Chapter 13 #2
But how was it possible that she could be precious to Deacon?
They barely knew each other. No, that wasn’t true.
He’d shown her who he really was from the first minute they met, and nothing she’d seen since then had changed that first impression.
And now that she knew how it felt to be kissed by him, she couldn’t wait to do it again.
Deacon cleared his throat. “We, uh, we need to go get the pup.”
“I know.”
Standing there in her tiny room, with their arms wrapped around each other, neither of them was in any rush to end this hypercharged moment in which everything between them had changed.
Deacon’s phone chimed with a text that had him reluctantly pulling back from her. “I should check that in case it’s the police in Texas. And they want you to call to give the go-ahead to press charges.”
“That’ll be my pleasure.”
Trying not to notice the obvious—and sizable—bulge in the front of his shorts, Julia took a step back from him and went looking for her hairbrush and her equilibrium. She was pulling the brush through her wet hair when she heard Deacon laugh. “What’s so funny?”
“This text from Blaine: ‘Will you PLEASE’—all capital letters—‘tell my wife that I apologized to you?’” He cracked up laughing, which was a very good look on him. “This is so awesome.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
“Eventually. When I get around to it.”
“That’s evil.”
“I know, and it’s the least of what he deserves for busting my balls my entire life. I need to make him suffer a little bit.”
“Sounds like he’s already done some suffering.”
“Please. One night without won’t kill him.”
“But two might.”
His evil grin made him even sexier, if that was possible. “Let’s go get your pooch.”
“He’s our pooch. You’re his daddy, whether you want to be or not.”
He took hold of her hand as they went down the stairs. “He bit me.”
“Because he was scared. You can’t hold that against him.”
“If he has rabies, I’m definitely going to hold it against him.”
“He doesn’t have rabies.”
“And you know this how?”
“A mother knows these things.”
He laughed—hard—and Julia took great pleasure in having made him laugh. They turned the corner on the landing and nearly ran into Owen, who was on his way up. He immediately zeroed in on Deacon holding her hand.
Julia’s first impulse was to pull back her hand, but she didn’t. Rather, she gave his hand a squeeze. “What’s up?” she asked her brother.
“Going up to help Laura put the wild ones down for a nap.”
“Could I come by to see them later?”
“Of course you can. You don’t have to ask first.”
“With three kids under the age of two, I do have to ask first. I’ll text you to see if it’s a good time.”
“We’ll be around. Where are you guys off to?”
“Just a quick errand. We’ll be back soon. Did the boys get off okay on the ferry?” Their brothers Jeff, Josh and John had planned to take the three o’clock boat to the mainland.
“Yep. It was great to have everyone here. You’re still hanging out for a while?”
“That’s the plan. All depends on whether I can find a job and a place to live.”
“Cindy went ahead and leased the house where Kevin McCarthy and his sons were living until Finn moved in with Chloe. I’m sure she’d appreciate the help with the rent.”
“If I get the job I’m applying for tomorrow.”
“Where?”
“Running Mac McCarthy’s construction office.”
“I can put in a word for you. He’s Laura’s cousin and a good friend.”
“That’d be great, O. Thank you.”
“Sure. I’m thrilled you might be staying. We need to hang out. Catch up.”
“I’d love that.”
He glanced at Deacon and then back at Julia, but thankfully held back the questions he clearly wanted to ask.
Julia had no doubt he’d ask his questions the next time they were alone.
“I’ll give Mac a call.”
“Thanks again. I’ll see you in a little while.”
“Sounds good.”
They parted company, with Julia and Deacon continuing down while Owen went up.
“Hey, Deacon?”
They turned back to Owen, who looked down at them from the next set of stairs.
“You’re holding hands with my sister.”
Julia held back a groan as she glared at Owen.
“Yes, I am.” Deacon glanced at Julia and smiled, revealing the sexy dimple. “I like her a lot.”
“She’s a big girl who can take care of herself, but she’s got a lot of people around here who love her.”
“I hear you.”
“As long as we understand each other.”
“We do.”
“Good.” Whistling a jaunty tune, Owen continued up the stairs as if he didn’t have a care in the world. These days, he probably didn’t. He had his whole life figured out and was happily married with three kids.
“I’m going to smack him,” Julia said as they took the last set of stairs to the lobby.
Deacon laughed. “Nah, it’s fine. I know how he feels. I have a younger sister, too. I’ve given my share of thinly veiled threats to guys she dated back in the day. It’s always good to let them know that people are watching.”
“I’m still going to smack him.”
Deacon chuckled and held the main door for her, releasing her hand so she could walk out ahead of him.
The second they were both outside, he took hold of her hand again, smoothly, as if he’d been holding her hand for years rather than minutes.
The feel of his hand wrapped around hers made her feel giddy and silly.
She was doing it again. Getting all nutty over a man she’d only just met. The pattern was so familiar to her as to be laughable. Julia pulled her hand free.
“What’s wrong?”
She crossed her arms so he couldn’t take her hand again. “Nothing.”
He stopped walking and faced her. “Why do women do that?”
“Do what?”
“Say it’s nothing when it’s clearly something.” He found her hand and gave it a gentle tug. “Why’d you let go?”
“Because I’m doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Getting giddy and silly and hopeful about a man after I told myself I wasn’t going to do that anymore.”
“Ah, I see.”
“No, you don’t. You have no idea what it’s like to never be sure who you can trust.”
“Does that go back to the fact that you couldn’t trust your own father?”
“Of course it does, but just about every guy I’ve ever dated has been like him in one way or another. Maybe they weren’t physically abusive, but they lied and cheated and stole and deceived.”
“I can only stand here, look you in the eye and swear on the lives of everyone I love that I’ll never do any of those things to you. I can’t promise I’ll never hurt you or disappoint you, because I’m only human, but I’ll never lie to you or cheat on you or steal from you or otherwise deceive you.”
He brought her hand to his lips and set her on fire when he sprinkled soft kisses over her skin.
“I understand that you have no way to know for sure that I mean what I say, so all I ask is that you let me show you. Give me a chance to show you that not all men are untrustworthy dicks.” Deacon tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and continued toward the vet clinic. “Hang on to me. I won’t let you down.”
Deeply moved by what he’d said, Julia wanted so badly to believe him, badly enough that she did as he asked and held on to him even when her better judgment was telling her to let go and stick to the man diet despite the significant temptation he represented.