Devon threw a dead plastic pony pack at him that landed squarely in the middle of his back.
“Watch it,” she said. But then she smiled and was rewarded when he returned it.“So, does this count as one of our dates, Devon?”
“I’d say no.”
“Ah, so she wants to spend more time with me. That’s a very good sign.”
She stopped at that one. They were having fun together. The banter was easy. The work wasn’t exactly romantic, but she was actually having fun getting dirty and doing physical labor. And now Nick was hinting that he’d like it if she wanted to spend more time with him.
Is this what you want?
Yes, something like that, she thought. Someone she could just be with without pretense.
“So, are you available for dinner tonight, Miss Devon?”
“I think it could be arranged.”
“You pick the place. So much has changed here in Sonoma County. I wouldn’t know where to take you.”
Marc had come up behind Sophie, scooped her up and put her in the empty wheelbarrow and was wheeling her around the nursery. Sophie was screaming at the top of her lungs, and laughing. Marc wheeled her around back and out of eyesight.
Devon and Nick exchanged glances. “Did I miss something while we were working?” she asked.
Nick took off his gloves and walked towards Devon. He stopped a little closer than he would have before, thighs touching hers. In a swift move, he’d removed her cap, allowing her hair to fall all about her shoulders. “I feel the need to continue your training, Miss Devon.” His voice was low and hoarse.
Devon’s heart picked up and the thrill that tingled down her spine when he placed his big arm around her waist and drew her to him, into him, fully pressing all of her against his firm body so gently but with such confidence, it made her knees wobble.
“Lesson number two,” he whispered to her lips just before he claimed them.
She’d nearly lost her balance but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to let her fall. She clung to him as she feasted on his manly passion. He was showing her his need. Her lips opened and his tongue slipped inside, finding hers. She couldn’t help but moan and sink into him further.
Their lips parted but he remained holding her pressed against him. “I just couldn’t help myself,” he said as he kissed her neck. “Do you forgive me?”
With her arms wrapped around his neck and her face pressed against his, she realized she was delighted this big strong man wanted to kiss her. “Only if you’ll agree to kiss me again.”
“Gladly,” he said as he examined her face. He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Slowly he inhaled and lowered his lips on hers.
So many things tumbled through her mind. She thought about how safe she felt for the first time ever. Something about the chemistry between them made her want to please him. She’d been stealing glances all afternoon and a couple of times she’d caught him doing the same. The ache deep down inside her was hard to miss.
His left hand rubbed down her waist, and lower. He gently caressed her bottom and then pressed her closer to his groin. His hand slid up and down her thigh, then up to her waistband and under her shirt. She felt the warmth of his fingers as they squeezed her breast through her bra. His fingers went to probe under the silky fabric and he found her nipple and squeezed it. He was kissing her neck and she found herself whispering, “Yes.” She rubbed her face against his cheek, and then whispered again, “Yes, please,” into his ear.
She knew that when she didn’t make him stop she’d opened the doorway to more experimentation, and the idea thrilled her. Everything about him told her she could trust him. She could rely on him. She could—care—for him.
Was that the word?
Maybe tonight it would happen. That milestone in becoming a woman, the one they say everyone remembers. She’d never felt so ready.
His hand slipped down the front of her jeans and she jerked.
“Sorry,” he whispered. “Got a little ahead of myself,” he said as he removed his hand.
She took his hand in hers and kissed it. She placed it back on her breast, outside the shirt. “I’m not used to all this. It’s all new, Nick.”
They stared into each other’s eyes. She knew she could trust him.
“Teach me, Nick. Show me.”
She saw he took her meaning. His smile started with the little crease at the right of his lips, then spread to the other side. His eyes danced as he said, “With pleasure.”
She halfway expected that he would pick her up just like Marc had picked up Sophie, but the sound of tires on the gravel got her attention.
A large, sleek, black Mercedes barreled up the road and parked at an angle behind Nick’s yellow Hummer. The windows were tinted. A suited driver got out and opened the rear door for someone.
Nick and Devon dropped their hands and stepped apart. She put her hair back up in the cap and brushed errant wisps of hair from her face with her fingertips.
The short man emerging from the car had mean eyes. A small pencil moustache accentuated thin lips. His black hair was worn slicked back and was a bit too long over the collar for the shiny dark blue business suit he wore. The top button on his shirt was undone and he didn’t wear a tie.
“Am I interrupting anything, Ms. Brandeburg?” the man said in the clipped accent of the Broker who’d called her this afternoon.
“I’d say you’re trespassing, Mr. Silva. I told you I’d call you.”
“I have my client in the car. She’d like to see the property right now.
“She?” Devon wondered if Sophie had gotten it right about the new owner. She hadn’t said anything about a woman owner.
“Miss Chun?” he called to the passenger side of the back seat.
Devon stepped forward and held out her palms. “Wait just a minute here. You have not received permission to look at the property.”
“But it’s listed.”
“Read the remarks. You subscribe to MLS I’m sure.”
“I told you she wanted to see it today. I think it could be worth your while to let her do so.”
“No,” came the sound from Devon’s right. “Get the hell off my property. I do not give you permission to show it.” Sophie was mad, something Devon rarely saw in her.
“Miss Dunn, please, we’re trying to help you out here,” Silva said with syrupy sweetness.
“Your kind of help I don’t need.” She picked up a piece of scrap two-by-four, holding it like a baseball bat. “Unless you want to get a couple of your windows broken, stay off my property.”
Silva was pissed. Sick or no, Sophie raised the board with the full intention of bringing it down on the car, or its passengers. The muscled driver looked uncomfortable and Devon noticed he’d unbuttoned his jacket. Silva slithered back into the passenger seat and closed his own door with a slam. The driver got back to the wheel and started the motor.
As the shiny obsidian vehicle began to pull out of the driveway, Silva rolled down his window. “I don’t have time for stupid games like this, and neither do you.”
With that, the car sped down the road and onto the highway.
Chapter 11
Sophie nearly collapsed. Marc ran around the house and took her inside. Nick understood the no drama thing clearly wasn’t working. He knew the driver was also an enforcer, even wore the military shades and even with the little he watched him move he knew the man had some serious training. Probably ex-military.
“I’m not happy with this turn of events,” he mumbled under his breath. He scanned the area to his right, looking to see if he could locate a black vehicle making its way to the property next door, but he saw nothing.
“Sophie never told me much about her neighbor, except that there were some disputes. The guy used to run his tractor over part of her property and had the gall to keep moving the fence inside her property line every time he went back to “repair” his mistake.”
“I know fighting him cost he
r money,” Devon continued. “Surveyors and engineers aren’t cheap. And she doesn’t trust real estate attorneys.
“So that’s one of the first thing we’re going to do, make sure the fences are on the property line. Think we can hire an engineer to get this done fast?”
“Our office uses one who seems pretty good. I’ll call him and ask. Cost is an issue, Nick.”
“Not really. Sophie’s not paying for this. I am.”
“Let me share in the cost, Nick. I can afford it.”
Her offer bothered him. His hands immediately went into fists as he realized she probably made more money than he did. He’d always told himself that was no problem. Wasn’t what he did his job for, but today it kind of sucked.
He had to work on himself to soften his tone, but it came out a little bitter anyway. “No, Devon. When I say I’ll pay for it, that’s what I mean. Don’t question me about something like this.”
He finally looked at her face and, yes, he could see she was grappling with what he said. She took several deep breaths and crossed her arms, but remained a bit out of arm’s reach.
“Sorry, Dev—on. Didn’t mean to offend you. It was a nice offer.” Inside, he was wincing. This being nice thing, while it was the right thing to do, was eating at him a bit.
Maybe it was because he cared about what she was feeling right now.
In a moment that he knew would feel like some kind of bridge crossed, she said the perfect thing.
“Then, Mr. Tough Guy, I pay for dinner tonight. And I’m not backing down on that one, sailor.”
While Devon was checking on Sophie, Nick had a private talk with Marc.
“This is all fucked up, Nick.”
“Sorry, wished I’d known about all this sooner. I apologize for getting you involved in this mess.”
“Like always, the messes you get in are my messes too. Not sayin’ I don’t tend to aggravate it a bit.” Marc’s smile was the thing that got him all the attention. That, and his stunning physical condition. He knew Marc had formed some sort of attachment with Sophie, which would have been a no-no at any other time. Most Team guys guarded their sisters around their friends like guarding Fort Knox. But this was different.
“That aggravation happen to have hair falling out and sleeps a lot?”
“You got it. She’s an incredible woman. And I know the rules. No problem there.”
“Not sure in this situation, if there are any rules anymore. Except I don’t want her heart broken.”
“I got you. No worries. We’ve snuggled and fooled around a bit. The woman wants to feel like a woman and not some piece of—sorry, Nick. I just—”
Nick punched him in the arm. His eyes had teared up. “Hey, I’m just glad you’re here. Gives me a little alone time with Dev.”
“She’s off the charts, Nick. And she has the hots for you something fierce. Better slow down or that complication could come at the wrong time, get my drift?”
“Can’t. I don’t think I can stop it now.”
Marc returned a slow glance. Yeah, his buddy knew what was going on inside him. Men don’t talk about their feelings, but the look they shared was completely understood. When a man starts to feel territorial over a woman, it means he’s beginning to think of sacrifice and willing to become something he wasn’t before. That’s a big step, especially for an elite warrior. Nick knew he had all the symptoms of falling in love.
Marc punched his shoulder. “Well, good luck with that, Nick.”
They went outside to organize last minute details so the team could get it all done tomorrow.
Their attention was sidetracked to a noisy old Toyota driving up the road. The light green dented and faded paint reminded Nick of Gunny’s old beater 4-door ex-Parks Department truck back in Coronado. Fredo had one just like it.
A very rotund woman barely five feet tall and nearly that wide extricated herself with difficulty from the car. Nick ran over to be of assistance, but got hit in the chest with her Playmate lunch pail, and it smarted.
“I’m Emma. I’m your hostage nurse,” she said in broken English. Her dark skin and face identified her as a Pacific Islander. Marc was smirking with the misspoken word.
“Hostage? You take hostages here?” Marc said.
“Hossss-piss!” she corrected herself.
“Welcome, Emma. I’ll take you inside and introduce you to Sophie.”
Nick gripped her lunch pail as he watched the old Toyota barrel back down the driveway. Opening Sophie’s door, he found Devon curled up next to his sister, both of them sound asleep. Sophie had her arm around Devon like she was the healer and Devon was the patient.
“Sophie,” Nick whispered as he came over to the side of the bed. “Emma is here,” he said to her dull eyes. Then recognition flooded her face and she stirred, waking Devon.
Nick studied Devon as she sat up, tried to put her hair into a clip and rose to stretch. Her soft gaze fell on his waist and traveled lazily up his chest to meet his eyes. He felt all the spark and excitement he’d felt as a boy going to Disneyland. He’d never wanted anyone so much in his entire life.
“I’m your hossss-pisss nurse, Sophie. My name is Emma,” the woman barked.
Sophie struggled to sit up further on the bed. Marc was at her side to pull out the pillows and reset them behind her back.
“Nice to meet you, Emma.” She turned to the three of them. “You guys get out of here now. I’d like to take a shower, if you don’t mind, and I don’t want any curious onlookers.” She raised and lowered her eyebrows, finishing on Marc.
“All right. Let’s do what the lady says,” said Marc.
They closed the door behind them as they walked out. Standing in the middle of the living room with Devon, Nick was sure Marc could feel the intense attraction between the two of them, and Marc confirmed it by excusing himself to go outside. Just before he got through the door, Nick called to him.
“You okay if Devon and I go for some dinner?”
“No. Knock yourselves out.” Marc saluted, winked and was gone.
“I’d like to freshen up,” Devon said to him, her eyes moist and searching.
“I’d like to help you do it, Dev—on.”
“You have to wait. You can use the shower after me.”
“What about Sophie?” Nick asked.
“There’s another shower in the office. I’m going to go use that one.” She stepped to him and let her hands travel up his chest. “You’ll have to wait until I’m finished. Then you can shower. We’ll have dinner, and then let’s see what happens.”
He bent down and kissed her, clutching her hair in his fingers as he held the back of her head. Holding her face between his palms he whispered hoarsely, “Can’t wait.”
It was awkward driving in the Hummer with the center console between them, but Nick figured it also heightened the anticipation. They held hands like they’d been doing it for years, he thought. He liked her relaxed style, when she revealed it. But he also liked her strong side. That was what was new for him. He almost liked her strong side better.
He’d nearly begged her to cancel the dinner plans and go off with him someplace where they had a roaring fireplace and a big bed. She’d stepped outside, ready to go. She had on little dangle earrings, a low-cut simple black dress that fit all her curves and showed off her flat tummy. The dress came just above the knee, so her long legs tempted his soul. She wore more makeup. She smelled great.
Best of all, she’d dressed up for him.
The bumpy ride made the tops of her breasts bounce and he managed to steal a few peeks. He’d adjusted his position several times but his little brain was doing cartwheels and poking him in the gut with pitchforks. Her bright red lips smiled one time when she caught him.
She directed him to the garage next to her choice of restaurant, a new Tuscan/American bistro. After parking, he got to her door just before she managed to finish her exit.
“This is my job,” he whispered as he lifted her down, convenien
tly forgetting the plastic step he didn’t take out so he could hold her tiny waist and let her slide down his body. She didn’t weigh anything at all so he drew it out as long as he could and she didn’t squirm to be released any sooner. Her face was flushed when he set her on her feet.
So far so good.
Devon obviously wasn’t used to being waited on, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why no one was around her to do it. She tucked under his arm easily as they walked to the restaurant in silence. It was beginning to feel like it would be the longest meal of his life.
Inside the place, a gentle samba was playing. With the tall ceilings and bright artwork everywhere, it felt like an upscale gallery, except for the smell of food and the hickory from the wood-fired pizza oven. They were ushered to a table for two in front of a raised fireplace hearth. The waiter removed the “reserved” sign and scurried off.
“Nice,” he said as he held out his hands and she placed hers inside. He rubbed them with his thumbs and fingers as he watched the fire dance in her eyes. Her breathing was erratic and she swallowed a lot. She was nervous too.
“So, you help me order. What’s good here, Devon?”
They opened their menus.
“Anything. It’s all good. I usually have the Mediterranean chicken. Comes with garlic mashed potatoes.”
The waiter stepped up and reminded them of a couple of appetizer specials. “We have Hog Island oysters tonight, very lightly salted and sprinkled with mango salsa.”
Devon looked up at him and blushed.
“You want some?” he asked, returning a smile.
“Whatever you like. Remember, I’m buying.”
“Sort of feel like a kept man.” He meant it as a joke, but her eyes turned to lead and her smile evaporated. She lowered the menu and leaned back in her chair.
“A few minutes please,” she said to the waiter. She gulped some water and leaned forward on her forearms. “So, just to clear the air here, you are not a kept man, and I resent any inferences to that effect. I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Sophie.”
Of course, she hadn’t said she was doing it for her either. And that weighed on him.
SEAL the Deal Page 7