Lilac Time

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

F our days later, AnnaBeth breezed through her work, all the while wearing a smile. Devlin Connely kissed me .

Too bad the storm had interrupted, but the second Mia had called out, they’d both been on the move, practically running into each other to reach her. It wasn’t really AnnaBeth’s place, but hey, she knew what it was to be a little girl, suddenly feeling alone and afraid. Never, not in a million years, did she want Mia to feel that way.

She shouldn’t have worried, though. The second she’d seen Mia jump into her daddy’s arms, she’d known he would move heaven and earth to protect her. He’d held his daughter close while calmly explaining to her that it was just a storm. Simultaneously, he checked on Sony, who’d come awake with a start.

Devlin was a world-class multitasker.

With Ruby yapping in startled excitement, AnnaBeth had scooped up the little dog and watched them all interact. Sony spoke too loudly, Mia demanded attention, and Devlin had sent her a look of apology while dealing with it all.

And she’d stood there, knowing she was in love.

Not just with Devlin, who’d bowled her over from the moment he’d introduced himself a year ago, but with the whole family. With each of them as individuals, and as a unit.

They didn’t know it, and she could never say so, but they were everything she’d ever wanted while growing up alone.

Only better. More real.

Perfectly imperfect in a way she’d never been able to imagine. Oh, she’d read about storybook families in which every piece of advice was sage and well-received. The kids were always angelic and wise beyond their years. Parents were like saints who never made mistakes or lost their tempers.

Devlin and Mia and Sony were not that. Mia had her moments of bossiness and five-year-old fits, and the girl could be totally whiny when she was sleepy or sick. Sony sometimes grumbled, often intruded, and the man had the subtlety of a runaway semi—especially when he forgot his hearing aids and shouted every word.

Then there was Devlin. . . . When she’d first met him, it had been like talking to a warm mannequin. Polite smile pinned in place. Every reaction practiced and precise. To her, it had seemed Devlin went through life by rote, doing the expected—and doing it well—without fully experiencing every wonderful moment life had to offer.

It was truly tragic that he’d lost his wife, but he still had Mia and Sony, and he had his health. He had family and love.

So many reasons to be grateful, to celebrate . . . yet he never celebrated for himself, only for others.

Her heart usually hurt around him, because she’d so badly wanted to break through his polite facade, to truly reach him so he understood that while the future he’d wanted had changed, he was still very much alive.

Alive and wonderful.

Naturally, she hadn’t. How could she advise someone else on how to live when she’d made such a muck of her own life? After alienating so many people, she hoped she had enough sense to keep her thoughts to herself. Mostly, anyway.

Instead, she’d limited herself to being neighborly. Well, her version of neighborly, which granted, was about as intrusive as it got.

She’d loved them all for so long that it had saddened her to stand there in the room and yet be apart from them. So she’d cuddled little Ruby, who hated storms, and made her excuses about needing to get home.

Her expectation had been that Devlin would forget all about their conversation in the kitchen. For him, it probably hadn’t meant much. Same with the kiss.

Only he hadn’t forgotten.

He’d called her that night, and every day since, just to talk.

Being considerate, he always asked if he was interrupting her work, or her day, or . . . anything. Of course, he wasn’t. Her time was largely open. She rarely got behind on her schedule, so taking a break here and there wasn’t a problem. Since it was only her and Ruby, she had more free time than she wanted or needed.

Today they were supposed to have lunch together. She glanced at the clock. One more hour, but it felt like an eternity.

She finished her current project, saved her work, and then glanced out the window. By design, her desk faced the side of Sony’s house. Not so she could snoop on him—she’d arranged the furniture before she ever met him—but because he had big, mature trees in both his front and backyard, and in between tasks, she enjoyed watching the squirrels and birds.

When Sony came to the side of his front porch railing, she waved at him through the window. He waved back, then waited, still looking toward her, so she hustled out of her chair and headed to the door.

Ruby looked up from her nap on the couch cushions, yawned, and used her doggy stairs to climb down.

To get next door more quickly, AnnaBeth lifted the little dog and hurried out.

It was another overcast spring day, but everything was starting to smell clean and fresh, if a little brisk still. Crocuses and daffodils were showing up in her landscaping, and she inhaled the scent of grape hyacinth. Life felt full of possibilities.

Going to her own railing, she called out, “Hey, Sony. What’s up?”

“You busy?” he shouted back, a little louder than necessary, which told her he hadn’t put in his hearing aids, or they needed adjusting again.

For answer, she lifted one finger in the universal sign for “just a second,” and ran back in to shove her feet into her sneakers. She grabbed Ruby’s leash, a zip-up sweatshirt for herself, and hurried back out. In less than half a minute, she was striding up his porch steps.

Sony was still there waiting. With his bushy white eyebrows beetled together, he looked apologetic.

“Hey, you okay?” Tucking the dog into one arm, she laced the other around Sony and led him to his door. “What’s up? What can I do?”

“I dropped my damn pills. The blasted things went everywhere. They’re tiny enough that I can barely see them, and I can’t get down on the floor to look for them.”

Relieved that the problem was something so minor, she brought Sony inside while saying, “Well, of course you shouldn’t be down on the floor. I’d have a heart attack if I saw you there. You did the right thing, waving me over.”

“I was going to call, but I didn’t know if you were busy.” He shot her a look. “You’re the type of girl who’d come running even if you were in the middle of things. You’re always helping me, but I can’t ever do anything for you.”

“What? Don’t be silly.” She smoothed down a wild tuft of white hair sticking out on the side of his head, probably where he’d rested during a nap. “I love visiting you, Sony. You share your tea with me all the time, and you tell me about your wife.”

“Aw, that’s just an old man sharing memories.”

“I love your memories,” she said, meaning it. “It’s almost like I knew your Evelyn, you paint such a vivid picture of her. Besides, we’re friends. Friends always come running when needed.”

“We are friends, aren’t we? And that’s why I didn’t want to bother you if you were in the middle of things. When you waved, though, I thought maybe you’d have time—”

“Sony.” She faced him with a smile, then couldn’t resist a quick hug. At one time, he’d probably been as tall as Devlin, but now he was only a few inches taller than her five feet, seven inches. “I promise you, I am never, not ever , too busy for my favorite neighbor and friend. Okay?”

He patted her shoulder. “You’re a good girl. I keep telling Devlin so.”

AnnaBeth grinned. “Thank you for the endorsement.” Unwilling to discuss Devlin too much, she looked around. “So where did you drop them?”

“In my bedroom. Was a fresh bottle, too, so there should be thirty pills.” He put a hand to his stomach. “They help my heartburn.”

Concerned, she turned back to him. “Why don’t you sit down, and as soon as I find one, I’ll bring it to you.”

“Take your little dog out first so she can piddle. Then she can sit with me.”

Knowing he liked Ruby almost as much as Mia did, she agreed. A few minutes later, she got Sony settled in his recliner with a knit throw over his legs and Ruby curled against his side, and she headed off for the pill hunt.

It took her no time at all to locate a few, so she made tea for Sony and took him a pill. Good timing, too, because he looked ready to nod off. At her interruption, Ruby did her best to lick AnnaBeth’s face. When she leaned out of reach, the dog huffed, and then tucked herself under the throw near Sony’s hip.

Smiling, Sony patted the dog. “Thank you, AnnaBeth. It was my lucky day when you moved in next door.”

She inhaled the appreciation, touched by his sincerity. “I feel the same.” Sony wasn’t her family, but he was better than any family she’d ever had, like a kind grandpa and a favorite uncle combined. With him, she always felt truly valued.

“Why don’t you rest?” He was already half asleep. “I’ll let you know before I leave.” She moved the tea away from his elbow, gave his shoulder a soft squeeze, and went back to work.

The pills had literally gone everywhere. Beneath the bed and the dresser. Behind a nightstand. A few had even rolled into an open closet. She counted what she had, but there were still some missing.

Crawling half under the low bed, she found two more. She was awkwardly wiggling out when she heard a deep, amused voice say, “This is unexpected.”

AnnaBeth froze. She twisted to look back, but all she could see was a pair of dark sneakers. “Devlin?”

“You can keep wiggling like that if you want. I don’t mind.”

Keep wiggling? Did that mean he liked seeing her wiggle? She was tempted . . . but no. Now that he’d said it, she’d feel silly doing it. “I don’t have much room to maneuver.”

“How about I tug you out?” Warm hands clasped her bare ankles beneath the hem of her jeans. He drifted his thumbs across her skin. “Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. Nice and easy. Ready?”

Not really, but she said, “I have pills in my hand.”

“You can explain that in a minute.” Gently, he dragged her out until her head had cleared the bed frame. Pretty sure she had dust stuck to her hair and her dark sweater, but oh well.

Immediately, she rolled to her back and stared up at him. Every time she saw Devlin, he took her breath away. His dark hair was a little mussed, maybe by the wind, and his brown eyes were filled with humor.

Kneeling beside her, he said, “Hi, AnnaBeth.”

He looked . . . well, he looked really happy to see her. “Hi.” She thought about sitting up, but he was super-close, so instead she stayed flat and asked, “What are you doing here?”

A smile played over his mouth. “You weren’t at home, so I came here and found my uncle conked out with Ruby. I figured with the dog here, you had to be around somewhere, too, but I didn’t expect to find you under the bed.”

“I have a good explanation.” She came up on one elbow and handed him the pills she’d retrieved. “We have around five more missing. Sony dropped the bottle, and they went everywhere. I don’t even know where else to look.”

Neither of them stood. Or even really moved. Mostly they just looked at each other. She felt her breath hitching a bit.

Devlin set the pills on the mattress, then reached out to tuck back a hank of hair that had escaped her ponytail. “You’re dusty.”

Yup, that was her heart lodging in her throat. The way he watched her, spoke to her, and touched her, it was all so new. “I never thought to clean under your uncle’s bed. Herds of dust bunnies have taken over.”

“I don’t think bunnies come in herds. More like . . .” He thought about it a moment, then drew out his phone.

“You’re looking it up?” They were on the floor in his uncle’s bedroom. She hadn’t expected them to hang out.

“Yeah.” Then with a smile, he announced, “A group of bunnies is a fluffle.”

“Oh, well, that’s cute.” God, she liked the way he grinned, how it showed in his eyes and put a little crease in his cheek. “They still gotta go.”

“It’s not your job to clean out the dust fluffle. Uncle Sony has a woman who comes every other week to do a thorough cleaning. I’ll make sure to tell her to get under the bed.”

Good plan, but AnnaBeth knew she’d check that it was done right. She didn’t want anyone taking advantage of Sony, and at his age, he shouldn’t be breathing all that dust. “Want to help me on the pill search? Then I can run home and clean up real quick before lunch.” She looked down at her body in the now rumpled, oversized black sweater and her softest, most worn and faded jeans. “I’d planned to change clothes and do something with my hair, but then I saw Sony through the window and—”

Leaning down and putting his mouth to hers, Devlin silenced her. She liked his method. At the moment, she had no interest in talking.

She could totally get used to this impromptu kissing stuff. His lips were warm, skimming over hers, sort of teasing her bottom lip, then the corner of her mouth before he pulled away. His eyes looked into hers, and with a soft sound, he came back for two more kisses, both a little firmer.

“Your mouth is irresistible.”

Since he said it against her lips, she wasn’t sure if she should reply or not, but then decided another kiss was in order. She caught the back of his neck with one hand and deepened the kiss.

He couldn’t just tease like that. No way.

She parted her lips, his tongue touched hers . . . but then he quickly pulled away. “No more of that.” After standing, he reached down and assisted her up. “Not in my uncle’s bedroom.”

Disappointment hit with the first sentence, and embarrassment with the second. Yeah, Uncle Sony’s room. How could she have forgotten? “I guess that would be kind of awkward.”

“I don’t want to think about it.” Glancing around, he said, “Let’s find the pills, head to your house, and pick up where we left off.” He paused. “Unless you want to run right out for food.”

Ha! Fat chance. She’d spent a year imagining multiple scenarios of her and Devlin getting together. None of them involved pill hunting in his uncle’s house, but she could roll with it. Plus, no one had ever accused her of being shy. “If you want my honest preference, then I vote we order pizza to be delivered. I’ll throw together a salad, open a few colas, and we can hang out with more time for the fun stuff.”

“I like the way you think.” He checked the time on his phone. “Let’s get to it.”

Unfortunately, by the time they located the last of the pills—two of which were somehow under Sony’s pillow—Sony had awakened. He showed up in the doorway, Ruby beside him, and smiled at them. “Devlin. I didn’t know you were here.”

Devlin winced. “We seriously need to get your hearing aids checked.”

“What’s that?”

With an exasperated smile, Devlin slid his arm around her waist and drew her forward. She stepped stiffly beside him, mostly because he’d taken her by surprise, showing affection in front of his uncle. Felt like her legs locked up a little there, and she couldn’t seem to manage a blink.

Took Sony by surprise, too, judging by the way his suddenly astute gaze zeroed in on them. Then he slowly grinned, making it clear he was pleased by Devlin’s more familiar touch.

Loudly, so his uncle could hear, Devlin said, “Let’s find your ears, Uncle Sony.”

Sony just kept on grinning, so much so that AnnaBeth shook off her surprised stupor and started to grin, too.

Near her ear, so only she would hear, Devlin said, “Good thing we weren’t still on the floor together.”

* * *

Devlin would never say or do anything to hurt his uncle, but when Sony suggested ordering a pizza to thank AnnaBeth for her help, he nearly groaned in disappointment.

He wanted to kiss her again—without restraint. He wanted to touch her, to feel her body against his. So many wants bombarded him, they left his blood burning and his muscles primed. He hadn’t felt like this in far too long.

Sony looked hopeful for company, so Devlin immediately caved. “Sounds good. AnnaBeth?”

Expecting her to show some frustration, he was surprised when she only said, “Great idea. And I have stuff for salad next door. I can grab it.”

“I’ll help.” At least he’d get a small bit of time alone with her. In so many ways, AnnaBeth intrigued him. Always had, but now, it was different. Sharper edged.

Personal and intimate.

He was used to putting his own wants and needs last. Until this new hunger for AnnaBeth, it hadn’t been an issue. Everything he’d wanted had been wrapped up in family, in his closeness with Uncle Sony and his daughter’s happiness. In the day-to-day survival of heartbreak and learning to be just himself, when for so long he’d been part of a couple.

There were times when he’d thought he’d always feel that way, like half of a whole, with a vital part missing. To some extent, he did still; the awareness of what he’d lost remained.

But the loss no longer felt overwhelming, as if it dominated his life. It was just there, like other memories of things now gone. Tempered by his feelings for AnnaBeth.

With an understanding look, she acknowledged that they’d missed their opportunity to enjoy a brief, casual date.

Thanks to her quick thinking, he could still get her alone for a few minutes.

After calling in the order, they walked over to her house. Ruby, who was happy to stick with Uncle Sony, had no interest in joining them.

On her front porch, AnnaBeth said, “I might have left things a little messy.” She opened the door and stepped in. “When your uncle waved at me, I’d just finished working, so I—”

Close behind her, Devlin crowded in, pushed the door shut, and turned her all in one move. “Mind if we get to this first?” He saw the question in her eyes, saw her lips part to voice it, and he covered her mouth with his. Better still, he gathered her close, relishing her soft curves, the scent of her hair and skin.

He loved her hair, the silky weight of it and how it framed her face. Loved her skin, too, so warm to the touch.

He made a rough sound as her slender arms came up and around his neck. She opened her lips more, tacit permission for his tongue to sink in, tasting her, stroking and inciting.

Going up in flames, he pressed her back to the door and feasted on her. This . He needed this. With her .

Tilting his head, aligning it for the best advantage, he deepened the kiss until he couldn’t tell where his breath ended and hers began.

Her hands roamed restlessly over his shoulders, down to his upper arms, where she stroked his biceps. Liking that, he did his own fair share of touching—but for him, it was difficult to stick to shoulders and arms. He could feel her breasts cushioned against his chest and he wanted, needed , to touch her.

Leaving her mouth, he kissed her throat. “AnnaBeth?”

She replied with, “I wish we had time for sex.”

That disclosure hit him like a heat bomb, stealing his breath. He pulled back to see her heavy eyes, flushed cheeks, and a smile of willingness. “I should have told Sony we had other plans.”

AnnaBeth touched his cheek. “He’s eighty-eight years old. We can’t ever disappoint him, not for any reason.”

God love her, she made him feel things he’d never felt before—and what a realization that was. In some ways, he felt a decade younger, falling into his first serious infatuation. But he was thirty years old, and he knew his own mind. This was a far deeper, more serious emotion, and it was hitting him hard.

“Does that annoy you?” she asked. “I’m sorry. We’ll have other days and opportunities, right? At least I hope we will.” She tilted in for another kiss. “Tell me we will.”

“Most definitely.”

“But with Sony, sturdy as he may seem, age is an issue.”

“I agree—and you didn’t disappoint me. Not even close.”

“Good.” She traced her fingertips over his jaw. “I want you to know, Devlin. I don’t have any plans where you’re concerned.”

Because he had plenty of plans, his brows went up. “What does that mean?”

“This is going to sound blunt, but I don’t want to leave Sony alone too long, so I’m just going to toss it out there.”

Something in her tone put him on edge. He braced himself. “Yeah, do that.”

“Just as Sony loves his house, I love mine. It’s the first real home I’ve ever had, and I’ll never leave it. Since I know you would never uproot Mia or leave the home you shared with your wife, you don’t have to worry that I’ll start planning a future for us.”

“Is that so?” She was telling him not to look ahead—when he was already doing exactly that. With her .

“Not for anything permanent, I mean.” Frowning, she continued in a rush. “I didn’t become friends with Sony as a way to get to you. I wouldn’t use him like that. He’s the sweetest guy, and not to make it weird, he’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to family. I care about him, and about Mia. She’s a doll.” Nervously, AnnaBeth licked her lips. “None of that is to get closer to you, though. If you want to have sex, I’d love it. I’ve thought about you a lot, but I know it’d just be that. Sex. Not a relationship or anything.”

Knowing she was waiting for him to say something, though he had no idea what, Devlin just stood there.

Great, we can keep it casual . Hardly. He was already invested. Until she’d pulled back, he hadn’t realized how much, but he knew it mattered.

That works perfectly for me . No, it damn well didn’t. Relationships weren’t play for him, not at his age, and not with his daughter taking up the majority of his time.

Thanks for clearing it up . He wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily.

To stall, he turned to take in her living room, surprised to see that it was decorated in a neutral palette, picture perfect, but obviously lived in and comfortable.

A short, overstuffed couch in light tan fabric was flanked by two slightly darker corduroy padded chairs. Plush pillows and a knitted throw blanket added homey touches. Ruby had her own little comfy bed on the floor that matched, but also very pretty, dainty stairs so she could get up on the couch.

On the white wooden coffee table were magazines, a book about digital design, a stack of cork coasters, and a lush plant. In fact, she had a lot of plants, in baskets on the floor and a few on stands. It was nice.

She shifted nervously beside him until he asked, “Who decorated?”

“Me.” She looked around, too, as if seeking the flaws in her style. “I read a book on interior design and looked through a bunch of magazines, then sat on a lot of furniture. Over the years, I lived in houses that had really worn furniture and some stuff that was so formal we weren’t allowed to use it. Traditional, early American, contemporary, farmhouse . . . so many different styles, but they were all nice for different reasons. I guess my taste in furniture is eclectic, based on what looks good to me, but also feels good because I use it.”

“That makes perfect sense to me. It looks great. Super professional, but also like you live here.”

“Well . . . I do. Ruby and me, I mean. I made sure the material on the couch was easy to clean. Same with the rug and the curtains.” She gestured toward the couch. “That’s Ruby’s blanket. When I’m working, she’ll yap at me until I get it exactly right for her, then she burrows in and sleeps.”

Devlin bent to lift a squeaky bone, then a ball that rattled. “Her toys?”

Defensively, AnnaBeth took the toys from him and tossed them into an overflowing basket in the corner. “She lives here, too. She has a right to her things.”

“I agree.” He kissed her again, then made an obvious connection. “It’s the same with Mia and her stuff. I try to keep the house organized, but she has her favorites that rarely get put away. A stuffed giraffe that she likes to snuggle with on the couch, an old doll she’s had forever that she sleeps with every night. Like the basket for the dog’s toys, I have a hamper in the living room where Mia puts away the things she plays with most often.”

AnnaBeth smiled in relief. “I love that. Houses are to be lived in, right? They should look nice, but no one should feel like they’re walking into a museum. They should feel comfortable and welcomed.”

Had she felt that way before? In the many foster homes she’d lived in, she’d probably faced every scenario imaginable. Tenderness, protectiveness, and good old-fashioned lust all warred inside him.

Yet she’d already laid out the ground rules for a temporary relationship between them.

He nodded toward a big desk. “That’s where you work?” It took up a lot of space in her modest-sized living room, and he noticed how it faced his uncle’s house.

“Most of the time. Sometimes in bed or on the couch, but that’s usually when I already have things nailed down and I’m just reviewing or tweaking, or if I’ve got emails from clients to read.”

Her desk chair was oversized, padded, and looked as comfortable as the rest of her furniture.

“Do you think we have time for me to show you the rest of the house?” she asked. “Or would you rather I just get the salad together?”

“I’d love to see it. We should have time if we make it quick.”

She grabbed his hand and hauled him toward the hallway. “The house is laid out a lot like your uncle’s, but it’s been updated more than his has.” Pushing open a door, she showed him her main-floor bathroom, which was so clean he assumed she rarely used it. Next was a bedroom that she’d set up like a library, with shelves everywhere and a worn recliner with a single table and lamp.

“You like to read.”

“A lot,” she confirmed, as she quickly tugged him back out of the room before he could make out more than a few titles. He noticed mysteries, romance, and a few biographies. “Down here is the guest bedroom. It’s big, but it’s basically empty. Just a twin bed and a nightstand.” She lifted her shoulders. “I don’t have family to visit, so I mostly just use it for storage.”

Another painful dart to his heart. “You never know, so it’s good to have a bed there just in case.”

“I guess. Mostly I just set it up that way because it’s expected.” She trotted him out and up the stairs. “Sorry to run you, but I think the pizza guy could be here soon, so . . . ta da, my upstairs bathroom.”

“Wow, nice.” The standard tub had been replaced with a whirlpool bath, and the room was done in light gray and white.

“The previous owners redid the room, and I love it. I do most of my reading in that tub.”

He noticed a book sitting on the ledge, along with a book light, and in one corner was a fat white candle. “Scented?”

“Gardenia. I do love my leisurely baths. That white pillow on the floor is for Ruby. Usually, wherever I go in the house, she goes, too.”

Except for when his daughter—or this time, his uncle—took her pet from her.

“Down here is my room.” She led him along the hall to a third bedroom, this one done in all natural materials. A rattan headboard, light wood nightstands, a chunky knitted spread, and too many pillows for him to count. More books were stacked on the left nightstand, so he assumed that was the side she slept on.

“It’s beautiful, but now I’m imagining you in that bed, and that’s making me think of things other than houses, or design, or even pizzas and my uncle.”

She grinned at him. “Seems fair, since I’ve often imagined you in that bed with me.”

Before he could react to that comment, other than with a low groan, she grabbed his hand again.

“Now that we’ve decided, our time will come. But we need to hustle before Sony thinks we’ve abandoned him.”

Devlin stopped her at the bottom of the stairs, brought her around, and kissed her thoroughly. “I hear the pizza delivery guy. Why don’t you throw together the salad stuff, and I’ll go next door in case Sony is sleeping again.”

She touched her lips, then squeaked, “I’ll only be a minute.”

“Soon, AnnaBeth.” He back-stepped away from her. “It has to be really soon.”