Page 10 of Waiting for Devon
Jasper addressed her as though he spoke to a child. “After listening to Shane rave for weeks about the mysterious woman in his life, we were curious and anxious to meet you. When you declared how difficult a leave of absence would be for you, I removed the burden from your shoulders. I am glad I did, for I fear we would have never met Shane’s intended bride.”
As a doctor Devon knew how important it was for her to control her emotions. In the ER one must keep cool and level-headed when treating an ill or seriously injured child. But here, as she faced Jasper Barrington, Devon felt anger bubbling within her and threatening to explode.
“I beg to differ, Mr. Barrington.” She trembled with her ire. “You acted with little regard for my responsibilities. My departure was arranged so abruptly I never had the opportunity to prepare my patients or their parents. At the moment there is a little girl facing chemotherapy without me. I promised I would be with her through her treatments. I’ve broken my promise, and if I am fortunate enough to see this child in the future, she will never trust me.” Devon took a deep, steady breath. “I am a doctor, sir. Do not presume to interfere with my oaths again.”
Blair smothered the urge to laugh as she drained her glass of wine and reached for a cigarette, but her brother did not share her amusement. Shane glared at Devon through frosty blue eyes and sought to ease the tension mounting in the room.
“Dad, Devon didn’t mean…”
Jasper held up a hand for silence. “Yes, she did.” A broad smile crossed his stern face. “Well, well, well. Shane, you have brought home a young woman who doesn’t cower in fear the moment I enter the room. It is good you’re able to hold your own with me, otherwise, this would be no fun at all.”
Devon opened her mouth to question Jasper’s strange remark, but the sound of a man’s rich, deep voice interrupted them as he announced from the doorway, “Sorry I’m late, Dad, but Dark Mist had a difficult delivery.”
As she turned to greet Reed Barrington, Devon’s eyes grew wide and her breath hitched in her throat. Her stomach tightened while butterflies awakened and stirred to life. Her heart pounded within her breast, and her pulse leaped. The most gorgeous, striking man Devon had ever seen stood before her. His presencecaptivatedher. Itintoxicatedher. Her head spun as if she had imbibed several glasses of champagne.
My God.
Reed’s bare and broad muscular torso glistened with perspiration caused by the heat of a humid, early summer’s evening. Bronzed by the sun and lightly dusted with curly gold hair, his chest tapered into a narrow waist and powerful thighs emphasized by the Levi’s he wore. A white T-shirt lay draped over his right shoulder. His deep blue eyes sparkled like sapphires and his golden hair fell in short, layered waves to the base of his neck. The strong line of his jaw contributed to his rugged countenance. Devon’s eyes focused on his well-shaped lips, and her mouth went dry.
Her enthralled gaze caught and held his. Reed’s eyes narrowed as they traveled down the length of her body, pausing for a moment on the expanse of skin left bare by the neckline of her dress before moving up to her face again.
“So, you’re Shane’sallegedfiancée.”
Devon moved toward him and held out her hand. “Yes,” she replied, hating the slight tremor in her voice. “I’m Dr. Devon Brooks.”
Reed held her hand a second or two before he dropped it. He dismissed her as he looked past Devon at his father. “Both Dark Mist and her colt are doing well, Dad. There’s no doubt he’ll be a champion like his mother. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going upstairs to shower and change. I’ll join you for dinner in a few minutes.”
While Jasper and Blair strolled into the dining room, Shane pulled Devon aside. “For God’s sake, Devon. You’re supposed to be in love with me, yet you were ogling my brother.”
“I was not,” she declared in a hoarse whisper.
“No, of course not. Your jaw merely dropped to the ground, that’s all. Look, I want this charade to end as quickly as you do, but it’s not going to happen if my father and my brother are suspicious. When we go into dinner, please try to act affectionate with me.”
“All right,” she promised.
Again, she thought, God help me.
Chapter Four
Reed joined thefamily in the dining room twenty minutes later and took a seat across from Devon. She grew uncomfortable beneath his powerful stare.
As he spooned green beans onto his plate, Reed began in a bland tone, “Forgive me, Miss Brooks, but I have forgotten where Shane said he met you.”
Shane squeezed Devon’s leg underneath the table. “I’m hurt by your obvious lack of interest in my love life, big brother,” he joked. “For the last time, I met Devon at a fundraiser for San Francisco General Hospital. She was the keynote speaker, and from the moment I first saw her, I knew she was the woman I wanted.”
To Devon’s chagrin, Shane pulled her toward him and covered her mouth with his. She closed her eyes and tried to hide how much she disliked his lips teasing hers. They hadn’t practiced kissing after all, and she wondered if it looked as awkward as it felt.
At his place at the head of the table, Jasper’s heavy brows lifted in surprise. A moment later his features turned blank.
“When is the wedding?” Reed demanded.
“We haven’t set a date,” Shane answered as he looked at his brother.
“Why not?”
“Devon needs time to adjust to her life here before we make any wedding plans.”
“When can we expect your family to move in?” Reed inquired. “It won’t be long, I’m sure.”
