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He shook his head "You have no idea howhis hand "I’ll give you a ride home And behave yourself"

They were almost to the marina when he said, "Devon, we shouldI don’t knowspend soain "Do you need so?"

She shook her head "What’s up with you?"

"I’ain "I’ll keep that in ot to the truck, she asked, "Do you want a ride?"

"I think I’ll walk It’s just a few blocks And I should clear rab and kiss women like that And I could tell you didn’t like it I think I should probably do so Prove I’ht, Spencer It was just the twinkling lights and the wedding Made you feel a little reckless" She tilted her head and he really wanted to dig his fingers into that messy, willful short hair of hers So he put his hands in his pockets "Will you be all right?" she asked hi home"

Nine

Oh My God

Devon sat in the truck, in the driveway of her duplex She felt a slight tre in her extremities and it was not from cold or fear or e of desire that rippled through her arms, breasts, toesand lips He’d kissed her Really kissed her right off her feet He’d stunned and paralyzed her and it made her want to kiss him back

Instead she’d scared him away Which was probably for the best The last ti like that, it had been for Jacob, erous At least she thought that’s how Jacob see Of the seven women she’d lived with at The Fellowship, only three of the Jacob’s bed--Charlotte, Pilly and Lorna Devon had foolishly believed he had fallen for her--the new girl And the others didn’t tell her, warn her, didn’t explain that all the children were his When she’d realized the truth, she’d wanted to run for her life, and then it was the women who convinced her to stay "You don’t have to accept his advances and we’ll take care of you He ht try with you, but he would never hurt you or force you--you’re safe," Reese had said "You’re pregnant and have nowhere to go--just stay close toyou need" By which Reese meant food and shelter and friendship So at first she stayed because there was nothing else for her, then she stayed because she felt it was safe for her and Mercy It didn’t take long to realize what Jacob was--a do as he believed hieable But she was never his lover again and she could tell it ry as well, but he needed her medical skills in his caround she still couldn’t believe she’d allowed herself to be duped into that lifestyle But they all had Jacob liked ’eht Spencer was all the things Jacob was not She iuileless, honest and innocent; she kneas a single father, a er, a dedicated teacher She’d been successfully ignoring the fact that he was also hot--built, sexy, sweet Those deep brown eyes with the golden flecks under so brows--those eyes were deadly There were plenty of hot men around, but they were all locked into very serious relationships, so they were easy to ignore A little eye candy, that’s all, because all Devon wanted was a way to sort out her life and be free of the kind of entanglele, as new to Thunder Point as she as so kind She’d always been a sucker for this quality in a nore Spencer She had a feeling he could coo inside, she told herself The duplex was dark and although the suht was mild, it looked cold to her On instinct, she drove away from her home and across the small town to Scott’s house She parked, knocked softly on the door and waited until he answered He was changed into plaid flannel paja an open book and the house was diht?"

"Fine Fine"

"I ondering how How’s Mercy doing with spending the night?"

"Gabriella said the kids were very good They stayed up a little later than usual to watch a movie and were in bed around nine-thirty They’re curled up like a bunch of puppies, sound asleep Gabriella and Charlie went out for a while Want to check on the kids?"

"Maybe if I could just kiss her good-night"

He chuckled "Just down the hall"

She walked toward the bedrooether But there were only the two of them there and she circled back to Scott, a little panicked "Scott, Will isn’t there!"

"He’s not?" Scott joined her in the hall, then looked in his own bedroorated to ht since Mercy was born that I haven’t slept beside her"

She could see he was shocked silent for a ently "Would you like to take her home, Devon?"

"She’d be so disappointed," she said "She’s been so excited I’ll just kiss her good-night We both have to grow up sometime"

"Lay down beside her for a while, if that helps"

"But you’re going to bed"

"Not for an hour or so It’s okay I’ll be out here, reading for a while"

"Thanks" And she went into the bedrooirls were curled around each other, like sisters She e of the bed, an ar her sweet little-girl smell

Why couldn’t she be tempted by Scott? Maybe because it was obvious he wasn’t tempted by her? But Devon didn’t want a man at all! Since birth, they’d let her down, every one After all, her hbor to step in when Devon was orphaned The last man to be kind to her had betrayed her Men had never proved to be a good idea for her

Yet she was interested in this one, this Spencer, as cluooey inside