The Mighty Quinns: Devin (7 page)

“How long until you go off duty?” she asked. “I suppose I could wait.”

He chuckled softly. “Another hour.”

“And what are you going to do with me until then?” Elodie asked.

“I'm going to take you home and avoid all further temptation.”

He helped her dress, and Elodie could see that he was already regretting his decision. His fingertips skimmed along her naked shoulders and his palm brushed against her breast. With each innocent caress, she felt the need growing inside her.

It was time to put an end to this simmering attraction between them, time to see exactly where their desire might take them. There was no reason to wait. “Who would have thought that I'd be the one to lose my inhibitions and you'd turn into an upright citizen? Kind of a strange switch, isn't it?”

“What are you trying to say?” Dev asked.

“I remember when you weren't afraid of anything.”

“I'm not afraid,” he said, his jaw tight. “I just have a lot more to lose. I was just some punk kid back then, Elodie. I didn't care about anything or anyone—except you. But I'm trying my damnedest to keep this town from crumbling into dust. Since the mill closed, a third of the population has left. Half of Main Street is boarded up. And I'm just trying to keep things in order until something or someone comes along with a lifeline.”

“What kind of lifeline?”

“I don't know. Some kind of project that will bring businesses back. Some way to make this town attractive to tourists and then families.”

Elodie thought again of her idea for the mansion. Could that be a starting point? The mill was standing empty. Maybe there was something to be done with that building, too? But putting Winchester back on the map was a long-term commitment. She'd come to town to take care of her own business and then leave. The last thing she wanted to do was get involved in some complicated project that might never succeed.

“You're a good man, Dev.” She finished buttoning the front of her dress and then ran her fingers through her damp hair. “This town is lucky to have you.”

“You make me sound like some kind of Dudley Do-Right. I'm a small-town cop,” he said. “Nothing more.”

She pressed her palm to his chest. “I wasn't talking about your job. I was talking about your heart. A lot of people would have walked away from this town. A lot of people did, but you chose to stay and make a difference. That's not duty. That's love.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a fierce hug. “Thank you,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

It was amazing how they understood each other. It was as if she could read his mind, anticipate what he was going to think or say. There was something exciting in finding that kind of relationship with a man. It made him even more attractive.

He held her for a long time, the warm night breeze drying the last bit of dampness from her skin. And then, tipping her head back with the soft touch of his hand, Dev kissed her. His tongue teased at her lips, then invaded the warmth of her mouth, at first playful and then deeply passionate. There was a way he had of completely possessing her, demanding surrender no matter how innocent the encounter.

Elodie had always maintained a safe distance with the men in her life, controlling her emotions and never allowing herself to become too dependent on anyone. But with Dev, the choice was out of her hands. She trusted him. She'd known him for most of her life. And nothing she saw in the grown-up man had changed her opinion. He was still her white knight, only now he wore a badge and carried a gun.

When he finally drew away, Elodie sighed softly. It was so easy to kiss him, yet she knew with each kiss, with each intimate encounter, her choices would only grow more complicated.

 

4

D
EV
DROPPED
E
LODIE
off with a kiss and a promise to come back when his shift was over. In turn, she promised to leave the kitchen door open.

He'd promised himself he'd stay away from her until tomorrow, but after seeing her naked, after touching her and holding her, there was no way he could wait to be with her again. But it seemed that the fates had decided to ruin yet another evening for them.

“You were caught with a gun in the car,” Dev said, fixing his gaze on Jimmy Joe Babcock, who sat across from him in the interrogation room in the police station. “An unregistered gun. Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?”

“It's not my gun,” Jimmy Joe said. “I didn't even know it was in the car. I swear, I didn't.”

“Whose gun is it?” Dev asked.

Jimmy Joe stared down at his hands, shifting nervously as Dev waited for an answer. “I'm not sure.”

“I don't believe you.”

“I can't... I can't say whose it is.”

“Then you want to take the heat for something you didn't do? Jimmy, I know you want to make something of yourself.”

“I do. I want to be a cop. Like you.”

Dev sat back, surprised by the determination on Jimmy's young face. “You can't be a cop if you're charged with a felony. And possessing an unregistered gun is a felony.” He decided not to tell Jimmy the whole truth, that he probably would be charged as a juvenile and he could probably make a deal to avoid a felony charge. But right now, Dev had some leverage and he wanted to get to the bottom of Jimmy's problems.

“Let's just say I know who this gun belongs to,” Dev said. “You don't need to tell me.”

Jimmy nodded. “Do you?”

“I have a few ideas. But if I bring those people in and they lay this on you, there's not much I can do. Are they going to admit the truth?”

Jimmy thought about his answer for a long moment, his lip caught between his teeth. Dev was surprised when tears began to fill his eyes. With a soft curse, he brushed them away. He slowly shook his head. “I doubt it. I think he's maybe not gonna want to go back to jail.”

Both Jimmy's father and his older brother had done time, and his brother, Ray, was on parole. Until recently, it had seemed as though Jimmy was going to follow in their footsteps. But Dev had hoped that his new job might put him on the straight and narrow.

“I believe you, Jimmy.”

“You do?” A look of utter relief washed over his features.

“I do. But you're going to have to make a choice. This is one of those moments when you decide the kind of man you're going to be. Are you going to stand up for what's right and true? Or are you going to make excuses for people who don't deserve your loyalty?”

Jimmy's hopeful expression faded. “Shouldn't a man try to protect his family?”

Dev pushed his chair back and stood. “Well, I guess since you're going to have to get used to living in a cell, you might as well start now. I can't do anything for you here. The county sheriff picked you up. This is their case, not mine.” Dev reached in his pocket and handed Jimmy his card. “If you change your mind, you just shout and ask them to call me.”

Dev walked out of the room, glancing at the clock in the hallway. It was nearly midnight and he'd promised Elodie that he'd be over two hours ago. He'd sent her a text to let her know that he'd been delayed, but she hadn't answered. At some point it was natural for her to get irritated with the demands of his job, especially considering her upbringing. But there was nothing he could do about it.

Deputy Sam Rivers walked down the hall toward Dev, Jimmy's case file in his hand. “Did he tell you anything?”

Dev sighed. “It's not his gun. I'd bet my paycheck it belongs to Ray Don, his older brother. But he won't admit to it because his brother's on probation and a gun charge will send him right back to prison. Jimmy's got to decide for himself. Let him spend the night here, but hang on to his paperwork. I'll go at him tomorrow morning again. Call his father and let him know that he's going to be charged. You're going to want to talk to Ray Don. If you can't find him, call his probation officer. If you still can't find him, let me know. I'll grab him up for you.”

If Elodie weren't waiting, he'd go out and find Ray Don right that minute and haul him in before he figured out that they'd found the gun in Jimmy's car. But a hungover Ray Don was much easier to question than a belligerent drunk. Dev would sit him down in the morning and play on his brotherly love, give him a chance to do the right thing, to give Jimmy the opportunity that he never had.

Dev cursed beneath his breath. Now that he'd taken an interest in Jimmy, he couldn't just desert him, no matter who Dev had waiting for him. “Never mind. I'll call Ray Don's probation officer and find out what he's been up to. I'm going over to the house right now to talk to Jimmy's father.”

In the end, he spent another two hours trying to get Jimmy out of jail and realizing that the kid had it a lot harder than Dev had ever realized. Neither his brother nor his father had any intention of copping to the gun charge, and they seemed almost relieved that Jimmy was willing to take the heat for something he hadn't done.

By 2:00 a.m., Dev wondered if he ought to just go back to his place and try to explain everything to Elodie in the morning. But he didn't want to be alone. He wouldn't be able to sleep, so why not take a chance with Elodie? Just one kiss would be enough to wipe away the frustrations of the evening.

Dev decided to leave the cruiser at his place, in case he did spend the night with her. He stripped off his uniform and shrugged into a T-shirt and a well-worn pair of cargo shorts, then put on his trainers and jogged back out into the humid night.

He started at a slow jog, breathing deeply as he listened to his footsteps on the silent street. He loved being out in the dead of night, when the town was sound asleep. Whenever he felt restless, he'd jog along the streets, enjoying the calm that always seemed to dissipate once the sun rose.

By the time he reached Elodie's neighborhood, a soft rain had begun to fall, the drops a relief on his warm skin. A distant roll of thunder brought a fresh, cool breeze, and he breathed deeply and increased his pace.

The mansion on Wisteria Street was dark as he approached. He wiped the rain from his eyes, then carefully scanned the street, wondering if there was anyone awake and watching. Then, Dev jumped over the gate and dodged through the shadows to the front door.

When he found it locked, Dev circled the house and went to the back, remembering that she'd said she'd leave the kitchen door open. But it was locked, as well. Cursing softly, he continued around the house until he stood beneath her bedroom window. The curtains fluttered against the screen and he smiled to himself.

How many times had he climbed the trellis onto the roof of the veranda and sneaked into her room late at night? She'd leave a light on, covered with a silk scarf, and be curled up in her bed, waiting. Dev closed his eyes and let the memories wash over him.

He'd always made the climb with a healthy dose of fear in his heart, praying that he wouldn't get caught by her father or one of her brothers. Now the fear came from praying he wouldn't slip and break a leg. He wasn't quite as nimble as he had been as a seventeen-year-old.

“This will make for another amusing scandal,” he muttered. “Police Chief Breaks Leg Sneaking into Local Woman's Bedroom.” It seemed as if every encounter with Elodie lately came with an accompanying headline.

He took a deep breath, then shimmied up the old trellis at the end of the veranda. He heard the wood snap beneath his feet, and for a moment he was afraid the whole trellis was about to come down. But it held long enough for him to grab the edge of the roof and swing himself up.

Carefully, he made his way to her window, the roof slippery beneath his feet. A small expandable screen held the window sash up, and he pulled it out. But the moment he did, the window slid down. Dev stuck his hand underneath it to keep it from slamming shut. He bit back a howl as his fingers were pinched between the frame and the sash.

By the time he pulled the sash up again, his entire hand was throbbing. He crawled through the window, then replaced the screen. Cursing softly, he rubbed his fingers until the ache subsided.

He turned and faced the bed, taking in the sight of her, her long limbs bare, her hair spread across the pillow, her features soft and relaxed.

She wore a thin cotton nightgown that was twisted high on her thighs. Dev stood next to the bed for several minutes, just watching her sleep, listening to the even cadence of her breathing. She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever set eyes on. He'd known it that night at the Christmas party and he knew it now. There would never be another woman for Dev.

Thunder rumbled, this time louder, and he held his breath as she stirred. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her. He tugged off his T-shirt and kicked out of his shoes, then skimmed his shorts over his hips. Holding his breath, Dev carefully sank down onto the bed, then stretched out beside her. “It's just me, Ellie,” he whispered.

“What time is it?”

“It's really late.”

She smiled and a long sigh slipped from her lips. He closed his eyes and allowed his body to relax. Outside, the storm intensified as lightning split the night sky and the wind rustled the trees outside the window. Though he wanted to wake her, to pull her body beneath his and make love to her, Dev was content to merely lie beside her.

She rolled over in her sleep and faced him, and Dev took her hand and pressed it against his chest. Her eyes fluttered open, and Elodie smiled again. “Did you crawl up that trellis?”

Dev chuckled. “Yes. You locked the doors.”

“I got spooked. I didn't think you were coming.”

“I got held up at work,” he murmured. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “But I'm here now.”

She smiled, her eyes sleepy. “You're here.” She gently pushed him back into the pillows, then crawled on top of him, her legs straddling his hips. “Now, what am I going to do with you?”

* * *

E
LODIE
HAD
FANTASIZED
about this moment so many times over the past decade. Now that he was here, lying nearly naked in her arms, any doubts she had were quickly melting away.

Though sex had always come with insecurities and regrets, Elodie refused to let that happen with Dev. For as long as they were together, she was going to enjoy him. It wasn't often a woman got a chance to relive her past, to recapture a moment that had slipped away. This was that chance, and she wanted him more than she'd ever wanted anything in her life.

She smoothed her hands over his chest, taking in the hard ripple of muscle beneath the warm skin. He had become an extraordinary man, she mused. Strong and chiseled, so different from the boy she'd known. And yet, there was still some of that boy left inside him, in the devilish glint in his eyes and the crooked smile he gave her now.

“It's strange, being in this bed and not having to worry about getting caught,” Elodie said. “It's kind of liberating, isn't it?”

“We don't have to be quiet,” he said. He arched beneath her, and she felt his erection between them. “We can move.”

“So what should we do first? How did you imagine this might happen all those years ago?”

“I always imagined we'd both be naked,” he said.

Elodie laughed. “We were both a bit shy about that. I don't think I ever saw you completely naked, not with the lights on.”

He reached for the hem of her nightgown. “And I never saw you, either.”

Elodie hopped off him and stood beside the bed. “I want you to see me now.”

Dev rolled off the bed and stood in front of her. “Me, too.”

“We'll go together,” she said.

She pulled her nightgown over her head and he tossed aside his boxer shorts. They stood and stared at each other for a long moment before Elodie laughed.

“Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for,” he murmured.

“No, I'm not laughing at you. You're...perfect. You're a Greek god in human form. And I'm so nervous I might pass out.”

“Dressed or undressed, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever known,” Dev said.

The compliment bolstered her confidence, and Elodie reached out and placed her hand on his chest. Slowly, she let her fingertips trace a path down and across his belly to his shaft, now hard and erect. She'd never really looked at him or touched him in all those months of teenage intimacies. Now, she couldn't seem to stop herself.

As she slowly began to stroke him, Dev groaned, and he reached out, furrowing his fingers through the hair at her nape. Elodie gazed up at him and found his eyes closed, intent on maintaining control. She realized then that she had a choice. This first time could be fast and fiery. Or she could make it a long, deliberate seduction. He was obviously willing to let her take the lead for now.

Elodie pressed her palm to his chest, gently pushing him back to the bed, and they tumbled down into the tangle of bed linens. His chest gleamed in the soft light from the lamp, and every now and then a flash of lightning would cast everything in a harsh gray tone.

She bent over him and traced a path of kisses across his chest, moving from one nipple to the other. He pushed up on his elbows and watched her through passion-glazed eyes, his fingers smoothing the hair away from her face. As she moved lower, following the path her hand had taken earlier, he flopped down on the bed, clutching the sheets in his fists.

The instant her tongue touched his shaft, his body jerked. And when she took him into her mouth, he moaned as if the pleasure was more like pain. But Elodie had learned a lot in the days since she and Dev had been together, and she was anxious to prove that she wasn't the same girl he'd once loved.