“Fine.” Four weeks of limitations and no job to rely on as an outlet turned Devlin’s tone somewhat surly. “But don’t be surprised if you go to watch last week’s True Blood and it’s mysteriously gone from the DVR.”
Maddie snorted and rolled her eyes. “Fat chance. You love that show too much to delete one just to spite me.”
“Maybe I’ve already watched it,” he shot back.
“You wouldn’t.” She didn’t even flinch. “Not without me.”
That was true. Pathetic and sad, but true. They shared an apartment, and neither one of them dated enough to disrupt any of their routines.
Their waitress breezed to the table right then, just long enough to deposit two plates of greasy food in front of Devlin and Maddie. She offered a quick “Enjoy” before moving on to the next group of customers entering the diner.
“Yeah, all right,” Devlin muttered as he picked up his bacon cheeseburger. “Shut up and eat your food.”
Maddie flashed him a fast smile and dug into her mile-high club sandwich.
* * * *
“You should at least consider giving Darren another shot,” Maddie said as she joined Devlin next to his car in the parking lot of Corsini’s Garage. “I don’t remember him being a chatterbox. Maybe you’re not doing enough talking and he feels like he has to fill in the awkward silences on his own.”
Devlin rolled his eyes. His sister had picked up their conversation from the diner as if she and Devlin hadn’t driven across town in separate vehicles.
“I’m going to go now, Maddie.” Devlin looked at her from over the hood of his piece of crap Corolla that Maddie kept alive with duct tape and prayer, and delivered a look that matched the firmness in his tone. “I’ll see you at home tonight.”
“No, wait! Come inside with me for a second. I want to show you something.”
“What now?” Devlin didn’t move. “I have to get to the hospital for my therapy session.”
“You have a few minutes,” she answered in a knowing voice. “It’s something you might want to consider buying when I’m done restoring it.” She sing-songed the information like the Pied Piper from over her shoulder, and Devlin could not ignore the enticing tune.
Devlin jogged and caught up to her side. “What is it?” She knew he hated his car but that he also refused to sink a pile of money into something new that wasn’t truly special.
“Just a ’77 Trans Am that will have all the interior specs and gleam with shiny black paint and the Pontiac Firebird insignia on the hood by the time I’m done with it.”
Shit. “Really?” Devlin used to watch a certain movie over and over when he was a kid, and he had latched onto wanting the damned car like nobody’s business.
“Really,” Maddie answered. She pushed open the side door to the garage and Devlin followed her inside the big, cavernous building. “It doesn’t look like much right now, but give us some time in between the jobs that pay the bills and Garrick and I will have it looking and running better than the original. Follow me.” She circled around two cars. “We have it curtained off and under canvas in back.”
They rounded the front end of an Accord and came across a pair of long legs encased in Corsini’s standard blue coveralls sticking out from under the car.
“Ooh, stay still, G.” Maddie tapped her boot against the boot of the guy under the car. “I think I remember the words to a double-dutch game I used to play when I was a kid.” Maddie proceeded to skip in a pattern over and between the man’s spread legs, all the while singing an old jump-roping song. At the end, she jumped a foot away with a grand “Ta-da! I did it.”
A chuckle drifted out from under the car, followed by a smooth, deep voice. “If you’re done skipping rope with my legs, Maddie, can you get me a new light? This one just died.”
Holy shit. Devlin trembled as the rich tone of that damned voice washed over his flesh. He knew that voice all the way down to his soul.
Devlin planted his hand against the hood of the Accord so he didn’t stumble.
He couldn’t fucking believe it.
“Gradyn?” This time his voice did croak.
Chapter One
Gradyn Connell in Redemption. Devlin’s mind spun with the information. He could not fathom it. Holy mother. Was the man here with his wife?
Maddie shot a puzzled glance in Devlin’s direction. “Gradyn? Did you mishear me? This is Garrick.” She stooped down, squeezed the man’s shin, and tugged him out from under the Accord. “He’s going to help me restore the Trans Am.”
The guy wheeled out on a rolling plank, revealing a fit body, and got to his feet. “Hi.” He wiped his grease-streaked hands on his coveralls and then stuck his right one out Devlin’s way. “Garrick Langley. Good to meet you.”
What the hell?
Devlin went lightheaded for a second time in as many minutes, and he leaned more heavily against the Accord to help hold himself steady. The voice attached to this new mechanic echoed in Devlin’s mind as Gradyn. The texture of it rippled through Devlin’s being as vividly as he recalled the rough hands of this man learning every inch of his body. He knew the command and tone of that fucking voice; he also still knew the shape and length of this man’s cock--that had taken Devlin’s ass with insane slowness and punishing power--that had branded Devlin both inside and out while looking at him through green eyes that pierced right into Devlin’s soul.
Only, right this second, Devlin looked into pure blue eyes, not green, and the lack of that connection sucker punched him. Before him stood a lean, sinewy
