Feisty Read online

  “Hey, Red? Are you going to play?” Cordell Farr hollered. The local veterinarian, who worked with Jacob Collins, struck the volleyball and it flew over the net.

  Sahara turned her dreamy fuck-me eyes to Devon. “Do you play?”

  It was difficult for Devon not to read things into what she said, but it was the sexy way she said it that had his heart beating a little faster. Then there was the way she drank him up with one look, sending his mind reeling. He tipped his head from left to right, listening to his tight muscles and tendons crackle and pop.

  “Sure.” He kicked his sandals off and reached for the hem of his T-shirt.

  Sahara watched as Devon unveiled firmly sculpted muscles and dark golden skin. Female appreciation touched her lips as she visually skimmed across his defined six-pack. What she would give to reach out and touch his bulging biceps, trace those sensual veins in his arms with her fingertips. A light sprinkle of dark hair graced his broad chest, thinning as it slipped south to disappear into his boardshorts. Although loose, the material didn’t hide the fact he had nice muscular thighs.

  Oh yeah. She planned to have a piece of him tonight. Thankfully, she didn’t have to worry about Jake, her fifteen-year-old nephew. Errol Mitchell had taken a liking to the boy and he’d hired him over the next couple of weeks to work around his home. When Errol had offered to let Jake stay at his house, Leo had thought it was a good idea. The boy couldn’t stand all the girly wedding stuff going on at Leo’s place.

  She scanned the area looking for her nephew. Jake was tossing a football back and forth with a man who had been introduced to her as Sam Doherty. She wasn’t sure what her eldest brother and his wife Sandy were complaining about. Jake had been a perfect angel since they’d arrived. Not the hellion Neal had said the boy had become.

  Hopefully, Neal’s business trip would wrap up in time for him to attend the wedding. Leo had been disappointed that his brother wouldn’t be standing up for him, but business was business. Neal was traveling offshore more than he was at home these days. Perhaps contributing to why Jake acted out.

  When she glanced back at Devon, she realized it had been too long since she had let down her hair and had some fun. Even longer since she had woken up in a man’s arms. Between public functions she was expected to attend with her family and her own job as a real estate developer, she was busier than a one-armed paperhanger.

  “Want a beer?”

  She nodded and Devon quickly left her side. Enjoying a thorough examination of his backside, she hummed, “Not bad—not bad at all.”

  Every man in her life up to now had been Ivy League, clean cut, with a future like her own—promising. Not to say Devon didn’t have a promising career. She breathed in the clean ocean air. Laughter surrounded her as more friends and family of Whispering Cove arrived. According to Leo, Reece and Devon were going places. Developers from all over the United States sought them out for their commercial building expertise, but instead of branching out into other areas of the country, Devon continued to only work for Reece. She glanced at Leo and Sky. Her quiet, reserved brother had his arms around his fiancée’s waist.

  Skylar Wellington was a councilman’s daughter who had run away from the demands of her father’s life. Sahara had met Councilman Wellington at several social functions. He was a formidable man, cold and driven, so unlike Sahara’s father. As a Supreme Court Justice he definitely had his ideas of right and wrong, but he was also loving and understanding. Still, it had taken both her mother and father a little time to accept Leo’s path in life, but they had.

  What was she talking about?

  One of the reasons she’d hightailed it to Whispering Cove early was to see for herself why Leo had chosen a simple existence over one filled with status and money, everything at their fingertips. Sahara was spoiled and she always got everything she wanted, which included men. She grinned as Devon approached, holding two beers.

  Something about this man did it for her. He was real—all man. Not like most men she knew who had never changed a flat tire, much less a light bulb.

  Without a word, Devon handed her a beer. The chill of the moist bottle rippled across her warm skin. She took a drink, trying not to cringe when the cold, bitter ale touched her taste buds. She would have preferred a wine cooler, maybe a mojito or a glass of champagne, but as they say, when in Rome…

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Yes.” Sahara was more than ready, because at that moment she had made up her mind. Tonight Devon was hers.

  Side by side they both started to step on the court when Cord yelled, “Taylor. They could use you on the other side.” Devon didn’t hesitate. He chugged his beer, wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and tossed the can in a nearby trashcan before he joined the other team.

  Disappointment was Sahara’s first response. Yet when he turned around and faced her, she realized this was a great position to watch every one of his muscles in action. She took one more sip of her beer before setting it on the ground and taking her place.

  When the game began, she wasn’t surprised to see how athletic Devon was. He knew exactly what he was doing. His firm body stretched as he jumped up with a cut shot, spiking the ball at a sharp angle across the net. He even acted as a decoy, appearing as if he were about to spike the ball again, when another teammate received the volleyball instead. It was obvious many of these people had played together before. She was the outsider here.

  When the first game went to Devon’s team he leaped into the air, bumping his chest with another man’s, a person Sahara had yet to meet. Later on she heard a long-legged blonde call him Ryan.

  As they began the second game, Cord spiked the ball straight toward a barren spot on the other side of the net. Devon came from out of nowhere, dove for the ball and hit the sand, skidding as he struck the volleyball before it could hit the ground. When he looked up, he was lying on his stomach at her feet. Sahara thought she saw another flash of interest in his eyes, but he jumped to his feet, now covered in sand.

  He brushed himself off but the sand was unforgiving, sticking against the light sheen of perspiration covering his body. “I’ll be back.” He turned and ran toward the ocean, jumping in without a pause.

  The Atlantic was chilly, but he made it look so effortless that everyone followed him. One minute they were playing volleyball, the next everyone was diving into the ocean. Sahara, on the other hand, walked toward the water and hesitated. If she went in now it would destroy her hair and makeup. The day was still young and she had plans for the night.

  A startled scream ripped from her throat when someone grabbed her from behind and began to push her toward the frigid water. She fought him even as he raised her into his arms.

  When she realized it was Leo, she released an uneasy chuckle. “You wouldn’t dare.” But he did dare as he tossed her into a large, consuming wave.

  The shock of the fifty-five-degree water stole Sahara’s breath and she ended up sucking in a mouthful of salty ocean. A moment of panic gripped her as she struggled for the surface. Breaking the water, she inhaled, but when she attempted to stand another wave knocked her legs from beneath her. Once more she tried to gain purchase and failed. When a strong set of hands grabbed her, pulling her toward safety and air, she held on to him for dear life. Raising her eyelids, she stared straight into eyes as blue as the sky.

  “You okay?” Devon asked.

  As soon as she realized she would be all right, anger took over. She was going to kill Leo. That’s when she realized her brother had managed to do what she hadn’t—put Sahara in Devon’s arms.

  She feigned coughing and made a poor attempt to bat her now wet and heavy lashes. “I’m not sure.”

  “Do you want me to carry you ashore?”

  Devon would do that?

  Sahara hesitated a moment, before she realized what it would look like. One thing she wasn’t was helpless. “No.” He started to release her, but she held on tight. “Give me a moment.” Okay. Maybe she’d play
along a little longer. She laid her head against his chest and listened to the beat of his heart, which seemed to increase with each passing second.

  Damn. He smelled good. Even through the multiple aromas of the ocean and something cooking on the beach, she scented his cologne. Woodsy. Sexy. Intoxicating.

  “You ready?” his deep voice hummed in her ear.

  She didn’t want to let go of him, but she did, and he set her on her feet. Waves splashed into her, making her unsteady. She fought to stay upright, thankful when Devon assisted her to dry land before he let go of her.

  “Thank you.”

  “No problem. The Atlantic can be cold and a little frightening for some people.”

  “Not for you?” And evidently everyone else who continued to splash around and laugh like children.

  “Not me.” A grin spread across his face as a light-brown-haired toddler waddled toward him. “Or for this princess.” He scooped the girl into his arms and she squealed when his cool, wet skin met hers.

  Sahara’s heart dropped when a beautiful woman headed toward them.

  “She’s missed you.” There was no denying the child belonged to this woman. They shared the same hair and skin coloring. Their porcelain features made them both look like angels that had fallen from the heavens.

  “Katy, meet Sahara, Leo’s sister.” Devon bounced the girl in his arms and she giggled. “And this baby-cake is Katherine.”

  “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.