Secrets in Love

Chapter Three

Devon looks around the group of us standing with Madison, squinting and eyeing us all over. "Hello, Madison. Happy to see that you and your pack of hyenas could make it this evening." His deep, gravelly voice sends a chill down my spine.

"I think you mean a cackle."

Well, I just screwed everything up. Fucked that one right up!

Devon turns and looks at me, a puzzled look playing across his strong, hyper-masculine features. I continue since I already blurted out something stupid. Might as well at least explain that I wasn't just randomly saying nonsense. "A group of hyenas is called a cackle, not a pack."

His lips curl up into a smile at me - a dark, devilish grin that causes my insides to heat. "Well little sister, it looks like you finally found a friend with a few brain cells." He extends his hand. "I'm Devon."

I shake his hand in return. "I'm Jane. Pleasure to meet you and congratulations on the promotion."

"Thank you. The pleasure is all mine. You certainly are not a plain Jane." Devon's eyes roam up and down the length of my body. I do my best not to squirm under the direct attention, simultaneously irritated by the overt gaze on my body. My body and mind are in conflict with one another right now. Mind wants to smack him. Body wants to wrap legs around his trim waist. All he did was look at me and I feel like I'm completely naked and exposed. "Jane, please allow me to buy you a drink. I insist."

I turn and look at Madison, who has a huge smile spread across her face, trying to subtly nod her to head to indicate I should go with her brother. I walk towards Devon and once we are next to one another, he places his hand on my lower back, making my body feel flushed as the warmth of his touch heats my body from the slightest contact. He guides me towards a table, pulling out my chair and taking me by the hand as I sit down before taking his own seat. We are immediately tended to by a server and both order two fingers of whiskey. Devon's eyes continue to wander over my body, sizing up all of my features as we get settled.

"So, Jane - how do you know my sister?"

"We're roommates."

His lips curl up into another smile as his eyes pause on my breasts briefly before returning to my eyes. "If I would have known that, I would've come visit Madison more often."

"Well then, you'd have plenty of quality time with your sister, since I'm rarely home."

"Work keep you busy?" I nod my head in agreement as our drinks are delivered, faster than I ever anticipated. But he is the guest of honor, so I guess he's getting the special treatment tonight. "And what exactly is it that you do? That is, other than command the attention of every man in a room?"

I fight the urge to roll my eyes and laugh. I take a sip of the whiskey and look Devon over briefly before I respond. There is no denying why women throw themselves at him, but he's cocky and arrogant. Everything about how he's looking at me and talking to me right now tells me that he's betting I would jump at the chance to get into bed with him. Something about that makes him lose his appeal.

"I'm a doctor."

His brow furrows for a second before he catches himself and regains his composure. "A doctor? Really?" He says it sarcastically, half-laughing, as if he doesn't believe me and I'm lying to impress him. He met me just a minute ago and just based upon the few words we've exchanged and my appearance, is completely discounting that I am capable and skilled enough to be a doctor.

"Really." I plant an overly fake smile on my face. Heat floods my body again, but this time in irritation. "I'm finishing up my last year of residency, but I work at Providence as a psychiatrist."

"So, if I were to show up at Providence, where would I find you exactly?"

He's testing me and thinks I'm making it all up. I can read it all over his face. I feel incredibly annoyed, even more so when the look on his face tells me that he thinks he's going to make me feel stupid. The smugness shows all over his face as he practically bats his eyes, waiting for my response. My stomach clenches as I try to hold my tongue and keep my temper in check. Arrogant asshole. Not sleeping with him tonight will not be a problem.

My response is clipped, "Psych unit. Thanks for the drink." I've had enough. I take my drink and stand up to walk away. I take a few steps and then turn around. The look on Devon's face tells me that he was not expecting our conversation to take a turn like this. "Make sure you ask for Dr. Wesleyann." I tip my drink at him and then continue walking back over to my friends.

Madison's mouth is open and gaping, but also tilted upwards in a pleased looking smile. "You did not just walk away from my brother like that!"

"I did. He's a dick. I don't understand the appeal. If I had a cookbook handy, I'd sure as shit be smashing it."

Her painted nails dig into my forearm in excitement.

"He is seriously pissed right now. This is so fucking awesome. What did you say to him?"

"Nothing really. He was treating me as if I'm just make believing what I do for a living. He acted as if I told him that I was a unicorn riding princess when I told him I was a doctor. I didn't feel like taking it anymore. Sorry if I ruined your whole plan for the night, but after that? No way I could flirt with him."

We grab a table together in the corner and sip on our drinks, in between the occasional comments and gawking at someone or another. Madison introduces me to some of the guys she knows there. I know that she's trying to make Devon somehow jealous, as she tells them all that I'm single and stopping just shy of throwing them at me. I'm not interested in any of the guys that she introduces me to but make polite small talk, all the while I can feel the searing heat from Devon's gaze from across the room. I do my best to ignore it and have a good night.

Several hours and a few drinks later, the party is winding down. People are starting to trickle out and we're getting ready to do the same, although some of Madison's other friends left with some guys a little while ago.

"Last chance, Jane." I hear Devon's gruff voice behind me, warm breath against my ear as I feel his arm lightly grasping my elbow. A chill spreads across my skin from the smell of his cologne and whiskey, his mouth nearly pressed against my skin.

I turn around and face him. "Last chance for you to apologize for acting like a narrow-minded jerk? Is that what you mean?"

I watch his throat works as he swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing. His brow is furrowed. It doesn't seem that he's used to getting a lot of push-back. The muscles in his jaw flex as he clenches and grits his teeth. "No."

I step closer to him, closing the distance so that we're practically nose-to-nose before I fold my arms across my chest. We're so close that my forearms brush against his chest. "Then what exactly is it my last chance for Devon?"

"To leave with me so that I can take you to bed."

I laugh, more loudly than I intended because he caught me off guard. I take a step back. "No, thank you. I'm sure you'll find someone else though." I wave my hand, gesturing to the remaining women still in the restaurant. "Have a great night."

Devon's face reddens. I turn and leave, laughing to myself at the idea that he thought I would fold and give in so easily after how he treated me earlier, as if I should be thanking my lucky stars he wants to sleep with me. I walk out arm-in-arm with Madison, who keeps looking behind and smirking at Devon. Maybe going out tonight wasn't such a bad idea after all.