Devlin Read online

  She texted: Sorry, but Dad and I are going to race together, so I won't be back until the following week.

  Her mom's reply was not happy: It's a boat race. This is your future, Hannah. I'm sure your dad will understand that work is more important. He should know that better than anyone.

  Her mother couldn't resist getting a dig in.

  I need this, she typed.

  I need you, her mom replied. You know I have big plans for expanding the agency and you're a part of those plans, but you have to be committed. One day this business will be yours. I'm doing this for you.

  She stared at the text for a long minute. Her mom had been talking about her plans for the better part of a year, and she'd always thought she was committed, but after Gary had pulled the rug out from under her, everything she'd believed in had started to shift. For the past six months, she'd been questioning all her decisions, and those questions had amped up since she'd come to King Harbor.

  In fact, she thought those questions were partly why she'd rushed across the country to see her dad. His firing had given her a reason to leave, to step out of her structured life and get more perspective. She certainly had a different view now. But she didn't know what to do with it.

  She was only sure of one thing, so she sent back her answer. I won't be able to help you with this open house. I've committed to this race and to Dad. I'll be home after that.

  I hope your father is not putting ideas in your head, her mother answered. Our lives are here, Hannah. This isn't just my business; it's yours, too.

  I love you, Mom; I'll talk to you soon.

  She didn't know if her mother would be satisfied with that, but she hoped so. She turned her phone over as Devlin set down a large pizza. One half was loaded with brightly colored vegetables, the other with sausage, pepperoni, peppers, and onions.

  "That's a lot of pizza," she said with a laugh.

  "Victor doesn't believe in small sizes. We can take whatever we don't eat home." He paused as her phone vibrated on the table.

  She sighed and picked it up again, reading her mom's short answer: I love you, too, but I'm disappointed. I thought you'd be thrilled we got this listing. I'll have to give it to Brandon if you won't be here.

  I understand, but I can't be there. Sorry.

  She set her phone down again.

  "Everything okay?" Devlin asked, his gaze thoughtful. "Are you texting with your dad?"

  "No, my mother. She wants me to come home for an open house Memorial Day weekend, and I told her that I'm committed to the race. She feels that shows a lack of commitment to her company, which she insists is all about providing for me and my future. But that's not completely true. She loves real estate, and she is very good at it. She'd be driven to make it as successful as possible even if I wasn't involved at all."

  "Do you think she's jealous that you're choosing to spend more time with your dad?"

  "Probably," she admitted. "I think she preferred it when we let our relationship slide. She doesn't like that I rushed to my dad's side. She's worried I'm forgetting that my dad let us down. She doesn't want me to turn him into the hero she doesn't believe he is."

  "But you're not doing that, are you?" he asked, taking a bite of the veggie pizza.

  "No, I'm not. I'm very aware that he allowed our family to break apart. It still stings that he didn't love us more than he loved his job. But I'm an adult now and I can recognize that it wasn't that simple. Their relationship was far more complicated than love versus work. I love my father, and I want him to be happy. I feel the same way for my mom. I don't want to take sides anymore. I don't want to feel like it's a competition."

  "I completely agree."

  "Are you taking sides in your parents' separation?" she asked curiously.

  "No, because I don't know what the sides are. Except for my mother's dramatic exit speech, I know nothing about her problems with my dad, and my father is not inclined to fill me in. He says their marriage is between them."

  "That's true. It took me a long time to learn that. I kept thinking I could fix them, but I couldn't."

  "No, you couldn't. If I had to pick a side, it would be my mom's," he continued. "Because I know my dad can be a stubborn hard-ass."

  "Your mom always seemed so sweet to me."

  "She's a kind person, very generous, and I guess we all took her for granted, especially my dad. But hopefully they'll be able to work it out. I do think they're good for each other. Anyway, enough about family. Let's eat."

  She was happy to end the conversation, because her mom's texts had hit her on a deeper level than they should have. Committing to the agency, to a future of more of the same, didn't sound good at all. Thankfully, she didn't have to deal with it for at least another week.

  As she ate, she realized that the pizza more than lived up to Devlin's praise.

  It was cheesy and flavorful, each bite a perfect delight, and she managed to get through two large slices without any trouble. She washed her food down with the ice-cold beer that Devlin had also brought to the table. "That was great," she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

  "I wasn't sure on the beer choice, but he didn't have any wine."

  "Beer was just right." She glanced around, the sound of laughter under a twilight sky making her feel so carefree. "Living here is like being on vacation all the time."

  "That's why I stay."

  "You have a lot of friends here." At least a dozen people had waved or greeted Devlin on their way past the table.

  "It's a boating town; I've worked with a lot of the locals."

  "And your family runs half the town."

  "That, too." He paused, his gaze moving back toward the food truck. "Speaking of family, I guess not everyone left King Harbor…"

  "What does that mean?" she asked, but he was already walking away from the table.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hannah watched as Devlin greeted a tall, attractive, dark-haired man—another Blackthorne, but she couldn't quite place him. A moment later, they were heading in her direction.

  "Hannah, this is my cousin, Jason."

  She stood up to shake Jason's hand. "I'm Hannah Reid. I think we met years ago."

  "Then it's nice to see you again. Is this pizza up for grabs?" he asked, sliding onto the bench across from her. "The line is really long."

  "I'm done," she said, as she took her seat.

  "It's all yours, Jason," Devlin added, sitting next to his cousin. "I didn't know you were back in town."

  "I got in today. I'm going to be scouting locations this week."

  "Locations?" she murmured. "Oh, wait, you're the filmmaker."

  "Right now, I'm concentrating on television."

  "Jason's first TV series, Bad Intentions, just started airing," Devlin said, a proud note in his voice. "The first episode was amazing."

  "I'll have to check it out."

  "And now we're starting to film season two," Jason put in, devouring his pizza in big, hungry bites.

  "It must be exciting for you to see your vision come to life," she commented.

  "It is, but I have to make sure season two is even better. The pressure is on. Not only from the public, but also from the family. Uncle Graham is giving me headaches about making sure Blackthorne Entertainment lives up to the Blackthorne brand," Jason added, exchanging a commiserating look with Devlin.

  "I know what that feels like," Devlin agreed.

  "But I work in Hollywood. It's not always that easy to control the message." Jason paused as his phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, he said, "I gotta take this."

  He left the table, moving under the trees to answer his call.

  "So, that's Jason," Devlin said with a laugh. "These days, we get about ten words in between his phone calls."

  "Another Blackthorne workaholic."

  "We do love our work. My father and Jason's dad definitely instilled a strong work ethic in all of us. And because we've gone into different parts of the business, there is compet
itive pressure to be successful."

  "Is it more difficult for your cousins? Do they ever feel like they're not quite in the mix?"

  "I hope not, because I consider my cousins my brothers. After my aunt and uncle died in that plane crash, Phillip, Jason, and Brock came to live with us, and my parents always tried to make us feel like we were one family."

  "Where is Jason in the lineup of cousins?"

  "He's the middle child. And he definitely has that middle kid need to prove himself, make himself visible. I can't fault him, either, because we tended to lose Jason when we were out somewhere. We'd get to the car and be ready to pull out of the parking lot, and then someone would say, 'Where's Jason?' and we'd realize he was missing."

  "He doesn't seem that invisible now." She tipped her head toward his animated conversation. "He has a lot of energy. You're much more chill."

  "You think so, huh?"

  "I do. You're passionate about boats and work, but I think you also value fun and maybe a slower pace. That's why you like King Harbor. It's not just that the town is on the ocean, it's also that it's a close community. Here you have an even bigger family."

  "That's all true, especially the part about fun. That's important." He gave her a sexy smile that sent tingles of desire down her spine. "We could have a lot of fun together, Hannah."

  She didn't know what to say to that. Every possible answer seemed a little dangerous. Thankfully, Jason returned to the table.

  "I have to go," Jason said. "I'll catch up with you later, Dev. Hannah, I hope to see you again."

  "I hope that as well."

  "Are you staying in town?" Devlin asked.

  "I'll be in and out, but I'm planning to be here for the race."

  "You could sail with me. I'm still looking for a teammate."

  "Nana can sail better than me," Jason said with a laugh. "You do not want me on your boat, but I will be cheering you on."

  As Jason took off, Devlin said, "Want to walk down to the beach?"

  "Sure."

  Since Jason had finished what was left of their pizza, they tossed their trash into a can and then headed to the beach. Once on the sand, she kicked off her sandals. She loved to walk and adding in the beach just made it that much better. They strolled along the water's edge for over a mile.

  "This is the perfect after-dinner walk," she said.

  "I agree."

  "Tell me about your travels, Devlin. You said you went all around the world?"

  "For over two years. It was an amazing time. I saw some of the most beautiful places on earth."

  "What was your favorite?"

  "I had many favorites, but the small Caribbean island of Anguilla was pretty special. The sand was white, the water a clear turquoise blue, and the music at night was a sultry mix of reggae and pop."

  "Sounds beautiful and romantic. Did you have a girl in every port, or maybe there was another woman on the crew?"

  "There were a few women—not in every port. I wasn't that popular."

  She made a face at his teasing smile. "I think you probably were."

  "I had a good time. Although, working with some of the passengers was not that enjoyable. There were a lot of rich, entitled people on that yacht."

  "You're rich and entitled."

  "My family is rich, not me, and I certainly hope I have never acted that entitled."

  "I'm sure you haven't. You're not a pretentious person."

  He stopped walking. "Wait, was that a compliment?"

  "Don't let it go to your head." She let out a wistful sigh as they continued on. "I do envy you, Devlin. You've done so much more than me. I've barely gone anywhere."

  "Your life isn't over yet. If you want to travel, do it."

  "You make it sound so simple."

  "Maybe it is that simple."

  He had a point. She did tend to complicate things. And after her broken engagement, she'd felt like she was in a holding pattern. She couldn't go forward, and she couldn't go back. She'd kept telling herself that she'd make changes sometime.

  What was she waiting for?

  Her life was happening right now—for better or worse. She wanted it to be better.

  As day turned to twilight, they turned around and headed back to the parking lot, but she didn't move too fast. The starry sky and Devlin's presence made her want to linger on this beach forever. At one point, she stumbled in the sand, and Devlin slipped his hand into hers, leaving it there for the rest of their journey back.

  When they reached the parking lot, it was almost nine o'clock. The food truck was gone, and with the exception of a group of six friends sitting at a picnic table, everyone else had vanished.

  She was sorry to see the night end. It had been so much fun spending time with Devlin, getting to know him beyond the man who'd fired her father and the boy she'd crushed on as a teenager.

  They were both quiet on the drive home, and the silence seemed to grow more tense with each passing mile. When Devlin pulled into the driveway of her father's house and shut off the engine, she felt like her nerves were screaming. She knew she needed to say goodnight and get out of the car, but she couldn't seem to move.

  "I'll walk you to the door," Devlin offered.

  "No. Let's say goodnight here." If he came to the door, she'd be tempted to invite him in, especially since her father wouldn't be back until tomorrow.

  "Okay. I had fun, Hannah. I like spending time with you."

  "I feel the same way."

  He leaned over and gave her a kiss—a slow, hot, inviting kiss that sent butterflies through her stomach and made her body yearn for a lot more.

  When he pulled away, she licked her lips, thinking about going in for another kiss, but that would take them down a road she was trying not to go.

  She forced herself to open the car door and get out. Then she walked into her house and let out a frustrated breath. A moment later, she heard his engine fire up, and then there was nothing but silence. He was gone.

  She should be happy, but she wasn't.

  The long, lonely night loomed in front of her.

  Devlin slammed into his apartment, annoyed with himself for kissing Hannah and then letting her go. That kiss had whetted his appetite, and now he had the whole damn night to think about it. But he had let her walk away. She wanted more than he had to give. He knew that deep down in his gut.

  And maybe…just maybe he wanted more, too. Was that the real reason he'd let her go?

  He hadn't felt such a strong connection to anyone in a very long time. He liked talking to Hannah, laughing with her, eating pizza together, walking on the beach, looking through her dream house. It didn't matter what they were doing; it was just good because she was there.

  She was sharp and funny but also soft and vulnerable. She had a big, fierce, loyal heart, but it was also a heart that could be broken. And she'd already had a lot of pain in her life. He didn't want to bring her more.

  Was it really her he was worried about or was it himself?

  Since Amy's death, he had turned away from intense emotion. He had chosen to live a life that was easy and light and never too dark or too serious. Love could be all of those things, and he didn't do love anymore.

  Why was he even thinking about love?

  He stepped onto the deck and took several deep breaths. He should do something productive, go downstairs and do some work, take his mind off Hannah. But he couldn't seem to generate any energy for that idea.

  He could go to the estate, see if Jason was around, or his grandmother, but he didn't know if he was in the mood to deal with either of them. His grandmother would see too much, ask too many questions, and Jason would probably be on his phone half the night.

  Turning away from the rail, he walked back into the house, thinking he might just go to bed so the night would be over sooner.

  And then the doorbell rang.

  His body tightened. It was probably Jason. Or maybe his father had come home early.

  He pressed the int
ercom. "Yes?"

  "It's me," Hannah said. "I need to talk to you."

  His heart jumped into his chest. She was the last person he'd expected to ring his bell. "Come on up." He buzzed her in and then opened the front door.

  She came down the hall a few minutes later, a gleam of steel fire in her eyes. He didn't know why she was angry, but something had obviously happened.

  "What's wrong, Hannah?"

  "Saying good night to you felt wrong."

  Her words stunned him, stealing the breath from his chest.

  Hannah lifted her chin, put her hands on his shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "I keep putting myself on hold. I keep waiting for another day, a better time, a good reason, and I don't want to do it anymore. We have insane chemistry together, Devlin. I've been fighting it hard, but I don't want to fight it anymore. I want you."

  "Are you sure?" He didn't know why he was giving her a chance to change her mind. But he couldn't quite believe what she was saying.

  Her gaze didn't waver. "Positive. You don't have to worry. I'm not looking for anything more than tonight. Just one night—you and me. I want to make it simple."

  "But you don't do simple," he reminded her. "You told me you like to complicate things."

  "I want to change. I want to live in the moment. You're not going to say no, are you?" she asked, a worried gleam coming into her gaze.

  "Do you think I'm crazy?"

  She smiled. "No, but I think you're incredibly hot, and I'd really like to see what's under those clothes."

  "Right back at you. I guess you should come in."

  "Oh, I am definitely coming in." She gripped his shoulders more tightly as she stood on her tiptoes, pressing her mouth against his.

  He let her take the lead, loving the mix of shyness and boldness in her kiss.

  But she was going too slow, and his desire was sending the blood roaring through his veins. When she let out a sigh of pleasure, it completely undid him.

  He pulled her into his apartment and backed her up against the wall, kissing her with a hunger that had been building inside him for days. Her mouth was so sexy, so sweet, but he wanted more. He pulled her hair to one side, as he slid his lips down the side of her neck, eliciting more murmurs of pleasure, and he felt the same joy as he ran his hands over her soft curves. But he couldn't take Hannah against the wall. He wanted a bed. He wanted soft pillows underneath her head. He wanted to take his time, touch and taste every inch of her.