Page 2 of Fight (Kitsune #2)

A bout fifteen minutes later, I heard another knock. I'd learned my lesson and this time I checked the peep hole before opening the door. I smiled as I opened the door, letting Devon inside.

"Who is it I smell here?" He asked, his shoulder length hair damp from a recent shower as it fell around his face.

"Brandon came by. He was here not twenty minutes ago."

The smile fell from his face, and concern filled his clear, gray eyes. "Are you okay?"

"A little shaken, but fine. I was expecting you, and didn't check to see who was at the door before I opened it. If I had known it was him, I wouldn't have opened the door."

"How bad was it?"

I recounted the whole episode, adding, "You're gonna have to tell your family soon, though. I didn't think about that when I told him you shift. I just wanted him to think twice before deciding you would be an easy target. But he'll take it back to his buddies and word will spread fast."

"Babe," He wrapped one arm around me, pulling me into a comforting hug. "I've never been an easy target, even before I shifted. The training I got in the military gives me an edge, because most don't expect it, and even those that do, rarely know how to counter it."

I rubbed my face into the crook of his neck, inhaling the clean smoky scent of his skin. I felt the slight tug of the shadow of his beard catching strands of my hair.

"That's good to know," I hugged him briefly before pulling away. "Enough about him. I'm not letting him ruin our evening."

"I can get on board with that." He smiled again. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, dinner's in the oven. It has another half an hour or so, then I thought we'd curl up together on the couch and watch a film."

"Do you have a film in mind?"

"Nope. I thought I'd let you choose." I motioned toward the screen, indicating that he was free to look through the collection. "Would you like a beer while we wait for dinner?"

"That would be great." He made himself at home, picking up the remote and taking a seat on the couch. He pushed a few buttons and pulled up the list of available films, then started scrolling through the list.

I went into the kitchen and returned with a pair of drinks.

I set one down on the table and opened the other, before handing it to Devon.

I picked up the first and twisted it's top off as well.

I dropped both lids in a small trash can I kept at the end of the couch, before sitting down beside him.

I took a long drink and slid a little closer against his side.

"Find anything that interests you?"

"A little." He continued to flip through the list.

"How was your day?"

"Not bad. Nothing remarkable, just kept busy."

"That's good to hear."

"How about yours?"

"Pretty good. I spent the morning with Alexis. She confirmed what you said about mating, and answered a lot of my questions."

"That's good." He took a drink of his beer.

"Oh, Hank's sister will be here next week, and Alexis said she planned do something so I can meet her. She said she'd try to schedule it so you could come, too."

"That's nice of her, I like excuses to spend time with you." He leaned closer and dropped a kiss on my forehead.

I laughed. "I know you do. After I left there, I came home and got ready for this evening."

"Those enchiladas smell good."

"They'll be done soon."

"Do you want to wait till after we eat to start the film?"

"How about I fix us plates and we eat in here?"

"Sounds good to me."

I leaned closer to him, grabbing a fist full of his worn t-shirt and pulling him down toward me. "Do you really think that little peck is gonna cut it?" I tilted my head and pressed my lips to his. I opened my mouth, letting his tongue slip inside, to taste me while I did the same to him.

I relaxed against him, sinking into his kiss.

I released my grip on his shirt, only to smooth my hand over the muscles of his chest, and wrap my arm around his waist, tugging him closer to my body.

We lost track of time as we leisurely kissed, our hands roaming the upper halves of each other’s bodies, film and drinks forgotten.

The timer I'd set for dinner pulled us back to our senses.

Though it was hard to pull away from him, I picked up my beer and made my way into the kitchen.

I dished a couple of servings onto plates, grabbed silverware and napkins, and returned to the living room.

I handed Devon a plate, sat my plate on the table beside the sofa, and retrieved my drink, before sitting down on the other end of the sofa.

"Why so far away?"

I laughed "Because I know you, if I sit any closer, we won't get to eat." I sent him a knowing smile.

He chuckled, acknowledging the truth. "You gonna stay over there all night?"

"Maybe..." I slipped a bite into my mouth.

"That's not gonna be any fun." He gave me a mischievous grin.

"Start the film, and we'll see what happens after we eat."

"Yes, Ma'am." He pretended to be chastised as he picked up the remote from the table on his end of the sofa, and started the film.

We ate in near silence as we watched cargo containers offloaded from ships onto trucks and a set of street racing cars used to hi-jack a truck, driving down the highway. We watched the story unfold in front of us, pausing it briefly to get more food and fresh drinks.

After we'd finished eating, and set our empty plates on the coffee table to be carried to the sink later, I slid across the couch.

I moved all the way over to Devon's side, curling my legs to one side, I snuggled up against him.

He wrapped one arm around my shoulders and we sat comfortably together, enjoying the film and each other's company.

Later, as the credits rolled up the screen, Devon got up. He flexed some obvious stiffness out of his injured leg while I watched with hungry eyes. He bent and picked up both plates from the table between us.

"You don't have to do that." I got up to follow him.

"You cooked, it's no big deal for me to pick up after we eat." He took them into the kitchen and rinsed them in the sink before loading them into the dishwasher. Instead of arguing, I started helping.

"Your leg's bothering you tonight, isn't it?" I covered the nearly cool pan of enchiladas and put it into the fridge.

"Some. It's stiff this evening."

"How about we finish here and you let me see if I can help."

You don't need to do that-" He started, but I interrupted.

"And you didn't need to clean up. I want to do it. I'd like to get my hands on you." I teased.

"All right, I concede," He smiled. "but I'm gonna need something other than these jeans to wear."

"You wearing underwear?"

"Yeah. Of course."

I grinned, I couldn't stop myself. "Boxers or briefs?"

He hesitated a second. "Does it matter?"

"Not really, but I had to ask. Either way, your underwear will do."

"If you say so."

"I say so. Now, finish up here and let's go." I walked out of the room, leaving him with just a few dishes left to load, as I headed for my bedroom.

I looked around quickly, making sure I hadn't left any stray panties laying around and ducked in to the bathroom where I pulled a bottle of baby oil out of the medicine cabinet.

"Nickie?" Devon called from the doorway, reluctant to enter my bedroom without an invitation.

"Come into the bedroom." I called, stepping back into the room.

He stepped through the open doorway, looking around. "You have a nice room, though it's not really what I expected."

"Let me guess? You expected pink and girlie?"

He ducked his head, and I saw the edge of a blush creep up his neck. "Yeah, kinda."

"Have I ever struck you as the pink and girlie kind?"

"No, not really. I guess, I just thought you kept it hidden."

"Oh, trust me, I keep some parts of me hidden but not like that, and definitely not all soft and pink."

"Hmm," He lifted his brows. "sounds like a challenge." He was intrigued.

"Not really, but hang around long enough, and you'll find out. Now strip down and stretch out face down on the bed." I smiled at the thought of him nearly naked on my bed. I set the baby oil on the night stand closest to me, and headed for the doorway. "I'll give you a minute of privacy."

"You don't have to go." He protested as he reached behind his head and pulled his tee shirt off in one swift move.

I stopped, watching the muscles in his abdomen flex, as he toed one shoe off and then the other.

I didn't let myself move as he unbuttoned his jeans and started sliding them down his long legs.

I was afraid that if I moved, I wouldn't be able to resist touching him.

And though I was going to touch him anyway, that wouldn't be the right time.

His jeans slid down his legs, revealing a snug pair of boxer-briefs that hugged all the curves and bumps of his body, from waist to mid-thigh.

He reached down and slipped off his socks, before he crawled onto the bed, working his way up until he could stretch out face down with his hands folded under his head, his face turned to one side.

His feet hung off the edge of the bed, I noticed that if he'd moved up far enough to use the pillows, or push them aside, he would fit, barely.