by Marie Harte
Deacon’s eyes danced. “Clearly.”
“Hey.” Solene scowled.
“So, Noel Jr. must be my albatross.” He cleared his throat and in a dramatic voice, said, “‘Had I from old and young/Instead of the cross, the Albatross about my neck was hung.’ It’s Coleridge. Look it up.”
“His name is not Noel Jr.” Noel said through gritted teeth.
Addy laughed. “I like it. That and Little Dee. Isn’t that what you call him, Deacon?”
“Wait a minute.” Solene gaped at the giant with a brain. “That was a literary reference. Hammer just made a literary reference.”
He shrugged. “I’m not just another pretty face.”
Noel didn’t quite smile, but Solene would swear he was amused. “So we divide and conquer. Hammer, see what you can make out of our new intel. I already looked it over, and it just reinforces what I thought we should do. But maybe I missed something. That and keep looking into that locket. A lot of the work we need to do is research, and since you’re living next door now, you’ll be close enough to access the basement computer.” He turned to Deacon. “You can help me connect the dots and do recon. I came up with two more names that might want all of us out of commission. I also think we might need to revisit a few people I checked off the list before. Confirm some things, mark off others.” Noel turned to Solene. “Solene, you need to take a break.”
“Excuse me?” Since when did she fall under Noel’s command?
“It’s only a matter of time before they come after us again. They tried to drug and capture you just three weeks ago.”
“Not like I can forget that,” she mumbled.
Deacon squeezed her knee. To her bewilderment, the connection helped settle her.
“My point is they didn’t try to kill you,” Noel said. “Addy was bait, then she was as good as dead. The people who came to the daycare were there to take you away. To kidnap you. And I want to know why.”
Solene didn’t like hearing that.
Deacon didn’t seem to like it either, because he squeezed her knee again before pulling his hand away. “That, princess, is why I’m staying at your place for the foreseeable future. I know it’s tough to keep your distance. Lord knows I’m a tempting morsel. But don’t worry, I put your safety before sex. Unless it’s safe sex, and then I—”
Solene slapped a hand over his mouth. “Oh my God. Stop talking.”
The others laughed, easing the growing tension.
Hammer shook his head. “Yeah, I can’t understand why Solene hasn’t fallen for you before now. All that charm. Gosh. It’s a mystery.”
“Yes, as Deacon said, every woman wants him.” Noel gave a rare grin. “It was touch and go with Addy for a while. Deacon or me? Who to choose? But somehow I just lucked out.”
Addy stroked his cheek. “Somehow.”
Solene appreciated the humor, but not her orders. “Noel, I can’t just leave work.”
“Sure you can,” Addy said. “You’re the boss. You have assistants, and let’s face it, you like kids, but not so much that you like being there 24/7.”
“Well, okay, you got me there. The problem is that Darcy is new. She’s great with the kids, but it’s just her and Annie and me.” The break-in and near-death experience had scared off Marge, her most steadfast employee. To be fair, Solene herself had been thinking about life a lot differently lately since then. “And with Darcy being new, I—”
“Can oversee from a distance,” Deacon cut in. “Noel’s right. We need to get you out of the public eye for a while. We’ll stash you at your place, and I’ll make sure no one comes after you.”
The blank expression on his face made her pause. Hole her up at home, the place where she clearly lived and anyone with an ounce of sense would know to look for her first? “Hold on. You want them to come after me, don’t you?” Before he could deny it, she went on. “So what? Now I’m bait?”
“No,” Addy said at the same time Noel and Hammer said, “Yes.”
Solene glared at Deacon, who had yet to answer. “Well?”
He frowned. “I don’t like it, but I like leaving you out in the open less. We need to get rid of the threat before it strikes again. At least if they come after you on your own turf, you’re in control.” Meaning he would be in control.
Solene wanted to yell at him, to ask him why he thought it acceptable to put her at risk, but the set of his jaw and frown told her he didn’t like this any more than she did. And that surprised her.
“So, I have to be with you all the time until we catch these people?”
“Until I, Noel, and Hammer catch them, yes.” His tone brooked no nonsense. “Your safety is our priority.” He emphasized that and glared at Noel. “I’m not kidding about that.”
“Which is why she’s in your hands.” Noel eased Addy off his lap and stood. “Now how about dinner? I’m thinking Chinese. Hammer’s buying.”
Hammer groaned. “Why? I bought yesterday.”
“Not to mention we just ate.” Solene grimaced.
“I’m not saying I can’t eat again, but I just got groceries.”
“Try last week.” Noel snorted. “And you eat nonstop. I filled the fridge the other day, and it’s empty already.”
“I get hungry. Sue me.”
Addy asked him, “Can you cook?”
“I can use the microwave. I’m awesome at reheating things.” Hammer grinned as if confessing a major achievement.
Solene shook her head. “So not only do you eat everything in sight, you also expect everyone to cook for you. Typical man.”
“Hey.” Hammer unfolded himself from the couch. “I don’t have to take that. I’m gonna go talk to Noel Jr., a man who actually appreciates me.” He shot Noel and Deacon the finger, glared at Solene, then ruined it by laughing before he stormed out of the room.
Deacon clapped. “Now that’s how you make an exit.”
Solene stood, aware of Deacon’s gaze burning through her back. “On that note, I’m out of here.”
He rose as well and kept way too close to her. “We’re out of here.”
“Whatever.”
Addy frowned. “You’re going to miss Chinese night.”
“Sorry, Addy, but I’m tired. It’s been a long day.” The look Solene shot Deacon would leave no one in any doubt as to who had made it feel like forever.
Noel nodded. “I feel your pain.”
Deacon flipped him off. “Go find some answers, Ice Man. But don’t worry about Solene. I’ll take good care of her,” he purred.
Solene gave him a wary glance, because good came out way too husky for her peace of mind.
Noel put his arm around Addy’s shoulder. They looked perfect together. “Come on, baby. Let’s leave them be. You and I have things to do tonight.”
Addy practically melted. Solene liked that her friend had found love, but the doe eyes Addy gave Noel were a little much. Solene believed in keeping one foot firmly on the ground. Being realistic kept her sharp, engaged, and strong. Not vulnerable to any man spouting half-truths to get what he wanted from her. She liked romance, and she wanted to believe in the notion of love, however farfetched it might be. But there was more to the feeling than just saying the right things with a sexy smile.
Noel nuzzled Addy’s nose, and Solene heard Deacon sigh.
Addy and Noel were like honey glazing a cream filled, frosting topped donut. Too sweet and frankly, a little sickly. In a louder voice, she said, “On that note, I’m leaving. I’ll take a raincheck on the Chinese food. Tell Hammer and Noel Jr. we said goodbye.”
She quickly preceded Deacon out the door so as not to hear Addy asking why the rush.
Once in Deacon’s car, she sat back and groaned. “No more love talk. Just, not for a while.”
“Amen to that,” Deacon agreed and drove them in silence back to her home. No more than a fifteen-minute drive north, and they pulled into her driveway. He left the car running. “Stay here.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” She gave him a m
ock salute, ignored his scowl, and watched him slink out of the car, then check over the house.
She’d had outstanding security in place even before Deacon had arrived. But he still made her wait while he checked everything over each time they returned to the house. For a solid week they’d been living together, apart from the others, and it had become pure hell.
Not that Deacon wasn’t a conscientious house guest. To her surprise, he cleaned up after himself, didn’t hog the hot water, and made healthy meals that took work and planning. What didn’t help were the sly innuendos, walking around half naked while claiming to be too warm during the chilly October weather, and the fact that man looked like candy she wanted to lick all over.
Solene really needed to find a guy to take the edge off, and soon, before she succumbed to Deacon’s impossible charm. Even knowing what he did for a living hadn’t killed her attraction. If anything, it had fanned the flames.
Never one to do things the easy way, Solene had always gone for the unconventional. It just figured Deacon’s strength and coolness under pressure would appeal to her. And the fact he killed bad guys for a living? Not just put them in jail, but actually eliminated them? It didn’t bother her at all. It should have bothered her. Unfortunately, Solene saved what little compassion she possessed for the children left in her care. She had no sympathy for rapists, arms dealers, and murderers.
A knock at the window startled her.
Deacon stood outside her door, and she saw she’d automatically locked the doors after he’d left the car. Great, now I’m obeying his orders without realizing it. She got out of the car, leaving it to him to grab the keys.
Hurrying into the house, she let the familiar comfort fill her, pausing in the hallway to breathe in the scent of lavender, vanilla, and home.
“Smells girlie in here.” Deacon had followed and closed the door behind him, then set the security once more. “Did you spray the house with perfume before we left this morning?”
“I set out new candles.” Solene was a sucker for candlelight and flowers. Clichéd romantic decor, but hey, it was her house. A glance at the fading bouquet on her entry table told her she needed to pick up a new one.
“Not complaining,” Deacon said from right behind her. She hadn’t heard him move. “I like the way it smells. Fresh.” He had his face in the crook of her neck, and she froze. “Smells like you,” he said in a low voice.
She darted away, using the excuse to slip off her shoes and hang up her jacket to get some distance. She tried to calm her racing heart, needing anything but Deacon as a distraction. For some reason, she kept remembering that barely-there kiss from the restaurant.
She meant to tear into him for that, just as soon as she could think about it without turning pink.
“Solene?”
“Hang up your jacket and take off your shoes,” she snapped. “This isn’t a hotel, you know. I’m not the maid.”
A glance at him showed his amusement. Figured. Nothing irritated the man. Even her constant rejection only seemed to challenge him, not throw him off.
“Now, now. I’m perfectly capable of following the rules.” He tucked away his coat and shoes then joined her in the living room. “I gotta say, the more time I spend here, the more I can see what appeals to you. This place is amazing.”
“It should be. I paid a fortune for it.” Crass but true. “Bainbridge Island ain’t cheap.”
“But worth it. Those views of the ocean are killer.”
They stared out her back bay windows across her deck at the ocean beyond. The sun had set, but a full moon reflected off the choppy waves and turned the night sky into a starry lit evening. Her house on the water had come with a hefty price. She had way more space than she needed, an open floor plan, three huge bedrooms, an office, three baths, and a ginormous living/dining space that was overlooked by a grand kitchen.
Having worked her tail off modeling since the age of eleven, she’d more than earned her respite. Yet the past year or so, she’d been feeling lost in her home, almost…lonely.
Deacon standing so close made her feel safe and comfortable. As much as she complained about him taking up her space, she liked him being nearby. And that scared her almost as much as being so attracted to him did.
“So, are you really full?” she asked. “Or were you just saying that to get away from the lovebirds?”
He grimaced. “You know, I’m glad Noel found love and all, but those two are almost nauseating with all the smoochy crap.”
Solene laughed, relieved not to be the only one feeling that. “I thought it was just me being overwhelmed by the gooey eyes.”
“Nah. I was ready to be sick too.” Deacon stared at her, his gaze intense. He didn’t blink.
“What?”
“Shouldn’t you be sighing and wishing for that kind of lovesickness? Why are you so down on romance, anyway?” He followed her into the kitchen, where she put on water for tea. “You’re hot, loaded, smart. But not married or divorced.”
“Maybe I’ve got four ex-husbands and six kids stashed around here.”
“Nah, I checked.”
She frowned.
“I mean, Noel checked. You know he studied everyone even remotely connected with him—or his neighbor—when he first moved here.” He paused, fixed on her every move. “Although I would have investigated even if Noel hadn’t already.”
“Why?” At his sly grin, she changed the topic. “Never mind. Now tell me what you need help on, since I’m apparently forbidden from working anymore.”
“Come on, Solene. It’s not as if you love the daycare.”
She stared. “Huh? Of course I do. It’s my job.”
“But do you like it?”
“I revamped the place and made it a success in no time. It’s in the black already. And it was barely breaking even before I got into it.”
He just watched her.
“What?”
“You have yet to say you like what you do. Very telling.” He gave her that patronizing look that both annoyed her and made her want to laugh—well, laugh when he did it to someone else.
“Do you like what you do?” she asked.
“No.”
She blinked. “You don’t?”
“Solene, I kill people for a living. I don’t like that.”
“Oh. Well then, why do you do it?”
He shrugged and leaned over the wide kitchen island, watching her putter around the kitchen. “Somebody’s got to keep the scales tipped right-side up, and I’m good at it.”
“How did you get into the ‘Business’ anyway?”
“I’ll tell you if you tell me why you hate your job.”
“I don’t—”
“And why you hate men. Don’t lie; I can tell when you do.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Try it and see. There will be…consequences.” His voice turned smoky there at the end, and the butterflies in her belly swarmed at once, giving her tingles all over.
“Come on, Solene. An answer for an answer. I’ll tell you anything you want to know. For a price.”
She was dying to know all about him. But could she afford what she’d likely have to pay?
Three
Deacon watched her waver. She wanted him but didn’t like the fact. Yeah? Well neither did he. The woman made him crave. Deacon knew desire. He liked sex, loved getting off. Who didn’t? But Solene had him aching for more. What that was, he couldn’t say. He just knew being around her, with her, tempted him to be closer. To know her in any way he could.
“Fine. An answer for an answer, but that applies to you too. No lying,” she said, putting on her brave face.
“Agreed. Well? Why don’t you like your job?”
“It’s not that I hate it or anything.” She sighed. “I came to Bainbridge after a bad situation, and I needed something to do. I was grabbing a coffee one day when I overheard the previous owner complaining about the job. She had to quit, and she knew there would be a lack o
f daycare for a lot of local kids. I stepped in to help. Seeing the potential profit didn’t hurt either. I saw immediately that changes needed to be made. So, I got the job done. But…”
She ran a hand over her hair, and he wished she’d take the damn band out, to let him see that waterfall of gold framing her face, over her milky shoulders. He shifted, grateful for the kitchen island that hid his erection. Fuck, but he wanted her in the worst way.
“But?” he prodded.
“But it was more about the challenge than the children. That sounds horrible. I don’t mean it to be. I love those kids, and I take care of them better than I do myself. But I’m not naturally maternal.”
“Not true.” He’d seen the way she’d handled Fiona and the brawling toddlers. With care and exasperated tenderness.
“I take good care of them, but Ash Daycare isn’t my dream job. I like turning upside down businesses into successes. I like making a go of things.”
“Nice.”
“So yeah, I’m thinking of keeping the business but hiring a manager instead of doing it myself. I might get into something else. I don’t know. Maybe a restaurant or coffee shop. I keep leaning that way.”
“I could help you with a menu,” he teased. “One that serves healthy choices.”
“Kale is a four-letter word.”
He laughed, loving the sparkle in her beautiful eyes. “Not the way I make it.”
“Oh, come on, Deacon. What’s your beef with potato chips and Twinkies?”
He shuddered. “How the hell are you so in shape with your crappy diet?”
“Good genes and too many years of being forced to be underweight, that’s how.”
“You talk a big game, but I’ve seen you eat pretty healthy. The Ho Hos have to go, though.”
She smirked. “No way. My kitchen, my bills, my Ho Hos.”
“And that brings me to my second question. So, lady with an appetite. Why do you hate men?”
“Huh? Since when does eating cakes equate to hating men?”
“Actually…” he paused, a bad joke about eating him was more than he could handle at present. Just the thought of Solene’s mouth on any part of him made it difficult to breathe.
