Read Online Devlin's Dare by Sabrina York - Free Book Online Page B

fill the moment. She did not expect his attention to snap to her, to fixate on her, the way it did.
    “Why don’t you come more often?”
    God. She shouldn’t have said anything.
    “I come often enough.”
    “No. You don’t. I think I’ve seen you twice in the past year.”
    She shrugged. Studied her mug. It was empty. Damn. “I need more coffee.” She pushed back from the table but he stopped her. Caught her wrist in a warm grasp.
    “Why don’t you come more often?”
    She blew out a laugh. “I have a job, Holt.”
    “We all have jobs.”
    “I have a business .”
    The screen door opened and Bella came out onto the deck, carrying a mug and a plate piled with the pastries Tara brought and, of course, bacon. For a self-proclaimed vegan, she ate a lot of bacon. She caught Tara mid-scowl. “Well, don’t you look chipper this morning,” she said, setting her plate on the table.
    She and Holt shared a kiss , which was a relief because it meant he would get distracted and drop this uncomfortable topic.
    But she was wrong. Once Bella sat beside him, he snagged a slice of bacon and continued. “So you have a business. How does that keep you away? If you love it here, how could that keep you away?”
    She forced a saccharine smile. “Are you saying you miss me, Holt?”
    He held up his hands. “Hey. I’m just curious, is all. We all come pretty regularly—except Patrick, who has good reason—and you .”
    She stared at him, lips working. Couldn’t help it. What was he talking about? She wasn’t one of them . She wasn’t a Dawg. She was an interloper, here because one of them had so graciously invited her.
    “Yeah,” Bella chirped, crunching into a chocolate croissant. “Why don’t you come more often? And why didn’t you bring more cream puffs?”
    Holt’s arched brow provoked her, so Tara snapped, “Because I’m not one of you, that’s why.”
    His eyes narrowed. “You are .”
    “I’m not on the lease, Holt.”
    “So?” This he said as though it made no difference at all that she had no legal right to squat here with impunity.
    “So. I’m not part of the clan .” She was on the outside looking in. She knew it. He knew it. Everybody knew it.
    “We’re hardly a clan. ” Bella licked some chocolate off the side of her hand.
    “ Just a group of people, who happen to like each other, who happen to like spending time together.” He shifted in his seat, his intensity swelling. His sleepy face was definitely gone. “Are you saying you don’t feel comfortable coming here?”
    “I feel very comfortable coming here, Holt. Don’t make this into some big hoo-d e-do-dah.”
    “I’m not making this into some big hoo-de-do-dah.”
    B ella leaned in. “What’s a hoo-de-do-dah?”
    “But I absolutely would feel uncomfortable coming here without an invitation.”
    “Why?”
    Why? “Because it’s not my house.”
    “That’s stupid.” She could smack Bella. Really, she could.
    “What’s stupid?” Egads. Was everyone coming out here? Tara turned to see Lane, still in his pajama bottoms, leaning in the doorway. “Is that bacon?” Despite Bella’s attempt to hide the plate, he grabbed a slice and though she pouted, she let him have one. One. “What’s stupid?” he repeated.
    Holt waved a hand in Tara’s direction. “Did you know the reason she hasn’t been coming is because she doesn’t feel welcome?”
    “I didn’t say that!”
    “Why doesn’ t she feel welcome?”
    “Because she’s not on the lease.”
    Seriously? “I’m sitting right here.”
    Lane gaped at her, a puzzled frown. “You’re not on the lease?”
    “How can you not know who’s on the lease? It’s your goddamn lease!” Honestly. Sometimes Lane was such a doofus.
    He shrugged. “I don’t pay attention to stuff like that. I have people for that.” It must be nice to have people . It must be nice being richer than Croesus. “But if it’ll make you feel better, we’ll put you on the