DEV DROPPED ELODIE 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?”
* * *
ELODIE 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.
She was a woman, with a particular set of skills that could ensure Dev a night of intense pleasure. Using her lips and her tongue, she teased and caressed him, bringing him close to the edge before letting him slip away. Dev understood what she was doing, and he whispered desperate encouragement and then soft commands to slow down or stop. His fingers, still tangled in her hair, gently drew her away when it became too much.
Elodie knew he was dancing dangerously close to the edge, and she expected him to finally surrender, his body’s need for satisfaction outweighing his ego’s need for control. She drew him into her mouth again, but when she pulled back, Dev reached down and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her body along the length of his.
She wriggled around on top of him, and he held her hips tight against hers. “Don’t move,” he murmured.
“Why not?” she asked, shifting above him. The tip of his shaft slid along the damp crease between her legs.
“I want to get a condom.”
“I’ve got that covered,” she said. She pushed up on her knees and the next time she moved, he was there, ready to slip inside her. With a sigh, Elodie sank down on top of him.
It was the most marvelous, electrifying sensation in the world, having him, warm and hard, buried deep inside her. They’d enjoyed an emotional connection all those years ago, but this was much more than just sweet words and soft caresses. He was exposed and vulnerable, and she had his release at her command. Elodie felt powerful, yet blissfully happy at the same time.
She began to move above him, slowly at first, her palms pressed against his chest, her tongue teasing at his as they kissed. Her body reacted to each thrust with a wild rush of sensation, a current that set each nerve on fire until she could focus only on her own need.
And when he reached between them and touched her, his thumb gently massaging, Elodie realized how close to the edge she was. Instinct drove her ahead as she reached for the final wave of pleasure that would wash her into oblivion. Again and again, it was almost within her grasp, only for him to draw her away. And then, the first spasm hit and her breath caught in her throat before she dissolved into a maelstrom of pleasure.
When she was nearly finished, Dev finally let go and gave in to a powerful orgasm that left him shuddering and trembling with each movement.
Slowly, they drifted back to reality, their bodies damp with perspiration, the sheets tangled about them.
He buried his face in the curve of her neck and groaned, taking care not to move, still hard inside her. “I have to say, that was worth the wait.”
Elodie laughed, and he groaned again. “Sorry,” she murmured.
“I just want to stay like this for a moment. Then we’ll do it all over again.”
“Again?”
“I’m making up for twelve years,” he said. “That’s how long I’ve been imagining this.”
She rolled to his side, draping her arm around his waist and snuggling up against him. “Is that true? Have you thought about us?”
“Sure,” he said.
“What did you think about? Was it just about the sex?”
“Only sometimes. You’d appear in one of my fantasies. You know. Self-gratification.”
“Really?” she said. “You do that often?”
He shrugged. “There have been some long periods where I haven’t had a woman in my life and...well, a guy needs some relief.”
“And when you weren’t thinking about me sexually? What about then?”
He pressed his lips to her shoulder and considered her question for a long moment. “I would try to imagine you in different places, doing different things. There were nights when I’d just sit and stare at the moon, and wonder where you were and how long it might take for me to find you.”
“You could have searched for me on the internet,” she said. “Or found me on social media.”
“I suppose I could have. But then I would have known for sure, and I would have felt compelled to do something about it. And I was pretty certain that your life out there, beyond Winchester, was better than what you would have had here with me.”
“Why would you think that?” Elodie asked.
“Because you never came back,” Dev said.
Elodie looked up and met his gaze. Though he was smiling, she could see tiny shards of pain in his blue eyes, memories that just wouldn’t go away. She’d had the whole wide world to help her forget him. He’d had only this place, this town and the people in it.
“I’m here now,” she said. “And it’s not too late.”
Elodie wasn’t sure what she meant by those words. Too late for what? But any regret she had in saying them was brushed aside as Dev pulled her into a long, delicious kiss.
* * *
DEV WOKE UP SLOWLY, becoming aware of his surroundings bit by bit—the feel of unfamiliar sheets beneath his naked body, the floral scent that seemed to suffuse his pillow, and the sound of trees rustling in the morning breeze.
He smiled to himself as he reached out for Elodie, the memories of the night before flooding into his mind in a rush of wild images and powerful feelings.
When he found her side of the bed empty, Dev sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Ellie?” he called.
A moment later, she appeared in the bedroom doorway, wearing his T-shirt, a tray in her hands. “Breakfast,” she said with a grin. “I’m starving. What about you?”
“I could eat,” he murmured.
She set the tray on the bed, then crawled in beside him. “It’s nothing fancy. French toast, some fruit and coffee.”
“Coffee,” he said. She picked up an odd-looking glass pot and began to pour. “What’s that?”
“What? The coffee? I think it’s Italian roast.”
“No, the pot. It looks like a beer mug.”
“It’s a French press,” she said. “It makes really great coffee.” She frowned. “You’ve never seen a French press before?”
“Here in Winchester,” he said with a thick drawl, “all our coffee comes direct from a Mr. Coffee machine.” He took a sip of the coffee and was surprised at the taste, rich and syrupy, like nuts and chocolate.
“We need to get you out into the world a little bit more,” she said.
“They might have a few of these French things over in Asheville. There’ve been some rumors, but I’m not sure if they’re true or not.”
“Do you like to travel?” she asked.
“Yeah, but I haven’t done much. It’s not a lot of fun to go alone. Where’s the joy in seeing something amazing if you don’t have someone to share it with?”
“Where would you go if you could?”
“New York. LA. Australia. Spain. Egypt.” He glanced at her over the rim of his cup. “I suppose you’ve been to all those places.”
She nodded. “I have. But they’re all places I’d go again. And there are lots of places that I’ve never been that I’d love to see.”
“Well, when I inherit my millions, we’ll just hop on a plane and check out the rest of the world. Although, I can’t imagine any place better than Winchester.” The last was laced with enough sarcasm that it brought a giggle from Elodie.
“I don’t know. Winchester does have its charms.”
As she reached for the plate of French toast, a loud knock echoed through the empty house, followed by the frantic ringing of the doorbell. Elodie frowned. “Are you expecting anyone?” she asked.
“No one knows that I’m here.”
She jumped out of bed and searched the room for something to put on. When she picked up his cargo shorts and hitched them up on her waist, Dev had to chuckle. “Now that’s a sexy look,” he said.
“How small is your butt?” she asked. “These almost fit me. Clearly I need to go on a serious diet.”
“Don’t you dare,” Dev said. “I like you exactly the way you are.”
“Plump?” She hurried out of the room, and Dev listened to her footsteps as she descended the stairs to the foyer. He heard the creak of the front door and then a man’s voice. Frowning, he pushed the breakfast tray aside and crawled out of bed, searching for something to wear. All she’d left him with was his boxers. He grabbed them from the floor and pulled them on.
A moment later, Kyle Dunphy peered around the bedroom door. “Hey, boss.” He held out his hands. “Let me make something very clear. I can’t see anything. I’m not making any snap judgments. I’m just here to deliver some information and then I’ll get out of your way.”
“This couldn’t have waited?” Dev asked.
“I didn’t think so. But I’ll let you be the judge. By the way, we’ve been trying you at home and on the radio and we were all getting a little worried. It’s half past ten and you’re—”
“What? What time did you say it was?”
“Half past ten?”
“Sorry,” he said. He glanced around. “Where are my clothes? I need my clothes.”
“Let me just deliver my news and then I’ll get lost,” Kyle said. “I checked the registration on that gun that we pulled out of Jimmy Babcock’s car. It came back as stolen.”
“No surprise,” Dev said.
“Except that it was stolen in that gun store burglary in Asheville last month. The one where they got away with nearly a quarter million dollars worth of guns and ammunition.”
Dev cursed softly. “No wonder Jimmy’s family is willing to hang him out on this one. At least we’ve eliminated his father. He’s not smart enough to pull off a job like that. Ray and his crew could, though.”
“Well, ATF is going to come calling, and if we don’t want Jimmy swept along into this thing, you’re going to need to convince him to tell you what he knows, and fast.”
“All right. You go back to the station and see what you can get me on that gun store job. All the details. Before ATF gets hold of the gun, send it over to the county lab for fingerprints and DNA. And find Ray Don Babcock. I want to talk to him before the Feds do.”
“I’ll get right on it, boss.”
Kyle turned to leave, but Dev stopped him. “How did you figure out I was here?”
The officer shrugged. “It’s a small town, boss. It’s kinda hard to keep anything a secret. There’s been talk about you two since the moment she drove back into town. Lots of it is still speculation, but...”
“I trust you won’t be adding to the gossip?” Dev asked.
“No, sir.”
“Good. I’ll see you back at the station.”
With that, Kyle hurried down the stairs. Dev strode to the door and found Elodie waiting for him in the hallway. Her fingers played with the hem of his T-shirt. “I guess you’re going to need your clothes?”
“Was it really necessary to show him to the bedroom? You could have come up here to get me.”
“He said it was an emergency,” Elodie murmured. “And he seemed to know you were here. He must be a very good detective.”
“He’s not a detective. Just a patrol officer. According to him, the whole town believes we’re together.”
“Is that good or bad?” she asked.
He shook his head. “That remains to be seen.”
“You should probably go,” she suggested.
He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against him. “I don’t want to go.”
“I don’t want you to, either,” she said.
“Promise me we’ll do this again?” Dev asked.
Elodie looked up and met his gaze. “I promise. Again and again and maybe again—if you’re not too tired.”
He brushed a kiss across her lips. “I need my clothes.”
She tugged the T-shirt over her head, revealing the sweet curves of her body. He clenched his fingers, fists at his side, knowing that if he indulged in just one caress he might never leave. When she handed him the shorts, he quickly pulled them on over his boxers, then tugged the T-shirt over his head.
Now that he was fully dressed and she was completely naked, the thought of walking out was almost impossible to imagine. Though he was as loyal to the job as they came, there were moments when he wished he had more control over his time. “What are you going to do today?” Dev asked, swallowing hard.
Elodie turned and walked back to the bed, offering him a delightful view of her rear end. “I have some projects I’m working on. And I’m going to drive over to Rocky Point. They’ve got a small art museum that I wanted to tour.”
Dev didn’t want to leave without properly and thoroughly kissing her. But he knew he would only be delaying the inevitable. In the end, he reached for her hand and pulled it up to his lips, then pressed a kiss to her fingertips. “Last night was incredible. And I’m sorry I can’t stay for breakfast—and lunch.”
“And I’m sorry if I created any complications for you and your officer.”
“I’ll call you later?”
Elodie nodded. “I’ll be here.”
He left her in the bedroom, standing naked, her pale hair tumbling around her face in tangled waves. He had made her look that way, Dev mused. He’d mussed her hair and kissed her so hard her lips were slightly swollen. He’d made her heart race and her body ache. He’d brought her to release not once, but three times over the course of the night. He was responsible for that sweet, yet satisfied smile that curled the corners of her mouth.
He couldn’t muster a single ounce of regret for what they’d shared. Hell, he didn’t care if the whole town thought they were having an affair. He knew better than to try to stop the gossips. But he would take care not to give them more to talk about. He didn’t want to make more trouble for Elodie.
So, to everyone else, he and Elodie would seem like good friends and old acquaintances, a couple of people who occasionally shared a dinner out or a drive through town. But that would all change in the quiet confines of her bedroom. There’d be no holding back for either of them, no worrying about appearances.
Dev slipped out the back door, then made his way through the tangled mess that was the garden. He jumped the fence and then skirted the edges of two more yards before coming out on Azalea Street.
Picking up his pace, he started to jog. But no matter how fast he ran, he wasn’t going to outrun the feelings pulsing through him. He was falling in love with Elodie Winchester. And there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.