I cannot move; all I can do is stand there listening to him, the lapping water, the sun on my face, and I see him as he was then, and nothing has changed.
Look at me.
Just please look up and see me.
He would, and he’d smile and then turn back to Sebastian. The endless depths of envy I felt for my brother was unhealthy.
Sebastian’s not here now.
“Where the hell has my key gone?” he mutters, and he sounds so much like him that I fall back into the remnants of the infatuation that held me hostage all those years.
Danger barks, and Devon whips around. The relief on his face is disconcerting.
“Hey, Rebel. I wasn’t sure you were going to come.”
I suck in a deep lungful of salty air. Get it together, Sofia. “Morning.”
He smiles, and that smile is what breaks me out of my frozen state. I move one foot after the other until I’m looking down at his boat, and it’s nice. It’s nothing like his father’s paint-flecked, tortured vessel. This is white, clean, and smooth. New. There’s no squid ink or marks where knives have embedded themselves into the side. It’s much larger, too.
“Is this yours?”
“Yes,” Devon says and takes my hand, helping me onboard.
He turns back and snatches Danger up.
“I’ve got something for you, little buddy.”
I watch with huge eyes as he pulls out a teeny-tiny little life jacket and adjusts it around Danger.
“Devon,” I whisper.
“I’m not losing him; he’s part of the family.”
Part of your family? Our family? Whose? Don’t tease me like this.
He grabs another one and comes towards me. “May I?”
I make a sound that must be agreement, but all I can do is watch him like a baby owl, swivelling my head around as he slowly strips me out of my long cardigan, revealing my yellow bikini top. I feel worse than naked. What does he think? Does he like it? Do I horrify him? Can he see all theimperfect parts of me? He folds up the knitted fabric and tosses it onto the seat.
“But I don’t want to lose you either. Taking no chances,” Devon murmurs as he slips the life jacket up over my arm and helps me into it. Everywhere his fingers brush tingles.
“With me?” I ask stupidly. I need coffee and, clearly, a dose of reality.
He adjusts the straps, clicks the buckles. I am acutely aware of how close his hands are to my breasts. My chest heaves as I struggle to control my breathing.
Devon bites his bottom lip as he grabs the strap and yanks it tight. I slam up against him, gasping.
Slick pools between my legs and the heat I’ve been beating back with a stick returns with a vengeance. I shudder in his arms as he steps back just enough to give himself room and yanks hard on the second strap.
“No chances with you, Rebel. You will always be safe when you are with me,” he murmurs.
I melt. My knees get weak, and I have to grab onto him so I don’t collapse. He swings me up against him and holds me there until I get my legs under me.
“That’s never happened before,” I mutter with cheeks that are on fire.
“I do believe you just swooned for me,” he teases. A tiny smile lurks on his lips. I’ve never seen that one directed at me before.
“I did not!” I snap back and shove at his chest.
