relationship with Rachel must have sounded. But she’d been truthful. What does
that say about my life?
v
“Soup’s on!” Natalie called.
Tucking a faded blue-checked ? annel shirt into her oldest pair of jeans, Dev
made her way slowly out of the bedroom to ? nd Natalie, barefoot in a white
silk T-shirt and black slacks, spooning tomato soup into bowls. A ? re crackled
in the ? replace and a tray of cheese and French bread sat on the coffee table in
front of the sofa. A bottle of white wine completed the picture.
“That looks great, thanks,” Dev said, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She hadn’t been able to make it any farther than the sofa when she got home
that morning, and she’d still been asleep when Natalie arrived, announcing her
intentions to make dinner. Dev hadn’t wanted company, but Natalie had come
out in the pouring rain so she’d smiled and let her in. Now, showered and ?
nally warm, she took in the
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WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE
room and realized that Natalie might be interested in more than dinner.
Natalie’s silk T was just sheer enough to reveal a hint of dusky nipples on her
decidedly braless breasts. She wore her dark hair down, and Dev caught the
hint of an earthy perfume. Natalie looked and smelled like walking sex.
“How’s your leg?” Natalie carried the bowls to the coffee table, set one down in
front of Dev, and curled up next to her with the other bowl balanced in her lap.
“Not bad,” Dev said, sipping the soup. “This was nice of you.”
“You looked like hell this morning. If I hadn’t had to get the rest of our
marooned campers off the islands, I wouldn’t have left you here alone today.”
“I would have been pretty lousy company. I crashed the minute I walked in and
didn’t move until you knocked on the front door.”
Natalie shrugged, smiling softly. “I can think of worse things to do than watching
you sleep.”
Carefully, Dev set her bowl down. She liked Natalie a lot. Natalie was not only
smart and capable, she was sexy as all get out. A month ago, Dev had seriously
considered a night with her, maybe even a pleasant summer interlude. Now all
she could think about was Leslie.
All she’d been able to think about since the moment she’d seen her at the train
station had been Leslie. She could still smell her hair, still feel her body stretched
along hers, still feel her everywhere. She hurt so much inside she wanted to fall
on her knees and beg for everything to be different. Christ, what a fool.
“Why does it bother you that I want to go to bed with you?”
Natalie asked, putting her own bowl aside.
“That’s direct.” Dev grinned shakily. “I like that about you.”
Natalie stretched one leg out and curled her toes into Dev’s right calf. Then she
slowly ran her foot up and down Dev’s jean-clad leg.
“I’ve wanted to get you into bed since the ? rst time I saw you standing in the
lake with water up to your waist. And unless I’m way off base, no one else is
warming your bed.”
Hitching her leg partway onto the couch, Dev turned sideways so she could
meet Natalie’s gaze. She caught her breath when Natalie slid her foot along the
top of her thigh and between her legs. When Natalie’s heel nudged the seam in
her jeans, Dev stiffened.
“Tell me that doesn’t feel good.” Natalie’s voice was throaty and low, her eyes
soft and sultry.
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RADCLY fFE
Dev wrapped her ? ngers around Natalie’s ankle and moved her foot away an
inch. She was tired and weary at heart, but her body still screamed for release
after the hours of arousal the night before, and Natalie was very good at
seduction. “I’m not dead, Natalie. You’re a beautiful woman and you’re making
me more than a little bit crazy.”
Natalie drew her leg away, slid closer on the couch, and put her hand where her
foot had been—high on the inside of Dev’s thigh. She squeezed the tight muscle,
released, then squeezed again. Dev gasped.
“Let me make you feel good. I know what you need. Let me slide my ? ngers
—”
“Natalie,” Dev said, her voice rough, her stomach tight. “It wouldn’t be right.”
“Dev, for God’s sake, I can tell you want me. What is it you think I want that
you’re so worried about?” Natalie moved her hand from Dev’s thigh to her
cheek, stroking her face. “All I want is to share what we both want to share. I’m
not asking for anything else.”
“I know, I believe you.” Dev leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling, her
breath coming in painful spurts. It had taken so long to feel anything for any
other woman, and she didn’t often give in to physical attraction. Too many times
she’d been left feeling empty. She turned her head and met Natalie’s troubled,
questioning gaze. “I can’t make love to you because I…I…”
“Because you’re in love with Leslie Harris.”
Dev closed her eyes as the pain washed through her. Natalie leaned forward
and gently kissed her on the mouth. Natalie’s lips were soft, moist, warm. Her
full, ? rm breasts pressed against Dev’s arm.
She smelled like rain, she smelled like life. And Dev hurt so much. She wanted
to keep her eyes closed and let Leslie open her shirt, unbutton her jeans, and
stroke her sorrows into pleasure. She wanted Leslie to…
Leslie. She wanted Leslie. She opened her eyes. “Yes. Because I love Leslie.”
“She’s not here, Dev,” Natalie said, her gentleness softening the sting in her
words. “I don’t know why she isn’t, but the reasons don’t really matter. What
matters is that you’re here alone, hurting, and I want to be with you. We’ll both
feel better, I promise.”
“I can’t,” Dev groaned. “I can’t make love with you if I’m thinking about her.
I’m sorry. I can’t.”
Natalie leaned back, her ? ngers slowly stroking Dev’s arm. “Don’t worry. You
won’t be thinking about her when you’re with me.” She
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WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE
smiled, a slow, lazy, con? dent smile. “I know it, and one of these days, you’re
going to know it too.” She leaned close again and nipped at Dev’s chin, then
kissed the spot she’d bitten. “And when you do, Dev, I’ll be waiting. And I
promise you a night you’ll never forget.”
Dev laughed, but her eyes were serious. “It doesn’t bother you?
Knowing the way I feel about Les?”
“Of course it bothers me,” Natalie said, her eyes blazing. “It bothers me a hell of
