Page 64 of Devlin

But she'd promised him and herself that it was just for a night.

And the night was over.

She put on her clothes, trying to be as quiet as possible, because if he woke up, if he asked her to stay, she didn't see how she could possibly say no. She had to leave now—before it was too late.

Although, she had the somewhatdesperate thought that it might already be too late, that her feelings for Devlin might be about as far from simple as they could get.

When she entered the living room, she thought about leaving a note.But what would she say?She'd said it all with her actions. Words would only add complications that neither of them wanted.

She slipped out the front door and jogged down the steps.Fortunately, no one was at work yet to see her walk of shame. Once outside, she headed toward her dad's house, which was only a few blocks away. It felt good to be outside, to feel the rising sun on her head, to see the sparkling blue of the ocean.

She felt both happy and a little sad. She loved King Harbor. It was going to be hard to say good-bye—not only to the city but also to the manshe'd left sleeping in his very comfortable king-sized bed.

Being with Devlin had felt absolutely right. The chemistry between them was off the charts, but it was the emotional connection that had surprised her. They'd been completely in sync in every way. And it hadn't all been about sex; it had also been about laughter, joy, talking into the dark hours of the night, falling asleep ineach other's arms.

Dammit, she silently swore.

She wasn't supposed to fall for him.

It was just a fling, a one-night stand—light, easy, breezy—but she already wanted another night.

Maybe she could have one…she wasn't leaving for a few more days.

Two nights could still be a fling—even three. Four might be pushing it. Five definitely too much.

Oh, who was she kidding?If she went back to Devlin again, she'd probably never find the strength to leave. It would never be enough.

Wanting to outrun her turbulent thoughts, she jogged the rest of the way home. When she entered the house, she was surprised to hear her father's voice. She hadn't thought he would be home from Portland until the afternoon.

He came down the hallway, a concernedlook in his eyes. "Where have you been? It's barely seven."

She suddenly felt like a teenager caught after curfew and felt her cheeks flushing with heat.

Her father's gaze narrowed. "Devlin?"

She was an adult. She didn't have to explain or apologize, but she found herself wanting to do both.

"Forget it. You don't have to tell me," he said quickly.

"I didn't thinkyou'd be home so early."

"I don't sleep well in hotels. I left at five."

"What happened at the interview?"

"They made it clear they'd like to have me on board."

"What did you say?"

"That I had to think about it."

She could see the stress in his eyes and in the weary lines across his weathered face. He'd aged five years since he'd lost his job. "Would youreally leave King Harbor? It has been your home forever. You swore you'd never leave."

"I know I did, but things are different now."

"Devlin still wants you back. His father is coming home today. He's going to talk to him again. He will put his career on the line for you."

"I never asked him to do that."

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