Chapter 77: Complication
The bed in the office creaked softly as Helena and Devon lay entwined, their bodies still radiating heat from their frenzied coupling. The air was thick with the musky scent of sex, the distant hum of the gala a faint echo beyond the oak door.
Helena's dark hair spilled across Devon's chest, her fingers traced slow, deliberate circles across Devon's chest, her touch light yet exploratory, as if mapping the contours of a territory she wasn't sure she owned. His skin was warm under her palm, the faint rhythm of his heartbeat steady and reassuring, a counterpoint to the chaos in her mind. She shifted closer, her bare leg draping over his, her full breasts pressing softly against his side.
The sheet slipped a little, exposing the curve of her hip, but she didn't bother adjusting it modesty felt irrelevant now. Her eyes, still softened by the haze of ecstasy, searched his face, lingering on the sharp line of his jaw, the faint stubble that had rasped against her skin earlier. A knot of uncertainty twisted in her gut, mingling with the lingering warmth between her thighs, where his release still lingered, a sticky reminder of their recklessness.
"Devon," she murmured, her voice a husky whisper that cut through the silence like a gentle breeze. She leaned in even closer, her lips brushing his shoulder as her fingers paused their circling, pressing flat against his sternum. "Why did you cum inside me like that? You know it's risky what if I end up pregnant?"
Devon's lips quirked into a faint, enigmatic smile, his dark eyes met hers briefly, a flicker of amusement dancing in their depths, but he said nothing. Instead, he let his hand drift to her waist, his thumb stroking lazy arcs over her skin, a silent acknowledgment that did little to ease her growing unease. The smile lingered, teasing, as if her question was a game he wasn't quite ready to play.
Helena's brow furrowed, a mix of frustration and vulnerability bubbling up. She propped herself up on one elbow, her dark hair cascading over her shoulder like a silken curtain, framing her flushed face. Her fingers resumed their path, but with more insistence now, nails grazing lightly over his nipple, eliciting a subtle twitch from him. "Come on, Devon don't just smile at me like that. Do you want to be a father? Is that what crossed your mind in the heat of it all? Or was it just… impulse?"
Still, he held his silence, his gaze drifting to the ceiling where shadows played from the desk lamp's glow. His hand tightened slightly on her hip, a possessive squeeze that sent a shiver through her, but his expression remained inscrutable, that damn smile refusing to fade. It was maddening, his quiet confidence, his unwillingness to be pinned down, even now, when she felt so exposed.
She exhaled sharply, her tone sharpening with a edge of resolve as she leaned over him, her breasts brushing his chest, her breath warm against his ear. "Fine, ignore me if you want, but listen, don't do that again. I don't enjoy taking pills and if it happens anyway… if I get pregnant, I'm keeping it. No question. You'd be the father, Devon. whether you like it or not. You ready for that kind of complication?"
That pierced his armor. Devon's eyes snapped back to hers, the smirk softening into something more thoughtful, more probing. He shifted beneath her, his voice emerging low and velvety, laced with that commanding undertone that had unraveled her before. "You'd really want me as the father of your kids?" he asked, his eyebrow arching in genuine curiosity.
Helena didn't back down, her expression steady despite the rapid beat of her heart. She sat up a fraction more, the sheet pooling around her waist, exposing the soft swell of her breasts, but she made no move to cover herself. Vulnerability be damned; this felt important. "Why wouldn't I?" she replied, her voice gaining strength, warm with conviction. "You're extraordinary, Devon. Not just talented, you're a genius, the most sought-after surgeon on the planet, with a trajectory that's only going up. Patients fly across oceans just for a consult with you. And look at you, devastatingly handsome, you're driven, ambitious… a child could inherit the world from you. What's so bad about that?"
Devon's nod was slow, deliberate, as if her words were sinking in, reshaping some internal calculus. His eyes roamed over her face, taking in the earnest flush on her cheeks, the wild tousle of her hair, the way her body still bore the faint marks of their passion subtle red imprints on her thighs, a love bite blooming on her neck.
He reached up, tucking a stray lock behind her ear, his touch lingering. She was beautiful in her disarray, raw and unfiltered, and then his mind shifted, probing another angle. "And what about your friend, Sophie?" he asked, his tone casual yet pointed, like a scalpel testing tissue. "How does she fit into all this? You've mentioned her enough times tonight."
The question landed like a thunderclap. Helena's eyes widened, a jolt of realization slamming into her. "Oh, fuck!" she exclaimed, shooting upright in a flash, the sheet clutched desperately around her chest as if it could shield her from the sudden wave of guilt. Her hand flew to her forehead, fingers pressing hard against her temple, as if to stem the flood of forgotten obligations.
"Sophie, how the hell did I forget about her. God, what kind of friend am I?" Her voice cracked with self-reproach, her body tensing as the intimacy of the moment shattered, replaced by a whirlwind of panic and regret.
Devon observed her turmoil with a detached calm, his smirk returning as he disentangled himself from the sheets. He rose fluidly from the bed, his naked form cutting a striking silhouette in the low light broad shoulders, defined abs, the lingering evidence of their encounter still evident on his skin. "How cute," he said lightly, padding toward the small en-suite bathroom.
The door clicked shut behind him, and soon the sound of running water filled the space, steam wafting out as he washed away the traces of their tryst. Helena remained on the bed, knees drawn up, her mind racing. The afterglow had curdled into something sharper, doubt about her choices, worry about Sophie, and a nagging curiosity about Devon.
When he emerged a few minutes later, his dark hair slicked back and damp, exuding that fresh, soapy scent that mixed with his natural musk, Helena was still lost in her daze. Her eyes tracked him as he dressed with effortless efficiency slipping into his trousers, buttoning his shirt with precise fingers, the open collar framing his collarbone. He glanced at her, tying his loafers with a final tug. "I've got a dinner reservation at eight," he said, his voice matter of fact, carrying the weight of a man accustomed to moving on. "Make sure to lock the door when you head out, alright?"
Helena blinked, pulling herself from her stupor, her mouth opening to respond but Devon wasn't done. He paused at the threshold, one hand on the doorknob, turning back with a devilish spark in his eye, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. "And honestly, Helena, I wouldn't lose sleep over Sophie. Who knows? Maybe one day the three of us could have a threesome."
Her jaw slackened, the sheer gall of his words leaving her stupefied, frozen in place with the sheet clutched like a lifeline. A threesome? With Sophie? The audacity was breathtaking, a cocktail of arrogance and allure that left her reeling. "You… what?" she stammered, but he was already gone, the door clicking shut.