The Maid's Daughter - S01 E15

Story 3 years ago

The Maid's Daughter - S01 E15

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 15

On the way back to the car, Devlyn held Gillian’s hand.

She had no way of knowing, and he sure as hell wouldn’t tell

her…but that last bit of insanity was something he had never

wanted, nor requested from any woman, ever.

It was no secret that he liked being in the driver’s seat. He

could tell himself that the only reason he had allowed her to

pleasure him was that there was no other suitable alternative.

But in truth, he had craved her touch like an addict coming

off a three-day bender.

Her fingers were cold in his. He tucked her into the car

and turned on the heat. They were both wet and rumpled, and

God knew, it would be a good idea if they could slip into the

house and change without being seen. He’d be hard-pressed

to explain why they had lingered outside at the school site

when the weather deteriorated.

The fact that neither of them said a word as they made

their way back up the mountain didn’t bother him. One of

the things he liked about Gillian was her innate calm, her

quiet serenity. They had talked plenty back there. The important

things were said. Gillian had committed to accompany

him to Atlanta.

Like a kid anticipating Christmas, Saturday couldn’t arrive

quickly enough to suit Devlyn.

Unfortunately for both of them, slipping into the house

unnoticed was not an option. The massive front doors of the

castle were flung open wide, and a trio of young men took

turns unloading suitcases from a chauffeur-driven limousine.

Gillian squirmed in her seat, trying futilely to smooth the

wrinkles from her damp skirt. “What’s going on?” she asked.

He pulled the car to one side of the sweeping courtyard

and parked. “At a guess, I’d say my sister has arrived. She’s

in charge of the carnival.”

“That would be Annalise, right? I remember her. I was

terribly jealous of her clothes and her toys. Not a very nice

thing to admit, but I was just a kid.”

“Annalise always loved playing dress up. And nothing has

really changed.”

“Do you think anyone will notice if we walk around to

the back of the house?”

Devlyn shook his head, grinning as he smoothed a tendril

of hair from her flushed cheek. “That ship has sailed, Gillian.

Our best bet is to brazen it out.”

Her smile was wry. “I’m thinking you have more experience

with that kind of behavior than I do.”

He kissed her softly, closing his eyes for a split second as

the taste of her filled him with contentment. “Then follow

my lead.”

Despite his assurances, the situation went downhill as they

entered the impressive front foyer. Not only was Annalise

there, but also Devlyn’s father, his uncle and Gillian’s mother.

Doreen Carlyle was holding a dustcloth and a broom.

Beside him, Gillian stiffened.

Gradually, everyone froze when he and Gillian entered,

conversation dwindling, and all eyes going to the unmistakable

evidence that Devlyn and Gillian had been tramping

through the woods. No one could possibly know what that

outing included, but Gillian’s bright red face wasn’t helping

matters.

Annalise launched herself at him, going in for a bear hug

as was her custom. He kissed her cheek. “What ill wind blew

you in?”

His tall, willowy sister smacked his cheek lightly. “Be

nice. I hoped you’d be glad to see me.”

She turned and smiled at Gillian. “And who might this be?

I thought you kept all your glittery girlfriends in Atlanta.”

Devlyn bristled. Annalise had a kind heart, but a smart

mouth. His surge of protectiveness warned him he was navigating

new waters, but he couldn’t allow Gillian to be embarrassed

any more than she already was. “This is Gillian

Carlyle. She’s working with me on the new school project.

As an educational consultant.”

Doreen stepped forward, her face an older, rounder version

of her only child’s. “Gillian’s my daughter, Miss Annalise.

You probably don’t remember. It’s been years since she was

here on the mountain.”

Annalise held out her hand. “Sorry, Ms. Carlyle. If you’re

working with my brother, you deserve my sympathies.”

“Call me Gillian, please.” Gillian shook hands with Annalise

and then hugged her mother. “I’d love to stay and chat,

but we got caught in the rain and I’m freezing. Excuse me.”

Devlyn was forced to let her escape, doomed to run interference

with his relatives. Doreen excused herself as well, but

disappeared down a corridor opposite from the one where her

daughter was changing clothes. Devlyn spent a blissful sec-

ond imagining his lover naked before he was forced to direct

his attention elsewhere.

He glanced at the accumulating pile of luggage. “Are you

moving in permanently?”

Annalise shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what the weather would

be this weekend, so I had to come prepared.”

Devlyn’s father, Vincent, grinned at his only daughter.

“Leave her alone. I’m still hoping that one day I can keep

her here for good.”

Annalise pecked his weathered cheek with a kiss. “I love

you, Papa.”

Victor spoke up, combing through a pile of mail on a silver

salver. “What did Gillian think of the property?”

“She was impressed. Sam met us there and walked off the

rooms, giving her an idea of the layout.”

Annalise’s cheerful grin dimmed. “Sam Ely? What is Satan’s

offspring up to these days?”

“I’ve never understood why the two of you hate each other

so much. After all, you work in the same building.” Devlyn

wasn’t blind to his sister’s antipathy. He just didn’t understand

it.

She shrugged. “Personality conflict. He doesn’t have one.”

The two older men chortled. Devlyn grinned wryly. “Well,

Gillian was sure taken with him. He tried to whisk her away

for an intimate lunch, but I nixed that.”

“Because you have your eye on her?” Annalise’s gimlet

stare almost made him squirm. Almost.

“Because we have paperwork to get through this afternoon,”

he said. “Those permits won’t fill out themselves.”

He didn’t think she was fooled, but thankfully, she dropped

it. A few minutes later, Devlyn managed to escape, as well.

After showering and changing into corduroy slacks and a

cashmere V-neck sweater, he tapped lightly on the connect-

ing door to Gillian’s suite. After long, agonizing seconds,

she opened it.

She was wearing an outfit similar to his, only her lilac cardigan

and silky ivory camisole outlined pretty breasts. Breasts

Devlyn had recently tasted. He leaned in the doorframe, not

trusting himself to go anywhere near her bed. “Do you feel

like getting some work done?”

“Of course.”

He frowned when he looked past her and realized that her

packed suitcase stood ready for departure.

Her soft lips were covered in light pink lip gloss. He saw

the movement of her smooth throat when she swallowed.

“Running away, Gillian?”

His sarcasm made her frown. “I told you I wouldn’t stay

here.”

“You don’t trust me,” he said flatly, disturbed by how much

that hurt.

“I don’t trust us,” she said. “This afternoon I want you to

go over the paperwork with me. I have my laptop at home.

I’ll work from there until Saturday.”

“And you’ll go with me?”

“I said I would.”

The sexual energy that swirled between them was almost

palpable. His fingertips dug into the doorframe, holding himself

in place. “Less than forty-eight hours,” he groaned. “I

don’t know if I’ll make it.”

She blushed prettier than any woman he had ever met. Not

that many of his female acquaintances actually blushed. He

tended to date sleek, predatory versions of himself.

“Won’t your father think it’s odd that you hired me and

I’ll be leaving so soon?”

“We can work on the project in Atlanta.” He straightened.

“May I come in?”

She hesitated, but the flare of need in her eyes matched

the burning hunger in his belly. “We’re practicing abstinence,

remember?”

He held up his hands. “Only a kiss. I promise.”

Gillian nodded slowly. It was no use to pretend. She wanted

him. And falling in love with him would be as easy as breathing.

Certain heartbreak loomed ahead like a deadly reef. But

she refused to look in that direction.

Devlyn reeled her in and bent his head to trace each side

of her collarbone with his tongue. He smelled divine, a combination

of shower soap and a faint hint of woodsy cologne.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and flexed her fingers

in the soft wool of his sweater.

He mumbled something into her neck.

“I can’t hear you.” She tilted her head to one side as he

nibbled her throat.

“Lock your door. I’ll be quick.”

Her knees went weak and her panties grew damp. “No.”

As a negative, it lacked authority.

His hand slid over her silky chemise and toyed with a

beaded n----e. “Please.” Even through two layers of fabric,

his touch was electric.

She never had a chance to answer. A loud knock at Devlyn’s

outer doorway was followed by his father’s booming

summons. “You decent, boy? Vic and I want to talk to you

about the Mexico deal.”

Devlyn dropped his head to her shoulder, cursing eloquently

beneath his breath. “I love my father, I love my father,

I love my father…”

She giggled despite her disappointment. “Go,” she said

softly, allowing herself one last stroke of his hair.

With obvious pained difficulty, he straightened. “Meet me

in the main dining room in an hour. We’ll spread everything

out and go from there.”

For some reason, his words gave Gillian an image of herself,

nude, spread-eagled on the table as a feast for Devlyn

Wolff. Her sweater was suddenly far too hot for the temperature

of the room. “I’ll be there,” she croaked. She shoved

him away. “Go.”

By the time she met him at the appointed place, she had

regained control of her senses. They managed to conduct an

impersonal, professional discussion about each one of the

many permits and forms required for the start of a new school.

Of course, it helped that at least four different doors opened

off the dining room, meaning that privacy was nonexistent.

Various employees whisked in and out, readying the room

for the evening’s upcoming family dinner.

The architect’s plans had already been tentatively approved.

Once Gillian’s suggestions were implemented, one

more draft would be submitted and the project would be one

step closer to groundbreaking.

When they had sifted through every layer of red tape, Gillian

straightened the mass of paper and tucked it into a folder.

“I’ll spend all day on these tomorrow,” she said, conscious of

listening ears. “I should be able to get a good start.”

“But you’ll be attending the carnival, right?”

“I don’t really know anything about it.”

Devlyn leaned a hip on the table, laughing when one of

the older maids gave him a swat on the behind. “LaVonn

has known me since I was in grade school.” He kissed her

wrinkled cheek.

The African-American woman, surely nearing retirement,

grinned. “This one was a handful. Always stealing cookies

out of the kitchen.”

“I was a growing boy.”

“You were a menace.” With a chuckle, she disappeared

toward the kitchen.

Gillian was touched and confused. Who was the real Dev-

lyn Wolff? This easygoing charmer, or the man with dark

shadows in his past?

He folded his arms over his chest, snapping his fingers.

“Earth to Gillian. The carnival is tomorrow night. Several

members of the community wanted to have an event where

they could contribute by creating a sense of local ownership in

the project. Annalise offered to coordinate everything. We’ll

have inflatables, games, food. And all the money raised will

be grassroots donations.”

“That’s a lovely idea.”

“I’ll be taking a turn in the dunking booth. How’s your

throwing arm?”

“I played intramural softball for four years in college. You

should be very afraid.”

Again, that naughty spark leaped and quivered. She cleared

her throat. “My mother gets off duty in thirty minutes. If

we’re done here, I’ll ride back down the mountain with her.”

“Stay for dinner.” Devlyn’s eyes were dark, his expression

sober. “My cousins and their wives will all be here…and Annalise.

It will be fun.”

“I don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression of our

relationship,” she whispered. Even to her own ears the words

sounded prissy.

Devlyn stood and straightened, a shadow of hurt in his

eyes. “They know you’re working here. You’ll still be on the

clock. I’ll expect you at seven sharp.”

He left the room abruptly, leaving her to hover uncertainly.

She felt the oddest notion that she had injured his feelings,

but that was absurd.

She went in search of her mother and found her putting

away cleaning supplies in a hall closet off the kitchen wing.

Gillian blurted it out. “I’ve been invited to eat with the family

this evening.”

Doreen’s hands stilled. Her eyes mirrored anxiety and re-

luctance. “Are you sure that’s wise? It’s only a job, baby. We

don’t belong here.”

“I realize that, Mama. Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

Doreen kissed her cheek, took a garment from a hook

and slipped her arms into the ten-year-old raincoat. “You’re

a grown woman. You don’t need my permission. But I want

you to be careful.”

Gillian hugged her mom, inhaling the familiar scent of

dusting spray. “Thank you for being concerned. But I’ll be

okay. I promise.”

Wandering back to her temporary suite, she decided to

check one more time and make sure she had retrieved all her

belongings. When she opened her bedroom door, Annalise

Wolff sat in a chair, slim, elegant legs crossed, her gaze unapologetic.

“We need to talk.”