“I thought we already did that.” He jeered. “Now, if you’re done being insane for two seconds, think. Think hard. No way in hell would I ever touch Sue Ahn. She was a contractor groupie, and she had a real thing for Hammer. When he refused to take advantage of a naïve trainee, she moved on to me. I said hell no. Not as nicely as Hammer did. Then she glommed on to Burleigh.”
Solene blinked. “Burleigh? The same guy you think is behind all this?”
“Yep. So that’s your first mark of stupidity. Thinking I’d ever do a woman like that.”
“What? An innocent, naïve woman?”
“No, a user. Sue has never been anything but a scheming manipulator out to use whoever she can to her advantage. No way I’d sleep with her. I have some standards.” He gave her a throughout once-over and nodded. “I mean, I did you.”
She glared.
“I don’t know why you’re getting so pissed at me. I never lied to you. I never promised you a seven-carat diamond and a house in the Hamptons. I thought we were enjoying each other. I’m not forcing you to do anything you don’t want to.”
“I didn’t say you were,” she snapped.
He wanted to bang his head against the wall. “Then what the hell is your problem?” he enunciated, his voice rising. “Because I’m confused as hell!”
“So am I!” she yelled back. Then she sniffled.
Panic hit him, freezing everything. “Stop. Damn it. Don’t you cry.”
“I’m not.” She sniffled again. Then she wiped her eye, blinking rapidly.
“Aw, shit. Solene.”
“What?” More tears, these she couldn’t hide.
He groaned and joined her on the bed, pulling her stiff frame into his as he cuddled her on top of the covers. He kept his voice gentle, not wanting to upset her more. “What is your problem, woman?”
“People are trying to kidnap and kill me. I’m scared.”
“Baby, it’s okay. I got you.”
“I’m scared ofyou, you moron.” She gave his arm an ineffectual punch. “You’re sexy and funny and great in bed.”
“More like amazing, but okay.” This time heoofedas she socked him in the gut.
“I like you. More than I should. And it’s all happening so fast.” She hiccupped. “I don’t trust men. I don’t even like people that much,” she said bluntly. “But I likeyou. I care about you, damn it. Then to hear someone else say what I secretly fear, being burned by a man who’s just using me… I just… I can’t go through that again. I can’t have you turn on me when I need you most.” Tears poured down her cheeks. “I—”
“No,” he interrupted. “I’m sorry.” He wiped her tears, then tilted her chin so he could look into her beautiful eyes. “This is a lot for you to handle. And we brought it to your door.” He sighed. “Solene, if I could take back all the shit you’ve had to deal with—the break-in at the daycare, the attack at your house, the ferry, this cloak and dagger crap—I would. But only to keep you safe. Not ever being able to meet you? Be with you? Watch you laugh, give me shit, pick on Hammer? I wouldn’t trade any of that for the world, Blondie.”
She gave a tremulous smile through her tears, and his heart damn well plummeted and landed at her feet.
“You will surely be the death of me.” He held up a hand when she would have spoken. “Look, we don’t know each other as well as I’d like. But I know the stuff that matters. I know you’d never leave a friend hanging. That you’re stubborn, and you’ll be damned before you let Burleigh and whoever else is fucking with us get the upper hand. That you care about those kids at your daycare as much as you care about your friends.
“You don’t let anyone in” —he tapped her heart— “because you’ve been burned. Been there, done that. I get it. I do. But Solene, I’m not just any guy. I’m the one who…” He wanted badly to say how he felt, but he couldn’t reconcile it with himself yet. Because Deacon didn’t get loopy about any woman, let alone one he’d come to know on a freakin’ job. And she was a civilian at that.
“The one who…what?” she repeated.
“The one you’re gaga over,” he teased.
“Please.” She started to seem more herself, snarky and confident.
“The one who loves how you make fun of the guys. The one who agrees with you that Addy’s naïve. I’m the guy who’s going to teach all those dickheads who messed with you how to apologize to a lady. That’s you, by the way.”
“Oh. Well then. That’s okay.”
He stroked her back. “And I’m the guy who’s gaga over you, okay?” He cleared his throat, not sure if her wide-eyed stare was good or bad. “I like you a lot, Solene. And man, I love fucking you. No doubt.” Her blush turned him on all over again. “You’re the first person who seems to see the real me and is okay with that. You trusted me before. Why stop now? Because one of Burleigh’s henchmen—”
