Page 90 of Married to the Devil

I blink in surprise. Stella’s workshop comes to mind. He’d masterfully created that space for her. Is he doing the same with their bedroom? Does he feel guilty?

Me: Is it a surprise?

Stoneheart types for a moment before pausing and then starts up again. There’s another pause, and my lips tip up when he finally sends the message because it’s only four words.

Stoneheart: Just keep her busy.

So it is a surprise, but the gargoyle doesn’t want to treat it like one for some reason. Curiouser and curiouser. I’mwondering in what way he fucked up, but Stoneheart isn’t going to tell me, and Stella will tear my head from my body if I disrupt her right now with such a question.

I sigh, a part of me enjoying this interplay as I go back to watching our witch.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”Stella sits back, stunned.

Is this a goodfuckor a badfuck? It sounds different from the otherfucksshe’s recited today. I’ve come close to interrupting her again just for her to take a break because she’s been at this nonstop, but I haven’t come to the point of wanting to incur her wrath again for anything less than necessary.

“I did it!” Her grin takes up her whole face.

“It works?” I ask.

“It works!” she shouts. Her happiness is so bright pulls me toward her like I’m some wilted flower, and she’s the sun.

All day her intensity and presence has wrapped around me, snaring deep hooks in my chest. Her brand of vibrant chaos summoning me as any being of energy would be. It’s only now that her attention is on me that I give in to the tug.

She throws her arms around my neck, and I don’t know who kisses who first, but her plush lips devour minehard.

Stella’s emotions overflow as she grasps my shirt with one hand and the back of my neck with the other. The kiss is all radiance and fire. Her joy transitions to need as quickly as the spark of an ember.

I fall into her kiss, meeting her outpouring with my own. Relief and hunger whip up in my soul.

Her legs wrap around my hips, and I press her into the worktable. My cock is heavy, grinding in the cradle of her thighsand zipping sensations up my spine. She moans and breaks the kiss to take a breath. “Fuck,” she says, and I don’t need an interpretation guide for this one. It’s all tasty need.

There’s a sound from the front of the store, and I freeze. We’re exposed. Stoneheart hasn’t gone out of his way to hide our arrangement, but if the news truly gets out, it will cause complications.

He also hasn’t given me permission to take this past a kiss without him.

I nip her lower lip before pulling away.

“No,” she pants in complaint, and I shush against her lips.

“Later, love,” I say without a thought.

“Please,” she whispers and rocks her hips.

I huff a laugh. “I’m saving us both from punishment, temptress.”

Her expression does an odd thing at the reminder that we aren’t the only ones in this relationship.

Ah, yes, Stoneheart fucked up somehow.

But she fixes her face quickly. “We need to tell him about the charm. Let’s go.”

“Now?” I ask, looking at my watch. It’salmostfive.

I send a text to Connors let him know that we’re leaving, and he’s in the clear to head back.

Maybe if Stoneheart had been more forthcoming with his plans, I’d be better at following his orders. Or maybe, even though I’m saving Stella from punishment, I have no wish to save myself.

31

---