Once Amelia is asleep
He leaned back against the desk, bracing his hands on either side. You said you had a deadline. I do.
Then youll let the nanny monitor Amelia, and you will
Are you trying to keep me away from Amelia? His brows went up in obvious shock. No, he answered simply.
She was inclined to believe him, and she felt her guard go down a notch.
Then, what are you doing? she asked. Why did he care about her deadline?
Im offering you a place to work.
She studied his expression, the tight mouth, cool slate eyes, dark imposing brow. Youre being nice to me, she accused.
So?
So, its out of character. So, Im trying to figure out what youre up to.
Im not a monster, Devin.
The sound of her name made her chest go tight. But you are rather cold-blooded.
Silence followed her words.
Then he straightened away from the desk. He took a step toward her, then another, and another. A glow of awareness crept into his eyes. Devin, he whispered. At the moment, I am not feeling even remotely cold-blooded.
She tipped her chin to look at him. For the life of her, she couldnt come up with a retort.
He smelled fresh as a sea breeze. His skin was shaved close, his hair neatly trimmed and his gray eyes flecked with silver. His softened lips captured her undivided attention.
What are you doing? she managed to rasp. She ordered her legs to move, to leave, to flee, but they didnt obey.
I wish I knew.
His index finger touched the bottom of her chin. His breath puffed, soft and sweet, as his head tilted sideways. We cant, she murmured.
There was absolutely no doubting his intentions. But she found herself subconsciously stretching up. Her skin flushed hot. Her eyes fluttered closed. Then his lips brushed hers.
His arm snaked around the small of her back, tugging her to him, pulling her flat against his chest.
He swooped down and kissed her deeply. Her body instantly responded. Her arms wound around his neck. Her head tipped sideways. Her lips parted, tongue tangling.
An eternity later, as the blood pounded through her brain and arousal peaked across every inch of her body, Lucas suddenly broke the kiss. His breathing was loud, and she could swear she heard his heartbeat matching her own.
Turns out, he gasped, clasping her upper arms firmly and putting some space between them, we can.
Embarrassment washed over her.
She bit down on the heat of her lower lip and finger-combed her short hair back into submission, mortified that she let him kiss her, that shed kissed him back, enthusiastically.
It would have been bad enough if she hadnt liked it. But oh, dear, she had really, really liked it. She struggled to bring her hormones back into submission.
Like she had while they were jogging, she was completely off her pace, out of control. Her world was spinning wildly around her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
That was bad, she told him, shaking her head. That was stupid. We are not going to let this happen again.
They absolutely could not go around falling into each others arms, kissing each other, getting lost in passion when there were serious issues between them.
It was important they came to an agreement on that. He didnt respond. Lucas, she prompted.
His eyes focused on her. What? You want me to lie?
Four
Devin had escaped the Demarco mansion first thing the next morning, taking Amelia in her car and heading to Lake Westmire, well away from any possibility of a chance encounter with Lucas. She decided she would check on her plants, pack a few more of Amelias clothes, listen to any messages on her answering machine and double-check the fridge for anything that might spoil during the few weeks shed be away.
Lexi stopped by the house during Amelias afternoon nap. She convinced Devin to join her for a catamaran ride across the bay once the baby woke up. Devin was happy with the excuse to extend her visit. She decided that after the sail, shed give Amelia her dinner, freshen her up in a bath and then let her fall asleep on the way back to the Demarco mansion.
Out on the lake, in her little swimsuit and a cotton cover-up, Amelia sat happily between Devins legs, bouncing on the catamarans trampoline deck. When the cool water splashed up through the springy, open-knit fabric, she grabbed at it with her hands, giggling when it disappeared from her little fingers.
Define kiss, said Lexi, adjusting the main sail with practiced maneuvers as she changed their direction and they skimmed out across the rippling water.
A regular kiss, said Devin.
On the lips.
Yes. Devin wasnt sure anything else would have been noteworthy. Though she supposed Lucas kissing her on the cheek or forehead would have been pretty weird, too.
Full frontal hugging? asked Lexi.
Yes, Devin admitted. And, wow, that had been one great hug.
Groping?
No, she quickly denied.
But the kiss was good? Lexi persisted.
The kiss was great, Devin confirmed on a huge sigh of frustration. It would probably go down in the record books as one of her all-time favorite kisses. Whatever his ethics, whatever his conduct, Lucas Demarco knew how to kiss a woman.
She compulsively rolled one of the webbing straps on Amelias life jacket into a tight spiral, then she let it spring back open in her hand. But I dont get why he did it. The question had plagued her all night long.
Sometimes guys dont have a reason, Lexi offered, swooping some loose strands of hair back from her face as the wind grew stronger. They take random action. And, when it comes to sex, theyre ruled by their primal brains.
Number one, it wasnt sex. And number two, Lucas is not a random guy. And Devin doubted his primal brain ruled any of his actions. Hes logical, organized and compulsively goal-oriented. When he does something, its for a reason.
Do you really think you need to add paranoia to this situation? Lexi pushed hard on the tiller.
The boat canted to one side, and Devin braced herself with a rope handle, holding tight to Amelia. It doesnt count as paranoia, when they truly are out to get you.
Lexi rocked her head back and forth, obviously considering the merits of Devins point.
Ive been thinking, Devin added, completely convinced that Lucass kiss was part of some well thought out, detailed plan to gain an advantage over her. Im not going to just sit back and wait for his next move.
She anchored her white baseball cap on her head. If all I do is react to his maneuvers, then Im going to lose. Thats what happened in the temporary guardianship hearing. He had a plan. I didnt. And it cost me.
Lexi loosened the sail. So, what are you going to do?
Make a plan, Devin answered logically.
No kidding, Sherlock. What kind of a plan?
Im going to need your help with that.
It needed to be devious, brilliant, but the simpler the better. It needed to paint Lucas into a corner, but he couldnt see it coming.
You could kiss him again, Lexi offered. Thats the best you can do?
Youd turn the tables on him. Youre a gorgeous woman, you know.
Devin could see where Lexi was going with this. But is wasnt something shed be able to pull off. Im not exactly a vamp.
Lexis voice was laced with laughter. But you could be. You glam up good. Ill lend you a dress. Well do your makeup, get you some sleep-with-me heels, mess around with your hair.
Devin chuckled in return. And then what?
And then hes putty in your hands.
And?
A little pillow talk. You learn his secrets. Devin splashed some water at Lexi. Im not going to sleep with him.
Of course not. Just, you know, put on some sexy clothes, give him a couple of come-hither looks. If you can learn something useful about Konrador about Lucas for that matteryou can take it to court.
Lexi leaned far back to balance the boat in a freshening wind. Devin tightened her hold on Amelia and shifted her weight to help out. The sail rippled loudly in the wind.
It might work, Devin called to Lexi. I find concrete proof that Lucas and Konrad plotted Amelias birth for their own financial ends, and Im home free.
Lexi slowed the boat down as they neared her beach. And if hes already playing you on the sexual front?
Then Ill lull him into a false sense of security. Devin wasnt scared. Okay, she was a little intimidated at the thought of playing sexual politics with Lucas. But it was for a good cause, and shed simply have to make sure she kept her wits about her.
Lexi turned the boat for home. You should also snoop through his house.
Ive been thinking about talking to the staff, said Devin. Just idle chitchat. Im not going to grill them or anything. And, hey, if theres something interesting lying out there in plain sight
Lexi shot her a conspiratorial grin.
I refuse to sit back and do nothing, Devin defended.
You have my complete support, said Lexi. Besides, hes the one who forced you to stay there in the first place.
Devin gave a vigorous nod of agreement. If hes not smart enough to hide the evidence, then he deserves to get caught.
What do you think youll find?
I have no idea.
Looks like weve got company. Lexi nodded to the beach in front of their houses.
Not Lucas. Despite her bold words, Devin wasnt anywhere near ready to put her plan into action. She certainly wasnt ready to face him yet.
After their kiss last night, shed escaped directly from the library to her room. Then shed deliberately waited until his sports car pulled out of the driveway this morning before venturing down from the nursery to feed Amelia breakfast. Theyd made a clean break. And, if she was lucky, it would last until tomorrow morning.
Its Steve, said Lexi, adjusting the angle of the catamaran so that it pointed directly at the beach.
As they approached the shore, Devin prepared to jump off. She settled Amelia firmly against one hip, then she turned her body, feet dangling just above the water line.
She jumped and hit the sandy bottom. It slipped away beneath her heels, but she maintained her balance, trotting the last few feet alongside the boat.
She grasped the bow line with one hand, holding Amelia fast with the other. She neednt have worried. Lexi had put the boat expertly up on the beach and quickly jumped off herself.
Steve stood at the waters edge, and he stepped forward and smoothly relieved Devin of Amelia.
Looked like fun out there, he commented. He held Amelia aloft for a minute, grinning at her and babbling nonsense.
The baby smiled back, cooing a few sounds of her own and reaching for his nose. Steve propped her, bulky life jacket and all, against his shoulder, and Devin couldnt help contrasting his easy manner with the baby against Lucass awkwardness.
Lexi stripped off her life jacket and started work on the ropes.
I thought you might need some help, Steve explained to Devin.
Devin stripped off her own life jacket then took Amelia from Steves arms and unzipped hers. Help with what?
I assumed you were picking up a few more things from the house. For the baby. Maybe for you.
How did you know I was here? It was disconcerting to have him show up out of nowhere.
He pumped the staff for information, came Lucass unexpected voice.
Devin looked up in surprise to see Lucas striding across the beach, his shoes off, slacks rolled up a few turns and his suit jacket slung over his arm. Hes been spying on you, Lucas told Devin.
What about you? Steve challenged.
Theyre my staff, Lucas returned.
Did you two come together? asked Devin. She wasnt crazy about having any of the Demarco family invading her home turf. It wouldnt be much of a sanctuary if her problems kept following her out here.
No, they both answered simultaneously.
Well, I dont need help moving, she said, finishing the exchange with Steve.
Then she turned on Lucas. And you. Theres no reason for you to be here, either.
I wanted to make sure you were coming back. There was a wealth of awareness in his flat, frank stare. He knew the kiss had disconcerted her. And hed obviously guessed thats why she had fled.
Well, he was in for a surprise now. She was over the kiss, and she was going to ignore any lingering attraction she might have for him. From now on, he was the target of her investigation, nothing more.
Of course Im coming back, she told him breezily, switching her attention on Amelia, fixing her little sun cap and smoothing her wispy hair.
Despite her concentration, she could feel Lucass gaze. But she assured herself that he didnt know what was going on inside her head. As far as he was concerned, their kiss had meant nothing.
You should have told me where you were going. There was a rebuke in his voice.
Im a prisoner now? she couldnt help but ask. Youre under a court order.
She turned to peer at his expression, an unsettling thought taking hold. Would he somehow use this against her? Had he reported her for taking Amelia out of the Demarco mansion?
She advanced on him, voice going low. What did you do?
Damn it! Lexi shouted from behind her, and Lucas instantly sprang to action.
Devin whirled to see him drop his suit jacket and race into the lake after the catamaran. The wind had picked up, and the craft had slipped from the sand. The breeze caught the mainsail, and the boat was heading out into the middle of the water.
Lexi was chasing it, too, but Lucas was faster. As the water reached his waist, he dove in, swimming powerfully across the waves, only just managing to grab a stern line and hang on tight.
Lexi was chest deep in the water. Steve was still on shore.
And all three of them held their breath while Lucas made his way, hand over hand, along the rope. He grasped a handle on the pontoon and hauled himself, dripping wet, onto the accelerating boat.
I cant believe he caught it, Lexi breathed. That was just plain stupid, she cursed herself, her expression telling Devin shed been needlessly distracted.
Must have been a sudden gust, Devin offered in consolation, shading her eyes to watch as Lucas took control of the catamaran, ducking under the boom while he tacked to turn.