Damen (The Marquette Family Book Two) by Tressie Lockwood Page A

panting. Stupid idiot shouldn’t say stuff like that. “That’s feeding right into Creed’s warning about getting ideas.”
    “Hm.” He rubbed his jaw as if he considered it, but there was a twinkle in the fool’s eyes that she didn’t like. “I suppose so. You are a woman, a beautiful one, but still a woman.”
    Heaven cut her eyes at him. “Thanks.”
    “Can’t be helped,” he grumbled. “I want you, and I can’t turn it off. So, we can do it like last time. Any time you want to disappear, just go.”
    She gaped at him. “Damen, are you serious?”
    He blocked her path and leaned so close, his breath warmed her lips. “I’ll give you whatever you want, Heaven.”
     

Chapter Five
     
    “Damen, what are you doing?”
    “Fuck off, big bro.” Damen popped a grape into his mouth and leaned back in his chair. Light construction had begun in his new office, but for the time being, he shared space with Creed in his. Damen didn’t care because he never sat still for long. His duties kept him serving, seating, and schmoozing their guests. He didn’t mind that part of his job either, so long as he got time to go off on his own and disappear from the world.
    “Damen!” Creed jerked his shirtfront and forced Damen forward. Damen ground his teeth and narrowed his eyes at his brother. Right away, Creed released him. Damen, more than his brothers, hated violence. Creed knew that and apologized. “Why are you going after her? You don’t usually do more than flirt with the waitresses. They know it, so I don’t bug you. This one is different. Is it because she’s black, because of Shada?”
    Damen wrinkled his brow. “What does your woman have to do with anything?”
    “Jealousy.”
    Damen laughed. “No, you’ve got your own problems with that one.”
    “The two of you never liked each other.”
    “I don’t dislike her. She’s going to be my sister-in-law as soon as you convince her to stop running from you.”
    His oldest brother grumbled in annoyance, but he didn’t deny the truth. Creed had taken to calling Shada his fiancée to everyone and within hearing distance of Shada. She’d said yes, but so far, she wouldn’t set a date. Talk about being backward. Men were notorious for skirting commitment. His brother was all for it, but Shada’s past kept her digging her heels in. Damen wondered who would win in the end, him or her.
    “Good luck breaking down those walls, bro.”
    “This isn’t about me,” Creed snapped.
    “Hey, you’re the one that brought up Shada.” Damen was matter-of-fact with the conversation so far, but Heaven came to mind. He wanted her. Back in college, he’d enjoyed every time they had sex. Her body was incredible and her responses to his touch so sensual. Even while he had loved his ex-wife she had never responded to him the way Heaven had. Would it be the same, or worse? Maybe better.
    Thinking of Heaven, his cock swelled in his pants, and he leaned forward to slide up to his desk. Good thing he was on break. He had to get control of this hard-on before he scared the old ladies that dined with them on an almost nightly basis.
    “Damen, are you listening?”
    “Yeah.” He hadn’t been.
    “It’s becoming obvious that you can’t take your eyes off her. I’ve had complaints.”
    That got Damen’s attention. “Who complained?”
    Creed hesitated. Had Heaven gone to Creed? The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her. She’d said she wasn’t afraid of him, but she could have been lying. He had seen the way she reacted thinking he would hit her, and it had ignited a rage in him that probably rivaled Creed’s anger. There was also the instance when she first spotted Guy. She might have smooth chocolate skin, but she had gone pale and shook so hard he thought she would faint. Who had dared to make her that scared?
    “Who?” Damen repeated. “Was it Heaven?”
    Creed appeared surprised. “I doubt any woman you set your sights on will turn you