Demon Tempted (Karmic Lust) (7 page)

“True enough on both accounts, especially me being a demon and ostensibly an inconsiderate one. Forgive this demon’s ill manners.” He pressed his lips to her ear. “Now my dear, let’s enjoy this dance.” His words made her smile, and she couldn’t stay mad. Besides this was the first time in a long time she’d been dancing, and she needed to enjoy it.

Luckily for them the next song was another slow song. “Another slow song, eh, Clay? Got the DJ in your pocket as well?”

“Yep, I thought you knew?”

His rich baritone made her quiver, and the nip he gave to her neck made her wet with anticipation for the promise that the night held.

“I don’t doubt that at all.”

As they moved around the dance floor, she couldn’t help but feel someone was still watching. That someone, if she had to guess, was the mysterious Oz. Oz seemed to be temptation on two legs. She’d be dead if she didn’t find him attractive.

She was glad that Clay had come when he had because she sure as hell wasn’t sure if she could have resisted much longer. Why on earth was he even bothering with her? There were plenty of beautiful and available women in the bar. She had to hope that he would go about his business and leave her alone.

****

From his table Oz kept his gaze on Eva and the one called Clay. He had such grand plans for the two of them. Tonight was just for scoping out the competition, and he’d effectively done that. Eva was enraptured with Clay and vice versa, so now the trick was to get close enough to make them falter.

He took a drink of his brandy and grimaced at the slow burn derived from the liquid heat. He watched as the couple continued their slow gyrating on the dance floor—a precursor to sex. Eva’s head fell back, and she laughed at something Clay had said, having forgotten him already. This was just where he wanted them, nice and comfortable and thinking that everything was going to be all right.

“Have your fun now, kiddies, because ol’ Oz has some fun planned, and you’re not going to like it one bit.” Oz was a planner. He never did anything halfcocked. He’d be doing the same for this one, planning everything down to the last detail.

It was almost time to close, and there were a few other stragglers milling about in the large store. Jess had called in sick, something she rarely did. There had been no one else to work, so Eva had volunteered herself, and Lili had been fine with it

She hadn’t been sleeping well at all for the last two weeks. At the sound of the door chime, Eva looked up from the cash register. The smile froze on her face as she saw who was standing there.

“Oz.” How the heck did he find her?

“Yes, it’s me. Don’t look so happy,” he teased.

The male in question gave her a predatory grin and moved to stand across the counter from her. When she just stood there looking at him, he said hello, bringing her out of her contemplation.

“Well, hello there. You’re a hard person to track down.”

“Oh yes, forgive me. Hello, and why pray tell would you be trying to track me down, Oz?”

“I was charmed by you and wanted to get to know you. Seeing as our meeting was interrupted.”

“Oz, I’m with someone.” She didn’t even know if that was what she could really call what was happening with Clay. She had to try to cock block somehow.

“Are you married to Clay?” he quizzed.

“No, not exactly. It’s complicated.” How would she even begin to explain her situation with Clay? She couldn’t really. It wasn’t something that needed to be shared, besides the fact that most wouldn’t believe it.

“When you give an answer like that, it tells me you’re single. That means I have a chance.”

“My God, do you ever give up?” She regarded him incredulously.

“Not with something I want, no.”

“All I know is your first name, but I don’t know anything else about you.”

“That can be arranged, Eva. My name is Oz O’Dea.” He held out his hand for her to shake. She eyed his hand as if it were a serpent ready to pounce and then shook her head at her silliness. She took his hand, and her breath caught at his strong grip.

“Well Mr. O’Dea, you’re holding my hand a lot longer than you should.”

He gave her a small smile, stroking his fingers over the inside of her palm. Her breath caught, and she identified a look of lust in his eyes and something more. But just as quickly, that look was gone, and she was left to wonder if she’d imagined it.

“Ah, but it’s never a bad thing to hold on to such a beautiful lady.” He released her hand but not before kissing the back of her knuckles. Her eyes widened, and she couldn’t help snatching her hand back.

“Has anyone ever told you that you take too many liberties?”

“Yes, but you have to admit you liked it.”

Before she could answer, there was a clearing of a throat. A customer came up holding several items. She hadn’t even noticed the customer. She felt her cheeks heat up.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. Let me ring you out.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Oz move to the side to look at some merchandise. She rang the woman out and bagged her items then handed them to her. She’d finished with the first customer and then lost sight of Oz while she’d taken care of the other patrons.

The door chimed again, and the cleanup crew walked in holding their various cleaning tools. They waved at her.

“Hey Jeff and Brian, good to see the both of you again. It’s been a while.”

“We’ll walk you out when you’re done.”

Both men waved back at her and went about their business to clean. She made one last check of the store. Satisfied that only the cleaning crew was left, she locked the door. Eva grabbed the cash drawer and went back to the office to close out the drawer.

“I do hope you’ll let me escort you out.”

Gasping, her eyes wide, she covered her mouth with a hand and held back the urge to scream. Leaning against the office wall was Oz O’Dea.

“You shouldn’t still be here!” she squealed out when she finally found her voice.

“I’m sorry. I’d wandered off through the store and got stuck looking at all the delightfully sinful items you have on display.” He pointed through the open door out to the store.

He’d said he was sorry, but he didn’t look it one bit. He had a smirk on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes. Her gaze moved to his fingers as they stroked deftly over his goatee. He wasn’t like Clay at all. He held a different kind of beauty. He seemed darker, more ominous and wonderfully treacherous.

She recognized these were attributes that she’d possessed at one time. Perhaps that was the draw. Oz moved slowly forward. She stood and backed up. All she had to do was call out and Brian and Jeff would be right there. But she didn’t do it. He backed her up against the wall, bringing out his hand slowly.

She flinched. “What are you doing?”

“You think I would damage you?” He stroked his fingers over her cheek.

What an odd choice of words, she thought. “No, not really, I just wasn’t sure what you were going to do.” He continued to stroke her cheek, and her heart started to race.

“Stop, Clay will be here soon.”

“No, he won’t. I heard the guy that you have cleaning say they would walk you out. Why would you need them to do that if Clay was going to be here?”

He brought his other hand up to stroke along her throat, holding it where the pulse beat rapidly. Her breathing deepened.

“Besides, Eva, you seem to like my touch. Your heart is racing.”

“No, you need to stop.” She felt trapped.

She was rooted to the spot. She moaned when he placed his hand on one of her breasts and cupped it through the blouse.

“And my dear, your nipples are hard as little stones.”

“That doesn’t mean that you have the right to touch me.”

Oz scowled and removed his hands from her body. He backed up with his hands in the air so she could see them. The scowl didn’t last long as he seemed to quickly overcome her rejection. “You’re right, Eva. I’m sorry. I was just taken in by your beauty. Forgive me?”

Should she? Forgive him? Her mouth was fixed to say no, but then she found herself saying the opposite.

“Sure, this time. But don’t let it happen again. I really need to finish here. Please, perhaps we can talk another time.”
Shit. Why did she say that?
The smile that went on Oz’s face made her quiver—a wide grin showing all of his teeth like the Cheshire cat. Eva had a feeling she was the proverbial canary. She remembered all too well those times of baiting someone to do as she wanted them to do when she was a demon. The irony of it all hit her full force. Before she could retract her offer, Oz O’Dea was all over it with acceptance.

“Sounds grand. How about I take you to dinner tomorrow?”

“Um…” She hesitated, and it was unmistakable.

“I promise to be a good boy.”

She rolled her eyes. “Do you even know what good is?”
God, why the hell am I always agreeing with Oz?

“Oh yes, I know. I just don’t always practice it,” he teased her.

When he was acting like this, it was easier to agree to do whatever he wanted. He made everything seem a bit more tempting.

“I don’t know, Oz. I will have to see. Clay may have something planned.”

“Then I will come and take you to lunch. I won’t take no for an answer.”

A noise caught her attention, and she saw Clay standing in the doorway, his arms over his chest, his mouth in a set line.

“Clay, how long have you been there?” She knew the answer to that. He’d been there from the beginning. He was a demon after all, and she’d summoned him by saying his name.

“Long enough,”
he said gruffly.

“And the plot thickens,” Oz whispered, looking over his shoulder at Clay.

“Coincidence that you found Eva again, Oz?”

“No. Just great deduction and asking the owner of Diego’s where to find this lovely little miss. She was just going to agree to have lunch with me. Before you interrupted, that is.”

Clay turned his dark gaze on her and smirked. “Is that so, Eva?”

“I didn’t know that you had monopoly on all of my time.” It angered her that he was jumping to conclusions and not going to allow her to make her own decisions. “So yes, I have decided to go to lunch with him tomorrow.”

“I see.” It was all Clay said, but it seriously was enough for her to know he wasn’t going to be in a good mood when they went home. “Time to finish up what you were doing, Eva, so we can go home. Brian and Jeff have already left since they know I’m here to make sure you get out safely.”

“Ah, I expect it’s time for me to go then,” Oz said.

“Yes, I expect it is,” Clay growled out.

“Clay, stop being so rude,” Eva said.

“It’s okay, Eva. I’d be doing the same thing if I were in Clay’s position. See you tomorrow. I’ll call here to see when you’d like to go to lunch.”

Oz grinned, gave a nod to them both and sauntered out. Clay followed after him, and Eva could only assume he was making sure that Oz left completely. She flopped down into the desk chair with a huff and closed her eyes.

“What the fuck was that about, Eva?” He was back and of course he was pissed off to the nth degree.

“Ugh!” She kept her eyes closed for a few moments before addressing him. “What’s wrong with going out for a friendly lunch? As far as I remember, they said you’re my watcher, but they didn’t say you were my keeper.”

“I made me your keeper! You’re mine.”

“Wow, Clay. It’s the year 2013. The caveman act has got to stop. You act as if I am a toy that you get to do with what you want then put back on the shelf when you’re tired of it.”

She’d been wrong. Clay was beautifully dark—even more so when she had him riled up.

He advanced on her, and grabbing her wrist, he pulled her up until she was pressed fully against him. His lips inches from hers, he growled out, “You will not go with him. It isn’t just the fact that you’re mine. There is something wrong with him.” That got her angry.

“You think something’s wrong with him? Or do you really mean something is wrong with me?” she exclaimed.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’ve never been what you wanted. It was always Lilith. Now that someone does want me, something’s wrong with him?”

Clay’s eyes seemed to darken even more as he snarled and pressed her against the wall. If she didn’t know him, she would have been afraid. He grabbed her other arm and had her successfully pinned to the wall.

“I’ve always wanted you. When will you get that through your fucking head?”

“You only want me when it’s convenient to want me.” Her chest was rising and falling quickly as she pushed against him with her hands on his chest.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

She gasped as invisible hands seem to pull her skirt and panties down her body. Clay was using his abilities to undress her. He slanted his lips over hers, the kiss heated and probing. The skirt and the panties pooled at her feet.