LITMIR.BIZ

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Lexi with a grin.

      “What time is it?” Devin hadn’t thought to check. She knew she felt more rested than she had in months.

      “Eleven,” said Lucas.

      “Seriously?”

      He nodded.

      “You got up with Amelia?” It was a little disconcerting that Devin hadn’t heard them.

      “Yes, I did.” He yawned. “About 4:00 a.m. Then she slept on my chest for a while, but I didn’t get much more sleep.”

      Devin could barely believe it. “Did you change her diaper?”

      “There were instructions on the package.” “He got it on backward,” Lexi elaborated. Devin came down on her knees beside them in the sand. “And you fed her? “

      Lucas rolled his eyes. “Quit sounding so amazed.” “It is amazing.”

      Amelia smacked her sandy hands against Devin’s bare thighs.

      “I gave her some juice and some Cheerios, and then Lexi came by.”

      “I really appreciate you letting me sleep in.” Including both Lucas and Lexi in the thank-you, Devin held her coffee mug over to the side and out of harm’s way. “I feel pretty great.”

      “Lexi’s agreed to babysit for us,” said Lucas.

      “I hear you two are going on a date,” said Lexi.

      “It’s not a date,” Devin quickly corrected. Had she really agreed to go to the dance with him tomorrow night? What had she been thinking? “Lucas is trying to co-opt me with, I don’t know, fine food and a waltz around the dance floor, so that I won’t support Steve.”

      Lucas turned to Lexi. “See what I mean?”

      Lexi nodded her understanding.

      “What?” Devin glanced back and forth between the two.

      “He thinks you’re suspicious,” said Lexi.

      “Of course I’m suspicious,” Devin retorted. “So are you. And we’re justified in our suspicions.” She looked back and forth again. “What exactly did I miss here?”

      Lucas stood up from his perch on the log, brushing the sand from the back of the borrowed sweatpants. “I’ve got a meeting,” he told them. “And I think I’d better get home and change first.” His glance went to Devin. “See you there later?”

      “Sure,” she answered. She should thank him again for letting her sleep. But for some reason she hesitated to show him too much gratitude. She didn’t want him to think she liked him. She didn’t. Well, she kind of did this morning. But it wasn’t anything permanent.

      Everything suddenly seemed confusing.

      He bent over and gave Amelia a little rub on the head, then gave them all a careless wave as he started back across the beach to the lawn and the staircase.

      “Tell me everything,” breathed Lexi.

      “There’s nothing to tell,” Devin responded, moving to the spot on the log that Lucas had vacated. She’d have to clean up and get back to the Demarcos soon, but she had a few more minutes to enjoy the tranquility of her own home. “I had a great sleep.”

      “Alone?”

      Devin twisted her head to stare at Lexi. “Of course I was alone. What did he tell you? “

      “Nothing.” Lexi shook her head. “But I couldn’t exactly ask him, could I?”

      “Is that why you were being nice to him?”

      Lexi had had a pretty remarkable change in attitude over a boat rescue.

      “He’s not as bad as I expected,” said Lexi.

      Devin understood what her friend meant. There was something disarmingly charming about Lucas. Then again, that’s exactly what Monica had thought about Konrad—that he was misunderstood, nicer than people realized, not quite the cold, hard-ass the media made him out to be. It was a dangerous road to go down.

      “He’s trying to take Amelia away from me,” Devin reminded Lexi.

      “Challenge him to a diapering contest in the courtroom. You’ll win.”

      “This isn’t a joke.”

      Lexi sobered and gazed out across the sparkling water. “I know. It’s heart-wrenching. I find myself wishing he was more of a jerk, then I could hate him.”

      “You don’t have to hate him.” Devin gazed out across the water herself. A few powerboats streamed along in front of the far shore, white wakes streaking out behind them. Now that the sun was warm, most of the beaches were coming alive with residents. “I just have to beat him.”

      Lexi covered her hand. “You will.”

      “I’m not so sure.”

      Silently, they stared at the lake.

      “So,” said Lexi, “what’s up with the dancing?”

      “I can’t remember how it started.” Devin sat up straighter on the log. “But I mentioned how long it had been since I’d had a date.”

      “And he stepped up to the plate?”

      “He’s up to something.” Devin knew she should be annoyed by the way he’d managed to manipulate her into doing something she just knew she would regret. But she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of a fancy party. “It’ll be nice to dress up again,” she admitted. “And I made him promise not to kiss me.” “Seriously?”

      “Yes.”

      “You said that out loud?”

      Devin gave a decisive nod. She didn’t want there to be any misunderstanding. The very last thing she needed was another go-round in Lucas’s arms. She banished the unwanted image and tamped down her wayward hormonal reaction. It would be a catastrophic mistake to kiss Lucas.

      Okay, so technically, she was in Lucas’s arms again. But they were dancing, and it was all very proper. There was a good nine inches of space between them. Lucas’s dance frame was appropriate, and his lead was smooth and confident. He was also devastatingly handsome in his tux. No surprise there.

      The ballroom at the Saturna Club was opulent and spacious. It had thirty-foot ceilings, with a marble pillar perimeter around the rectangular dance floor. The chandeliers were lavish, the flowers fresh, and dinner had featured fresh Pacific salmon and white chocolate mousse served with an impressive flare by what must have been a hundred efficient, tuxedoed waiters.

      One long side of the ballroom opened to a concrete patio that overlooked Puget Sound. The crisp ocean breeze wafted in. Cruise ships, freighters and smaller boats passed by, while the lights of Bainbridge Island twinkled off in the distance.

      After months of drool and diapers, Devin felt like a fairy princess. She’d even splurged on a new dress—though she’d never admit to Lucas that she’d gone shopping. It was strapless, copper satin, with a fitted top that shimmered against her skin, and a full skirt that rustled at her knees. She’d worn the rhinestone sandals and borrowed a silver link necklace and matching earrings from Lexi. The earrings dangled from her lobes, gently brushing against her neck as she danced.

      It was fun to feel pretty.

      “The nanny interviews start at ten in the morning,” Lucas reminded her as they moved into a turn.

      Devin frowned up at him. “You’re ruining the mood.” “There’s a mood?”

      “Of course there’s a mood. We have music, fine food, champagne—”

      “And beautiful women.” His eyes lit up with a appreciative smile that bordered on mischief.

      “Handsome

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