A half sob tore from my lips as I turned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be here. I have to go—”
“Livia. Wait.” His hand shot out and grasped my wrist. The immediate contact sent chills and burns up my arm, and I knew then it hadn’t been a lovely fantasy or a dream from a young girl. The connection was there between us, flaring bright and wild, dragging me back.
Slowly, I turned.
A warm smile curved his full lips, and joy gleamed in his eyes as he looked at me. “Stay.”
I’m not sure who moved first. I ended up wrapped in his embrace, those strong arms around me, my cheek against the soft cotton of his shirt.
And I felt like I had come home.
chapter thirty-one
Dev
When they walked into the club, Dev tried to ignore the flutters in her belly when she caught sight of Hawke.
She’d been ridiculously happy when he quickly accepted her invite. Now her gaze ate up the sheer yumminess of his quiet masculinity, even surrounded by flashing lights, gyrating bodies, and the edgy vibe of the crowd. The simple jeans, snug black button-down, and shiny leather shoes only added to his persona of a man who knew who he was. She found herself drawn like a lightning bolt to a socket, gliding across the floor to stand in front of him.
“Hi.”
His lower lip tugged. He shifted his weight as he gazed down at her with piercing gray eyes. “Hi. How was dinner?”
“Amazing. We went to Zass. There was an opera singer who sang like she was from the Met and I had stuff I couldn’t pronounce but it ended up being amazing pasta with squid. The view was spectacular.”
“Sounds perfect. I can’t wait to hear about your day and the boat tour.”
“I can’t wait to tell you.” She laughed a bit self-consciously. “I need to dance off some calories. I think Pris is tipsy already.” She jerked her head toward her giggling sister, who was pointing at them in true juvenile manner.
Hawke grinned. “Zass also has a great wine list. Can’t blame her. I’ll keep looking for an open seat, but for now, can I grab you a cocktail?”
“A round of water for all of us, please. I think we all need some hydration.”
“Got it. Be right back.”
He cut easily through the crowd and to the bar and seemed to get the bartender’s attention quickly. She shook her head as Pris and Bailey came over. “Hawke’s getting us some water. We don’t want to get sick.”
Pris was already swaying back and forth to the pumping beat. “I want a piña colada!”
Bailey pressed her lips together. Pris turned into party-girl central when she drank, which was usually a crack-up, but Dev had to make sure she was safe. “After you drink your water, we’ll get you one. With a paper umbrella and everything.”
“Oh, good. A pink one! Bae, let’s dance.”
“But I— Oops, here we go.” Bailey hurried after Pris, who’d already pressed herself into the cluster of dancers and immediately picked up the rhythm. Ballet had made her a fantastic dancer. She was able to hear the beat and coordinate every step into this fluid movement of body and sound. Dev watched them with a touch of envy. She was a terrible dancer—way too in her head.
Hawke appeared by her side carrying the waters. “Follow me. Saw a guy at the bar who’s leaving and we can grab his table.”
They scored two deep blue cushioned chairs outside. Dev studied the amazing club, which was set in an actual cave and boasted an open air structure—no windows separated the inside from the outside. Poised on the edge of the cliffs, the spread of rocks, sea, and sky unveiled before her in spectacular glory. She should’ve known even a club would be different here—more of an experience than a simple evening out.
She caught sight of Pris and Bailey wriggling their hips to the beat. The music mixed with the distant roar of the waves. “Do you want to join them? I’ll man the chairs.”
“A little later. I just want to settle in for now.”
“You look great.”
His compliment was uttered with a sincerity that made her heart squeeze. It had been so long since a man had looked at her like that. Pris had discovered the short black dress in one of the shops and immediately shoved it at Dev. The slinky fabric skimmed over her body like a hug; a touch of shimmer shot through the threads. “Thanks. What’d you do today?”
He took a sip of his own water and pondered. “Work. I had a client who needed babysitting. Afterward, I took a walk, then a nap with Lucifer.”
She studied the lines of his face, the thrust of his jaw, the shadow of stubble. “Do you nap often?”
“Only on weekdays,” he said seriously.
“Did you make your client happy?”
His brow creased. “For today. He’ll be unhappy tomorrow.”
“Does that bother you?”
“It used to. Not anymore. I’ve found ways to remind myself it’s not about me personally. It’s about the profit, but as much as I want to trick myself into believing I can magically guarantee a perfect retirement, I can’t. I can only go with my gut, my instincts, and my experience. For some it’s enough. For the others, we’re not meant to work together.”
She blew out a huff of air. “How do you manage, though? Does your company just allow you to have this casual attitude? It’s another reason I’m concerned about leaving academia. I don’t want to jump from a limited career into a world that values stress as a badge. I feel like I’m always teetering on the line of workaholic to begin with.”
“I was on that path for a long time. But I don’t regret it—I needed to experience that type of world in order to know I didn’t want it. I think you’re damn smart, Dev, and you know what you want when you see it.”
“And if I make a huge mistake? Mess everything up?”
He leaned forward and caressed her cheek. His touch was warm and gave her tingles. “You try something else. Fix the mess. But you have to love the work. You’d hate that corner office with a cushy title if you weren’t in the trenches.”
“How do you know so much about me?”
Her heart beat so hard she wondered if he heard. “It’s weird, but I feel like we’ve known each other before. We seem to . . . fit somehow.” He dropped his finger and gave a half laugh. “Wow, I’m not going to be surprised if you make a quick exit. I sound like a nutcase.”
“No, you don’t. You just said the truth. That’ll never scare me away.”
He leaned forward as if he were about to kiss her.