Devlin wasn’t sure if he had heard her right. From the minute she had walked in the room, he couldn’t think straight.

She was beautiful – even more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. His body instantly reacted to the ebony queen that walked through the door. He wanted to fall to his knees once he knew this was his Tanner.

Gawd, that sounded so sweet. His Tanner. His. His. His. It took a massive amount of control to hold himself back from touching her.

Now she couldn’t refuse because he wanted her more than ever. He was almost tempted to lay her on that small ass unhygienic bed and take her, but he restrained himself.

Yet, every time she spoke, he was sure she was about to find more reasons not to marrying him. Shit! She had a whole two hours to think of more reasons.

Her answer to his offer was music to his ears and he almost couldn’t believe that she had accepted.

“Can I hug you?” he asked, bristling with excitement.

Tanner laughed sensually. “Devlin, you don’t need to ask-“

Before she finished, his arms wrapped around her and molded her body against him. Sweet melons and hazelnut surrounded her again and the security of his powerful body curving to perfectly mold against her small frame not only embraced her physically but also mentally. His happiness for her decision transcended to her body and Tanner felt wonderful for making him feel this elated.

Devlin was like a drug, the more she was around him, the more she wanted him, the more he affected her.

‘Please don’t get addicted,’ she begged of herself.

* * *

Pari drove up through the alley with the lights dimmed, while Devlin and Tanner sat in the backseat. Soon as they were sitting beside each other, Devlin took her hand in his.

“Before we go any farther, I want you to know there’s nothing you can’t tell me, Tanner.” He kept his voice low so only Tanner could hear him. “In order for this to work I need you to
never fell I would be against it before you even ask of it. And I want to assure you, I don’t regret this decision no matter what may happen in the three months and I do not want you to be either.”

“So walking away in three months will be easy?” she asked, still very affected by the evocative embrace he had given her and disturbed about how her body had reacted.

Hesitating before he answered, Devlin’s tone was unsure, “If that is what you want.”

“No,” she said firmly. “It’s what will be done. I’m only marrying you because its what you desire, remember, Devlin. For your conscious and moral sake.”

“Yes, I remember and at no time will I make you stay any longer than you want to be with me once your trouble is over with.”

For some reason, Tanner was not convinced that he meant that. What was his real objective?

Tanner couldn’t think about it more as they pulled up behind their place. Pari went in and closed the curtains. She had left all the lights on in the place to make sure once it became cdar, no one would know whether they were home or not.

“Where are we?” Devlin asked as they sat in the darkness of the car alone.

“At my home. I have to get my stuff.”

“Is it safe?”

“We’re just in and out,” she promised.

He followed her in, ducking through the backdoor and then maneuvering around the furniture with his large frame. He felt like fucking Gulliver in the land of small, but at least this place – thought small, was clean and tidied. It didn’t smell like dank water and old refuse.

“I’ll get your stuff out the front closet,” Pari said, while Tanner led Devlin to her bedroom.

“Your room?” he confirmed.

“Yes,” she answered and quickly began to stuff her important things in a bag from her closet.

“You like pink?”

She wondered if he was just making casual conversation or was this going to lead up to something. “Yes.” Tanner concentrated on getting her things, while keeping in mind to pack light just in case Donetello bombarded his way in here just to see if she had completely dropped off the face of the planet. She only paid little attention to him, but did notice how he looked around the room as if trying to remember everything he saw.

“You don’t have much,”

“I sold everything valuable for school,” she said nonchalantly. “I’m not completely impoverished.” She zipped the bag up and set it on the bed. “Okay, I’m done.”

He turned to her. “Can I kiss you?”

Tanner’s Devil Part 11.1 (c) 2006 Sylvia Hubbard