Free Night Music by Linda Cajio

below, and the air squeezed out of her body at the sight of him. His T-shirt and jeans were tight, outlining every muscle in his torso and thighs. He gazed at her, his blue-green eyes intense. He had the uncanny ability to make her feel he could see straight through her. He’d called her several times over the last few days, ostensibly for grandparent updates and to finalize their plans, and she had clung to the sound of his voice. Now she knew it wasn’t nearly enough. She wanted the whole damn devastating package. The knowledge frightened her.
    “You made it,” he said, taking the ice chest from her grandfather. “It’s a pleasure to see you, sir. Welcome aboard.”
    “Hummph!” Marsh replied, glowering at Devlin as he climbed aboard the boat. Once there, he turned his glower on Lettice.
    Lettice nodded coolly in return.
    Hilary sighed silently. Clearly her prayer was still on the waiting list.
    Devlin held out his hand to her. She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to come on the boat. Being on it bothered her in a way she didn’t like. It was as if she were jealous of the
Madeline Jo
. She shrugged the thought away, knowing it was silly. Reaching for his hand, she braced herself for the jolt of warmth his touch always engendered in her. She still wasn’t prepared for it as his fingers closed around hers in a gentle, protective gesture.
    “Hello,” he said softly as she stepped onto the deck, then kissed her on the mouth.
    She nearly staggered in her surprise. Then she realized he was back to the “show.” The notion angered her for some reason. But if that was the way he wanted it, she thought, then that was what he would get.
    “Hello,” she purred.
    His eyebrows nearly shot off his forehead.
    “I think you’d better take that chest to the … galley,” she murmured, pleased that she’d remembered the word.
    He blinked. “Sure.”
    She glanced over at the grandparents, wondering if they should be left alone together. Her grandfather could still bolt. Both seemed to have retired to respective neutral corners, though. At least they were sitting opposite each other in the stern, both looking out in different directions. With a mental shrug she followed Devlin below, herfeet slipping a little on the shiny deck. She hoped that wouldn’t pose a problem.
    Devlin led her through a living room area, with a table, bar, and low couches, and on to the galley. The room was the width of the boat and narrow, wide enough for only one person to maneuver around in with any ease. Two portholes were on either side of the tiny room. As she glanced out one of them, she found she noticed the rocking of the boat more down here.
    He set the chest on the counter. “What the hell did you bring? This thing weighs a ton.”
    She frowned. “I brought everything I’d need because I didn’t know what you had.”
    “Oh. Do you think it’s safe to leave the grandparents alone?”
    “If there’s no blood, it’ll be a major miracle,” she said, shrugging. “I suppose one of us ought to referee them.”
    “I’ll do it. I have to go up to the fly bridge anyway, to get us under way.” He flipped open cabinets and doors. “This is the oven, pots and pans, dishes, refrigerator. I suppose I’d better show you how the oven works.”
    The oven was on the other side of him, and Hilary pressed against the wall to squeeze by him. It wasn’t enough. Her breasts brushed against his chest. A red haze of sensuality instantly suffused her. Vaguely she heard a muffled sound. She wasn’t sure whether it was from Devlin or from her … or whether she was imagining it.
    “Will you hurry up?” he muttered, his cheekbones flushed with color.
    His words snapped her out of the spell. Mr. Wonderful had returned, she thought wryly. The gentleness she’d seen in him at that tea and on herfirst visit to the boat were gone. She felt as if he’d suckered her in, lulled her into opening herself emotionally to him, and then the old Devlin