His color.
Red, like the Porsche I attempted to steal.
I shouldn’t like the sound of that, but it sends a thrill through me.
The pull of attraction is undeniable. He’s hard to resist when he’s being sexy like this. The thing between us has been steadily growing since that fake kiss. It’s close to the breaking point. I can’t ignore the way I feel when he’s like this with me.
“Now I’m picturing you wearing my number.” He sucks in a breath and I can feel a hardness pressing into my ass. “Shit. Add that to the list of what you should wear around the house. The cutoffs, those duck shorts, my soccer jersey.”
He squeezes me and presses his dick into my ass.
“Devlin!” I swat his arm and put an inch of space between us. My heart thunders in my chest. This is the first time I’ve felt his attraction. We’ve been dancing around it. The elastic band that draws us together is pulling tighter. “That better not be what I think it is.”
“No one can see.” His exhale coasts over my neck, eliciting a shudder. I squeeze my thighs together. “If we were home, we could skinny dip.”
I don’t know where this is coming from. He’s flirted a little with me, but this is the first time he’s taken it farther than flirtation. The first time he sounded serious about taking a step over the line. Is he joking?
“Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not,” he swears. “I’m not playing around at all. Christ, if I had you to myself right now…fuck.” The muttered curse seems directed more to himself than to me. He drags his finger over the edge of the bikini bottoms. “Am I making your heart pound? Are you getting wet knowing I’m hard for you? What would I find if I slid my fingers into your bathing suit right now, little thief? Would you make my fingers as sticky as yours if I filled your pussy with them?”
My breath leaves me in an uneven gust, face flaming hot. Anyone could look over and see this going down. Devlin chuckles, the sinful sound vibrating against my neck, plucking at every string inside me, threatening to leave me a puddle of goo.
Licking my lips, I wriggle out of his hold. “I have to put sunscreen on. I don’t want to burn.”
“Hold up.” Devlin plants his hand on my stomach and tugs me back against his body, keeping me in a possessive hold. “What’s this?”
I shiver as his fingertips trace between my shoulder blades, mapping the outline of my star tattoo. I got it somewhere it wouldn’t be seen often, since it was for me, not to look cool. Kind of like Devlin’s, hidden on our bodies. A private piece we keep tucked away.
“You have a star,” Devlin murmurs, wonder filling his tone.
“So do you.”
Devlin traces the tattoo twice more. His touch ignites a thousand tiny sparks. They erupt across my skin in a rush. My breathing becomes shallow.
Across the beach, Bishop entertains the in-crowd. Nina and Trent sneak off to a secluded spot in the tree line. Gemma and Lucas share a kiss in the water, wrapped around each other in their own little world.
The whole time my body trembles as Devlin lavishes my tattoo with his rapt attention. It’s not an erogenous zone I was aware of, but it’s sending electric heat straight to my core. I slide my legs together, enduring the sensual torment for as long as I can.
“Devlin, what are you doing?” My voice is unsteady.
“Learning something new about you. Why a star?”
“I like them. I don’t know, they were my thing when I was little.”
Devlin pauses. “Is that all?”
I don’t know what else to tell him. The truth is I was obsessed with stars to the point I would use them in my handwriting the same way other young girls put hearts on their I’s.
“It was just a thing. My mom promised me they were magic. It reminds me of her.”
I still like the stars, even though I know the magic Mom filled my head with as a kid isn’t real.
If it was, I would’ve gotten Mom and I out of our troubles countless times over with all the wishing I wasted on stars.
“That’s it?” Devlin presses.
I shrug and it breaks the moment enveloping us in a bubble.
“Whatever. Forget it.” Devlin sighs and takes the sunscreen from me, slathering it on my back where I can’t reach.
I return the favor for him. Keeping my breathing even is a struggle as my palms glide over the muscles and sharp planes of his back. He keeps still for me, angling his head so I have a view of his chiseled jaw and a hint of his profile.
“Going to cop a feel while you’re back there?” Devlin taunts.
“No,” I mutter, pinching his side.
His deep laughter rolls over me like the blanket of the night sky, speckled in starlight. I like the sound of his laugh. Curling my fingers in hesitation for a beat, I let myself be as bold as my red bikini, soothing the spot I pinched and skating my touch up to his shoulders.
Devlin goes still, reaching back to brush his fingers against my hips.
Bishop interrupts, plopping onto Gemma’s blanket with his attention glued to his phone.
“Thought you were chasing Bailey around,” Devlin says mildly.
Bishop hitches a shoulder seconds later in a delayed reaction, humming. “Sean’s into her. I’ve got something better, anyway.”
As Bishop sprawls on his back, I catch a glimpse of his screen. My brows fly up.
“Holy shit. Is that—?”
Devlin steers us away before I finish my question. I’m pretty sure Bishop had a risqué photo of Thea Kennedy filling his screen. But that couldn’t be right, Thea isn’t the type to send a photo like that.
Especially to someone like Bishop, who is awful to her with his constant taunting.
“Pick your chin off the ground,” Devlin murmurs, arm slung over my shoulder possessively as we approach Sean and Bailey near the smoking grill.
Bailey lights up. “Dev! You have to try Sean’s kebabs, they’re, like, so awesome.”
Sean fist bumps Devlin as he flips the skewers. He winks at me, taking in my suit. “Looking good, Davis. You should hang with us more often. My parents have a boat we take out in the summer. You’re definitely invited if you wear that.”
Devlin grunts, snaking his arm tighter around me so I’m pressed against his side. I place a hand on his abdomen to keep my balance.
“Are you going to do the race with the guys?” Bailey asks Devlin.
He grants her a smile that’s totally fake, the construction a precise facet of his mask. The shift is subtle from how he was when we were by the blanket alone. It’s odd, but I can tell the difference.
“I don’t know why they bother. They all know I’ll win. I’m the fastest swimmer.”
Devlin’s muscles ripple beneath my hand as he puts on a show of flexing, falling into his usual arrogant persona. I’m tempted to pinch him again to bring back the real Devlin, the one that cooked me breakfast and accused me of cheating because I’m a faster runner.
“What about you, Blair?” Sean asks. It’s the first time someone from his crowd has ever used my name. I blink at his perfect gleaming smile. His eyes drop to my chest. “Will you join the girls in cheering us on? You’re so good at boosting the team morale.” Sean drags his teeth over his lip. “I’d so want you to get me to the finish line.”