers sharing tats or frat brothers sharing bedmates?”

“You son of a bitch!” Damon lunged for Elvis.

“Stop it!” Julie forced herself between them. “Just stop it! Obviously, this office is filled with nothing but secrets.”

The fear and confusion sparking in her eyes cooled Damon’s rage. He let go of Elvis’ shirt. He hadn’t really intended to hurt the man. He only wanted to shut him up. There was no way in hell he wanted Elvis to share stories of their college years and warp any feelings Julie may have developed for him.

Elvis coughed and ran a shaky hand down his chest. “My, my, I always suspected you had a temper, Damon. But I didn’t really think you’d act on it.” Elvis carried his drink across the room, putting furniture between him and Damon.

“Damon, it doesn’t matter what he has to say. We’ll just leave.” Julie’s voice shook with emotion. Even as heat rose in currents off his body, Julie’s hand on his chest seared straight through the cotton fabric. Her gentle tone soothed the edges of his anger. “There’s nothing we need here, Damon.” Her gaze drilled into him as she spoke quietly through clenched teeth. “Nothing.”

Damon was beginning to wonder what she knew about this office. The hard set of her jaw led him to believe she too was keeping something hidden.

“But I thought you wanted to know about Jason.” Elvis set his glass on his desk and began unbuttoning his shirt with slow, meticulous motions.

Damon’s stomach churned. This is not how he wanted Julie to find out about his past.

“I’m pretty sure there’s some information that will help you, Julie,” Elvis continued. “Obviously, information Damon didn’t give you.”

“This has nothing to do with Jason,” Damon said. “I didn’t even know the man.”

“Oh, Damon, I’m not so sure of that at all.” The soft tufts of hair on Elvis’ chest were now exposed. His fingers continued manipulating the buttons, his eyes, burning hatred into Damon’s skin. “You see, Julie, Damon and I not only shared a frat in college, we shared the same taste in women and men. And I’ve wondered about Jason and my friend here for some time.”

“I never even met Jason,” Damon exclaimed.

“So you say, Damon. We’re both marked the same, because we agreed to the same sexual lifestyle.” Elvis removed his shirt and turned his left shoulder toward them. “Does this look familiar, Julie?”

Julie gasped and stepped away from Damon. “You? Or you?” Julie’s finger swept the air between the two men. “One of you has some explaining to do. I knew I should have been more suspicious of you, Damon. The tape doesn’t lie.”

“What tape?” both men asked, in unison.

“The video tape of Jason with…with…a man.” The accusation burst from her mouth even as Julie’s feet moved her farther from Damon. “A man with the same tattoo and dark hair you both have.” Her gaze darted from Damon to Elvis and back again.

Elvis hastily covered the ink he’d been so intent on exposing to Julie. “Where’d you get this tape?”

“It was in the box with the stuff you gave me.”

“You didn’t say anything about it to me.” Damon said.

“There was only the high school video,” Elvis said.

“Someone taped over it,” Julie said in a shaky whisper. “There’s sex…two men…here in this office.”

“Elvis?” Doubt crawled up Damon’s spine and wound around his throat. “What the hell, man? You told me Jason had nothing to do with the business. Tell me you had nothing to do with his death.”

“Me?” Pain shimmered in Elvis’ eyes. “How could I hurt Jason? I loved him!”

Chapter 7

Julie stared at the video camera aimed out of a hole in Elvis’ desk drawer. It was primed and ready to record. Her suspicions had been confirmed, even as disbelief fogged comprehension. She’d been taped without her knowledge and the thought boiled her blood. But it was the pain of Damon’s betrayal that was making it hard for her to catch her breath. He should have told her about the camera before now. Then again, she’d kept the recording of Jason from him as well. Swallowing hard, she tried to corral her conflicting emotions and make some sense out of the situation.

“So the motion sensor triggers the camera to record automatically?” she asked.

“Every time.” Elvis walked around the furniture, activating it.

Heart hammering in her ears, she turned to Damon. Pain and anger clogged her throat, making it impossible to speak.

“Shit.” Damon snapped it off. “Yes, I knew about the camera, Julie. Elvis showed it to me once when we were talking about his business. But I wasn’t thinking about it last night when we…” His hand swept out toward the couch, but it was the remorse sparking in his eyes that held her gaze captive. “Well, let’s just say, I had other things on my mind.”

The corner of his mouth lifted with his shoulder. That boyish charm of his was definitely softening her resolve, though she wasn’t ready to forgive him yet. The camera had recorded their most intimate moment and she wasn’t sure who to hold responsible for that debacle.

“Do you use these tapes for business purposes?” she asked of Elvis.

The smug smile he shot her just pissed her off. He may have been one of Jason’s friends, but something about the man sent a cold shiver of disgust sliding down her back.

“Let’s just say the business conducted in this office is taped for everyone’s protection.” He straightened the cuff of his silk shirt. “But it isn’t often I get to do a favor for Damon, here.”

“Fuck you, Elvis. You make it sound like I laid Julie out on the couch and recorded everything on purpose.”

“Didn’t you?” she asked at the same time as Elvis.

Damon stared at her. “Of course I didn’t. Julie, you’ve got to believe me. Whatever you’ve heard about Demon Jones, well, I figured you’d realized by now, that’s just not me. I had every intention of coming back here and destroying evidence of our…” His hand waved at the couch again, but words failed him and she wondered how he would define their night together. He didn’t try. “Anyway, we’ve taped over the digital copy, so no harm no foul. And you have the DVD.”

Heat flashed in Julie’s cheeks, and she tried to push away thoughts of Elvis watching her and Damon as he transferred the digital image to the disk she now held in her hand. She turned to Elvis. “I assume this is the only copy?” Eyes narrowed, she glared at him.

Elvis simply nodded, but there was no apology in the action. What he did in this office was despicable, and his relationship with Jason—confusing.

She turned back to Damon, but he didn’t cower under her hard gaze either. She really needed to work on her angry face. “Anyway, at this moment, Damon, I’m finding you just as culpable.”

“Julie, I don’t know how many ways I can apologize and make you believe I wasn’t thinking about the consequences of making love to you on that couch. Elvis makes it sound like I do this sort of thing all the time.”

She quirked an eyebrow.

Damon sighed. “Seriously, even Demon isn’t that despicable. Despite Elvis’ offers, I’ve never taped an evening with a woman.” Damon turned to Elvis. “Tell her.”

“Yeah, whatever you want me to say, Damon. Business is business. I make no apologies to anyone. The camera was there. How the hell do I know what you intended?”

“Fuck you.” He turned back to Julie. “It’s done. I didn’t intend to video tape last night, but there it is. I’m sorry.” Damon leaned in close and whispered. “But trust me when I say, I have every intention of trying to make it up to you.” Snatching the DVD from her, he flashed a dimpled smile. “But now that we have this, I think I’d rather not destroy the evidence of our evening together. I think I’d like to watch this with you and see if we can improve our performance.”

The man was incorrigible. She wanted to hold onto her anger, but with his breath feathering over her cheek, Damon was making that difficult. Besides, the thought of watching the two of them together sent heat straight down her core. “You’re not off the hook, mister,” she whispered. “When we get someplace private—”

“Isn’t that sweet.” Elvis stalked back to his desk. “But I suspect Ms. Tilling that you didn’t join Damon simply to complete a search and destroy mission. Now that it’s out in the open about the tape you found, I suspect you have some questions for me.”

Damon lifted his shirt and tucked the DVD in the waistband of his jeans before straightening and crossing his arms over his chest. “I have a couple. Let’s start with you explaining why the hell were you trying to make Julie think it was me on the tape?”

“Hey, how would I know my frat brother wasn’t sleeping with my lover?” Elvis asked.

“Cut me some slack.” Damon said. “Agreeing to a fraternity tattoo and having sex with a guy aren’t even on the same planet. You know damn well I never worked over a guy at any of those fuck-fests we had in college. Or vice versa.”

Elvis shrugged. “There’s always a first time. Something happened to Jase. I guess I’m grabbing at straws.”

“Okay, enough male posturing,” Julie said. “We get it, Damon. Heterosexual all the way. You da man.” Julie patted his inflated chest. She didn’t want to confess that his admission that he’d never been with any man, let alone Jason, relieved her on several levels. Julie wasn’t sure she could be with someone who slept with her one night and his frat brother the next. Or more shocking—both of them at the same time. She flushed at the thought, ignoring the desire the mental image aroused. “So then the question becomes if neither one of you went through the hassle of transferring the digital image to a video tape, who else knew about the recordings?”

“Well, only a few people even know I installed the camera.” Elvis held up his hand, counting on his fingers. “Me. Jason. Damon. My head bartender and my partner.”

“Maura knows about the camera?” Damon looked shocked.

“Yeah, I hardly think it’s fair I tape our business meetings without her knowledge.”

Julie puffed out indignation. “But sexual conquests don’t tweak your moral gauge?”

Elvis rolled his eyes at her naiveté before turning back to Damon. “You think Maura knowing about the camera is something to be concerned about?”

“Her name just keeps popping up,” Damon said.

“Yeah, well, she is my partner,” Elvis replied.

“And Jason’s doctor.” Julie added.

“That’s how we met initially.” Elvis’ face betrayed no emotion. “Jase had been seeing her for about seven years before she bought into…” His head swiveled and caught Damon’s eye, color once again rising in his face. “Before she bought into the business.” His Adam’s apple jumped with the last word.

“There’s something about Jason and Maura you two are not telling me and I want to know what it is right now.” Julie’s tone left no room for discussion. Both men turned to each other and nodded in resignation.

Crap. From the somber look on their faces, Julie wasn’t sure she really wanted to know the truth.

* * * *

“I wish I hadn’t let you talk me into leaving my cell phone at home tonight,” Julie whispered as she and Damon followed Elvis into the bowels of Starry Knights. “I feel naked without it.”

“Your family can live without you for a few hours.”

“But I should have called my mother before we left the house. She won’t know why I’m not answering.”

Damon wrapped his arm around her waist. “Will it be so awful if she figures out you’re with me?” His lips grazed the shell of her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Elvis stopped at the last door in the hall of the basement. He turned and smiled. “Here we are.”

Embarrassment burned in Julie’s cheeks, and she nudged Damon away. “And where is that exactly?” she asked, smoothing her hands down her sides.

Keying in a code to yet another number pad, Elvis spoke, “My secret lair.”

Apprehension squeezed the air from Julie’s lungs.

“He’s kidding, Julie.” Damon smiled at her before turning to Elvis. “Tell her you’re kidding, Elvis.”

“Julie can be the judge of that.” Elvis pushed the door open. “Welcome to Knights in Paradise dot com.”

Julie wasn’t sure what she’d see behind the door, but this den of iniquity and fantasy hadn’t even pinged her sonar. The television studio they entered had two live sexual performances unfolding before her. Everywhere she turned, scantily clad or naked women roamed. Men leaned against the walls, chatting amicably while nonchalantly stroking their erections. What the hell?

“Mind your step, Julie.” Elvis pointed to the floor and stepped over the mass of television cables snaking their way around the room. “This is live, so keep your voices down,” He pointed to the control center against one wall. “Let me take you over here. It will give you a better idea of how this works.”

“Did you know this is where he was bringing us?” Julie asked Damon through clenched teeth.

“Elvis has wanted me to visit this place on countless occasions,” Damon said. “But up until this moment, I didn’t really think I needed to see anything down here.”

“You knew—”

“Shhh,” from the camera crew.

Julie inhaled, reining in the anger flowing from her. “You knew he televised porn from down here, and you didn’t think to tell me before we traipsed into the depths of Starry Knights on this little field trip?”

“I didn’t want to cloud your judgment,” Damon said. “Have an open mind. We might learn something.” Amusement sparked in his eye, but quickly faded with her withering look. “I mean find something out about Jason or Maura. You asked what else connected Maura and Jason. Obviously Elvis thinks you need to see the business to understand.”

Julie walked up behind Elvis and stared dumbfounded at television screens filled with naked people.

A ménage with two men pumping themselves into a woman whose screams of ecstasy could be heard from across the room filled one set of monitors. Next to them, another set of monitors showed two men from several different angles, in the act of fellatio.

“This whole thing was Maura’s brainchild,” Elvis confided. “It’s what finally convinced me to bring her in as partner three years ago. The money we take in here is ten times the income from the night club and the private rooms upstairs that we rent to the patrons.”

The moans of male orgasms filtered over from the ménage, and as the three actors collapsed together onto the pillowed floor, others walked in and began an elaborate striptease.

“Who’s watching this?” Julie couldn’t disguise the disbelief in her voice.

“The feed goes directly out to the internet.” Elvis pointed to the cameras and the monitors. “These controls here allow us to determine the best angle for the action.” His finger indicated a man with a headset. “We have some special viewers who pay big bucks to control the action from here. They request a particular angle, and this guy,” he patted the tech on the back, “makes sure they get the action or close-up they want. Our big rollers dictate, to a certain extent, what other people will see.”

“And this is all legal?” Julie asked.

“Freedom of expression, free trade and all that.” Elvis smiled. “Provided everyone is over eighteen. And believe you me, we check and recheck their IDs.”

“So what was Jason’s part in all of this?” Damon asked without tearing his eyes from the live action across the room where two women were provocatively peeling clothing from one another. Julie smacked his stomach.

Elvis pointed a finger toward a back wall. “Let’s talk over there.”

Winding their way around cameras, cables and bodies, Elvis stopped them in a shadowed corner of the room. The feeble light playing on his stark features created a sinister profile.

“I don’t want my actors to think there’s a problem,” Elvis said. “They were already spooked when the cops showed up here asking about Jason.”

“The cops came down here?” Julie asked.

“No, not here in the basement—Starry Knights.” Elvis’ voice was firm. “The cops don’t know about this place. We scramble the feed so it can’t be traced back to our computers. I have no intention of the local authorities discovering this business.”

“But what about Jason?” Julie asked. “What was his role in this?” She grabbed Damon’s chin and brought his wandering attention back to their conversation.

“Other than doing the well-checks on my actors, he didn’t really have one.” Elvis leaned in close to them. “But he wanted in.”

Damon finally focused on Elvis. “Jason wanted a piece of the action?”

“Right now we only have the two rooms. Jason suggested I add another two or three. Even with the money we bring in right now, it isn’t enough for the digital upgrade on the equipment and the added personnel. I needed more capital. Jason wanted to be that person.” Elvis shrugged. “He figured the added income would help with his school loans. Med school’s not cheap. All he wanted in exchange was to be brought in as a full partner.” Elvis’ brow furrowed. “Maura was vehemently opposed. I don’t think she wanted to split our profits three ways.”

“Opposed enough to get him out of the picture?” Damon asked the question weighing on Julie’s heart.

Elvis looked at them, sadness clouding his eyes. “She was his doctor and my partner. But truthfully, I don’t know.”

“Do you know what she was treating him for?” Damon asked.

Elvis massaged the back of his neck. “Do you think it matters?”

“Any information could help Julie and me.”

Elvis folded in on himself. “I’m not proud of it, but Maura treats sexual disorders.”

The statement stunned Julie. “She’s a partner at Starry Knights, and she treats sexual disorders?” She wanted to laugh, but it wasn’t really funny.

“A silent partner, but yes.”

“But Jason didn’t have any disorders,” Julie stated defiantly.

Pain etched deep roads on Elvis’ face. “He was gay.”

“And?” Damon and Julie asked simultaneously.

“And his father didn’t think it was appropriate for the son of a small town doctor looking to take over his father’s practice to be homosexual.” The words tumbled out of Elvis’ mouth. “He made him start seeing Maura right after Jase’s mother died ten years ago. I think she must have told the good doctor about his son’s sexual deviancy.” Sarcasm dripped from the last word. “Jase never told Doc McCarty about us. The only one who knew was Maura.”

* * * *

Damon walked behind Julie. He should be focused on her friend’s connection to Elvis, but the intoxicating sway of her hips hugged with leather spiraled his thoughts in a different direction. All he could think about at the moment was burying himself in her silken heat.

Unlike Julie, this evening’s tour hadn’t taken him by surprise. When funds had become tight two months ago, and Damon couldn’t make rent, it had been Elvis who offered to hook him up with an acting gig. Damon might have prostituted himself with the shock jock performances, but there was no way in hell he’d get his rocks off while others watched on the internet. He’d go without food before he’d stoop that low. And that’s what it had come to. Now the radio show was paying him bonuses, and the extra appearances it brought netted him a nice living. It just wasn’t what he wanted to do. Damon had had other plans when he’d arrived in Maine.

Despite what Julie had just witnessed, he knew the woman bouncing up the stairs in front of him wasn’t thinking about her sex life. He needed to get his head out of Julie’s pants and wrapped around the conundrum of Jason’s death. Damon was beginning to think Julie’s worries about her friend’s death weren’t as unfounded as they’d first appeared. It seemed Jason had tangled himself in an interesting spider’s web of deceit.

“I’m not sure it’ll help seeing one of the rooms we rent to our more passionate patrons, but knowing all of this business can’t hurt.” Elvis stopped halfway down the hotel-like hall and slid the card key into the door lock.

The room they entered looked like something out of a honeymoon brochure. The oversized bed, covered in plush black velvet, was large enough to sleep four people. Mirrors on the walls and ceiling reflected the red lights, settling on them like a sultry summer night. Sheer fabrics in rainbow shades looped from the ceiling and down the walls, adding to the romantic fantasy.

“We even have cable for erotic channels and video cameras available.” Elvis pointed to the flat screen TV mounted on the near wall. “Of course, our patrons have no idea the feed for the pornography comes from one floor down.” He turned abruptly and stared down at Julie. “And before you even ask, Miss Tilling, the only taping that goes on these rooms are the movies the patrons make themselves.”

Tension eased out of Julie’s shoulders, and a smile flitted across her lips.

Elvis walked over to the wall and opened a door that revealed an opulent bathroom. “Every room comes with a Jacuzzi bathtub. Optional amenities are available for an additional fee.”

Damon didn’t even want to speculate on what other services Elvis provided.

A cell phone chimed. Julie’s autopilot sent her searching, only to come up empty. He forced himself not to dodge the daggers flying from her eyes when they locked on his. It had been selfish when he insisted she leave the phone. He understood how important Julie’s family was to her. But no man would blame him for wanting this sexy woman all to himself. He had hoped to end their evening alone.

Elvis answered the device and spoke briefly before snapping his phone shut. “Sorry, I’m needed upstairs. Seems some patrons are asking to speak with the owner.” Elvis pressed his cheek next to Julie’s and kissed the air. “I miss Jase terribly. But maybe we’re both looking for something that isn’t there.” He shook hands with Damon. “Forgive me, friend. I should never have doubted your intentions. Sometimes love and sadness warp the images right in front of us. I should’ve known you’d never betray me. Not with Jase or anyone.”

Damon pulled Elvis into a fierce hug before the man left them alone. Sometimes family had nothing to do with blood relations.

“Well, we should be going.” Julie wiped her palms down the leather molded to her endless thighs.

“I think Elvis intended for us to enjoy the privacy.” Damon held up the keycard Elvis had slipped into his hand.

“Damon, really, it’s late and—”

Damon stood over her, the heat of his lips branding hers. Her eyes fluttered open when he pulled away. “And you’re going to turn into a pumpkin at the stroke of midnight?” He pressed his body into the supple curves of her. “That happened over an hour ago, Julie. What I see in front of me is no garden flower.” He dipped his fingers into the silken strands of the wig and grazed her parted lips with his thumb. “I see a beautiful woman who invaded my body and thoughts less than twenty-four hours ago, and now every breath I take is filled with her scent.” Damon sighed against her ear before pulling her lobe through his teeth.

“Everything I touch is sandpaper compared to the velvet heat of her skin against my fingers.” He trailed his hand down her limp arm, linking his fingers in hers. “Everything has lost its taste.” He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, running his tongue along its satin heat before releasing it. “Except the sweet nectar of her kisses.”

“Well, I suppose investigations can wait. Who am I to deny a man so desperate for my attention?” She pressed her hand against his bulging zipper and he bit back a groan of pleasure as what was left of his blood supply pooled in her fingers.

“My, my, Damon, you are ready.”

“Oh, you have no idea.” He scooped her into his arms and deposited her on the bed, but she rolled away from him as he tried to cover her body with his.

“Not so fast, cowboy.” Julie grabbed the fur handcuffs hanging from the headboard and twirled them in the air. “It’s my turn to take the lead.”

Damon laughed and held his hands up. “I’ll go willingly. Please, just promise you’ll hurt me.”

Many hours later Damon found himself dozing contentedly as Julie lay comfortably heavy across his chest. Her heart hammered against his ribs and her heavy breaths heated his skin. The strains of a piano concerto filtered through the hidden speakers, adding to the peace settling in his heart.

He didn’t want this weekend to end.

He’d been with countless women. All of them had sated his sexual needs and brought him hours of enjoyment. But the beauty coiled around him had reached in and touched his soul. He didn’t believe in love at first sight. Hell, he didn’t believe in love at all. Giving your heart to someone only brought emptiness and pain. He’d promised himself a long time ago to keep things between him and the opposite sex easy and free.

Free of strings.

Free of personal baggage.

Free of commitment.

Damon suspected Julie had never experienced a weekend like this. According to her, hooking up with a total stranger and allowing pleasure to dictate her moves certainly wasn’t something stalwart CPA, Julie Tilling ever did.

But damn how he enjoyed her spontaneity. Damon loved watching her eyes cloud with the unexpected sensations he offered as he opened her world to new joys of sexual gratification. She was a woman of mystery, alluring and sensual in her naïve innocence. And she had no idea how intoxicating he found the combination.

He’d just wanted to be with her, not knowing what other baggage she carried. But then he’d met her family, and they had opened their arms to him without knowing who he was. Not caring where he came from—only that their daughter/sister called him friend. He’d never had that kind of blind acceptance in his life.

“A dollar.”

Damon laughed. “What?”

Resting her chin on his chest, Julie’s eyes probed his. “A dollar for your thoughts. Inflation.” Her finger traced the lines on his face. “From this stern expression, I’m thinking that whatever has taken you away from this room is worth more than a penny.”

That’s what he loved about her. Scratch that. That’s what he liked about being with this person. Julie saw things others didn’t bother to notice.

“You ever wonder if it’s all worth it?” he asked. “I mean, you ever wonder if you’re even in the right place for this time in your life or was there somewhere along the way you chose wrong? And now you’ve screwed up your life so badly that the map you thought you were following isn’t even in the same time zone?”

She came up on her elbow and looked down at him, her hand drawing lazy circles on his chest. “All the time.” Her eyes wouldn’t meet his. “I wonder if I’m living my life for other people, or do I really want what I have right now.”

“I sure don’t.” He absently slid his palm along the curve of her ass.

“You’re kidding.”

“I didn’t come to Maine to work as a shock jock. But given the choice of eating or being happy… I choose food every time!”

She laughed. “So, besides food, what makes you happy?”

He rolled her on top of him. “This.”

“Stop.” Julie kissed him before stacking her fists and setting her chin on them, all humor gone from her expression.  “Really, Damon. True. Flat out. Giddy with joy, happy.”

“Playing the piano. Hands down.” When she didn’t laugh, he continued. “I’ve always wanted to be a concert pianist. But it wasn’t in the cards.” He put his arm beneath his head so he could better read her reaction. But her eyes had a faraway look, staring at something he couldn’t see. “And you?”

“I’ve always wanted to run a corporation. Manage a bunch of people. I love people. Big huge crowds of them.”

“What are you doing in Delmont? Not too many big accounting firms there.”

“Taking care of my family. Family comes before anything in life.” She said it so matter-of-factly he didn’t know what to do with the information. He had no family.

“Sometimes we need to take care of ourselves first.” He nuzzled his lips into the tender spot behind her ear. She melted against him just as he’d hoped and his cock sprang to life. He didn’t really want to get into conversations of family and commitments and such. He’d become very good at avoiding the past.

Her mouth fused with his, warm and pliant. Obviously they’d had enough serious conversation.

Let the fun and games continue.

* * * *

The wind raced past Julie. The trees whipped by almost as fast as the thoughts whirling in her head. Damon pushed the motorcycle through the waning night as if he were fleeing from something. Two nights ago, she knew nothing of the world of pornography. Tonight she’d acted out her wildest fantasies with a man she barely knew, as if she too were part of that world.

What had happened to the predictable Julie? Had she known she’d slough off that woman with the conservative clothes she’d pushed to the back of her closet? Had her psyche been yearning for this transformation? Julie snuggled against Damon. Did she really want to give up that person if it meant giving up the man who had opened her eyes to a new world of sexuality? Perhaps this whole thing was deviant and unhealthy. But the pleasant soreness between her thighs told her otherwise.

Was this how Jason had started? Experimenting in clubs with other men? Finding their bodies satisfied his sexual needs better than a woman? And what of Deirdre? Julie had never been brave enough to question her own sister about her sexual orientation. But perhaps none of that was her business. Not Jason’s personal life and definitely not her sister’s.

There were too many questions without answers.

They pulled into her drive as the sun peeked over the horizon. Julie had a hard time maneuvering off the bike. Her thighs shook with the effort, and the lack of sleep made her dizzy.

“Well.” She removed the helmet and handed it back to Damon. Shyness crept up her chest and settled on her heated cheeks. The man before her had kissed every inch of her tingling skin. He’d taught her things about her body she’d never been brave enough to discover on her own. And as she stood before him in the shadow of her parents’ house, everything they had done cloaked in the secrets of night, seemed shameful and wrong in the brightening light of this day.

“How about some breakfast?” Damon asked cheerfully.

“I think—”

“Julie. Oh, my God, there you are.” Meghan ran over from her parents’ home. “We’ve been calling your cell all night. Where’ve you been?”

Meghan appeared as frazzled as Julie felt. Her sister’s usual manicured look had been substituted with a fresh out-of-bed rumple that Julie hadn’t seen since they’d shared a bedroom. If the eyes were the window to the soul, Meghan’s puffy and bruised expression spoke of a woman on the brink of disaster.

“Meg, honey, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“I don’t know where you’ve been. But we needed you.” Anger rode on the words ground out through Meghan’s clenched teeth. “It’s Daddy. He had a heart attack last night, and we couldn’t find you.”

Julie’s knees let go. She grabbed for Meghan, but her sister yanked away. If Damon hadn’t caught her from behind she would have fallen.

“He was in ICU when I left two hours ago.” Fresh tears streamed down Meghan’s cheeks. “If anything happened while I was here waiting for you…” Meghan’s finger cut through the air. “I’m not sure I can ever forgive you.” Her sister turned on her heel and stomped away. “Peter and I are headed back to the hospital now if you want a ride.”

“Julie, I’ll take—”

“No, Damon.” She didn’t want his help. There was nothing he could say or do that could ease the guilt tightening around her chest. “I have responsibilities.” Pain sliced through her. The one time she’d let someone talk her out of being responsible, the bottom fell out of her world. “I can’t blame you for me letting my guard down. But it was foolish and I knew better.” Misery, confusion and anger pushed her from his arms and sent her stumbling toward her parents’ home. “I knew better than to leave without my phone…”

She didn’t finish. Didn’t want to put the responsibility on Damon. But he’d made her believe she could go through her days without putting other people first. He didn’t understand how much her family depended on her, but she couldn’t blame him.

Tears welled in her eyes. “There’s no room for you in my reality, Damon. Just go home. Playtime is over.”

Chapter 8

“Julie, Chelsea’s taking care of the customers out front,” Meghan called from the flower shop workroom. “I’ve got to go into Bangor to get some extra ribbon for the pew markers for the Fowler wedding.” Her sister poked her head into the back office, but didn’t meet Julie’s wounded stare.

It had been like this all week.

“And if you’re not too busy,” she continued, “it’s your turn to cook dinner for Mum and Daddy. Of course, if you have some secret date I can go again tonight.”

Julie looked up from the stack of papers strewn across her desk. She hated Thursdays. Actually, she hated every day since returning to Delmont, but Thursdays just sucked more. There was the whole payroll to do and the statements to prepare for Meghan’s weddings this weekend and estimates from Deirdre she still needed to file. The pile of papers never seemed to diminish no matter how hard she worked.

And now she had her sister’s crappy attitude tipping her past the breaking point.

“That’s it.” The pencil in Julie’s hand snapped with her patience. “I’ve been playing the contrite sister since last weekend while you’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

“Me?” Meghan laid a limp hand over her heart. “I’m not the one who went AWOL just to screw around with a total stranger. It’s obvious where your priorities lie.”

“Oh, like I knew Daddy was going to have a heart attack. Yeah, that’s me, always running from responsibilities.” The hurt tumbled over anger, rolling into an emotional snowball that plunged headlong without regret into Meghan’s feelings.

“Why do I always have to be the one to shoulder everyone’s problems?” Tears burned Julie’s eyes. “Julie, can you water my plants while I’m on vacation? Julie, should I have fish or steak for dinner? Julie, come home and pull my business out of financial ruin. Julie, talk to Doc McCarty about Daddy’s test results. Julie, feed me, clothe me, love me. Well, Meghan, when the hell do I get to lean on anyone?”

“That’s not fair!”

“You’re right, it’s not fair! It’s not fair that I live everyone else’s life, but can’t have one of my own. And when I finally do…I get punished for it!” Julie pushed away from the mess. “Frankly, Meghan, I’m sick of it. Sick of putting my needs on hold. Sick of trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations. Sick of,” she swiped the papers off her desk, “sick of all this crap.” She shoved past Meghan, but turned and stared down at eyes filled with tears and loathing. “And don’t worry about tonight, little sister. I realize it’s my turn to cook dinner. I’ll be the ever-vigilant daughter and hold back the tide. Like always.”

* * * *

Damon stared down at the cell phone in his hand, willing it to ring.

Julie still hadn’t called. And she hadn’t answered her phone either. Not her cell. Not her house phone. Not the phone at the shop. He’d left messages Sunday and Monday inquiring about her father—wanting to apologize. What really hurt is that she wouldn’t talk to him. So he’d just kept calling several times a day, praying she’d pick up the phone, but not bothering to leave a message when she didn’t.

“Hey, Demon, you get that promo done?” The station manager looked up from a handful of papers as they passed in the hall of WKOR.

“Heading over to record it now.”

“Whoa, dude! Don’t let your fans see you that way.”

Damon looked down at the black dress pants and tailored shirt. He ran a hand over his chin, wondering if he should do another quick shave before heading to Bangor. “No, that wouldn’t do would it?” Wouldn’t his boss be amused if he knew where Damon was headed this afternoon?

“Bad boys don’t clean up that nice,” his boss said over his shoulder.

“Yeah, thanks for the advice. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Life was too short to spend time spinning your wheels somewhere you didn’t want to be. Somehow, in her very mixed-up world of family obligations, Julie had unknowingly drilled that point home. Shit, he missed her.

Damon slinked into the control room. “Hey, Randy,” he said to the tech.

“Demon.” Randy barely looked up until he caught the outfit and nearly fell out of his chair craning his neck into the studio. “What the fuck, man? Someone die?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Damon went through the motions of recording the promo, his mind somewhere else. When it was finished, he slapped Randy on the back and ambled out of the radio station. What had taken him hours to perfect three months ago didn’t even cause him any concern these days. Demon’s personality, like it or not—and he didn’t—was now an integral part of him. Yelling into a microphone to promote his next public appearance had become second nature. That was not good. Well, he was on his way to rectify that. Even if no one else knew, he was truly happy about his decision. He would have been more pleased if he could have shared it with Julie, but somehow her father’s heart attack had been his fault and she didn’t seem to give a shit what he did.

That was a depressing thought. Settling his sunglasses in place, Damon stepped out into the summer sun. The season hadn’t loosened its grip, and he was grateful he’d brought the Saturn with the air conditioning instead of the bike. With the weight of blame he slogged around over keeping Julie from her family adding to the oppressive humidity, Damon didn’t think he could have handled the bike anyway.

“Damon?”

He recognized the shaky voice, but not the shell of a woman speaking. “Julie?” He wanted to believe she was standing there and not just a mirage wavering in the heat rising off the tar of the parking lot. The wind danced with her hair, and she pushed it out of her eyes; emerald pools glistening with unshed sadness. He walked to her, but she looked too fragile to touch.

“Julie, what is it? Is your father all right? He didn’t…” Damon bent so he could read her face. As morbid as it seemed, he’d checked the obituaries every day. No John Tilling had been among the pictures. But the sadness rippling her brow said something different.

“No, he’s fine. Doc McCarty gave him heart medication and put him on a special diet. He just needs to take it easy for awhile. He came home Monday night.”

“Then what—”

“I’m sorry—”

They spoke at the same time.

“You go.” Julie’s mouth quivered in a half smile.

“No, you first.” Damon wanted so badly to gather her in his arms, but until he knew why she’d come to him, he didn’t intend to scare her off with words or actions.

“I’m not sure why I’m here, Damon. I was just driving around and…oh, I don’t know what I was thinking. I just need—”

“A friend?” he asked, when she couldn’t seem to figure out what she wanted.

“Yeah.”

Julie collapsed in his embrace. He guided her to his car parked in the shade and held her while emotion poured out with the sobs wracking her body. Her tears dampened his shirt, and all he could think was how she smelled like lilacs and felt like heaven pressed against him. He silently thanked the roads of fate that destiny had delivered her back into his arms.

He listened to her worried thoughts concerning her father’s health and justified complaints about her sisters’ behavior until time pressed him into action and he talked Julie into joining him. The woman who had filled his nights with restless thoughts of love and lust now sat in his passenger seat as he drove the Saturn out of the parking lot.

“You promise to have me at my parents’ house by four? Four-thirty at the latest?” Julie’s hands moved restlessly in her lap.

“If it means I have to rent a jet from Bangor, I will deliver you back to Delmont in time to make dinner for your parents.”

“And I have my cell phone.” She held up the device she clutched like a life preserver.

“I know your family needs you right now. But I’m happy you’ve decided to come with me.” That was an understatement. Just having her near gave him the boost of confidence he so desperately needed right now.

“When you said you wanted to play piano, you failed to mention you’re a trained pianist,” she said.

“My mother taught me.”

“Another side of Damon Corey I didn’t know.”

“That’s the real me.”

“Who? Tell me about the young Damon.”

He laughed. “Hell on wheels. That’s what my father used to say. I spoke two languages and could sweet-talk the girls in both of them by the age of ten.”

Julie laughed, the joy of it reaching up to push away the sadness that had filled her eyes. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“My mother used to sit me on her lap when she played. I started making music on the piano before I could write my name.”

Julie traced a finger in the dimple framing his smile. “She’s a concert pianist?”

“Mama? No, she used to play the violin. The piano was my father’s instrument.”

“Used to? She gave it up?”

“My mother’s dead.”

“Damon, I’m so sorry.” Her fingers dug into his biceps. Of course she’d understand.

“Don’t be.” In an instant, his pride turned to bitterness. “She died when I was teenager. I’m over it.” Actually, talking about it still cut deeply, but he didn’t want those negative emotions to mar this day.

“No one gets over their mother’s death, Damon.”

“Yeah, well, seeing as she abandoned me to my drunken father and followed her lover to Europe, her death wasn’t really too much of a loss.” He swallowed, still finding the pill bitter all these years later. “She died on the autobahn in Germany exactly the way she wanted to live, fast and free.” He wanted it not to matter, but he could see by the furrow in her brow, that Julie understood it did.

“Damon, who knows why parents do the things they do.” Her palm cupped his jaw, and her thumb caressed his cheek. The action was not intended to be sensual, but his body reacted immediately. “But I might have an inkling why someone might run from familial responsibilities.” Dropping her hand to her lap, she turned to look out the window. “Sometimes they’re just overwhelming.” She shrugged as if to apologize for sympathizing. “Right or wrong, I can understand it.”

“Love can sometimes overwhelm a person.” Of course, he wasn’t talking about his parents. He was talking about his heart.

“So are you close with your father?” Julie asked.

He laughed derisively. “No. Without my mother to hold him up, he fell into the bottle and drowned himself. His death certificate reads liver failure. But in reality, he died of a broken heart.”

Leaving Damon utterly alone in the world.

* * * *

It was a wonder the man pouring his soul out through the piano keys didn’t simply collapse; an empty husk of a body, sacrificing everything to give life to the passionate strains of music filling the auditorium. Surely nothing so poignant could come from anywhere other than the heart. As melancholy notes penned by some dead composer plucked at her heartstrings, Julie could feel Damon’s sorrow filling her and resonating through every molecule of air.

How could the man who stood before crazed fans yelling derogatory obscenities be the same hurt little boy who had bravely withstood her barrage of questions about his family? Guilt pricked at her heart, making it hard to fill her lungs. As the emotional melody pulled her along its river of notes, she thought of her family. As much as they aggravated her, they also anchored her—gave her a sense of belonging. Damon was an orphan, an adult wandering aimlessly through life without any stabilizing beacon to guide him.

Silence rent her thoughts, and she had to keep herself from clapping for Damon’s performance. Even from this distance she could see the sweat glistening on his brow, the nervous tension turning down the corners of his sensual lips.

“Thank you, Mr. Corey.” The conductor who had been sitting with several other serious looking types walked to the edge of the stage and craned his neck up. “The board will be making a decision by the beginning of next week. We’ll let you know by then.”

“Thank you.” Damon bowed to the group of people seated in the front row and left the stage.

Julie rushed into the hall and followed the maze of corridors toward the stage entrance where she’d left Damon, nervous and fidgeting. He exploded out of the doors and grabbed her around the waist, twirling them both at a dizzying speed.

“Damn, did you feel that?” He set her down and paced. “I don’t care if they hire me.” He laughed as his fingers raked through his hair. “Okay, I care. But did you hear that?” Damon took her hand and pulled her along the corridor. “Ba-da… da-da-da-da.” The notes tripped off his tongue. “I nailed it! And it felt damn good! Liszt himself never played the Hungarian Rhapsody Number 2 with such passion. I’m sure of it. If they don’t want me, that’s their problem.” Damon pulled at the black bow tie until it hung limp around his neck. “I haven’t performed in front of an audience since college.” The collar buttons were next. “But damn, I haven’t lost a thing.” He wiggled his fingers in the air. “These, Julie, are my ticket. I just proved they’ve still got it.”

She stopped him and took his hands in hers. “Pianos aren’t the only instruments they make sing.” Her wink settled right in his groin, the tented dress pants evidence that her comment had sent him over the edge as she intended.

“You are a wicked woman, Miss Julie Tilling. What time is it?”

She checked her watch again. “Only two-twenty.”

“Time’s a wasting.” He threw her over his shoulder and jogged up the hall. Julie squirmed and shrieked with amusement, but he didn’t put her down until they reached his car.

He wound his way through the city streets and out into the neighboring suburbs of Bangor. Houses gave way to fields filled with lupine and then to thick stands of forest. Damon turned onto a dirt road, driving deeper toward privacy.

“I found this place a month ago,” he said as he parked the Saturn under the shade of an oak tree. Anticipation of having Julie writhing beneath him had his cock ready and alert before they’d left the parking lot of the auditorium “Is that all you have for shoes?”

“I came from work. It’s not like I planned on hiking in heels.”

“Oh, darling, we’re not hiking.”

“But surely you don’t think I’m going to…” She giggled and swirled the air between them with her hand. “You know…make love here where anyone can drive by and see us?”

“Umm, did you happen to see where you are? I’ve got you so far in the boonies, there’s no chance someone’s going to see that gorgeous naked body.” He swung open the door. “I never did learn to share.” He jumped out and turned only long enough to stare at her amused expression. “I’ve got running shoes in the trunk. I’ll carry you piggyback.”

She stomped out of the car, her luscious breasts bouncing with each step. Shit, he wanted to bury himself in her hot depths. Thank the heavens he left his running clothes in the trunk. He dug out his sneakers and toed out of his dress shoes.

“Damon Corey, you are not carrying me through the woods.”

“Then I will be stripping you naked and having my way with you right here.” He yanked her tight against him. “Because you’ve whipped me into a frenzy, and I will not be denied.”

“Is that a threat?” The desire shining in her eyes contradicted the fear the question implied.

Damon let go of her and bent to put on his sneakers. “Oh, you better believe it.”

Julie screamed and ran from him, but she didn’t get far in her heels. He caught up with her easily, wrapping her in a bear hug. “Now, you can piggyback, or I can throw you over my shoulder. I’m good either way.”

Her laughter joined the warm breeze ruffling his hair as she jumped on his back, her legs straddling his hips, her breasts pressed into his shoulders. It seemed every part of her fit his body.

“Don’t you dare drop me,” she said.

“I wouldn’t think of it.” He leaned forward, pretending to throw her off.

Her scream echoed off the trees, and her fist landed solidly on his shoulder. “You jerk.”

He laughed and carried her into the forest.

The musty scent of the earth mixed with the heady aroma of Julie’s perfume wrapped around his nose and made him lightheaded with anticipation. Her warm breath tickled his neck, leaving gooseflesh in its wake. She barely weighed anything, but the heat of her pressed against his back made the walk through the lush ferns very pleasant. Though he’d only been here once before, Damon had honed his sense of direction in the army and found the isolated waterfall someone at the radio station had told him about without having to retrace his steps. It had been winter the first time he’d come here on snowshoes, crisp and refreshing—solitary. This day, the lush foliage of summer and Julie’s company made the visit so much more inviting.

He stopped on the edge of a small pool at the base of the waterfall where thick moss covered the moist ground. Her eyes were filled with awe when he set her down, confirming his decision to share this place with her.

After a moment of introspection she finally spoke. “Beautiful,” she whispered. Turning to him, Julie blessed him with one those smiles that involved her whole face. “Damon, it’s just so beautiful.”

“So are you.” He pressed his lips to hers, swallowing her gasp of pleasure. He’d only been away from her less than four days, but he feasted greedily on the taste as if he hadn’t seen her in years. “Julie. I missed you.”

“Damon, don’t talk. Just be with me.”

He took off his shirt and laid her down on it, covering her body with his. Clothes ripped as desperate hands sought skin. Her teeth grazed his chin and shoulder, and her nails bit into his flesh, and all he could think about as emotions snapped along his nerves and blood pounded in his ears was how alive this woman made him feel.

He sheathed himself with a condom from his wallet and pushed into her, surrounding his aching cock with her silken heat. She whispered in his ear, and her hot breath sent ribbons of divine pleasure down his spine. He rocked against her, his hips pulsing in time with hers. There was nothing in his world, save for this woman spread wide in acceptance of whomever he chose to be.

Her muscles pulled him, taunted him to let go. And when he felt Julie arch and stiffen beneath him, her own climax moments away, he surrendered to the bliss. The world convulsed around him. Fireworks of ecstasy exploded from his groin, filling every cell with pleasure. “I love you, Julie.” The words slipped quietly from his lips even as her orgasm shook the very foundation of his life.

Chapter 9

“And this is all I get for dinner?” John Tilling picked up the piece of spinach from his salad bowl and contemplated the leaf. “Looks like some rabbit’s gonna go hungry tonight.”

“Doctor’s orders.” Alice Tilling planted a kiss on her husband’s forehead before scooting back in the kitchen for the rest of the serving dishes. “Besides you always liked fish,” she called from the other room.

“Rolled in batter and drowned in oil,” John muttered as he leaned over conspiratorially and smiled at Damon. “This pink hunk of flesh doesn’t even look cooked.”

Damon didn’t know if he was supposed to respond, but when he turned to Julie for help, he could see she’d bitten her lip to keep from giggling at her father. Not much help there. It did seem wrong that his plate held an expertly barbequed piece of steak while John’s was filled with a dieter’s nightmare.

“That’s enough. Leave the poor man alone.” Alice said in John’s ear as she settled at the table across from him. “Mashed potatoes, Damon?”

“You’re killing me, woman,” John said.

“No, quite the opposite. But if you don’t quit your belly aching, I may just serve you double helpings of corn with butter and clog those crotchety old arteries myself!”

Julie giggled.

He suspected this banter was the sweet music of a forty-year marriage. His parents had barely made it past their fifteenth anniversary.

“Doc McCarty stopped by today while you were resting.” Alice tapped the table next to the rainbow of pills. “Wanted to see how you were doing. He saved me a trip to the pharmacy and dropped off your new heart medication himself.”

“Getting old is certainly not glamorous.” Flipping the pills into his mouth, John washed them and his obvious humiliation down with great gulps of water.

“You’re not old, Daddy.” Julie said. Damon could see how she idolized her father. He had no doubt she’d like to believe the man would live forever. “This is just a little speed bump. A chance to sit back and let the rest of us take care of you.”

“You’re sweet, honey.” He patted her hand. “Always willing to take care of everyone else. But you know it needs to stop.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Enough about me and my aging body. Let’s eat this wonderful dinner.” The sarcasm dripped from his tone like the raspberry vinaigrette from his fork.

A half hour later, Julie and her mother shuffled dishes from the table to the sink while he chatted amicably with her father. Leaning back in his chair, Damon stretched his long legs under the table. He surreptitiously watched Julie, tingles of awareness knotting his gut. All he could think about was having her legs wrapped around him, her body quaking in ecstasy beneath the solid weight of him. He’d like to have her there again, warm and naked for his exploration. She settled in the chair next to him, and he wrapped her hand in his, content to have her near.

“Julie, I read in the paper today where Bolling, Dearn and McNeal in Bangor were looking for a senior CPA in their firm,” John said conversationally. “Why don’t you apply, honey?”

“Julie’s happy at the landscaping business,” Alice said. “She isn’t looking for something else. Are you, sweetie?” Swiping the dishrag over the polished surface of the table, Alice didn’t even look at her daughter. “Peach cobbler, anyone?”

Julie blushed, her hand stiffening beneath his. “Well, I—”

“Now there you go again, Alice.” John thumped a fist on the table, making both women jump. “I love you, Alice, but you’ve got to let the girl be a woman. You all expect too much of her.”

“Julie?” The furrow in her mother’s brow froze Julie’s tongue. She floundered.

Damon wrapped his hand around Julie’s, solid and firm, hoping she felt his strength. John had opened the door to a conversation Julie needed to have with her family. He could only hoped she was brave enough to walk through.

“Mum, I love you all, but sometimes I just wish—”

The kitchen door flew open and Meghan and Deirdre all but fell over one another into the kitchen. “Hey, Mum, Daddy, you’re not going to believe this…” They froze two steps from Damon, their eyes wide as they stared down at him. The publicity poster of Demon Jones in Deirdre’s hands spoke the words Meghan couldn’t.

All eyes focused on Damon. Questions hung in the air like the oppressive summer humidity blowing in through the open door.

Damon had wanted this conversation to be about Julie. But the photo trembling in Deirdre’s hands couldn’t be ignored. Under the weight of their assessment, only sheer willpower and pride held Damon’s spine straight. “Yes, it’s me. Most people don’t recognize me.”

“Oh, I’ve known who you were all along,” John said. It seemed the man of the house was the only one not wearing blinders where Julie and Damon were concerned.

“You did?” The question tripped out of the women’s mouths in unison.

“Who Damon chooses to be is none of our business. That’s for Julie to worry about. As I was telling your mother, you girls need to take a step back and let your poor sister live her own life without interference from you.”

“Daddy.” The name dragged over Julie’s lips, compassion and love filling her eyes.

Damon had never been so proud to be part of the male population as he was at that moment. Sometimes men did get it.

“We’re just worried, Daddy,” said Meghan.

“It is too our business,” said Deirdre.

Alice browed furrowed. “John, how can you say we meddle?”

The cacophony of syllables tumbled over itself until the room swelled with female irritation. Damon put his fingers to his mouth and blew. The piercing whistle painted stunned expressions on the women’s faces and satisfaction on John’s.

“Demon Jones is what makes me money,” Damon said. “It pays the rent and puts food on my table. It isn’t who I am. But perhaps in time you’ll all come to see that. Fortunately for me, Julie already has.” He stood and turned to Alice. “Thank you, Mrs. Tilling, for the wonderful meal. Mr. Tilling,” he extended his hand, “it’s been a pleasure having dinner with you.”

John wrapped a beefy hand around his and winked. “Same here, Damon.”

At least he had someone’s blessing. “Now, if you’ll excuse us. Julie, it’s a beautiful night. How about that motorcycle ride?” He took her hand, not really caring what she thought of the whole thing. Both of them needed to get away.

Julie’s gaze jumped around the faces of her family. “But Damon, I…we…”

He liked that he made her speechless. “Don’t think, Julie. Just do,” he whispered in her ear as he scooted her out the back door and shut it soundly behind them. He planted a kiss firmly on her mouth before pulling her across the lawns to her driveway. Damon knew full well three pairs of eyes were watching from the kitchen window. He wrapped Julie into another bone-melting hug, thoroughly ravaging her dazed mouth with his. Trepidation and excitement sparked in the green pools of her eyes. Eyes he’d like to settle in and just stay. He sipped her bottom lip into his mouth. “As much as I’d like to keep going with this, now is probably not the time.” He pressed his erection to her belly and watched her expression shimmy from shock to desire.

He settled the helmet on her head and swung his leg over the bike seat. “What do you say we go for a ride?”

* * * *

Blackness filled Julie’s field of vision. Damon lay on top of her, the hard planes of his chest heaving from their sexual play.

“I’ve never made love under a piano.” The words slipped out without thought. “I mean…” Julie squeezed her eyes shut, wondering if Damon would react. Sex. It had been sex. Making love seemed to intimate something so much more. She wasn’t sure how he would react if she’d called what they’d just done, very satisfactorily, making love.

He raised his head slowly and looked at her. “What did you mean?”

“Well, just that there are other places in your condo we could have chosen.” A nervous giggle followed the statement. It hadn’t even been a week since they’d met. No one except her parents fell in love at first sight. She was a romantic, but expecting that from a man just didn’t seem fair.

Damon smiled down at her, his dimples dancing with the spark in his eye. “Oh, because if I didn’t know any better, I would think you were trying to backpedal out of calling what we just did ‘making love.’”

“Damon, I—”

He nibbled on her lip. “Because, Julie—I like the sound of that.”

She pushed him away. “We barely know each other. And those words intimate something that maybe we’re not ready for.”

“I’m ready for it.”

“But…I…we—”

Damon pressed his mouth to hers, his tongue urging her to open and let him taste and staunch the hemorrhage of stunned stupidity.

“I love making you speechless.” He pressed kisses along her jaw. “I love hearing the sharp intake of air when I kiss you here.” His teeth grazed her neck, and she gasped. “I love the way your body begs me for more.” Damon’s hand slid up her belly to cup her breast, and her nipple immediately peaked under his touch. “As a matter of fact, Julie,” he lifted his head, and his gaze swept her face, “I’ve come to realize there isn’t anything I don’t love about you.”

“I love being with you too, Damon.” Nervousness pulsed in her throat.

He smiled, slow and easy. “No, Julie. Just. I. Love. You.” He kissed each eyelid, then her nose, punctuating the last three words. “Say it.”

“I love you, Damon.”

* * * *

“Does sex make everyone ravenous?” Julie asked.

Damon laughed at the woman he loved sitting at her kitchen table, wolfing down her third slice of loaded pizza. He still wasn’t sure how the hell that had happened, but there it was. He was in love and no one could convince him otherwise. His heart belonged to Julie as surely as if he’d wrapped it up and handed it to her as a gift. They’d no doubt take their time figuring this whole thing out, but never again would he scoff when someone mentioned love at first sight. It seemed hearts were smarter than heads when it came to soul mates.

“It sure gave you an appetite.” He laughed as she offered him a bite.

After a couple of hours at his place, they’d decided to sneak back to her house to go through Jason’s stuff and watch the video tape. They’d crept in the back door and were now eating pizza by candlelight, hoping not to alert the rest of the family. He didn’t live here. Didn’t really know her family. Still, Julie made him feel like he was home. A place he hadn’t been in a very long time.

He shoved his hand in the pocket of his jeans, working to control the urge to gather her in his arms and never let go. She loved him. He took a long pull of his beer and tried to swallow the emotion clogging his throat. Damon laughed as Julie juggled the pizza slice, then sucked cheese and sauce from her fingers. “You know, eating isn’t supposed to be so sensual.” Leaning over the table, he kissed her. “But the way you do it makes me want to be a slice of pizza.”

She laughed and pushed his face away from hers. “Cool your jets, Romeo. We have work to do. No lovemaking until we watch the video tape together and see if there are any clues.”

He sat back, warmed by her choice of words. “Okay, now that Elvis admitted it’s him with Jason, what do you think you’re going to get from watching it again?” He drained his beer.

“I have no idea. But why tape something like that in the middle of high school memories? Someone chose that tape on purpose.” Julie set down the slice of pizza and wiped her hands on a napkin. “I’ve lost my appetite. Let’s just watch it and figure this out.” She stood, grabbed the candle and led them into the living room. “Only Jason, and maybe his father, would have access to Jason’s Delmont house.”

“And Elvis.”

Julie stopped in mid stride. Light from the candle cast her face in flickering shadows, highlighting the confusion marring her features.

“He said he found him that night. Obviously he has a key,” Damon said.

“Or Jason let him in.”

“Julie, are you making excuses for Elvis?”

“He said he loved him,” she said wistfully.

“Stranger things than murder have happened because of love.” Damon brushed his hand over her cheek. “I just don’t think we can rule him out.”

“But Elvis was so emotional in his office. I just can’t see him doing anything to hurt Jason.”

Damon heard the catch in her voice. But she turned her back to him before he could figure out if she was crying.

Julie bent and pulled the box out from under the corner table. “What about the doctor?”

Her ass wiggled enticingly, and Damon lost his train of thought. “What?”

She stood and swatted his chest as she walked to the other corner of the room, holding the candle to illuminate the room. “Stop staring at my ass and focus.” She rifled in the drawers of a desk. “I said, what about the doctor? The one who prescribed the medication? Could she and Jason have had something more than a doctor/patient relationship?” Standing, she put her hand on her hips, holding up the candle and surveying the room. “That’s odd.”

“What is? The relationship angle?”

“No, not that. The video tape’s missing.”

Chapter 10

Nervousness skittered along her skin like a centipede. Julie worked hard not to wriggle in the leather chair of Dr. Maura Wells’ waiting room. Without the tape, they had nothing to go on, except a bottle of lithium prescribed to Jason by this doctor.

They’d learned from Elvis that Dr. Maura Wells was a psychiatrist specializing in sexual disorders. But Julie had no idea how someone could believe homosexuality was a disorder. That thought just pissed her off. But Elvis said Jason had been her patient for a decade because he was gay. That would have made him eighteen or nineteen when he started seeing the doctor. Jason had never mentioned to Julie that he was seeing a therapist. Then again, he’d never mentioned he slept with men either.

Julie had no idea how she and Damon were going to pull this off. No one, least of all a professional, was going to believe Damon was a gay man dating a woman. Testosterone emanated from his pores like the intoxicating aroma off fresh flowers. Even in his tight designer jeans and leather vest exposing the bronzed skin of his muscular chest, he didn’t look any less heterosexual. Or perhaps, the whole Demon persona just got her revved up for more of what she’d had every night for the last week and a half. The magic he worked on her flesh hadn’t been performed by any gay man.

Damon winked at her. Heat crawled up her chest and colored her cheeks. The man had only known her three weeks, yet he could read her better than her family.

“Jewel and Demon?” The woman who opened the door was petite, just over five feet tall, but her presence sucked all the air from the waiting room. Her blueberry eyes swept the length of Damon, sizing him up like a cobra waiting to strike. “It’s a pleasure to meet one of Bangor’s infamous celebrities. I’ve followed your meteoric rise to fame.” She held out a firm wrist.

Instead of shaking her hand, Damon scooped her fingers into his and lifted them to his lips.

“I must say, Demon, your call surprised me,” the doctor said. “You have quite a reputation as a lady’s man.”

“Up until now it’s all been a ruse for ratings, I assure you. But I’m interested in finding out if it can become a reality.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place.” Maura put her arm around Damon, ushering him into the inner sanctum, ignoring Julie all together. “Let’s talk in my office.”

“The fact is I never slept with a woman until Jewel. Some multiple partner stuff with a couple of bi-friends, sure, but never a woman by herself,” Damon said as he walked with the doctor into her office.

Feeling like an unwelcomed guest, Julie followed behind.

Maura led Damon to the couch and sat in the chair next to him, her knee brushing his. “I’d like you to tell me more about yourself. This first session will just be chatting to find out what you like, what you don’t.” She patted his leg. Another inch higher and the gesture would have been considered foreplay. “Just relax, Demon.”

Dropping her purse at Damon’s feet, Julie thumped down on the couch next to him. The hand she placed possessively on Damon’s thigh wasn’t part of her act, but when he lifted it with a flourish and set it back in her lap, she had to remind herself—it was part of his.

“See. This is what I put up with,” Julie whined. “He says he wants this relationship, but won’t even let me touch him.”

“No PDAs. I’ve told you that.” Damon sat back in a huff, crossing his legs away from the good doctor.

Maura pulled the pencil from behind her ear, tendrils of blond hair falling coquettishly around her face. She rubbed the length of the pencil along her upper lip before flicking her tongue on the lead. Her long lashes winked. “PDAs, Damon?”

Julie couldn’t believe this woman was for real. The man was gay for goodness’ sake, and yet the good doctor flirted openly in front of his girlfriend. It certainly was an interesting counseling method.

“Public displays of affection.” Damon tapped his fingers at the base of his throat. “She wants me to prove I want this relationship every minute of every day, no matter who’s around.”

“And do you?”

“Well, that’s a loaded question. I thought that was your job to help me figure that out.”

“Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Demon; being gay is not a disease. It’s not something you should be ashamed of if it’s the lifestyle you choose. I have many friends who are homosexuals, and they’re extremely happy, well-adjusted people.” Leaning forward, Maura came close to Damon.

Julie watched the woman’s nostrils flare as if she were scenting Damon.

“But sometimes, it just doesn’t seem to fit,” Maura said in a sultry whisper. “Some people fall into the lifestyle without truly desiring that kind of relationship. I believe environmental factors can influence the sexual being. By enlightening clients on cause and effect, I’ve been able to,” she paused, “re-wire, shall we say for lack of a better word, the desires for sexual intimacy.”

Julie couldn’t believe her ears. Deirdre grew up in the same house, same parents, same everything, yet her desire to be with Brianna had nothing to do with that. Anger twisted around her gut, and she swallowed hard, willing herself not to vomit.

“Sexuality is a personal choice,” Maura continued. “If you truly want to leave the gay lifestyle behind and become completely heterosexual, I’m willing to help you.”

“I just want you to fix him. The sex is great. I just think he should—”

“Jewel.” Maura’s smile held no mirth. “We’re not talking about you now, are we?”

“But he—”

“Stop.” If malice were bullets, Julie would have been nothing but a white chalk outline. “Jewel,” Maura continued. “You are here today as an observer only. I don’t have time for your histrionics. This is about Demon and what he desires.” The doctor’s hand found its way to Damon’s biceps. “Demon, in order for this to work, you will need to be open about your sex life, past…” She glared at Julie. “And present. However unpleasant that may be.”

“Talk about my partners?” he asked.

“See, I’ve begged him to talk to me, but—”

Maura jumped to her feet. “Really, Jewel. One more outburst and I will have to ask you to leave.”

Julie sat back in a huff. Even for playacting, this is not how she thought this counseling session would play out. Is this what Jason had endured? Manipulation and seduction seemed to be the woman’s only means of so-called therapy.

Maura stood and walked behind Damon, her hands resting on his shoulders. “Relax, Demon. You’re safe here.” Working her fingers into the muscles, she bent close to his ear. “How’s that? Feeling relaxed?”

“Hmm, you have strong hands.”

“Close your eyes and focus on my voice.” Her hands moved over his shoulders. “Tell me why you’re here, Demon.”

“When this,” Damon flicked his head toward Julie, “relationship seemed to be something she wanted to pursue, I knew I needed help. And Elvis said you were the best.”

For a moment so brief Julie thought she imagined it, Maura froze.

“Elvis? Elvis Castonguay?” Maura asked, her fingers digging into Damon’s shoulders.

“Owner of Starry Knights,” Julie replied enthusiastically.

Maura pushed away. “That’s it. I can’t do this.” Her hands waved them away as she stalked to her desk. “Demon, I don’t think this is going to work.”

Damon jumped up from the couch, shaking his fingers in Julie’s face. “But she doesn’t have to come if that’s the problem.”

“No, she’s not the problem, Demon. You are.”

“But I really want this.”

“Want what, Demon? To pretend you’re gay or to find out about my connection to Elvis?”

“You know Elvis?” Damon asked, feigning innocence.

“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t know him or me. Demon. You have the same tattoo as Elvis.” She stared at him, but Damon didn’t flinch. “You didn’t even try to hide the ink on your shoulder. I suspected you wanted me to see it. Which begs the question, are you frat brothers, lovers, or both?”

Damon crossed his arms over his chest. “Frat brothers only.”

“And I suppose you’re not gay and in need of counseling?” Maura asked.

“No, on both accounts,” Damon said.

“So why did that lovely partner of mine send you here? A little spying to see how lucrative my other business is?” Her words sliced through the air. “Just because he’s overextended doesn’t mean I need to put more money into his loosing company.” She stopped her pacing. “Or is he looking to take me down with his sinking ship?”

“We’re not here for business, Maura.” Damon’s voice was soft. “We’re here about Jason McCarty.”

“He was one of your patients,” Julie added hopefully.

“And how the hell did you know him?” Maura’s eyes narrowed, her gaze snapping from Damon to Julie and back again.

Damon stepped between Maura and Julie. “They were nothing but friends. But I suspect there was more to your relationship with him than would be appropriate for a doctor.”

Julie’s stomach tensed. Damon certainly knew how to cut through the bullshit. “We’re just wondering what you might know about Jason’s suicide—”

“You mean murder?” Maura’s hands fisted on her hips.

Julie jumped from the couch. Her female instincts had been right all along. “You know something about his death the police don’t?”

“I told the police everything I know. I know Jase is dead from a gunshot wound.” Maura began to cry. “I’m not the one who held the gun,” her face fell into her hands and her strong demeanor crumbled, “but I killed him just the same.”

“That’s a confession if ever I heard one.” Elvis burst through the door holding a cell phone in his hand. “Nice going with the phone in your purse, Julie. I heard it all and recorded it. Now we just have to give it to the police, and the murderer will pay!”

“I thought I told you to stay in the car.” Damon stepped toward Elvis. “Julie and I can handle this.”

“No, Damon. I’ll handle this.” Elvis lifted the gun he held in the other hand. “Just like I’ve had to handle everything else where Jase was concerned.”

Julie fought the vise-grip of terror clenching her stomach, making her nauseous. Now was not the time to fall apart.

Elvis waved the gun at Damon. “Move over there with that pretty girlfriend of yours.”

“What the hell are you doing, Elvis?” Maura’s voice quivered.

“Shut up, Maura. Shut the fuck up!” Elvis glared at her. “I think you’ve ruined enough lives, don’t you? First Jase’s, now mine.”

“Elvis, you never understood my relationship with Jason,” Maura pleaded.

“Damn right, I never understood. You and my Jase? How could you, Maura? You and I were partners. You tried to take the one thing from me that I couldn’t live without.”

“He. Loved. Me.” Maura collapsed into the chair at her desk, sobs shaking her shoulders. “But you brainwashed him. He wasn’t gay. Bisexual, maybe, but not gay!”

“Me? Brainwash Jase?” Elvis laughed, a hard rasping sound that clawed down Julie’s spine. “You and his father fucked him up. He loved me until you both screwed with his head, Maura.”

“He wanted to quit that lifestyle.” Maura spoke into her hands. “I was only helping him.”

“He tried to tell me the same thing when I went to his house to beg him not to leave me.” Tears filled Elvis’ eyes. “I loved him more than you could ever know. I recorded us together to show him how much I loved him. He made this to use against me.” He put the phone in his pocket and pulled the missing cassette from the back waist of his jeans. “But he wanted you, Maura. I couldn’t let that happen. I begged him to stay with me.”

“You stole that from my house.” Julie pointed a shaky finger at Elvis.

Elvis laughed again. “No breaking and entering for me, Julie. Happy Mrs. Tilling let me into your house when I told her I was a mutual friend of yours picking up something you had of Jason’s.”

“But why steal the recording he made?” Julie asked. “You already had a recording of your tryst.”

“I didn’t want you to use it against me. You were supposed to think Jason was fucking Damon. I mean the tattoo…the long hair. It was supposed to be him, Julie. I didn’t expect a smart woman like you to let him wrap you around his pinky like every other woman. At least you were fucking smart enough to catch the connection to Maura when I planted the prescription bottle.” Pain and anger sparked in Elvis’ eyes. “It just wouldn’t do for the police to come sniffing around me. I’ve lost enough already.” Tears overflowed, and he swiped at them with the back of his hand. “Now, Maura will pay for Jase’s life.” He shrugged as if their deaths were a foregone conclusion. “And you two will pay for being so fucking stupid.”

“Elvis, did you kill Jason?” She wasn’t sure where the courage had come to ask the question. But somehow, Julie already knew the answer.

“I didn’t kill him!” Elvis yelled, then shrank into himself. “Not on purpose, at least.”

Julie saw Damon’s foot inch toward the door. She hoped she could hold Elvis’ attention and keep him lost in his memories, enough for Damon to save them all.

“I did bring the gun to his house.” Elvis stared at her, lost in his pain, willing to confess everything to three people who were going to die. “I didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt. I just wanted to scare him a little. We argued over the tape, over Maura.” He looked up at Maura with a face contorted into a grotesque mask of rage.

“I put the gun to my head, threatened to end it all—for him. I wanted him to realize how much he loved me and to save me. But you know what? He just laughed.” Elvis’ features morphed, and bitterness glazed his eyes and clenched his teeth. “He laughed at me. He didn’t care if I made the tape public. He didn’t care if I killed myself. He’d just buy my share of Starry Knights like he’d wanted all along. He and Maura would run my business together.”

Damon continued a slow progression toward Elvis. Julie knew what he intended. She just needed to keep Elvis talking. “Why give me all that stuff in the box then?”

“I had no idea he’d made the tape. I just wanted Maura to pay for Jason’s death. Jase told me a long time ago about his friends, the Tilling sisters. How sweet and innocent you all were. Before I called the police, I grabbed a bunch of stuff from his place the night he died. I intended to deliver the evidence to your house, but you came to me instead. Even better. It didn’t make me look so desperate to frame her.” Elvis swiped a hand at his tears. “I wanted the bitch to pay for taking Jase from me. The bullet may have come from my gun, but she forced my hand when she made him try to be something he wasn’t. We were good together, Jase and me. The real killer is Maura. She as much as admitted it.”

His words shocked Maura out of her malaise. “Me? Kill him?” She stood and stepped toward Elvis. “He was my first true success story. He didn’t want the gay lifestyle. My counseling had worked! He fell in love with me!”

“Maura don’t go any closer,” Julie pleaded. “Elvis isn’t worth your life, too.”

“Listen to her.” Elvis cackled, a dry hacking sound that shook the tension hanging in the air. “It’s the only smart thing she’s pieced together.” His wild eyes betrayed his frame of mine. “I planted things in that box to point to Maura. You were supposed to take it to the police, not come here on your own, Julie. Now you’ll pay. You all will pay for making me live without Jase. He didn’t love anyone but me.”

Maura took another step closer to the deadly weapon, anger and betrayal mapping deep roads on her face. “Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, Elvis. He didn’t want you. He wanted your business. The one you wouldn’t let him help run. He was sick of living his father’s dream. He had plans and trust me when I say, you didn’t fit in his new world, Elvis. It was Jason who came up with the idea of the Internet sites. Jason who talked to me about remodeling the second floor into private rooms to make more money. And while I was implementing his ideas we were falling in love. He wanted your business and he wanted me. Starry Knights is successful because of what I did with Jason.” Fury propelled her toward Elvis.

“Stop!” Elvis stepped back out of her reach. “Shut up, you bitch! Shut up! He. Loved. Me.” Elvis shook the tape at them. “This is the proof.”

“He used you.” Maura yelled and lunged again.

Faster than Julie could assimilate, a gun blast rattled the windows. Maura fell back against her desk, blood materializing between the fingers she clutched at her chest, the shocked horror of reality registering in her expression.

Damon lunged for Elvis, pushing the gun high in the air. Another shot shattered the glass shelves against the wall. Splinters of glass rained down on the men tangled in a battle for their lives.

Julie grabbed the vase off the coffee table, running at the men. Damon’s arm swung hard, bringing his fist into Elvis’ jaw, spinning the man so Elvis’ back was to Julie. She lifted the urn above her head, intent on breaking it on the struggling killer. A gunshot rang again and echoed in Julie’s ears. The air in her lungs superheated, and she couldn’t seem to draw a breath. The vase, now the weight of a sledgehammer, slipped from her fingers.

Time warbled and warped her perceptions. She watched Elvis’ body crumble to the floor in front of her. Too tired from the emotional roller coaster, she slumped to the floor beside him. Darkness crept along the edges of her vision.

Then Damon was there. The lines on his face were deep with love—and concern. She wanted to smooth it from his features, but her arm wouldn’t move. His mouth formed words, but there was only an eerie silence echoing in her head. She tried to ask if Maura was all right, if Elvis still had the gun, but her mind couldn’t wrap around any of it.

She was tired. So very tired.

Julie closed her eyes and slipped into the black hole of emptiness, letting it lull the pain from her body.

Chapter 11

Six Weeks Later

Damon walked slowly through the cemetery. He hadn’t even been back to visit his parents’ graves after their funerals, but this felt different. It was right for him to be here walking among the stones. He’d learned so much from the Tilling clan about love and family ties.

He’d be forever grateful to Julie for that lesson—and so much more.

The gentle breeze lifted his hair, and he raked his fingers through the short crop of black, liking the clean image of this new Damon Corey. He’d quit his job at the radio station a month ago and would begin playing for the Bangor Symphony next week. His dream job. In light of all he’d been through, it felt right shucking the false persona of Demon and letting people come to know the real Damon.

When he met Julie, she also had been struggling to find her own identity. They’d both been so blind when it came to their own needs, but love had opened their eyes. Now he stood in the summer sun, no longer afraid of being himself, no longer worried about letting people into his heart.

Something else he learned from Julie.

The rain of the past few days had cleared the heavy humidity from the air, and there was only the clean aroma of pines and wildflowers scenting the breeze—and her intoxicating perfume. Damon stared at the curve of Julie’s neck as she bent over Jason’s grave, tears streaming down her cheeks. He’d nearly lost her, and the thought still knotted his stomach.

She’d wanted to be alone, and he’d given her time to say a proper good-bye to her friend. This was her first visit to Jason’s grave since getting out of the hospital. Her body might be healed, but he wasn’t sure she’d ever get over her friend’s senseless death.

Sadness curved her shoulders into her chest, her obvious pain drawing him toward her. She would never have to carry the burden of emotion alone.

“How are you doing?” His hand settled in the small of her back, his mouth nuzzling the soft skin below her ear.

“Elvis may be burning in hell, but it won’t bring back Jason or Maura, will it, Damon?” Julie turned into him, her arms winding around his neck, seeking support. He would be here for her until his last breath. She fit her body against his, her head tucked comfortably under his chin. He would never tire of holding her.

“Julie, nothing can change the past. We just have to move forward.” He lifted her chin and stared into the face of the woman who had agreed to become his wife. “But you single handedly shut down Starry Knights and made sure Jason’s death didn’t go unpunished. You did something the police couldn’t.”

“It just doesn’t seem like enough.”

Damon’s hand slid gently down Julie’s side, tenderly caressing the wounds made when the bullet that had killed Elvis ripped through her body. Julie had been in the hospital fighting for her life for nearly two weeks, and he’d never left her side. Damon had asked her to marry him the moment she came off the respirator.

“Nearly losing your life wasn’t enough of a sacrifice?”

“Maura ended up losing everything for the man she loved.” Julie choked on the words.

Damon pulled her tight to his chest once again, their hearts finding a synchronized rhythm. He now understood what it was like to love someone with all your heart and soul. He would gladly have given up everything to trade places with Julie over the last month. “I’m sure whatever happens after this life, Maura and Jason are together now.”

Julie looked up at him, tears still glistening on her lashes. “But what about Doc McCarty? My heart aches for him. He has no one left in this world.”

“Julie, don’t go there.” Damon slanted his mouth over hers, the heat of her lips scorching his blood. He didn’t want to think about death; he wanted to rejoice in their new life. He broke from their kiss, pressing his forehead to hers, his heart swelling with love. “I think I owe you a celebratory lunch for getting that CPA job.”

“Why, Mr. Corey, I’d have thought you could come up with a more inventive way to celebrate.” Desire shimmered in her eyes and flushed her cheeks.

He smiled down at her. “And I always thought love was blind.”

The End

Also Available

by Nina Pierce

Please Enjoy this excerpt from

Deceive Her With Desire

Tilling Passions Series Book 2

Chapter 1

Deirdre Tilling slammed the spade into the soil. Her booted foot thumped down on its metal edge, driving it deeper and transferring her frustration to the wounded earth. She’d been working the flowerbeds around her farmhouse since noon. And though the sun stretched the shadows of the maples long across her lawn, painting their leaves a deeper crimson, the hours of heavy labor hadn’t helped ease the pain of loneliness. Puffy clouds skittered over the tree line, reminding her of cotton candy and hometown fairs. Brianna’s favorite autumn activity.

Deirdre swiped the back of her hand across fresh tears and turned the dust on her arm to streaks of mud. Christ. And wasn’t she just a pathetic mess? The spade bit into the ground, collecting another load of wilted petunias. Without ceremony, Deirdre added them to the growing pile of detritus in the wheelbarrow. She wished she could purge her heart of her ex as easily as clearing the summer gardens.

Exhaustion made her back and arms ache. But it was anguish that pinched her heart and made it difficult to breathe. It had been almost eight weeks since her live-in lover had announced she’d found someone else. Deirdre missed her with a physical need that made her ill with want.

Loneliness had become an all too familiar companion.

Deirdre threw the spade over the mess in the wheelbarrow and pushed the load to the mulch pile in the back corner of her property, under the white pines. A bitter sigh pushed past her lips. Love had not been kind to her. Over the years she’d struck out with both sexes. Three serious relationships in her twenty-five years and all of them had ended with a quiet fizzle. She hadn’t even had the satisfaction of huge explosive conclusions that would guarantee her a little time in Delmont’s rumor mill.

Nope, all she netted were whispered condolences and pity glances from a few close friends.

It hardly seemed fair her older sisters had both found someone. They were obnoxiously happy and engaged to the men of their dreams. Not that Julie or Meghan meant to flaunt it, but contentment surrounded them like a sickly sweet cloud that threatened to suffocate Deirdre at every family function. And with the Tilling clan, dinners, barbeques and random celebrations were a weekly occurrence Deirdre had come to dread.

Of course she’d never not go, she loved her parents too much to hurt them that way. John and Alice Tilling were coming up on their fortieth wedding anniversary and nothing meant more to them than their three daughters. Settling in her hometown and opening Tilling Gardens and Plants, a floral and landscaping business, with her sisters had seemed as natural as breathing.

But Bri had thought Delmont, Maine just wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. The pace was too slow, the neighbors too nosey, and Deirdre’s family too cloying. There wasn’t much Deirdre could do to change any of that, so she’d just watched the woman pack up and drive away with all of her belongings and Deirdre’s heart.

Deirdre dumped the flower refuse on the compost heap. It had all gone to seed. Rotting away to a pile of crap, just like her love life. Damn she felt morose tonight. She threw the shovel on top of the dirt and tipped the gray wheelbarrow on its side. She didn’t even have the energy to take care of her tools. Not a good sign for a landscaper.

Truth was, sometimes life just sucked and then went downhill from there.

She bit her lip, staunching the flow of tears burning in her eyes. When would the pain in her chest go away?

Her feet pounded up the backstairs of the white clapboard house where she’d spent her youth. Too large for her parents, they’d downsized over a year ago, moving across town and into the same neighborhood as her sisters. Deirdre had been the only one of the three Tilling daughters willing to spend the time and energy needed to gut and update the old farmhouse.

She’d proudly signed the papers and made it hers last fall, just before meeting Bri. Four months later, right after the holidays, the beautiful blonde had moved in. Willing to spend weekends pulling down walls, running new wiring and fixing leaking plumbing, Bri had worked tirelessly next to Deirdre. Now silence echoed through the rooms. The shiny remodel had turned into a lackluster project that took more energy than Deirdre was willing to expend. Though they had the roof, windows and siding replaced to update the outside, only the kitchen and the master suite had been finished inside.

Unable to bear the pain of an empty double bed, Deirdre had moved back into her old room on the second floor.

She stalked through the kitchen and living room, taking the stairs two at a time to the old fashioned bathroom, trying to outrun her sadness. Wallowing in it all afternoon had gotten her nothing but puffy eyes, blotchy skin and indigestion. Deirdre’s friend, Emilio, had invited her to some fancy shindig out on the coast. She had every intention of repairing the damage hours of self-pity had caused, slipping into some slinky black number and heels and heading out to join the world of the living. Enough feeling sorry for herself. Sometimes being without a significant other had its advantages in social situations.

Because if this party was like most of Emilio’s invitations, it practically guaranteed some good old-fashioned, no-strings-attached sex. And tonight, that suited Deirdre just fine.

* * * *

Ayden Scott stood at the mirror adjusting the collar of the white button-down oxford. Tucking the tails into the faded Levis, he wondered if it was too casual for the party. Shooting a glance over his shoulder, he studied the two other shirts heaped with the chinos and Dockers on his bed. He’d never had problems dressing before he went undercover for the Drug Enforcement Agency.

It was a simple party, nothing to worry about…yeah, except blending in. He finger-combed his wet hair away from his face. This was a new look for him. The clean-shaven face and his blond locks dyed black made him a different man. Even his mother, God rest her soul, wouldn’t recognize him.

He’d been in Maine almost two months now. They were getting close to a big bust. He could feel it. This was the second time the DEA had given him the privilege of lead on an investigation, and he’d be damned if he’d frig this one up.

Too many times the supplier fell through their hands, and they were left prosecuting the street dealers, thugs who did their bosses’ bidding. None of them rolled over on the head honcho. Not when their only punishment was a couple of years in the slammer, some probation time, or worse, a simple slap on the wrist. Anything beat ratting out your employer. But man, wouldn’t that just piss him off if this case ended that way?

This one was promising to be huge. And Ayden wanted it. He could feel it like an addict could feel the urgency for another fix. It caused a physical ache in his gut. He wanted to bring down the guy he was chasing like nothing he’d ever wanted in the eight years since joining the DEA.

The heroin was coming in from Canada. They knew that much to be fact. They just couldn’t figure out who or where. This party at the mansion tonight promised some prime contacts. Ayden had two other teams scouting out similar locations along a thirty-mile stretch of the Maine coast. They’d bring the guy running the operation down—or die trying.

No, he couldn’t think like that. No one was dying on his watch. Not this time.

“Don’t go there, Ayden, ol’ boy.” He shoved the frustration into the back corner of his brain, encapsulating it with all the other painful memories he didn’t dredge up. Ayden had grown accustomed to his own voice in the last few years. He’d given up trying to psychoanalyze the reason he talked to himself. He’d come to accept it was simply a part of his personality. He was a loner.

“Focus. You have a job to do.” He gave himself one more glance before heading into the bedroom of the rented condo to straighten up. One never knew what kind of informants might be falling into his bed this night.

Ayden had been working hard to get the little fish to believe he had a big enough operation to deal directly with the supplier. He had bogus contacts in Portland, Boston, and Philly, supposedly ready to distribute the goods. That ought to lure them in. Everyone wanted a share of the drug market in those cities. If those places weren’t big enough, he’d also come up with business contacts in New York, but that alias was flimsy at best, and he hoped it didn’t come to that.

Others, more experienced, were afraid he wasn’t ready to take on a job this big. Not after the snafu in Miami. But that had been nearly three years ago. He’d taken the transfer to the Northeast and clawed his way back into the good graces of the DEA. He deserved to be lead investigator. He needed to bring this guy down, if for no other reason than to prove something to himself.

There were so many similarities in the two operations.

Ayden was sure this cartel was somehow affiliated with the Miami outfit as well. That ill-fated mission no one talked about. The one that had pressed him over the edge and into the bottle. Luckily he hadn’t drowned. Instead he’d gotten help, cleaned himself up and now was stronger and more focused. All the more reason for him to be deep undercover. He needed to bring down the fucking bastard who had stolen everything from him and screwed up his life in the process.

But perhaps that was all just wishful thinking on his part.

Monday, he planned a meeting with his teams to go over everything they’d uncovered in the last week. He hoped by then they would have zeroed in on the guy running the show, and he’d have something solid to tell his superiors in Boston. He’d had no contact with them for a couple of days. Ayden knew, given his track record, they’d be getting antsy.

To top it all off, someone was breathing down his neck, keeping an eye on him. He sensed it like a shadow that never materialized. He had to be close if they were tailing him. If, on the other hand, he found out he was being watched by his own men, heads would roll. But his gut told him that wasn’t the case.

Despite the danger, or perhaps because of it, he loved undercover work, bringing down the bad guy, keeping the drugs off the street. But he knew firsthand, it wasn’t without pitfalls.

You had to mesmerize the bad guys with a fake persona while your feet remained firmly planted in reality. He was definitely walking a tightrope stretched taut between both sides of the law. So far he’d skirted around the need to sample the goods. He wasn’t sure how long he could tiptoe around the edge of the precarious precipice before falling victim—again. Undercover work was a slippery slope of acting and real-life drama.

He loped down the stairs, grabbed a light weight jacket from the coat closet and headed out the door. There was no way he was screwing this one up. Not this time.

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Author’s Bio:

Award-winning romance author, Nina Pierce, grew up in a house full of readers. So becoming enamored with books was only natural. She discovered romance stories in her early teens, falling hopelessly in love with knights in shining armor and the damsels who saved them.

Eventually, reading about alpha males and the journey to find their happy-ever-after endings wasn’t enough. She needed to pen her own stories of fated loves and soul mates. Nina’s discovered the passionate side of romance with her sexy stories. For her, it’s all about the sweet scent of seduction mixed with the heartwarming aroma of romance.

Nina resides in the northeast with her high school sweetheart and soul mate of twenty-eight years, their three grown children and several very spoiled cats who consider her “staff”.

Nina enjoys hearing from her readers. You can reach her at Nina@NinaPierce.com. You can also keep up with all her newest releases on her website or by following her on Twitter and Facebook.

Other books by Nina Pierce

Deceive Her With Desire

Cheat Her With Charm

Dangerous Affairs

Shadows of Fire

Maid for Master

Invitation to Ecstasy

Mating Bonds

Bonded Souls

Bonded by Need

A Touch of Lilly

Healer’s Garden

Divine Deception

Ripe and Ready

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Excerpt Deceive Her With Desire

Reviews

Author Bio

Other Books by Nina Pierce