Feisty (3 page)

“Go?” she pleaded. “Peeze?”

“Do you mind, Devon?” The brunette looked timid and sweet. “The minute she saw you in the water she fought to go to you.”

“Sure.”

As he walked away with the little girl in his arms, Katy sighed. “He’s good with children. Katherine loves him.”

And what about Katherine’s momma? Did she love him too?

As they watched Devon dip the child’s toes into the cold water, Katy asked, “Will you be leaving right after the wedding?”

Maybe Sahara overestimated the ponytailed brunette. She didn’t beat around the bush. At the moment there didn’t look like any reason for Sahara to hang around after Leo and Sky left on their honeymoon to the Bahamas.

“Probably,” she responded.

Her gaze was still on Devon when Katy let out a squeal of surprise. When Sahara faced the woman, she was in a fireman’s arms. That’s when she noticed the ring on Katy’s hand. She was married, and apparently to the handsome man who held her.

“Sahara, this is Trent, my husband.” She slapped him playfully on the chest. “What are you doing here? I thought you had to work.”

Devon raised his hand and Trent waved back.

“Got off early to play with my girls, but it appears another man is already moving in on my territory.”

Katherine squirmed in Devon’s arms. “Daddy!”

The minute he set her down, she ran toward her father, who swung her up into the air and caught her. She slung her arms around his neck, giving him a big kiss on the cheek. His expression softened as he patted her now-soggy bottom.

“Let Daddy change his clothes and then we’ll go swimming.” He transferred Katherine into his wife’s arms. She gasped as the wet child touched her skin. “I’ll be back shortly.” Before he left he shook Devon’s hand.

The sudden clang of a bell startled Sahara, setting her heart to pounding.

Devon grinned and wagged his brows. “Time to eat. C’mon.” He nodded toward the growing crowd that surrounded a large pot hanging above a pit fire.

Trent chuckled. “I don’t think you’ll ever change.” Devon’s grin grew and Sahara’s heart fluttered. “Katherine, save Daddy a place.” He walked away while Katy glanced over to Sahara.

“The old saying, ‘A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, was coined after Devon. Food is always on that man’s mind.”

As Sahara began to walk between Katy and Devon, she hoped eating wasn’t the only thing on the handsome man’s mind.

“I hope you like lobster and crab. Katy is our local celebrity chef. She makes a mean seafood casserole. Hell, everything she touches melts in your mouth.”

Katy humbly blushed while she almost tripped in the sand.

Devon held out his arms. “Let me take the munchkin.”

When the four of them grew close to the crowd, Reece yelled for Devon to join him. He handed Katherine back to Katy and left, while Sahara followed Katy. They moved to the line that was forming.

“Everyone from town contributes to the first beach party of the season. The community and the local stores chip in to make this day a success. You won’t leave tonight hungry.”

That was Sahara’s plan. She looked around for Devon but he was nowhere in sight. She picked up a plate from the stack on the table. “You’re a chef?”

Katy nodded. “I have my own show, but I also work at the Seafarer, which is owned by my parents.” As Sahara decided between a pair of lobster and crab crackers and a wooden mallet, Katy continued. “My parents provide the crackers and mallets, as well as the forks. Tomorrow morning Mr. McDougal will have his metal detector out trying to locate all the crackers and forks we leave behind tonight.”

“Daddy!” Katherine left Katy’s side to join her father who carried a load of wood logs for the fire. The toddler placed her small feet on one of Trent’s and wrapped her arms around a single leg. He walked onward, carrying her strapped to one leg as he headed for the large cook pot.

“She’s adorable,” Sahara said.

“She’s a daddy’s girl.”

“Is Devon spoken for?”

Katy stopped in her tracks and eyed Sahara. “Well, that’s refreshing. A woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.” She placed a small bowl of butter in the recessed area of her plate. “No. But he’s a confirmed bachelor. Best of luck to you.”

Luck would have nothing to do with how the night would end, because what Sahara wanted she usually got. Tonight she wanted Devon Taylor out of his swimming trunks and into her bed.

After selecting a small lobster tail and several crab claws, she found Leo and Sky sitting at a picnic table eating. In front of them they had a number of delicious dishes that smelled as good as they looked.

Sky smiled, her eyes twinkling as she chatted with Leo. She loved him. Chills raced up Sahara’s arms, tingling as they spread across her skin. This was the moment she had hoped for, a sign Leo was making the right choice. When Sky leaned into his kiss, Sahara sighed as she took a seat across from them.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so…” Leo chuckled. “Disheveled.”

“I owe you for that.” Sahara didn’t even want to think what she looked like. She picked up her crackers and broke the shell on a crab claw. With the small fork, she dipped the moist meat into butter and placed it into her mouth. “Oh my God. This is to die for.”

“You can’t get any fresher.” Leo pushed a plate toward her that appeared to have everything from the ocean, except for maybe seaweed. “If you want to taste something worth dying for, take a bit of this seafood casserole Katy made.”

“The woman is amazing in the kitchen,” Sky agreed.

When Sahara placed a bite in her mouth she remembered Devon’s words.
“Everything she touches melts in your mouth
.
”
Well, it didn’t melt, but it sure made her take a second and third bite.

Reece and Tabby joined them at the picnic table, but when the pregnant woman attempted to climb in between the bench seat and table, she grumbled. “This sucks.” Forced to lean so far back to accommodate her belly, she couldn’t reach the plate her husband set before her. As moisture swam in her eyes, Devon approached with a chair.

How sweet. Considerate. He had anticipated his sister’s situation as he placed the chair at the end of the table. Reaching for her, he assisted his sister to rise. When she sat down, he helped scoot her inward. Then he looked at the table laden with food.

“Mmmm.” He caught Sahara’s eye. “You’re making my mouth water.”

“I don’t think a man has ever said that to me,” she cooed.

“Sahara!” Leo barked, while the people at the table laughed.

She shot her brother an innocent expression. But what thrilled her were Devon’s words as he walked away.

“I doubt that.”

Chapter Two

As the sun dipped in the west, a canvas of yellows, oranges and reds made the sky appear as if it were on fire. And that’s exactly how Devon felt. Even the ice-cold beer cradled between his hands didn’t extinguish the flame the red-haired woman stoked inside him. From her subtle brush against his hand as they both reached for the same napkin, to the coy glances across the way. Even now as she shimmied her slender hips into a pair of tight jeans, her sensual movements were orchestrated to drive him crazy.

And she was succeeding.

Jerking his bandanna off his head, he crammed the handkerchief into the pocket of the hoodie he’d thrown on when the evening cooled. Pushing his fingers through his hair, he rolled his head, tried to loosen his tight tendons. The day hadn’t gone exactly how he’d imagined it. He had hoped by sunset he’d be holding someone in his arms. Yet he hadn’t been able to get his damn mind off of one sexy redhead and how she felt as he held her in the ocean and she laid her pretty face against his chest.

“More! More! More!”

The cheering crowd pulled Devon’s thoughts from Sahara. A wall of men kept people a safe distance back as Trent and Adam, another local firemen, built a bonfire. With each log tossed into the fire the scent of pine rose and sparks burst free. The breeze captured them, taking them higher and higher into the air until they twinkled out.

When the fire was under control, several local women appeared, holding handfuls of long sticks—some speared with hotdogs while others held one or two marshmallows. As they passed them out to the children, a small band began tuning up. In no time, a soft melody played.

Devon enjoyed this time of the evening the most. The sun had completed its journey, leaving a star-studded night and a full moon that usually led to an unforgettable night. The excitement of the day had died into a peaceful, almost serene atmosphere. Soon families would come together for stories or dancing. The older generation would be the first to depart. While the teenagers snuck away, their parents would take the younger children home, which left the rest of Whispering Cove to find pleasure in the night.

The thought brought a certain redhead to mind. What the hell was wrong with him? He had never let a woman get under his skin before, especially one who was off limits. Maybe that was the fascination. He took one step and then another until he found himself at the water’s edge, waves licking at his ankles. As he stared blindly over the dark, rolling ocean, he placed the beer bottle to his lips and tipped it up only to choke when someone slapped him on the back. Drawing a forearm over his mouth to wipe up the spilled beer he’d spewed, he looked over his shoulder.

“What’s up?” Reece asked.

“Don’t know what you mean.” Devon knew he wasn’t fooling his best friend when the man raised a single brow.

“Really? You’re going there?” Reece handed him one of two beers he held pinched between the fingers of one hand.

Placing the empty bottle in the back pocket of his boardshorts, Devon popped the top on the cold beer now in his hand. “Dammit, Reece. She’s Leo sister.” When his friend flinched, he realized he’d struck a nerve. He started to apologize, but someone was approaching.

When Leo came into view, the tendons in Devon’s neck tightened again. “Caan,” he said, because he didn’t know what else to say.

Leo eyed him with an expression that set Devon’s nerves on edge. “You know she won’t stop until she gets what she wants.”

Devon couldn’t have hid his surprise even if he’d tried. “Excuse me?”

“Sahara has always been that way. When she sees something she wants she’s like a dog with a bone.”

Reece chuckled, while Devon remained baffled at where this conversation was heading.

Leo looked back to where his sister was encouraging Tabby to get to her feet. When the woman’s sensual body began to undulate, Tabby tried to follow. Her bulging belly made her dance moves seem awkward compared to Sahara’s sexy ones.

“Of course, if you’re not interested—”

“Caan.” Devon felt his eyes widen. “She’s your sister.”

Leo released a harrumph. “And if she had any idea you’re holding back because of me there would be hell to pay. Trust me. I learned early if I interfered it just fired her up more.” He shrugged. “I’m saying…”

Did Leo just give Devon a green light?

Leo must have read his disbelief. “Believe me, she can take care of herself. She’s driven. A relationship—marriage isn’t in her current plans. When the wedding is over, she’ll be gone and she won’t be back.”

Devon wasn’t prepared to be flat-ass told he would be nothing but a one-night stand. For some odd reason it didn’t sit well in his belly. An old insecurity raised its dark head from deep inside him. Was Leo warning Devon for his own good or was he saying he wasn’t good enough for his sister?

“If you’ll excuse me.” Reece slapped Devon on the back again. “I think I need to dance with my wife.”

“And I promised the first dance to my fiancée,” Leo added.

As the two men walked away, Devon held back, not knowing exactly why. Instead, he watched Sahara. She raised her arms into the air, swaying back and forth as she dipped low, before slowly rising with a seductive swing to her hips. His sister Kat had joined the two women and they began to dance together. When Reece arrived and dragged his wife to him, Tabby melted into his arms. Leo found Sky and they joined the couple, leaving Sahara and Kat to dance together, which didn’t last long when a couple of men, strangers Devon had never met, held out their hands to the women. When they accepted, Devon’s breath caught in his throat. A heat wave rolled over him, putting his feet in motion. It was time for Kat to go home.

When he reached his sister, she was snuggled close to the man whose hands rode past the small of her back. Devon tapped the man’s shoulder and the guy had the nerve to ignore him.

“Kat,” he growled.

Her eyes opened and she frowned.

“Mom looks like she needs to leave.” He glanced toward where their mother sat with Annette Wilson, who cradled her sleeping granddaughter, Katherine, and Hannah McGrath, Reece and Brody’s mother. Hannah watched over her son’s demon boys, who looked more like angels as they slept on a blanket spread across the sand.

“Heidi can take her home,” Kat retorted.

“Heidi left a while ago.” Even preoccupied with Sahara, Devon always knew where his sisters and mother were. After the sun had set, Heidi headed toward the car he had purchased for her. If he knew his youngest sister, the introverted girl had headed back to the house. Unlike Tabby and Kat, crowds weren’t Heidi’s thing. She would rather be reading or painting. He had high hopes for her. She would be someone someday. She didn’t share her art with many people, but she was talented and smart. If she didn’t pursue her artistic ability she could easily be an engineer or ocean biologist.

Unlike his sisters, he’d never had the opportunity to go to college. He worked for Reece and he probably always would.

“You take her home,” Kat grumbled.

“Are you ready to go?” The silky smooth voice came from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Sahara’s. When she had ended the dance with her partner he didn’t know, but he was glad she had.

Through an unexpected smile, he stared at Sahara. “As you can see, I have plans.” The evening was looking better and better. He dropped his gaze and skimmed it down the line of exposed skin that Sahara’s light jacket didn’t hide.