Page 34 of Inheriting Miss Fortune

His hand moved to my hip as if nudging me aside so he could reach the kitchen towel, but instead of pushing me away, he pulled me closer. Dev’s face was close enough for me to see the honey-brown striations in the green of his eyes.

“It was definitely something,” he murmured, eyes lowering to my lips. “I wasn’t allowed to come. Never done that with someone before. Can’t imagine what it would be like if I got to do it all over again. I sure as shit wouldn’t hold back like I did the last time.”

Before I could fully process what he was saying, Foster let himself into the apartment, and I jumped away.

Dev’s words echoed in my head and in my gut the entire time Foster was there. Dev hadn’t been able to come when the two ofuswere together. I’d learned later, of course, that he’d had to save himself for the visit to Katie’s clinic the following day. If he’d never done that before his last hookup, that meant… that meantI’dbeen his last hookup. How was that possible? We’d had one night together two years ago.

Two years.

He hadn’t been with another man in two years? Why?

Could it have something to do with what he’d admitted to Foster the night they’d almost given it a try? That none of the opportunities he’d had since would compare?

Surely not.

My stomach tightened with need as I watched him. While I’d had plenty of hookups in the past two years, Devon McKay had been the gold standard since that night. It was true nothing I’ddone since then had come close to the one night I’d had with him.

Now, as I watched him with Foster, I tried to see their relationship as just an affectionate and trusting friendship, but it was hard to see Foster’s protectiveness and possessiveness as the behavior of someone who only regarded Dev as a friend. Surely, Foster wanted more.

Who wouldn’t?

“Dev tells me you’re from Dallas,” Foster said, jerking my attention out of the clouds.

I was sitting on the sofa enjoying a cold glass of white wine while Foster sat on the floor with Lellie and a few empty Tupperware containers and a wooden spoon. He was alternating between pretend cooking and pretend drum playing.

I tried to focus on being polite. “Yes. I grew up halfway between Fort Worth and Abilene. Little town called Gordon.”

Foster’s eyebrows lifted. “And you ended up practicing law at a fancy firm in Dallas. Must have busted your ass to make that happen.”

While I wanted to interpret his comment as snide, I chose instead to give him the benefit of the doubt. “I did. What about you? You from here?”

He nodded. “Born and raised. My mom owns a cafe called the Love Muffin. Way’s sister and her husband work there, too. I basically grew up in the center of the town’s gossip mill.”

Dev chuckled as he lowered himself to the floor near Lellie and handed her several plastic bottle caps he’d rescued from his recycling bin and washed in the sink. Her face lit up as she dropped them one by one into one of the Tupperware containers and began to stir with the spoon.

Dev spoke without looking up from Lellie’s play. “Foster’s mom is definitely the hub of gossip in town and the localmatchmaker. You’ll meet her on Friday. I think she’s going to help out with Lellie.”

Foster grinned at me. “If you’re not careful, she’ll set you up. Expect her to ask you all your preferences as soon as you meet her.”

He kept his eyes on me as if waiting for me to add to the conversation by going ahead and informing him of my preferences.

I didn’t.

Dev cleared his throat. “Tully’s not here for that.”

Foster glanced at me with dancing eyes that seemed to see right through me. “That right? You sure?”

I stood. “Anyone ready for a refill?”

Foster’s low laugh made me smile, but I’d be damned if I’d let him catch it. Instead, I headed to the fridge and leaned my head into the cool space to give my hot cheeks a break. Dev’s murmured warning for Foster to “lay off” was answered with another low laugh.

“This the guy?” he asked.

I didn’t hear a response. Instead, I imagined Dev shooting him a glare in hopes of silencing the teasing.

As I grabbed the wine and returned to the living area, I tried to remind myself that I was here for Lellie. I was not here for any reason connected to my dick. And even if I was, Dev himself had said I wasn’t here for that. He obviously had plenty on his mind right now without a one-night stand—even a best-ever one-night stand—showing back up in his life begging for a second, third, and possibly fortieth night.

The rest of the evening was fine. Foster talked about the challenges he faced in organizing law enforcement coverage for the influx of tourists in the summer season and how the needs would be much greater considering the large adventure races Majestic was hosting.

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