Page 53 of Beautiful Dreamer

“I love hearing that.” She felt her smile dim slightly. “I’mjust…not used to it.”

Devyn placed a delicate kiss on her chin. “I think I’m gonna haveto change that.”

When Elizabeth firmly inserted her thigh between Devyn’s, she wasgreeted with wide eyes. “I also like effecting change. That day of yours? Itcan get better.”

“How is that?” Devyn asked, dropping her hands and palmingElizabeth’s breasts. At Devyn’s touch, she hissed in a breath and her hipsrolled automatically.

“You haven’t met my mouth yet. Not fully.” She tossed away thesheet and crawled down the bed.

“Sweet Jesus.”

* * *

On that bright and sunny Friday, Devyn sat on a barstool at Jill’skitchen counter with her work spread out like she’d never leave that spot.Contracts everywhere, her laptop, iPad, coffee mug, and signature stress ballsurrounded her like a combined comfortable blanket. Across from her, Jillstarted breakfast, which had to be amazing because the aroma had her nose inheaven. Devyn was feeling energetic and ready for the world, with an extraspring in her step. Maybe it was the fact that spring morphing into summer wasa really beautiful sight in Dreamer’s Bay. Or that over the weekend, they’dlikely pull in a decent number of showings at Twenty-Four Walker. Maybe it wasJill gaining her strength. Who knew?Ido.

“What are you working on today?” Jill asked between pops andsizzles. Since being homebound and less mobile, she occupied her time cooking,finding new recipes on Pinterest daily. Devyn was not complaining, as shereaped the tasting rewards, which were, eight times out of ten, favorable.

She sat back and ran her fingers through her hair. “We have anoffer on 14F, which is a two-bedroom unit with a kitchen, but they’re coming inat three point eight, and the ask is four five.”

“Four five?” Jill inclined her head to the side as if working outa math problem.

“Four and a half million. So, as you can see, we’re pretty farapart.”

“You’re working on getting them up?”

“I’d like to be, but my guy, the developer, is refusing to evencounter.”

“And you want him to.”

“Yep.”

“To get the numbers moving in the right direction,” Elizabethcalled from the entryway. Devyn turned, unable to glimpse Elizabeth yet butwanting to. She’d had the prior day off from assisting Jill, and they hadn’tseen each other, well,since.

“The voice without a body is right. If he won’t counter, the buyerwill assume the negotiating table is closed, and it’s not. It’s a pride thing,and it’s getting in the way of my sellout.”

“Gotcha,” Jill said, and placed a pile of crispy bacon on thecounter. Devyn reached for a strip and got her hand smacked. “Nope. That’s formy breakfast casserole. You can eat that, not this.”

“You’re just like Mom, you know that? Pre-eating is just asimportant as eating.”

“I agree,” Elizabeth said and stole a slice for herself.

Devyn’s eyes went wide when no repercussions came her way. Shepointed. “How is that okay?”

“She’s aguest,”Jill said, with a shrug.

Devyn turned to glare at Elizabeth, but caught her enjoying thebite of bacon so much that she was forced to smother a grin instead, whichseemed to be the case whenever carefree Elizabeth was around. Yes, she wassuper easygoing and, okay, very easy on the eyes as well. The other night hadcertainly shored up that particular notion. She flashed briefly on Elizabethlooking over at her in bed, naked, and radiating. She hadn’t slept atElizabeth’s place that night, feeling that might have been too intimate for a“two consenting adults” scenario, and they hadn’t exactly discussed if therewould be a repeat encounter. She’d slipped out somewhere in the wee hours andcrept back to her own bed, careful not to disturb Jill.

“What?” Elizabeth asked, staring at her now, suspiciously.

“Nothing.” Devyn went back to her contracts. Or pretended to.

Jill stared at the two of them. Correction. She stared at Devynand then at Elizabeth and then back at Devyn. Finally, she exhaled, shook herhead, and went back to her recipe. Yep. She knew.

“We have PT in half an hour,” Elizabeth said.

Jill offered a salute. “I haven’t forgotten. Just enough time topop this casserole in the oven for later. We’ll call it brunch.”

“Perfect,” Elizabeth said brightly. “Do you mind if we swing bythe flower shop on the way? Floral Laurel’s got a bunch of old doorknobs shewants to have melted down and has hired On the Spot to do it.”

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