Page 8 of Spy With Me
“We’re not a hotbed of design.” The thought of leaving thesetwo made her heart ache. They’d been apart during college and the year she’dspent in Paris doing an internship. These last couple of years spent at homeworking on her portfolio and doing custom pieces for weddings and clients inthe lifestyle had been fun, and being with her friends inspired her. “But Ineed to be in LA or New York or Paris if I want to make a real name for myself.London, maybe. You’re right. I let myself freak out over something I’ve wantedfor over a year. I should have smiled and had a wild night and walked away atthe end, satisfied that I tried.”
Because there was no way they worked. He would end up beingcocky and full of himself and into video games and sports ball like most of herbrother’s friends. At best they might work as a D/s couple, and not amonogamous one since he was gone most of the time. He didn’t even live here.Unlike the rest of the team, he lived in DC. He was only here every couple ofmonths.
Why hadn’t she leapt in? She was smart and capable and notclingy. She didn’t need a man. Well, to spank her. She couldn’t spank herself,and honestly, she preferred an actual man to a vibrator when it came to sex.
“I blew it.” She’d had one shot, and she wouldn’t getanother.
“Or you change your mind,” Daisy offered. “It’s been acouple of minutes. I scarcely think he’s already found another sub for thenight. Go back out and find him. Tell him you changed your mind and need a goodhard session. Have fun with him. He’s not going to judge you.”
“How do you know?” Devi asked.
“Because he’s a dude, and all he’s going to be thinkingabout is getting into those super-hot boy shorts of yours,” Bri replied,looking lighter than before. “Tell me. Are they tearaway?”
Devi grinned. She did have fun designingfetwear. “Of course. You know I love it when I get my clothes torn off, but Idon’t like losing the clothes. So I found a simple solution. I spent a coupleof months designing a wholefetwardrobe for AuntCharlotte. My uncle is tight fisted when it comes to cash, but he opened thewallet for this one. All tearaway. I managed to make the Velcro completelyunnoticeable if you line it up properly.”
She’d made a pretty penny off that commission. She’d alsomade some cosplays and Ren fair costumes, and she was super popular aroundHalloween.
She designed Carys’s wedding gown and the bridesmaiddresses. That had been fun, too. But was it too safe? She was designing for herfamily and friends. They wouldn’t tell her if something sucked. They would begentle and maybe wear it even if they didn’t like it.
She didn’t want to be safe.
Devi stood up. “I’m going to find him and stop being someoneI don’t want to be. I’m going to tell him what I want.”
“To marry him and have him love you forever?” Bri asked.
Bri was sometimes way too romantic.
Daisy leaned against Bri. “It does sound nice, doesn’t it?We could have a double wedding.”
So was Daisy. Devi had always known she was the realisticone. “I’m going to tell him I need some stress relief and nothing more. Butthat doesn’t mean I won’t talk to him and figure out if I actually like him.”
“And then you’ll fall in love and marry him,” Bri added.
Daisy nodded. “This is going to be a beautiful love story.”She sniffled. “Like me and Nate.”
She hoped not. See assassins. Devi just wanted a wild nightwith the hottest man she’d ever met.
She strode to the door and walked out into the hallway. Shewas confident and knew what she wanted.
Captain Zachary Reed.
For a night.
Hunter was walking out of the men’s locker room. He gave hera masculine once-over and a big old sunshiny smile. Hunter McKay was slightlyolder than she was and he’d gone to a different school, but they’d known eachother since they were kids. “Hey, Dev. You’re looking good tonight.”
Hunter always seemed too happy to be a Dom. She liked alittle frown in her men, and he rarely did. At least not around her. Theydidn’t spend a ton of time alone together and ran in different groups, but hewas like family.
“Thanks.” She looked over his leathers. Which she’d workedon. Everyone at The Hideout came to her when they had wardrobe malfunctions.Hunter had dropped some weight, and she’d taken in his leathers. “They lookgood on you.”
He grinned and put his fists on his hips. “Yeah, I’ve beenworking out with the new guy. He’s a great trainer. Luckily, thanks to you, Idon’t have to buy new.”
Hunter often worked as the dungeon monitor, and he took hisrole seriously. Which meant he knew a lot of things and kept his eyes open.“Hey, have you seen Zach?”
Hunter nodded. “Yeah, he’s inside.”
So he hadn’t headed to the dungeon. He hadn’t gotten herrejection and moved on to the next sub. “Could you ask him to come out here?”
A brow rose over Hunter’s green eyes. “He do something Ishould know about?”
