Fool for Love (30 page)

“Not who. What. And I’d rather not say.”

“Fine,” he teased. “I’ll ask Gram when I visit tomorrow. Rocky’s curious, too.”

“A vibrator.”

“What?”

“Figured you’d rather hear it from me than Daisy.”

He blinked, then laughed. “Gram tried to hook you up with a vibrator?” He shook his head. “That’s so wrong. Not you and a vibrator. But Gram—”

“I get it.” Chloe shifted, cheeks burning.

“Why—”

“She thought I was … you know, sexually frustrated.”

“Now she thinks Rocky’s sexually frustrated?”

“Do you really want to talk about your sister’s sex life?”
Please don’t make me pretend not to know about Adam and, for God’s sake, Jayce.
Devlin had been angry that Vince had kept a secret about Daisy. How would he feel when he learned Chloe had been privy to a family secret as well?

“Point taken,” he said, and she nearly wilted with relief. “Although sometimes I wonder if she even has a sex life.”

Chloe barely contained a snort.

“So why does Gram call it Big Al?”

She raised one brow. “You really don’t want me to go there.”

He laughed. “Probably not. So, what do you want for dinner?”

“Oh, my God,
dinner.
I totally forgot. I could’ve packed the pork chops I marinated—”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll order in.”

“I’d be happy to whip up something on the fly.”

“Except you won’t find much to work with in my fridge and pantry.”

“Oh, right.” She flashed on the first day they met, sighed. “Don’t you ever get tired of microwavable foods?”

“Sure. But it’s easy and fast.”

“And lacking in nutrients.”

“Hence occasionally ordering in or eating out.”

“That’s not always healthy either. Except I have to say the Sugar Shack’s menu offers plenty of low-fat and heart-healthy fare.”

“Luke’s idea. He wanted to offer his customers more than greasy burgers and buffalo wings. I suggested we interview and hire an affordable gourmet chef.”

“What made you go into the restaurant business anyway?”

“Luke. He’d always wanted his own bar and restaurant. It’s a social thing. He likes people, being around people, showing them a good time. He’d been bartending at the Sugar Shack, which used to be called Don’s Bar and Grill, for close to five years. When it came up for sale—”

“He jumped.”

“It needed a lot of work. He had big ideas and limited funds.”

“So you invested. Co-owner. But you don’t seem to spend a lot of time there.”

“I don’t want to step on his toes. It’s his dream. Although I am hands-on with accounting. Luke’s got vision and drive but, in the words of our mom, runs the Shack with his heart, not his head.”

Chloe smiled.

“What?”

“It makes you feel good, watching out for your little brother’s best interests.”

“If only Rocky would let me do the same.” Just then his phone rang. After glancing at the screen, he excused himself to take the call. “Sorry I hurried you off before, Jayce.”

Not wanting to eavesdrop, Chloe focused on the passing scenery—a mixture of colonial and saltbox homes, their manicured lawns augmented with picket fences and various hardwood trees. Day by day the leaves turned more vibrant, various shades of red, orange, and yellow. According to Daisy, within two weeks Chloe would be privy to the full autumn spectacle. She could scarcely wait. But even as she tried to imagine the beauty, her brain fixated on the one-sided conversation between Devlin and the man who’d broken Rocky’s heart.

“Banged up but in good care,” Devlin said. “Absolutely. I know Gram would appreciate hearing from you, but hold off until tomorrow.… What?… When?… Well, hell. No, I … Sure. Talk to you then.”

“Everything okay?” Chloe couldn’t help asking.

“Jayce is flying back to New York. Said something came up with an old case and he has to get on it today.”

For real?
Chloe wondered. Or was he getting the hell out of Dodge, hoping to retain “the secret” for another ten years? “Wasn’t he in the middle of doing something with his house?”

“Consulting with a contractor about renovations. Said he still hasn’t decided whether to sell or lease.”

“Would it bother you if he sold?” It would probably make Rocky delirious. Jayce Bello—out of her life for good.

Devlin considered Chloe’s question, nodded. “It would. Jayce and I go way back,” he said as his own house came into view. “We’re still tight except…”

Normally Chloe would’ve prompted him to continue with his thought, but she was pretty certain that would be inviting trouble.

He swung into his driveway, cut the engine, then shifted to face her.

She braced for …
something.

“You spent a lot of time at Rocky’s this weekend. How were things between her and Jayce?”

Oh no.
“I couldn’t really say.”
How’s that for a spin
? “I mean there were a lot of people around and mostly the men were immersed in cleaning up the crushed shed and erecting a new one. I don’t think I ever saw her alone with Jayce.”
True.
“Come to think of it, I didn’t share more than five minutes with him myself.”
Also true.
Knowing what she did about him and Rocky, she’d steered clear.

Instead of pushing the topic, thankfully, Devlin backed off. “Why am I burdening you with this? Enough drama for the day, right?” He squeezed her hand and swung out of the car. “If I learned anything this weekend, it’s that there are some problems I just can’t fix.”

That made Chloe smile. “Oh, but you’d like to try.”

“We all have our flaws.”

Ain’t that the truth?
Chloe thought as Devlin nabbed their bags, then ushered her toward his front porch.
Like falling for controlling men.

As she crossed the threshold, she bolstered her senses against a tide of emotions. She’d only been in this cozy colonial one time, but if she closed her eyes she could envision the kitchen, dining room, and living room in detail. She even knew where he kept his favorite coffee mug and the television’s remote control. When he set aside the luggage and placed his hand at the small of her back, she felt like he was welcoming her, into not only his home but also his life.

For the second time in a week she experienced the sensation of floating, only this time her head was in the clouds. She was high on this man’s essential goodness and sexy charisma. Breathing was a chore and the warmth emanating from her heart and spreading throughout her body was so comforting yet exhilarating, she felt giddy with wonder.

Monica’s voice trilled in her ear.
Are you in
love
?

Blown away by the realization, she scrambled to pinpoint the when and why.

Maybe she’d fallen when he’d absolved her of blame regarding Daisy’s accident. Or maybe when he’d offered to bend rules to make Chloe feel better or when he’d eased the minds of Daisy’s friends and sisters. Or maybe Monica had nailed it and it
had
been love at first sight, only Chloe had been oblivious until now. All she knew for certain was that her heart had taken a serious tumble.

Which added a whole new frightening dimension to
jumping his bones.

“Make yourself at home,” Devlin said. “I’ll take up our bags and be right back.”

She grabbed his shirt before he turned. “I just want you to know…” She looked into his bluer than blue eyes and revealed her biggest immediate fear. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been with anyone other than … well, you know. And we weren’t that … It wasn’t … spectacular.”
What if I’m a dud in bed?
hung unspoken in the air. Voicing that insecurity would be lame. Especially when statistics suggested most men found
confident
women a turn-on. Not to mention she’d just brought up a past lover.
Way to go, Madison.

But instead of backing away, Devlin pulled her into arms and claimed her mouth.
Bliss.
He kissed her long and deep, until her heart pounded in her ears and her legs went all noodly. Heat pooled to intimate places, and erotic images of them in bed together, naked, conjured a groan of pure ecstasy. When he finally broke off, her thoughts were dazed and her balance iffy.

Smiling, he palmed her butt and pressed his rock-hard erection against her lower belly, evidence of his desire, proof of her potency.

She smiled back up at him, senses zinging. “Or maybe I’ll rock your world.”

“I vote for the latter.”

*   *   *

Rocky pulled into Jayce’s driveway just as he was backing out. Like Dev, he was driving a rental car. Since she’d just blocked him in, he had no choice but to kill the engine. She walked to his car just as he was climbing out. Her gaze skimmed over his cargo pants, torso-hugging T-shirt, and the layered poplin shirt, unbuttoned and with the tails hanging out. Sexy casual. His longish blond hair was tousled and his killer eyes hidden behind aviator sunglasses. Regardless, she blushed under his scrutiny. Between Gram’s accident and this impending showdown, Rocky felt somewhere between frazzled and sick.

“You all right?” he asked.

She started to get flip—
Do I look all right?
—but instead stated the truth. “No.”

“Is it Daisy? Did she take a bad turn?”

“Gram’s fine. Well … recovering. No, this is about this past weekend.”

He glanced at his watch. “If you’re going to give me hell about something, make it quick. I’ve got a plane to catch.”

Her pulse tripped. “You were leaving without saying good-bye?”

He slowly pulled off his glasses, narrowed his eyes. “You kicked me off your property and now you’re pissed because I didn’t check in with you before getting back to my life?” He dragged a hand down his whiskered chin. “You’re a piece of work, Dash.”

She shored up against the emotions that nickname inspired. “It’s just … we have unfinished business.”

“How so?”

The nerve she’d worked up on the drive over started to fade. She nodded toward his parents’ house. Funny, how he never referred to it as
his
house even thought he grew up there. Even though he owned it. She remembered sneaking into his room that night and …

“Can we take this inside?” It’s not that she wanted to tempt memories, but she really didn’t want to discuss something this private out in the open where anyone could drive by.

He worked his jaw, then made a call. “Yeah, Nash?… Jayce.… No, I’m not canceling, but I am running late.” He shot Rocky an annoyed look. “Ten, fifteen minutes.… Right.”

“
Nash
is flying you out?”

“Got a problem with that, too?”

She bit her tongue, channeled her energy. But by the time they crossed the yard and breached his front door, she’d moved on from nervous to angry. She’d come here to make peace and he was picking a fight. They squared off in the living room, the totally empty, devoid of everything including carpet and baseboards, living room. She knew his tenants had moved out. She knew he’d initiated renovations, but it still surprised her how the house lacked any semblance whatsoever to the powerful, charismatic man looming in front of her.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “You wanted to talk. Talk.”

She swallowed the urge to sock him and clung to Luke’s advice: Acknowledge his good intentions and move on. “I forgive you.”

At first he said nothing. Just shifted his weight, angled his head. “What the hell for?”

“For ruining everything by doing the right thing.” Okay. That hadn’t come out like she’d rehearsed it. But, dammit, that’s how she felt.

He bit back a laugh, shook his head. “Is this your way of putting the past behind us?”

Her back went up. “At least I’m trying.”

“Let me ask you something, Dash. How do you feel about Adam?”

The question caught her off guard and caused her skin to burn because, just now, she felt awful about Adam. Or, rather, how she’d hurt him. “I like Adam. He’s a good man. Certainly someone who deserves better than me, so … I broke off with him. I’ve got a lot going on. Issues I need to work through. Problems I need to tackle. The Red Clover—”

“How do you feel about me?”

“I … I…”

“Let me put it another way.”

The next thing she knew she was in his arms, under his spell, being deeply, thoroughly kissed. She burned. And just like that she was a seventeen-year-old virgin, melting under the practiced touch of the man she’d pined for since she was thirteen.

Heady, heady stuff.

When he broke off, she nearly lost her balance, her thoughts and feelings a tangled, jumbled mess.

“Good-bye, Dash.” He strode out the front door without a second look. “For now.”

*   *   *

Devlin couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this content. Yes, he was sexually frustrated, but even that was sweet misery. The kiss they’d shared earlier had promised fireworks in bed, whenever they made it that far. He could’ve pushed it then, but even after he assured her she had no worries about fizzling in the sack, he’d still sensed apprehension. He didn’t think it was because of her ex-boyfriend but couldn’t be sure. So he’d backed off, allowing Chloe to adjust to his home and the thought of them together. When the time was right to seduce her, he’d know. Yes, he was rusty in the romance department but far from inept. It might not happen tonight, but it would happen, and when it did …

Devlin shifted and angled his laptop to hide a die-hard boner. Frustrated, but content.

He glanced at Chloe, sitting at the other end of the leather love seat, a mountain of research materials between them. His. Hers. After pigging out on “a little bit of everything” from Chang Li’s, the only Chinese restaurant in Sugar Creek, they had changed into sweats and tees and settled in with their projects. They’d been working in companionable silence for over an hour, although once in a while she asked him a question about one of the members of Cupcake Lovers or for clarification on a charity event. Just now she surprised him with an enraged outburst.

“She has
got
to be kidding!”

“Anyone I know?”