Page 25 of Devlin

"Not at all. Whose boat will you be sailing?"

"Not your business."

"I'll find out soon enough."

"Then that's when you'll find out." She didn't particularly want to hear his opinion of theDaisy Mae'schances against theWind Warrior, because her dad was right. This boat would be tough to beat. It had all thebells and whistles anyone could want, and probably some features that no one but her dad and Devlin had thought about.

"Want to come aboard?" he asked.

"I should probably get back."

"You know you want to see the boat."

She hesitated, not liking the knowing gleam in his brown eyes, but he was right. "I'm a little curious," she admitted.

He extended his hand, andas she moved up the stairs, his warm fingers curling around hers, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her. When she hit the deck, she stepped away as quickly as she could, trying to calm her suddenly racing heart.

Devlin gave her a look that told her he knew exactly how she was feeling.

She turned her gaze away from him, trying to focus on the boat. TheWind Warriorwas brandedas a B40, referencing the Blackthorne brand and the forty-foot size. Even on first glance, it was easy to see that every detail was designed to provide both comfort in cruising and speed in racing.

The cockpit was uncluttered, the large 48" wheel, allowing the helmsman and mainsheet trimmer to sit side-by-side upwind. The rigging was simple and clean, with lines leading to winches on eitherside of the companionway. The main sheet was double-ended with a winch on either side of the cockpit so that the mainsheet trimmer could sit outboard.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"She's very pretty."

"Yes, she is. Now, I need to see how fast she can fly."

"I should let you get to it."

"Why don't you come with me, Hannah?"

The invitation was both unexpectedand very tempting. "Aren't you afraid I'll see too much, now that I'm your competition?"

"Since your father built every inch of this boat, there are no secrets. When's the last time you were out on the water?"

"Probably five years," she admitted.

"That sounds like a lifetime to me."

"It actually feels that way to me, too. I've been meaning to get back to King Harborfor a while, but I got busy with work, and I never seemed to find the time."

"Well, now is the perfect time for a sail. Are you really going to turn me down, Hannah?"

How on earth could she say no to the sexy lure of not only Devlin but also the ocean?"All right. I'll go," she said, hoping she wouldn't regret it.

"Great. It will give me a chance to see how good you are."

"So, you do have an ulterior motive." Now that he'd reminded her that her skills were about to be shown, she was plagued with doubts. She was rusty and if he saw that, it could give him an edge. Although, in reality, it was her father he had to beat. She'd be doing whatever her dad told her to do.

Devlin jumped off the boat, releasing the lines and then pushing off before he jumpedback on board to take the helm.

As they motored their way through the harbor, she was surprised by how many boats were in port. "It's crowded," she commented.

"The racers come earlier and earlier every year. For this event, we already have a record number of boats competing. That's why I was wondering what boat your dad had found."

"Like I said, you'll have to keep wondering."

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