New Arrivals: His Inherited Family. Barbara Dunlop

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СКАЧАТЬ close. He wasn’t ready to let go.

      “Are you declaring a truce?” she asked, voice muffled.

      “A truce is better than a stalemate,” he sighed, settling her in the circle of his arms, burrowing his face into the crook of her neck and inhaling her fresh scent.

      She relaxed against him, her lips brushing his hairline as she spoke. “Just until breakfast, okay?”

      He kissed her neck, then he kissed her ear, then he drew back and kissed her swollen lips, once, then twice, then a third, long time. “Until breakfast,” he agreed, feeling arousal pulse through his body all over again.

      In the breakfast alcove off the Demarcos’ big kitchen, Devin kept her attention studiously on Amelia in the high chair, spooning rice pablum into the baby’s mouth, while various staff members worked in the kitchen.

      Across the table, Lucas had long since finished an omelet and was sipping his second cup of coffee.

      “Is that enough, sweetheart?” Devin asked as Amelia pursed her mouth against a spoonful of pablum.

      Amelia kicked her feet in response and reached her hand out for the small bottle of apple juice sitting on the table. Devin swiftly wiped Amelia’s mouth and handed her the colorful juice bottle.

      “Is that the plan?” asked Lucas, voice flat. Devin glanced around and realized the kitchen had emptied of staff.

      “What plan?” she asked cheerfully, without meeting his eyes. Instead she mopped up the splashes of pablum from the high-chair tray before taking a bite of her toasted blueberry bagel that had long since gone cold.

      “We pretend it never happened?”

      “I like it.” Devin nodded and wiped the high-chair tray with the damp cloth. “It’s a pretty good plan.”

      In the cold light of day, she couldn’t believe she’d had sex with Lucas, in the pool house, with bohemian abandon.

      She’d yelled.

      She wasn’t a yeller.

      What had gotten into her? What must Lucas think? “Look at me,” he told her. She didn’t. “Why?” “Are you embarrassed?”

      “No.” Not exactly. Okay, yeah, embarrassed would be a good word. She made sure the corners of the high-chair tray were spotless.

      “Because there’s nothing—”

      “Lucas.” At the end of her rope, she set down the cloth and glared at him. “Can we not talk about this?”

      He paused, looking uncertain. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

      “I’m fine. I’m great. I’ve got a lot to do today.”

      Amelia was running low on diapers and applesauce, and Devin was determined to get some writing done at nap time.

      Lucas cleared his throat. “We still need to talk about Steve. We still need to talk about the nanny.”

      “I do have a life, you know.”

      He went silent for another moment. “I never said you didn’t.”

      “It can’t all be about your agenda.” “My agenda is to take care of Amelia.” “Well, so is mine.” “Good. Then we agree.”

      Amelia dropped her bottle on the hardwood floor, and Devin bent to retrieve it.

      She sat upright again. “I doubt very much we agree on anything.”

      His eyes flared with determination. “We agreed last night.”

      Devin brought her hands down on the tabletop. “Are you going to throw last night up in my face forever.”

      “I meant we agreed to face the truth last night. And eight hours isn’t forever?”

      Amelia had grown tired of sitting in the high chair and started to squirm.

      Devin reached over and untied her bib, folding the damp fabric and placing it on the table. She squeezed the latch on the high chair tray and slid it forward, reaching under Amelia’s arms to lift her out.

      Lucas stood up. “You are completely rattled.”

      “No, I’m not.” But she knew he was right. Last night had seemed like a good idea at the time. Okay, it had seemed like a great idea at the time, but now she realized that by sleeping with Lucas she had given him the advantage.

      Because, while he seemed perfectly capable of casual sex, Devin found her feelings for him hopelessly confused. On the one hand, she wanted to fight him. She needed to keep fighting him for Amelia’s sake. On the other hand, she found herself wanting to continue the truce.

      Maybe she just wanted to sleep with him again. Or maybe she needed to convince herself that it was more than just lust last night. How could she enjoy sex so much with a man she didn’t respect and admire? It didn’t make sense.

      Nothing made sense this morning.

      A staff member entered the kitchen and began clearing up the coffee service from the breakfast bar.

      Lucas dropped his voice. “We need to talk.”

      “We just did.”

      “We need to be together on this, Devin.”

      She tucked Amelia against her shoulder. “We need to forget it ever happened.”

      “I’m not talking about sex,” he hissed, and the staff member faltered in her cleanup.

      Devin frowned.

      Lucas leaned closer. “Steve. We need to be together against Steve.”

      “Not now,” said Devin with a shake of her head. She needed time to herself. She needed to get her head on straight about, well, everything.

      “Then when?” he persisted.

      “I don’t know.” She paused. “Tomorrow. Okay? Tomorrow.”

      “Devin.” His exasperation was clear. She moved toward the door to the main hallway. “Back off, Lucas. I need a little time.”

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