Kathy Love - Demon Cant Help It

When his orgasm hit him, he ceased breathing. He did nothing but feel. Her body milking his, her hands braced on his chest, her lips on his face.

He gave himself over to her and the second orgasm that hit him drove all logical thought from his mind. If he could go to paradise, this was what it was like.

Then he fell into sated oblivion.

Jo woke to Maksim stroking her tangled hair away from her cheeks, the touch so tender, so breath-stealing.

He leaned in and kissed her sweetly, leisurely, and she suddenly knew she had to take the risk. She had to allow herself to trust this man. He wasn't Jackson. Not even close, and in truth, she felt more for him in this short time than she'd ever felt for Jackson. She'd believed Jackson was the real thing when she'd been living it, but now…

She couldn't let this slip away. Maksim was the real thing. She could love him. God, she already did.

"Maksim?" she said.

His hand paused rubbing up and down her back in an easy, delicious massage. "Mmm?"

"Are we…" The question sounded so stupid given where they were, lying naked in each other's arms, basking in the aftermath of amazing, perfect sex, but she needed to know. "…are we a couple? Is that what we're doing here?"

Maksim was quiet for a few moments, but it felt like minutes, hours, and Jo started to think of ways to backpedal, to get back the peacefulness they'd just had.

"Yes."

She remained utterly still, even holding her breath, hoping he'd say more than that. Thank God, he did.

"Jo, I've never felt like this before. And I will be dead honest with you, I have no idea whatsoever what I'm doing. I just know I don't want any of this to end. I want to be with you."

Jo's heart swelled in her chest. It wasn't poetry, but it was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to her.

She kissed him, joy filling her. He caught the back of her head and kissed her back more intensely. Maksim's usual possessiveness was returning with gusto.

And she loved every moment of it.

"You look so good," Maggie said, as Jo set a cup of tea in front of her.

"I feel better than I have in months," Jo admitted, knowing for the first time she looked like the fabled glowing pregnant woman. "It's amazing what some rest will do for a person."

"Oh, I think it's a bit more than that," Erika said with a smile.

Jo grinned, unable to temper her joy. "Oh, I think you could be right."

She knew Erika and Maggie were in part talking about her pregnancy, which she'd finally told them about days ago and didn't seem to shock them too much. Jo must not have been hiding it terribly well. But most of Erika's comment alluded to Maksim.

Her two best friends had been over every night since the fall, and very time they visited, Maksim was there. He'd make himself scarce so the friends could talk, but Jo knew Maggie and Erika were impressed with how solicitous he was to her.

"I didn't think Maksim had it in him to be so caring. It's really not in their nature," Erika said, then snapped her mouth closed.

"In their nature?" Jo sat down, frowning at her friend, puzzled.

Erika glanced at Maggie, who laughed and said, "You know, good-looking men. They are usually so self-involved."

Jo laughed. "That is true enough. And believe me, I originally thought that was totally true about Maksim, but I couldn't have been more wrong. He's been going to the center to help out. He's been taking care of me—even though I really don't need it. He's been wonderful."

"You are so smitten," Maggie said, smiling fondly, enjoying Jo's behavior.

"I am," Jo admitted.

"I've never heard you say that about anyone," Erika said with genuine surprise.

"That's because I've never felt this way." Jo sighed, then took a sip of her tea.

"Not even the baby's father?" Maggie asked, her voice sad. Jo reached over and patted her friend's hand. Maggie was always the sentimental one.

"No. Not even him, although I thought I did, or could. It's funny how things happen. Maksim came along right when I didn't trust or even particularly like men and showed me I could feel real love."

Maggie sighed, too. "It is funny how that works. Ren did exactly the same thing for me."

"And we all know Vittorio is my dark-eyed prince."

Jo laughed, surprised at her giddiness. But she just felt happy these days.

"Speaking of which, I need to go," Maggie said. "The band goes on in about half an hour."

Erika nodded. "And I need to work on my sculpture."

Jo hated to see her friends leave, but in truth, she had plans for this evening, too.

Maggie took a sip of her tea—the first, and last of the cup—then stood. Erika rose, too.

"Where is Maksim tonight?" Maggie asked.

"He's at his place. We have a date tonight."

"Oow," Erika said, wiggling her eyebrows. "I'm jealous."

Jo laughed. "Yeah, you two both married real thoughtless, unromantic men."

They laughed, too.

"Yeah," Erika said, "I can't complain."

"No complaining here." Maggie grinned.

Jo said her good-byes and then immediately headed to her bedroom. She opened her closet, rummaging through her clothes, trying to find something that would still fit. It was as if the baby now knew she was accepted and loved, she'd started to make her presence more obvious. Just a little belly, but enough to make Jo's usual clothes fit oddly.

And then there was the enlarging breast issue, which she rather liked. Mainly because Maksim liked them.

With that thought, she remembered a sundress she'd bought last summer, which she'd never worn because it required a pretty impressive padded bra to fit right, which she knew when she bought it, but still did.

She found the dress toward the back of the rack, pulling it out and inspecting it. The style and floral pattern in oranges and greens and browns were very retro. Very fun. And the Empire waist should be perfect to accommodate the slight baby bump.

Ha, and who says you should never impulse shop?

Humming, excited for the evening, and feeling good in general, she headed to the bathroom. Maksim said he had reservation for nine. He wouldn't say where—that was a surprise—but she did have the time, and because of Erika and Maggie's visit, she was running a little behind. Not bad, but she was going to have to get moving. She didn't want to be late.

She hung the dress on the door, then turned to the tub. Once the shower was running, she went the medicine cabinet over her sink to grab a razor. As she was closing the cabinet, a movement caught her eye in the mirror. She paused, her heart skipping at the sight. Slowly she spun around, facing the open bathroom door.

There was nothing there. No movement, no sound. She stayed still for a moment, but nothing out of the ordinary happened.

It must have been the dress hanging that caught her eye. Just to make herself feel better, she moved the dress to the back of the door and closed herself in. She nearly twisted the lock, but stopped herself. She had no reason to be nervous.

Things had been fine for days. No sightings of dead sisters, ghost cat ladies. Nothing. Of course, she hadn't been over to Erika's since the last weird sighting, but she'd convinced herself that it really was stress and lack of sleep getting to her. That and the overwhelming tension of keeping her pregnancy a secret. Her subconscious was just wreaking havoc on her.

She returned to the shower and tested the water. Nice and warm. She undressed, tossing the clothes carelessly onto the floor. She groaned when she stepped into the warm spray, amazed that some of her muscles still ached from the fall. Luck really had been with her that night. Things could have so easily been worse.

Then she heard a sound. She paused, her fingers resting on the slippery bar of soap. She listened again, then picked up the soap. She still listened as she rubbed a lather between her hands. All she could hear was the hum of her air-conditioner. That old thing was enough to wake the dead when it kicked on.