“Wake me if he needs anything?”

  Not tonight. Tonight, she wanted Robbie to sleep. She rested her head on Robbie’s chest, feeling the rise and fall time to her own breathing. She spotted Angel in his bed next to her nightstand. He wasn’t asleep yet, but he seemed as close as Robbie.

  She looked between Angel and Robbie and then closed her eyes. With the light on she wouldn’t sleep, but she wasn’t ready to break the spell she felt in the room. She didn’t need anything. Didn’t want for anything. Her mind, for once, was at peace. This was how perfect felt. “Or maybe this is how love feels.”

  “What’d you say?” Robbie rustled awake, rubbing her eyes. “Sorry I drifted off. I fall asleep quick when I come hard.”

  “Go back to sleep. I’m going to take Angel outside one more time, but I want you to be right here when I come back.”

  Robbie kissed her, murmuring, “Okay.”

  It was better than okay. And it was also, possibly, a complete disaster.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “You look good in a wetsuit.”

  Robbie glanced down at the black-and-white wetsuit she’d squeezed herself into and then at Devyn’s svelte all-black wetsuit. “You look good in a wetsuit. I look like an awkward penguin.”

  “Aren’t all penguins a little awkward?”

  “You could have tried denying it.”

  “I was joking.” Devyn laughed. “You look nothing like a penguin. Except when you walk like that. Why aren’t you bending your knees?”

  Robbie exaggerated the penguin walk. “Because this wetsuit is too tight. I’m bigger than you.”

  “That’s Matt’s old wetsuit.”

  Robbie cringed. “Great. So I’m bigger than your ex, too.”

  “Which I love.” Devyn touched Robbie’s chin. “In case I didn’t make it abundantly clear this morning, I love everything about your body. Were you not paying attention when I listed all the parts I liked?”

  Robbie couldn’t help a sheepish smile. “I was paying attention. It was sweet to wake up to a list of things you like about me.”

  Devyn bumped against her. “I’ll have to add your penguin walk to the list.”

  “Please don’t.” Robbie still had a buzzy feeling inside her body from the night they’d shared and she loved the way Devyn kept stealing glances at her as they walked. She’d wanted to convince Devyn to spend the day in bed, but Devyn was too excited about paddleboarding. “It feels almost warm enough to skip the wetsuit.”

  Devyn looked at the waves. “When the wind picks up, it gets chilly on the board. If you want to try without the suit, I won’t stop you. But I think you’ll regret your choice if you fall in.”

  Probably that was true. Still, she wished she weren’t wearing Matt’s wetsuit. She was used to her body and liked it well enough, but it had taken some work and a lot of letting go of what society and her dad had told her—about her legs that her dad had called stocky, about her broad shoulders that friends in high school had said made her look like a football player, and about having hips so the men’s jeans she preferred didn’t quite fit unless she went a size up. She was in good shape and reminded herself of that fact, but not quite fitting was an old thread. Matt’s wetsuit picked up the thread and tugged on it.

  They stopped walking when they reached the dark line of wet sand and Robbie glanced from the waves to the paddleboard she’d carried. “Is this Matt’s, too?”

  “No. It’s my old board. Matt never liked paddleboarding. He tried surfing for a while but wasn’t really into that either. He sold his surfboard but never got rid of the wetsuit.”

  They’d avoided talking about Matt for so long it felt weird hearing his name in their conversation now. Still, Robbie asked, “I thought Matt was a beach guy.”

  “I think he liked the beach, but we moved here because of me.” Devyn met Robbie’s gaze. “Running is his thing. He’s not much into watersports. I thought about telling him to sell the wetsuit but…we reached a point where the only way we communicated was in text messages and I let go of discussing anything that wasn’t really important.” She narrowed her eyes. “It feels weird talking with you about Matt now.”

  “I agree. Can we go back to how hot you look in a wetsuit?”

  Devyn smiled even as she rolled her eyes. “I think we should move on to a paddleboard lesson.”

  “Good idea. Angel won’t be here to rescue me if I sink.” They’d both decided it would be better leaving Angel home. He was seemingly back to his usual self with no obvious sign of the ordeal he’d been through, and his appetite that morning had been ravenous. Still, the vet had warned not to let him overdo it.

  “You won’t need rescuing. It’s really not hard.” Devyn set her board on a flat section of sand and motioned for Robbie to do the same. “I know you’ve got nice muscles. Let’s see if you can use them.”

  After that comment, Robbie had trouble focusing on the rest of the paddleboarding lesson. She wanted to impress Devyn—even if she didn’t want to think about all the reasons why. Fortunately, paddleboarding seemed like a sport anyone could pick up.

  “Ready to give it a try?” Devyn’s eyes lit up as she lifted her board.

  “Let’s do it.”

  Robbie was a confident swimmer and wasn’t a novice when it came to the ocean. Still, she managed to get knocked on her ass trying to get past the breakers. Devyn cruised right over the waves, moving smoothly from standing in the knee-deep water to being on her stomach on the board, and as she paddled out called over her shoulder for Robbie to catch up.

  After one wave knocked her on her butt, another one added a mouthful of salt water. At least Matt’s wetsuit did help buffer the cold. She pushed herself onto her feet, set the board level in the water, and then belly-flopped on—much less gracefully than Devyn had. She paddled hard with her hands and didn’t stop until she’d made it to the calmer water beyond the surf.

  When she stopped to catch her breath, Devyn was waiting for her, already standing up on her board. A smile stretched across her face. “Now get up on your feet. I want to show you a few things.”

  Sunshine sparkled on the brilliantly blue water and Robbie would have been content lying on her belly watching Devyn against that backdrop, but she pushed up to her knees and then, not smoothly, scrambled onto her feet. Devyn cheered, lifting her paddle in the air even as Robbie felt her board rocking side to side under her feet.

  “Keep your knees bent until you get the feel for the water,” Devyn said. “And keep your eyes on the ocean. Sleeper waves can come out of nowhere and you need to be ready.”

  “How can I be ready if they come out of nowhere?”

  “Don’t stop paddling,” Devyn continued. “It’s harder to stay up if you aren’t moving. Like riding a bike.”

  “It’s funny how people say that and almost nothing is like riding a bike.” She dipped her paddle in the water, trying to keep up with Devyn, and nearly lost her balance, righting herself at the last minute.

  Devyn circled round her. “Lost your sea legs?”

  “I never really had sea legs.”

  “You live on a boat.”

  “In a lake. Besides, houseboats are different.” Robbie didn’t want to let on how hard it was talking when her concentration was solely focused on not falling. “They bob up and down. Not this side-to-side stuff.”

  “I like up and down but side to side can be fun, too. As long as I’m getting rocked, I’m not going to complain.”

  Robbie glanced at her. “Is that a sex reference?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Devyn’s look was not at all innocent.

  “I can’t believe you’re trying to make me think of sex right now.” Robbie laughed and nudged Devyn’s board with her paddle. “You’re supposed to be teaching me tips so I don’t sink.”

  Devyn laughed, too, giving Robbie’s board a nudge back and saying, “Keep your knees bent.”

  As Robbie struggled to stay standing, she remembered Devyn’s earlier comment about using the paddle for balance. Once she’d steadied herself, she shot a look back at Devyn. “What’s your next tip?”

  “You’re fighting against the water when you hold your paddle like that.” Devyn adjusted the angle of her paddle and dipped it in. “Stroke like this and you go with the waves and there’s less resistance.”

  “Wait, how am I supposed to stroke?” Robbie smirked.

  “I think you were paying attention the first time,” Devyn returned. “But you should know you’d have no resistance if you wanted to do some extra work on your stroke later. I’ll even spread my legs to help.”

  Robbie knew she’d straightened her knees. She’d also turned her focus away from the ocean to look at Devyn. Still the wave that lifted her board came out of nowhere. She lost her balance, tried to overcorrect, and the next thing she knew, her board was going right and she was going left.

  She didn’t mind getting dunked with the wetsuit on, but there was nothing to be done about embarrassing herself in front of Devyn. The fact Devyn looked so worried when she surfaced made the situation worse. “I’m fine, I promise.”

  Thankfully, she hadn’t let go of her paddle and her board was leashed to her ankle. She swam up to it and then heard a splash behind her. When she looked back, Devyn was in the water. Devyn swam up to her in three strides.

  “I promise I’m fine,” Robbie said, already half up on her board. “I live on a lake. If I couldn’t swim—”

  “It’s my fault you slipped. And saying sorry isn’t the same as this.” Devyn braced one hand on Robbie’s board and then shifted up to kiss her.

  The kiss was quick and salty and it shouldn’t have taken her breath away, but it did. Blame the sleeper wave for throwing everything off. Although really it was the look on Devyn’s face before the kiss. And how she’d closed her eyes as she’d leaned in.

  “I shouldn’t have distracted you,” Devyn said. “I’m the worst teacher ever.”

  “If I agree, will you kiss me like that again?”

  Devyn laughed but kissed her again. As she pulled back, she said, “Now get back up on your feet. I am not going to mess around anymore.”

  When Devyn decided on something, Robbie realized, she followed through. They spent the next hour crisscrossing the little bay and talking very little. Devyn did give hints on technique and pointed out the parts of the bay that were her favorites, as well as all the animals she’d come across, but she didn’t joke and looked nervous whenever Robbie’s balance wavered.

  After they’d paddled for a while, Devyn suggested a break and sat down on her board, hooking her paddle through a loop of rope at the front of Robbie’s board to keep them close together. Robbie sat down too, dangling her toes in the water and thinking of all the questions she wanted to ask. Had Devyn grown up in San Diego? Would she ever leave? What about her family? Did she want a partner in life, or had marriage ruined that for her? And what had happened with her and Matt?

  She thought of those questions, but when she looked at Devyn she didn’t want to disturb her peaceful look. Her eyes were trained on the horizon where the distant line of deep blue blended with a pale blue sky. The sun bronzed her skin and lit her hair. Her profile was stunning, and Robbie wished she had a camera. She didn’t think she could hold the sight in her head for as long as she wanted it—which was longer than she had any business wanting.

  “I never get tired of this,” Devyn said. “Sometimes I think it’s silly how much time I spend staring at the water, but the ocean never stops being gorgeous. Even when it storms. I feel…” She gave a slight head shake and looked at Robbie. “Like this little bay is part of me. I know that’s a ridiculous thing to say.”

  “It’s not ridiculous.”

  The ocean was part of Devyn. Robbie could see and feel how true that was, and by the time they’d pulled the paddleboards out of the water she knew Devyn had shared something personal with her. Maybe even more personal than sex.

  Which didn’t mean Robbie wanted sex any less. Especially when Devyn gave her a deep kiss at the water’s edge. She wanted sex more than ever then, even as she wondered how her heart would fare after.

  As they made their way home from the beach, Devyn said, “I don’t suppose you’ve spent any time thinking about what you want to do this afternoon.”

  “Well, there’s some touch-up painting on my to-do list, but I’ve got a few other ideas of things I’d like to do even better.”

  “Things?” Devyn arched an eyebrow. “Hmm. Sounds interesting. Maybe you’ll include me in your plans?”

  “I’m hoping to.” Robbie smiled.

  “Good. I don’t think I’d let you get many to-do items checked off if I wasn’t on the list.”

  Robbie laughed and Devyn gave her a knowing look. “I’m not joking. And, if I take up as much of your day as I’m hoping I will, you might need to push that painting project to tomorrow.”

  Robbie laughed again. They passed the café and Clara, who was setting out the lunch specials sign. She straightened as she saw them and put her hands on her hips.

  “Look at you two all blissed out.” Clara smiled. “How was the water?”

  “Perfect,” Devyn said.

  Robbie nodded. “Perfect.” Like the past evening she’d spent with Devyn and the day that stretched in front of her.

  Clara sighed. “Go on before I start wishing I had a girlfriend, too.”

  Robbie and Devyn both laughed as Clara waved them off, turning back into her café with a smile. “We could rinse off and go back to the café for lunch,” Robbie suggested as they started walking again.

  “I love that idea,” Devyn said. “Except for one thing.” She bit the edge of her lip as she glanced at Robbie. “After we rinse off, I want you between my legs, so it will have to be a late lunch.”

  Robbie grinned. “I can’t argue with that.”

  They crossed the street and came up the block to the house. Devyn’s steps slowed and then stopped in front of the neighbor’s magnolia tree. She squinted at something and Robbie followed her line of sight to a red Mercedes sedan parked on the street.

  No one was in the car, but by the look on Devyn’s face, she knew who owned the car. Devyn didn’t offer any information, however, only murmuring, “Shit,” and then heading for the side gate at a fast clip.

  Robbie followed. Before she could think of what to ask Devyn, a woman opened the front door of Devyn’s house and called out, “I was about to send out a search party.” She gave an exaggerated sigh and crossed her arms. “I’m assuming you forgot about our lunch at the yacht club? From what I can see, you aren’t too busy with work to cancel this time.”

  Devyn had one hand on the gate, but it looked as if she wished she could bolt the opposite direction. “I need to change.”

  “Obviously.” The woman’s voice set Robbie’s teeth on edge, but the sneer she gave Devyn was worse. “I’ll call Laurel and let her know we’re running late.”

  Devyn set her board on the ground in the side yard. She keyed in the code to the garage door, still not offering any explanation. Robbie left the second board with Devyn’s and followed her into the garage.

  Devyn stripped out of her wetsuit and then looked over at Robbie. “I hate to ask you to do this but…could you rinse off the boards and the wetsuits?”

  “Sure. Who is she?”

  “My mom.”

  Robbie didn’t see much resemblance between Devyn and the sixty-something bleached-blonde who’d sneered at her. There also didn’t seem to be many warm feelings between them.

  Devyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You have no idea how much I would rather spend this afternoon with you.”

  “Instead of your mom?” Robbie lifted a shoulder. “She doesn’t seem like a ton of fun.”

  “She’s not. But I didn’t mean instead of my mom. I meant instead of anyone else.” Devyn had only worn a rash guard and bikini bottoms under the wetsuit, and when she stepped close for a kiss, it took all of Robbie’s willpower to not beg her to cancel the yacht club.

  “I wish I could tell her to go to lunch without me.”

  “I wish you could, too,” Robbie said. “But I understand.”

  Devyn gave her another quick kiss before heading into the house and leaving Robbie to wonder how much she did understand. She still knew so little about Devyn. But family dynamics were always tricky, and Devyn’s relationship with her mom seemed complicated even in the short exchange she’d witnessed.

  She rinsed the boards and then set them in the sun to dry before doing the same with the wetsuits. As she headed to the cottage, Angel came tearing out of the house, yipping with excitement. She went down on one knee, and he leapt into her arms. It was good to see him so energetic, and his recovery took away some of her disappointment.

  “Put him down. He bites.”

  Robbie looked around to localize the voice. She knew it was Devyn’s mom but she couldn’t tell where she was. Finally, she spotted the woman through the window screen in the living room.

  “He can be nasty and he hates being picked up.”

  Devyn’s voice came next. “Angel knows her, Mom. She’s staying in the cottage.”

  Robbie couldn’t see Devyn, but with the windows open, voices carried. Devyn’s mother had turned away from the screen, but her words were still distinct when she said, “You didn’t tell me you’d rented out the cottage. When did that happen?”

  “When Matt left—three weeks ago.”

  “I don’t like you having someone we don’t know in that cottage. Where’d you even find her? I hope you didn’t post something online.”

  Robbie waited for Devyn to say she was Matt’s friend. Or, even better, her friend.

  “You didn’t let her sign a year lease, did you?” Devyn’s mother continued. “Does she know you’re selling? And wasn’t that Matt’s wetsuit she was wearing? Did she tell you she was going to borrow it?”