But before I could gather enough wits to come up with something cutting to say to him, he took three long strides across the room (damn him for being so bloody tall) and swept me up by the waist, lifting me off my feet and against his chest.

My nose grazed his collarbone, and I caught that hint of woodsmoke and spices again. His fingers somehow found the skin between my blouse and my jeans. They were hot, like points of fire searing through the layers of me.

I squeaked.

“There she is,” he murmured. When I tensed against him, he added, “Don’t make a scene. You haven’t forgotten what is on the line, have you?”

“What are you doing here?” I demanded in a whisper, lifting my head so I could give him what I hoped was a surreptitious glare—one that wouldn’t count as ‘making a scene’, but would still let him know exactly what I thought of him, the evil bastard.

“Visiting my girlfriend,” he replied, his lips curling sinfully. His muscles rippled against my stomach. I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, because … what the actual Hell?

“It seems you really did catch her off guard, Simeon!” Sally crowed.

My mouth fell open.

Simeon … Simeon?!

As if I weighed nothing, he balanced me against his chest with one strong arm, freeing one hand to reach up, pressing a finger to my chin and closing my mouth. His eyes practically glowed with malevolence.

“Play along,” he commanded in a low voice meant just for me. I shivered involuntarily, and he chuckled. His lips were very close to me, and they were so full … I wanted to bite his bottom one. Not in a sexy way … in a violent, make him bleed sort of way. But he probably liked pain … and did devils even have blood?

I knew so little about him.

Harper squealed, breaking through my violent thoughts, “Oh, his name is Simeon! Jemma, why didn’t you tell me I was naming my angel after your boyfriend?”

And then Faith burst out with, “Why did we not even know you had a boyfriend, Jemma?”

And Ellie added, “I can’t believe you kept him a secret!”

“It’s new,” ‘Simeon’ said, lifting his head and grinning past me at my girls, who immediately erupted into fits of giggles. I wriggled against him, hoping he’d drop me.

Oh.

Oh.

Was that what I thought it was?

Shag your way out of this, Jemma!

I raised my eyes to his, batting my lashes.

“Alright, I’ll play your little game,” I purred, letting my hands wander up over his pecs. “If you put me down.”

His eyes darkened, but he released me. I stepped back, noticing how swiftly he stuffed his fists into his pockets.

I bit back a devilish grin of my own, stroking my fingers down his forearm and then sliding my hand into his pocket, too.