Read Devil's Kiss (Sunset Cove #2) Online
Authors: Ella Frank
Devil's Kiss (Sunset Cove #2) (39 page)
“I’m not here hoping you’ll tell me that you love me,” Derek said. “It would be more traumatizing to know that someone like you
did
love me. I’m here to tell you that you lost. For years you’ve tried to break me. To hurt me, and you did, physically. But you know what? I wasn’t lying when I told you that you no longer have the power. Because when I walk out that door today, I will no longer waste my time thinking about you.”
Derek leaned down and braced a hand on the rail of the bed so it looked as though he was hugging his father, but instead he said in his ear, “I’m happy. I’m in love with a wonderful man, and I hope you rot in hell for every evil fucking thing you did to me. Have a nice life, Dad. However long you have left of it. I’m going to go and enjoy mine knowing that what I just told you will eat away at you until you take your final breath.”
Then, without sparing his father a final glance, Derek straightened and walked out the door to deliver on his final promise to a dying man.
EPILOGUE
“It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good.”
~
Feeling Good, Michael Bublé
ONE YEAR LATER
JORDAN POURED TWO glasses of chilled Chardonnay and was about to put the bottle back in the fridge, but instead re-corked it and tucked it under his arm. Dressed in a fluffy white robe and slippers to match, he scooped up the two wine glasses and headed for the back sliding door.
As he stepped out onto the wooden slats of the deck, a grin split his lips and he used his elbow to flick the switch on the wall panel that illuminated the space. With dancing lights woven around the posts of the trellis and the smooth sound of Michael Bublé crooning in the background, Jordan’s eyes found the back of Derek’s head and,
oh yeah
, he was feelin’ good.
Earlier that morning they had decided they would spend the weekend down at Devil’s Bend, and the second he’d been able to get away he was in his car and heading over. It appeared, though, as eager as he had been, that Derek had beaten him there.
Around a month after Derek’s father had passed, he’d dived into restoring the little beach hut guns blazing. Jordan could see how beating the shit out of something with a hammer could help a person deal with their confusion over grieving for someone they detested. And out of it all, months later, the little shack that had once sat in shambles had been transformed into one of Jordan’s favorite places in the entire world.
Serene, secluded, and sensual. Derek had taken something that had been falling apart and made it a little slice of paradise. He’d also decreed that whenever they set foot inside the intimate space that clothes were to be removed—immediately. Jordan glanced at the robe he’d since changed into with a smirk.
Mhmm
… Derek had given him free rein to be the nudist he truly believed that he was.
As he walked across the small wooden deck, he took in the deep porcelain bathtub that was filled to the brim where it sat outside, overlooking the rolling waves of the ocean. Derek was submerged in the wide oval tub, with his muscular arms resting casually on the edge, and Jordan licked his lips as he came to a stop behind him.
Derek tipped his head back, and as he gazed up, Jordan took in the pleasure warming those blue eyes, and bent at the waist to press his lips to Derek’s in a gentle kiss.
“
Dahling
, I’m here.”
Derek smiled against his lips. “Darlin’, you’re wearing too many clothes.”
Jordan placed the wine on a small patio table by the tub, along with the glasses, and then unbuckled the tie of the robe and slid it from his shoulders.
As it pooled at his feet, he stepped out of the slippers and moved to the side of the tub. He took in Derek’s naked form from head to toe, and every
hard
inch in between, and then dipped his fingers in the water and raised an eyebrow. “And I see you’re not wearing anything at all.”
“Those were the rules put in place. Were they not?”
Jordan’s fingers found Derek’s rapidly growing erection, and when he encircled him and found his lips with his own, he said, “They were. But I think you secretly like running around naked as much as I do.”
Derek’s hands came off the side of the tub to cradle his face, and he pressed a firm kiss to Jordan’s lips.
“Around you, I’d be naked twenty-four hours a day if I didn’t think I would be arrested for it. Now get in the tub, Posh. I’ve been waiting for you.”
* * *
DEREK WATCHED JORDAN climb into the water and then settle his perfect ass against him.
Yes
, now his night could begin. He’d been waiting for this moment. Where it was just the two of them and the rest of the world faded away.
Jordan had been heading into town that morning to meet with his mother regarding the Pearson Project. The charity had been up and running for nearly four months now, and they’d already succeeded in meeting the needs of so many unfortunate children who suffered a similar fate to himself, and some even worse.
After the death of his father, Derek had been able to lay to rest with the bastard all of the demons he had created, and thanks to the man currently leaning into his body, Derek had been able to move forward and direct his focus toward people who could benefit from what he had been through.
He would forever be grateful to Jordan for believing in him, and after his initial upset over the way things were handled, the two of them had moved forward on the project and created an important organization that would touch the lives of many. For that, he couldn’t thank Jordan enough.
“I never thought you’d get here.”
Jordan tilted his head back so their eyes could meet, and he placed a kiss to Derek’s chin. “I sent you a text when I left.”
“I don’t mean that…”
“Oh?” Jordan said, as Derek brought his hand down to interlace their fingers.
“Yeah.
Oh
,” he teased, and fingered the sterling silver band he’d slid onto Jordan’s ring finger earlier that morning. “I never thought you’d say yes to me. Not like this.”
Jordan moved so his back was to Derek’s chest once again, and stretched his left arm up in front of him. Under the sparkling string lights that hung down over the tub, the diamonds in the gorgeous silver band shone back at them.
“Oh please, you knew exactly what you were doing, Derek Pearson. I’d never say no to such a gorgeous ring.”
When Derek grabbed Jordan around the waist, he gasped as he flipped them, reversing their positions in the tub. Water splashed over the edge, but that didn’t stop Derek from bracing his hands on either side of the porcelain and wedging himself between Jordan’s legs.
“So it was just the ring, huh?”
Jordan’s hands came up to wrap around his neck, and the grin he aimed up at Derek was positively wicked. With his hair wet, and drops of water now clinging to his eyelashes, Jordan was the most beautiful man Derek had ever seen, and he was all his.
“Maybe…” Jordan said.
“Liar.”
“Who? Me? I’d never do something like that.” Jordan batted his lashes, and Derek rolled his eyes.
“Sure you wouldn’t.”
Jordan’s smile became devilish then as he arched up and wrapped his legs around Derek’s lower body. “And yet you want to marry me.”
Derek groaned and shut his eyes for a second, but that just made Jordan chuckle even more.
“Clearly I have issues,” Derek said as he moved to his knees and Jordan came with him, straddling his lap.
“Clearly,” he agreed, as he wound his arms tight around Derek’s neck and their bodies pressed together intimately.
“I love you,” Derek told him. “For always answering when I call, and for being the exact person I need at any given time. You found me.
You
made me better.”
Jordan’s lids lowered as he moved his lips to Derek’s ear and whispered, “That’s because I love you.”
“Always?”
“Always.”
Heaven,
Derek thought, as Jordan brought his lips back to his and kissed him. He was in heaven, being kissed by the devil himself, and, hell, there wasn’t one damn thing he would change.
The moment was perfection.
THE END
SPECIAL THANKS
I want to thank the powers that be that I made it through the writing, editing, and releasing of Devil’s Kiss during mercury retrograde. I also want to apologize to Brooke Blaine for ever making fun of her astrology talk. I mean, if you wanted to prove a point did you have to make it as crazy as this point was made?!?!
In all seriousness, thank you, Brooke, for helping me realize you should
never
hold back for any reason. Balls to the wall. And also, thank you for reading my five thousand beginnings and the ‘Boring Files.’ ahaha! I couldn’t do this without you (best eyes in the business—hands down), and umm…never again! <— You know what I am talking about, woman.
I have to, and by have to, I mean I literally
have
to thank Arran McNicol, my editor. You are a flipping genius, and a speedy one at that. Not only are you a lifesaver, but you turn scripts around so fast you blow my mind. Thank you for being brilliant at your job. It makes it less stressful when I am freaking out over skipping my deadline!
Judy! I am so sorry I always make you work on your vacations. I promise I don’t do it on purpose! But thank you for always being willing to put your eyes on my work. I love that we have been working together forever, and this year we will
finally
meet!
This book would not be
this
book without the brilliant cover and for that I have a few people to thank.
Jay Aheer of Simply Defined Art - Every time you send me a cover, you blow my mind. You always take what I ask for and make it original, gorgeous, and flat-out sexy. Exhibit A.) Finley, and Exhibit B.) Devil’s Kiss. I love these covers, and you are an absolute pleasure to work with!
The photographers of this project took some amazing pictures that I was able to use as both a cover and as muses for the book. They captured exactly the vibe I was going for.
Eric Battershell - The cover image for this book is probably one of the most striking photos I’ve ever seen in my life, and everyone who sees it reacts exactly the same way. Jaw on the floor in total awe.
To Wander Aguiar & Andrey - I can’t thank you enough for the photo shoot you put together within minutes of me contacting you for images of Jason Dickinson and Ryan VanDyke. It was fate that everything fell into place, and I couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out. Your photos are gorgeous. Sexy, strong, and perfect for the message I was wanting to get across with this book. Thank you for working with me. It was an absolute pleasure and I can’t wait to do it again.
To the two awesome Facebook groups I am a part of:
The Naughty Umbrella - You are my virtual home and my virtual family! I love you all, and I appreciate you lifting my spirits daily and making me laugh! I love that whenever things get too crazy and intense, I can come into the Brella and within minutes I am smiling. I can’t wait to meet many of you in October this year and give you a hug in person. Ohhhh! And thank you to the Floridians for your knowledge on what to call a Coke. ;)
To the M/M Daily Grind - While this is a new group, it has grown so fast and is such a fun group of people! I love the book recommendations and daily chat in the Grind, and I feel extremely lucky to be a part of this group with the wonderful authors in there.
To Between the Sheets Promotions. Natalie I couldn’t do this without you! Thank you for putting up with me, and my crazy schedule. I LOVE working with you!
And to the bloggers who continually support me - You are always there, willing to read and give honest feedback on my books. You will never know how much it means to an author to have such support in our wonderful book community. I love the indie world, and while at times it is stressful, finally being able to hand over my baby to the world is always such an amazing feeling!
I hope you all enjoyed Devil’s Kiss! Until next time…
Xx Ella
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
About Ella
Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”
A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at
www.ellafrank.com
and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author
Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.
Want to get to know Ella better?
You can find her at
The Naughty Umbrella
Ella’s Links
https://www.facebook.com/ella.frank.31