Page 47 of Beautiful Dreamer

“Hi,” Elizabeth said, and waited. She inclined her head to theside and stared at Devyn. “Devyn? I said hi.”

“Right. Hi.” Devyn rolled her lips in and then remembered tosmile. Everything about Elizabeth was beautiful and soft. She wore a blue dressthat complemented the vibrant green of her eyes and showed off her bareshoulders. The strappy sandals she wore had a slight heel that made her legslook long and smooth and long again. Devyn tried not to stare but felt fairlycertain she’d lost that battle. Elizabeth’s hair was down and parted on theside, and she wore shimmery lip gloss that begged to be kissed right off herface. The combined effect of all of the details, and Elizabeth herself, wasmind numbing. “Shall we go?”

Devyn was apparently short on words.

Elizabeth quirked her head at Devyn’s silence. “We also neverdecided where.”

“Let’s go to a nice restaurant,” Devyn said, rejoining the programin progress. “A quiet one. Know any like that?”

“Well, there’s a new place at the edge of town that specializes inhomemade pasta that everyone has been going on about. They have little candleson all the tables. Oh, and white linen tablecloths. It’s Seth and Carol’srestaurant. Remember Seth? He was the mascot in school. One grade ahead.”

“Star Studded Seth with the hair?” That was what they’d called himback in the day.

Elizabeth laughed, and the sight of that smile made Devyn’s breathcatch. “Yes, that would be him. Now he’s elbow deep in pasta dough and pullingin money hand over fist. From what I hear, people from neighboring towns areeven driving in. It’s been on my to-do list to check it out.”

“Okay, settled. Let’s go see Seth and eat pasta. But first this.”She couldn’t stop herself. She stepped in and kissed Elizabeth’s lips softly,lingering there and inhaling her fresh cotton scent for a moment before openingher eyes and exhaling. “There. I’m feeling better now, like I can breatheagain.”

“Are you? I’m feeling…buzzed.”

Devyn chuckled quietly. “What does that mean?”

“I have no idea.” Elizabeth blinked. “But it’s what I am.”

She stole one last quick peck. “Shall we go to dinner?”

“Yes, please,” Elizabeth said, with a pleased grin.

Devyn wanted to kiss her again but refrained. Dinner was going tobe torturous with Elizabeth in that dress, shoulders on display, cleavageslightly glimpsable. She swallowed.

“I’ll drive.”

Elizabeth looked amused. “In your tiny clown car? We’re going togo on a date in that thing?”

Devyn led the way to the Spark. “It’s growing on me.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I don’t know why, but it suits you.”

“That’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to me, and you’resupposed to be the nice one in this duo.” She held the door open for Elizabethand waited for her to slip inside.

“Are we going to flirt some more tonight?” Elizabeth asked, onceDevyn joined her inside. “As opposed to just kissing?”

Devyn paused. “You’re not supposed to announce the flirting ortalk about the kissing this early. See, that’s the thing you keep glossingover.”

Elizabeth dialed the radio station to one of the three local onesand away from the Hilton Head station Devyn had managed to pick up. “I canannounce them both if I want. Are we going to?”

Devyn looked over at her as they turned off of her street. “Idon’t know about you, but I’m feeling affirmative.”

“Good. Then I love your outfit. It’s chic and very Devyn Winters.You look pretty.”

“Thank you.” Devyn swallowed at the warmth the compliment broughtwith it. “I would love to know what ‘very Devyn Winters’ means to you, though.”

“I have to keep some secrets or you won’t be interested.”

Devyn passed her a long look that saidImpossible.

“If you’re thinking about kissing me again, we have an entiredinner to get through first.”

First.She filed that word away as her whole body tingled. “Trust me, I’m aware.” Butinside that car, she felt the sexual tension bouncing off the walls. She wasalso very aware of the heat from Elizabeth’s body as it caressed the right sideof hers, one of the few perks she’d experienced from this tiny car in all thetime she’d had it. She wanted nothing more than to place a hand on Elizabeth’sknee and slide the fabric of that dress upward just an inch, or even a fewmore. She closed her eyes briefly, gripped the steering wheel, and focused onthe road.

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