Page 17 of Billionaire Undeceived - Devon

I hadn’t seen a single sign of the old Devon last night, and it was probably unlikely that he was suddenly going to change…again.

But I wasn’t sure that spending more time with Devon than necessary was a great idea.

I was starting to feel weirdly attracted to him, and that scared me.

Devon was a devastatingly attractive guy, but I’d never wanted to get him naked until yesterday.

God, I hadn’t even liked the man before our dinner last night.

I certainly hadn’t had sexual fantasies about him in the past.

“He’s not going to change,” Anna assured me.

“How do you know that?” I asked her curiously.

“Devon is kind of like the people of Crystal Fork. Once he sees you as one of his own, he’s protective. He’s a little less obvious than his brothers, but that man has a protective streak a mile long.”

I put my fork down on my empty plate as I asked, “Can I ask a nosy question?”

“Yes!”

“Absolutely!”

“We love nosy questions!”

I smiled at the women at the table, and I was so glad that I could call them all my friends.

“It’s probably none of my business,” I started hesitantly. “But are all the stories about him being a player true?”

Hannah opened her mouth to speak first. “It’s a lot of exaggeration,” she explained. “I’ve known Devon for a long time. When we were all living in New York, I think he got laid occasionally, but he was never interested in a relationship. For the first year or two after he moved there, I don’t think he saw anyone at all. Not even for a hookup. The man is thirty-eight years old, and he’s never been in a meaningful relationship. I suspect that he got burned really badly at some point when he was in college, but he blows us off if we ask what happened. He’s never even mentioned what happened to Kaleb or Tanner.”

I digested that information for a moment before I replied, “Maybe he’s just not a relationship kind of guy.”

Hannah shook her head. “I don’t think that’s true. He has a lot to give to the people he cares about. I don’t think he loves being alone. I just don’t think he’s met the right woman. It would definitely have to be someone who could gain his trust completely.”

Lauren gave me an inquisitive look. “Are you interested in Devon? You’d be perfect for him.”

“No!” I said emphatically. “I’m not his type, and we disliked each other until yesterday.”

“Why couldn’t you be his type?” Anna questioned. “You’re beautiful and highly intelligent. Lauren’s right. You’d never put up with too much of his bullshit, and that would be good for him.”

“I’ve heard that his past women have been tall, thin, stunningly gorgeous, and sophisticated. I’m none of those things. I’m also very boring. My idea of excitement is cooking, reading a good book, or searching for antiques.”

“Devon isn’t exactly a party animal,” Anna pointed out. “He spends a lot of time in his music room, reading, and hanging out with people he likes. He goes to The Mug And Jug occasionally, but he’s kind of a loner most of the time. He has hooked up with a few supermodels for a fling, but people make a bigger deal out of that than they should. It was a long time ago, and there was nothing there but a very brief physical attraction. I really don’t think he has a type. He’s never really had a girlfriend.”

“Just keep an open mind,” Hannah suggested. “I still think he has a thing for you. Are you really not interested in him?”

“It would never happen,” I said firmly. “I guess I’m just hoping we can be…friendlier.”

If Devon needed someone he could trust completely that woman couldneverbe me. I’d been lying to the people here in Crystal Fork from day one.

He’d most likely hate me if he ever found out the truth.

“Give him a chance tomorrow to show you a different side of himself,” Hannah requested. “Relax and just have fun. His property is gorgeous and there are endless trails to ride. Tanner made multiple mountain bike trails that run through his, Kaleb’s, and Devon’s properties. We use them for the horses, too.”

I knew the three brothers had connecting properties, and that they all had a significant amount of acreage.

My eyes widened. “That’s a lot of property and trails.”

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