My heart does a little flip in my chest. Two weeks of sleeping beside him every night, and he still has the power to make me feel like a teenager with her first crush.
“Told you,” Lennon says, nudging me with her elbow. “Predictable.”
But I notice she’s sitting up a little straighter, running a hand through her hair as the men approach, and her eyes aren’t on Devlin or Jesse. They’re fixed on Carson.
Interesting.
“Ladies,” Jesse greets us, bending to kiss Aubree briefly. “Hope you don’t mind us crashing your party.”
“Not at all,” Aubree says, making room for him beside her. “The more, the merrier.”
Devlin slides into the seat next to me, his thigh pressing against mine under the table. “Having fun?” he asks, his voice low enough that only I can hear.
“Yeah,” I say honestly. “It’s good to get out.”
His hand finds mine under the table, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You look beautiful,” he murmurs, and I feel heat rise to my cheeks.
Carson, meanwhile, has taken the empty seat beside Lennon. “Lennon,” he says, a slight drawl in his voice. “Didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
“Why not?” she challenges, but there’s a playful glint in her eye. “I do leave the office occasionally.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” he says with a grin. “Last time I stopped by, Shawn said you were chained to your desk reviewing depositions.”
“Well, I’m here now,” she says, taking a deliberate sip of her beer. “And I’m off the clock.”
The tension between them is palpable, charging the air like lightning before a storm. I catch Aubree’s eye across the table, and she gives me a smirk. What the fuck is going on with my sister and Carson?
Another round of drinks appears, and the conversation flows easily. Jesse talks about the progress on the barn renovation, Aubree shares stories from her office, and Carson keeps making comments that make Lennon either laugh or roll her eyes, sometimes both. It’s nice being surrounded by people who care about each other, who care about me.
When a slow song starts playing, Devlin stands, holding out his hand to me. “Dance with me?”
I take his hand, letting him lead me to the dance floor. His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me close against his chest as we begin to sway to the music. I rest my head againsthis shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of him, soap and leather and spice that make up Devlin.
“Thank you for coming to get me that day,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. Maybe it’s the alcohol, or maybe it’s just being here, surrounded by life and laughter after coming so close to losing everything.
He pulls back slightly, looking down at me with those intense eyes of his. “You don’t have to thank me for that, Atlee. Ever.”
“I know,” I say. “But I wanted to anyway. I don’t know what would have happened if?—”
“Don’t,” he cuts me off gently. “Don’t go there. You’re here, you’re safe, and that’s all that matters.”
I nod and swallow the lump in my throat. “I’m just…I’m happy, Devlin. Really happy.”
Something flashes across his face, too quick for me to interpret. But then he’s bending down, his lips finding mine in a kiss that makes my toes curl. It’s not our most heated kiss, but there’s something in it, a tenderness and a promise that leaves me breathless.
“I need to use the restroom,” I murmur against his lips when we finally break apart. “I’ll be right back.”
He nods, reluctantly letting me go. I weave through the crowd toward the back of the bar, where the restrooms are located. The music is slightly muffled here, the lighting dimmer. I push open the door to the women’s restroom, grateful to find it empty.
After taking care of business, I wash my hands and check my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed, and my eyes are bright—from the alcohol, from the dancing, from Devlin. I look happy. I am happy.
I’m still smiling as I exit the restroom, but the smile falters when I find Deputy Noah Sanchez leaning against the wall directly across from the door.
“Miss Walsh,” he says, straightening up. “Just the person I was hoping to run into.”
My stomach clenches. I’ve seen Noah watching Devlin, seen the tension between them, but we’ve never actually spoken. “Deputy,” I acknowledge, trying to step around him.
He moves to block my path. “I’d like a word, if you don’t mind.”
