Devlin Read online

  "Bedroom," he somehow managed to get out. He grabbed her hand, pulling her across the room. Only it took too long, and he had to steal a kiss in the hallway and another as they entered the room. She laughed as they bumped into the dresser.

  "Don't kill me on the way, Devlin."

  He grinned. "If I don't get you out of that dress soon, I'm going to die."

  "We don't want that."

  She turned around, and he gripped her zipper with a greedy hand, pulling it down to her lower back, touching his lips to her spine and then spinning her back around.

  She stepped out of her dress, and it pooled on the floor. As she stood in front of him in a lacy white bra and lavender panties, his body went hard. She then took off her bra and tossed it onto his shoulder, and he couldn't look anywhere else but her soft full breasts.

  He cupped her breasts with his hands and then lowered his head, tasting one pink nipple and then the other.

  "Oh, God, now I'm going to die," she said breathlessly. "You're torturing me."

  "Not even close," he said, lifting his gaze back to hers. "I have lots of fun in store for you." He laughed as her blue eyes blazed with fire. "I can see you like that idea."

  "Very much." She gave him a cheeky smile. "But first, let's see what's under your shirt." Her fingers ripped apart his buttons with impatience and desire.

  He then shrugged the shirt off, appreciating the look of pleasure in her eyes.

  "Wow," she murmured. "Tan, fit, abs to die for, sexy as hell. How did I get this lucky?"

  "I'm the lucky one." He pulled her against him and kissed her once more, slipping his tongue past her parted lips, as her breasts brushed his chest. They kissed for long minutes as desire spun them around and around, until he felt trapped in the web that was Hannah.

  And then her hand was on the snap of his jeans, and he sucked in a quick breath, as he pulled his mouth from hers. He stepped back and took off his jeans and briefs. Then he helped her slide her panties down her curvy hips. With her beautiful naked body in front of him, he fell to his knees, his hands on her waist, his mouth on her hot core.

  She murmured his name, running her hands through his hair. He could feel her tremble, and he wanted to take her as high as she'd ever been. He touched her and tasted her until she gasped for pleasure and collapsed against him. Then he picked her up and took her to the bed, gently placing her on the mattress. Reaching into his nightstand, he pulled out a condom.

  She smiled. "Glad you remembered that. I actually did bring one, but I have no idea where it is right now."

  "Don't worry, I have plenty."

  "You're confident."

  "Oh, I am."

  She helped him put on the condom with fumbling and endearing fingers and then fell back against the pillows, pulling him on top of her. "I want you, Devlin."

  "Not as much as I want you," he returned, feeling an overwhelming wave of desire and need.

  He didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but tonight was theirs, and he was going to make it a night to remember.

  Hannah slipped out of bed early Sunday morning, taking one last look at Devlin's handsome form before she left. He was sprawled on his stomach, his hair tousled from her hands and from sleep, a shadow of beard on his jaw, the sheet barely covering his very fine ass.

  The knot in her stomach tightened as memories of their night together ran through her. She wanted to crawl back into bed and snuggle up next to him. She wanted to touch him and kiss him again, making love the way they had two times already.

  But she'd promised him and herself that it was just for a night.

  And the night was over.

  She put on her clothes, trying to be as quiet as possible, because if he woke up, if he asked her to stay, she didn't see how she could possibly say no. She had to leave now—before it was too late.

  Although, she had the somewhat desperate thought that it might already be too late, that her feelings for Devlin might be about as far from simple as they could get.

  When she entered the living room, she thought about leaving a note. But what would she say? She'd said it all with her actions. Words would only add complications that neither of them wanted.

  She slipped out the front door and jogged down the steps. Fortunately, no one was at work yet to see her walk of shame. Once outside, she headed toward her dad's house, which was only a few blocks away. It felt good to be outside, to feel the rising sun on her head, to see the sparkling blue of the ocean.

  She felt both happy and a little sad. She loved King Harbor. It was going to be hard to say good-bye—not only to the city but also to the man she'd left sleeping in his very comfortable king-sized bed.

  Being with Devlin had felt absolutely right. The chemistry between them was off the charts, but it was the emotional connection that had surprised her. They'd been completely in sync in every way. And it hadn't all been about sex; it had also been about laughter, joy, talking into the dark hours of the night, falling asleep in each other's arms.

  Dammit, she silently swore.

  She wasn't supposed to fall for him.

  It was just a fling, a one-night stand—light, easy, breezy—but she already wanted another night.

  Maybe she could have one…she wasn't leaving for a few more days.

  Two nights could still be a fling—even three. Four might be pushing it. Five definitely too much.

  Oh, who was she kidding? If she went back to Devlin again, she'd probably never find the strength to leave. It would never be enough.

  Wanting to outrun her turbulent thoughts, she jogged the rest of the way home. When she entered the house, she was surprised to hear her father's voice. She hadn't thought he would be home from Portland until the afternoon.

  He came down the hallway, a concerned look in his eyes. "Where have you been? It's barely seven."

  She suddenly felt like a teenager caught after curfew and felt her cheeks flushing with heat.

  Her father's gaze narrowed. "Devlin?"

  She was an adult. She didn't have to explain or apologize, but she found herself wanting to do both.

  "Forget it. You don't have to tell me," he said quickly.

  "I didn't think you'd be home so early."

  "I don't sleep well in hotels. I left at five."

  "What happened at the interview?"

  "They made it clear they'd like to have me on board."

  "What did you say?"

  "That I had to think about it."

  She could see the stress in his eyes and in the weary lines across his weathered face. He'd aged five years since he'd lost his job. "Would you really leave King Harbor? It has been your home forever. You swore you'd never leave."

  "I know I did, but things are different now."

  "Devlin still wants you back. His father is coming home today. He's going to talk to him again. He will put his career on the line for you."

  "I never asked him to do that."

  "That's who he is. He believes in you."

  "And he wants to stand up to his father."

  "That, too," she admitted. "But it's still a big gesture."

  Her father gave her a tired smile. "You are sweet on him."

  "He's a good person. I know you've always thought so, too. When do you have to decide, Dad?"

  "Not for a few days. Do you want breakfast? I was going to make some pancakes."

  "That sounds great."

  They moved into the kitchen, and she slid onto a stool at the island while her dad pulled out a griddle and set it on the stove.

  "What are you going to do today?" she asked.

  "Work on the Daisy Mae. I picked up some parts I needed in Portland yesterday. I'd like to get her in the water tomorrow, Tuesday at the latest."

  "That would be good. We need to start practicing. I'm not worried about you, but my skills could use some work."

  "We have time." He paused, as he gave her a worried look. "I hope you're being careful, Hannah. With your heart," he added awkwardly. "I like D
evlin, but I've never seen him in a relationship."

  "I know what I'm doing. And if my heart gets broken, that's okay. Because it means I'm taking risks; I'm living life. It's better than never taking a chance because I'm afraid of getting hurt, right?"

  "I suppose. I know your mother and I haven't been the best example for a long-term relationship."

  "I think you could have fought harder to keep Mom," she said honestly. "But I wasn't in your marriage, so what do I know?"

  "You're right. I could have fought harder, but I think in the end we still would have split up, because we didn't work together. My biggest regret was hurting you and losing you."

  "You haven't lost me. I'm here now."

  He walked around the counter and gave her a hug. "I'm very glad you came home. Can I give you one small piece of wisdom?"

  "You can," she said warily.

  "It's love that matters, Hannah. In the end, that's all it's about. You can strive for fortune and fame, but at the end of the day, it's who you love and who loves you. Don't follow in my footsteps or even in your mother's. We both made a lot of mistakes. Learn from us what not to do."

  She felt tears come to her eyes. He'd never spoken such deep and emotional words. She gave him a teary smile. "You did a lot of things right, too, Dad. I don't think I gave you enough credit."

  "I'm sure your mother thinks you gave me too much."

  "Probably."

  He smiled. "I'll say one thing—you've always been very honest. You are the best thing your mother and I ever did together."

  "And I love you both."

  "Do you also love Devlin?"

  "Oh, Dad…"

  "I know. It's none of my business."

  "We're having fun. It's not serious. It doesn't mean anything, and I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, but you said you appreciated my candor."

  "I just hope you're being honest with yourself. Sometimes we force ourselves to believe the lie, because the truth is too difficult."

  Chapter Fourteen

  It was hard not to call Hannah, not to try to see her. But after waking up alone on Sunday morning, Devlin realized that she'd made good on her promise of one night only. He should have been happy about that. Awkward morning-after conversations were his least favorite thing in the world. She'd saved him from that.

  But as the hours passed, as Sunday turned in to Monday, he'd broken down and texted her.

  Her answer had been short, making it clear she was fine with their very short fling, while he clearly was not. But he hadn't let on. He'd played the game her way. Then he'd tried to distract himself with work, telling himself he would eventually forget her. That hadn't worked particularly well.

  Now it was Tuesday afternoon, and he was going to try to distract himself with a practice run. If the ocean didn't keep his mind off Hannah, his father probably would.

  As he paced around the deck of the Wind Warrior, he wished his father would show up already. His dad was supposed to have come back on Sunday, then it was Monday, now it was today. He still wasn't sure that his father would actually get on the boat, but he'd promised to go for a sail with him, and usually his dad didn't break his promises.

  They needed this sail for a lot of reasons. He needed to get Frank back to work, and he hoped to get his dad to agree to race with him. He was running out of time on every front.

  He stiffened as he saw Hannah come down the dock. She stopped abruptly when her gaze caught his, and in that unguarded moment, the memories they'd shared sizzled between them like a live electrical wire.

  He'd been crazy to think he was going to forget about her any time soon.

  He moved down the stairs. "Hello, Hannah."

  "Hi, Devlin," she said, wariness in her eyes. "Are you taking your boat out or did you just get in?"

  "I'm taking it out as soon as my dad gets here. We're going to have our long-anticipated conversation. He finally came back from Boston late last night."

  "That's good."

  "I hope it's good. We'll see. What about you?"

  "My father and I are going to test out the Daisy Mae." She crossed her fingers for luck.

  He smiled. "Hannah."

  "Devlin?"

  "I've missed you."

  Her gaze darkened. "That's nice of you to say."

  "It's the truth." He dug his hands into his pockets because all he wanted to do was grab her and kiss her and make her want more—as much as he did.

  "I wish you'd stayed a little longer," he continued. "We could have had a good time in the morning, too."

  "Mornings always complicate things, and we agreed to keep it simple."

  "What if I wanted to change our agreement?"

  She gave him a nervous look. "Change it to what?"

  "I don't know, but one night wasn't enough. I'm certain of that."

  "I'm still leaving, Devlin."

  "Not for several more days. Why are we wasting the time that you're here?"

  Before she could answer, heavy footsteps on the ramp drew his attention. His father was striding straight toward them. Talk about lousy timing.

  Hannah stiffened when she saw Graham, but she didn't run. If anything, she squared her shoulders as if she were preparing for battle.

  This was not what he wanted. But there was nothing he could do to stop it.

  "Devlin, sorry I'm late." His father turned to Hannah, his gaze narrowing. "Where do I know you from?"

  "I'm Hannah Reid, Mr. Blackthorne. I'm Frank's daughter."

  His father's lips tightened. "Oh, of course, Hannah. I didn't realize you were in town."

  "I thought my father needed me."

  Graham cleared his throat. "Yes, well…" He turned to Devlin. "Are you ready to go?"

  "Just waiting for you," he said, noting that his dad was dressed in jeans and a polo shirt, sneakers on his feet. He couldn't remember him looking so casual in a very long time.

  "We'll see you out on the water," he told Hannah.

  "As we fly by you," she returned, angry determination in her gaze.

  As his dad moved toward the boat, Hannah stepped in front of him.

  "Mr. Blackthorne," she said. "My father deserves his job back. He has been an incredibly loyal and devoted employee, and this personal fight between the two of you is hurting his livelihood. He needs to work, and you need him to work. He's the heart and soul of the Boatworks."

  Graham gave her a hard look. "I can appreciate a daughter standing up for her father."

  "I don't need you to appreciate me. I need you to appreciate my dad."

  "This is between your father and me. You and Devlin need to stay out of it." Graham didn't wait for an answer, pushing past Hannah, and then climbing aboard and disappearing into the interior of the boat.

  Hannah turned to him. "I know you didn't want me to say anything, Devlin. I just couldn't pretend nothing was wrong. I hope I didn't make things worse."

  "I don't think you could do that," he said lightly, even though it was possible she'd done exactly that. On the other hand, she might have lit an even bigger fire underneath his father to take Frank out of the race. He'd have to see how it played out.

  "I better go," she said.

  "We're not done talking about us."

  "Yes, we are."

  As she walked away in her tight white jeans and soft blue sweater, her blonde hair bouncing around her shoulders, all he could think about was how tired he was of her leaving. She always seemed to be walking away from him.

  Was he prepared to do what it might take to get her to stay?

  The test run was turbulent and did not go as well as Devlin had hoped. He'd gotten used to his father being great at everything he did, but his sailing skills were average at best. He was out of practice, and he hadn't ever sailed a boat with as much technology as the Wind Warrior. He fumbled with the sails. He misjudged the wind. He almost fell into the ocean at one point. With every mistake, his father got more and more annoyed.

  Things got worse when the Daisy M
ae came into view.

  The old boat didn't move through the water like the Wind Warrior. But damn if Frank and Hannah didn't sail by them with quite a bit of ease. While she gave him a wave, Frank refused to look in their direction. And then they were gone.

  He changed direction as well, not wanting them to see that he and his father were not moving together as well as they should. They needed to work the kinks out on their own. But that wouldn't be easy. It wasn't just the sailing they had to conquer; it was all the unspoken tension between them.

  He adjusted the sails and turned on the autopilot. It was past time to get rid of the tension. "Let's cruise for a while," he said.

  His dad nodded. "I'd forgotten how challenging it is to race. I'm rusty."

  "We have time for you to get better."

  "I don't know if I have the time to put into this. I have a lot of balls in the air right now."

  "There's no one else available."

  "There has to be someone. Jason is back."

  "And he told me quite pointedly that I'd be better off putting Nana on the boat."

  His father gave him a faint smile. "That might be true."

  "I think you should do it, Dad. I know today has been rough, but you're not a quitter."

  His father stiffened, but then he nodded. "I suppose I deserve that. I said the same thing to you when you wanted to give up."

  "What did I want to give up on?" he challenged. "I don't remember you ever saying that to me."

  "I said it the night you told me you'd joined a yacht crew and were going to sail around the world. I thought you were quitting on the life you were supposed to have, the life you would have had if Amy hadn't died."

  He was stunned to hear her name cross his father's lips. "I don't recall that conversation."

  "You didn't want to hear anything back then. You were hurting too much. And it killed me and your mother that we couldn't help you."

  "No one could help me."