to put them.
“She’s gotten some nasty notices. She was trying to hide them from me.”
Devon sighed. He felt it run through her body though they were barely touching. “I was afraid of that. I’ll have the title people check to see if any notices were filed. This is something, unfortunately, we have to disclose to a potential buyer.”
“Dev—on,” he stumbled and noticed her smile again. It was getting easier to get her to do that. “There are some things I can discuss with my sister, but her financial status is not one of them. She’s pretty much shut me out for years. And I’ve been telling her she’s killing herself with all this folly with the nursery. She pretty much forbids me to ask about any of that stuff.”
She nodded.
He pulled out the delinquent power bill. “I’m going to go by this office and pay this bill today.”
Devon looked from the statement to Nick’s face. “That’s nearly a thousand dollars.”
“I’ve got savings.”
She grinned again.
“What’s so funny?”
“She thinks you buy toys all the time. Guns and trucks and equipment.”
“I do. But I don’t spend it all.” He paused and focused on her mouth. “I live a simple lifestyle.” If he knew her better, he’d have told her a big bed with fresh sheets and lots of pillows and a bottle of red wine wasn’t expensive, and was about the only thing he could think about right now.
She had focused on his mouth too, and, for just a second, there was the possibility of a kiss. He was hungry for it.
“Anything else I can do for you guys?” the cheerful high school-aged waitress chirped.
Nick noticed Devon had composed herself quickly, retreating into professional realtor mode. He sighed and reached for his wallet and gave the waitress his credit card. “No, thanks.”
I think you’ve done enough.
Chapter 7
Devon could hardly breathe all afternoon. Being so close to Nick’s body heated her blood and her pulse was pounding like she’d had three cups of coffee.
She nearly got into an accident on her way back to the office. After daydreaming in front of the computer for an hour, she realized she wasn’t going to get anything done. Since she had no appointments, she decided to leave early and pack her suitcase for the stay at Sophie’s.
Was she doing this for Sophie, or did she secretly want to be close to Nick? The way he moved, the way his voice sent a shiver down her spine, were all tantalizing recollections as she moved with zombie-like slowness, picking out her tops and jeans, a pair of old running shoes she knew she’d need for working in the yard, plus sunscreen and all her shampoo sample bottles.
She went to her underwear drawer and exposed the bright pink rabbit vibrator amongst her lacy things. She’d won the device at a bachelorette party. The new feelings she was having as a result of being so close to Nick were like those first stolen moments when she dared to turn the thing on and let it touch her. Closing her eyes, she imagined what it would be like if he touched her there.
With a shudder, she scolded herself to finish her packing and get over to Sophie’s. Inquiries were already coming in about the property, and if Nick was right and Sophie was in foreclosure, they’d have to hurry to get it sold in time. It would be the worst thing in the world for her to have to watch the bank take it back. Devon decided she would not let that happen.
The meandering roadway on Bennett Valley was always a pleasant drive. Turning up Sophie’s drive, she was disappointed to note Nick’s Hummer was not in the lot. But Sophie’s car was.
The sign read ‘closed’, which was odd. The door to the office was locked, so she went around the back. The house was also locked up.
She dialed Sophie’s cell phone and got voicemail. Thirty seconds later, Nick returned her call.
“We’re at her oncologist’s office.”
“What’s going on?”
“She hasn’t stopped vomiting since last night.
“She’s gotten some nasty notices. She was trying to hide them from me.”
Devon sighed. He felt it run through her body though they were barely touching. “I was afraid of that. I’ll have the title people check to see if any notices were filed. This is something, unfortunately, we have to disclose to a potential buyer.”
“Dev—on,” he stumbled and noticed her smile again. It was getting easier to get her to do that. “There are some things I can discuss with my sister, but her financial status is not one of them. She’s pretty much shut me out for years. And I’ve been telling her she’s killing herself with all this folly with the nursery. She pretty much forbids me to ask about any of that stuff.”
She nodded.
He pulled out the delinquent power bill. “I’m going to go by this office and pay this bill today.”
Devon looked from the statement to Nick’s face. “That’s nearly a thousand dollars.”
“I’ve got savings.”
She grinned again.
“What’s so funny?”
“She thinks you buy toys all the time. Guns and trucks and equipment.”
“I do. But I don’t spend it all.” He paused and focused on her mouth. “I live a simple lifestyle.” If he knew her better, he’d have told her a big bed with fresh sheets and lots of pillows and a bottle of red wine wasn’t expensive, and was about the only thing he could think about right now.
She had focused on his mouth too, and, for just a second, there was the possibility of a kiss. He was hungry for it.
“Anything else I can do for you guys?” the cheerful high school-aged waitress chirped.
Nick noticed Devon had composed herself quickly, retreating into professional realtor mode. He sighed and reached for his wallet and gave the waitress his credit card. “No, thanks.”
I think you’ve done enough.
Chapter 7
Devon could hardly breathe all afternoon. Being so close to Nick’s body heated her blood and her pulse was pounding like she’d had three cups of coffee.
She nearly got into an accident on her way back to the office. After daydreaming in front of the computer for an hour, she realized she wasn’t going to get anything done. Since she had no appointments, she decided to leave early and pack her suitcase for the stay at Sophie’s.
Was she doing this for Sophie, or did she secretly want to be close to Nick? The way he moved, the way his voice sent a shiver down her spine, were all tantalizing recollections as she moved with zombie-like slowness, picking out her tops and jeans, a pair of old running shoes she knew she’d need for working in the yard, plus sunscreen and all her shampoo sample bottles.
She went to her underwear drawer and exposed the bright pink rabbit vibrator amongst her lacy things. She’d won the device at a bachelorette party. The new feelings she was having as a result of being so close to Nick were like those first stolen moments when she dared to turn the thing on and let it touch her. Closing her eyes, she imagined what it would be like if he touched her there.
With a shudder, she scolded herself to finish her packing and get over to Sophie’s. Inquiries were already coming in about the property, and if Nick was right and Sophie was in foreclosure, they’d have to hurry to get it sold in time. It would be the worst thing in the world for her to have to watch the bank take it back. Devon decided she would not let that happen.
The meandering roadway on Bennett Valley was always a pleasant drive. Turning up Sophie’s drive, she was disappointed to note Nick’s Hummer was not in the lot. But Sophie’s car was.
The sign read ‘closed’, which was odd. The door to the office was locked, so she went around the back. The house was also locked up.
She dialed Sophie’s cell phone and got voicemail. Thirty seconds later, Nick returned her call.
“We’re at her oncologist’s office.”
“What’s going on?”
“She hasn’t stopped vomiting since last night.
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