“Aye, aye, captain.” She gave him a mock 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.
Solenereallyneeded 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 actuallyeliminatedthem? It didn’t bother her at all. Itshouldhave 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.”
