Page 69 of No Good Deed

“I have an idea that might be even sweeter.”

“Do tell.”

Troy patted her hand. “I need you to pack an overnight bag and grab your pillow.”

That made her laugh. “That’s an odd request. Most overnight destinations provide pillows.”

“Not this one.”

Well. That was intriguing.

* * *

Troy loved that Piper hadn’t even questioned his plan. She laughed, packed up her things, and grabbed her pillow. He’d already packed his own bag and spent part of the morning getting other things prepared.

They bundled up Oreo and the things they’d need for him, and headed to his car.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

“It’s only a few minutes away.”

She laughed. “In other words, no, you’re not.”

He merely grinned and headed north. Because it was late December, the sun had already set, and the stars were on full display. The town wasn’t large, but its lights still blocked a lot of the night sky.

Piper leaned her head forward to peek up through the windshield. “It’s gorgeous. I’ve only seen stars like this on TV.”

“Maybe we can use our views on the website, too.”

She nodded. “Absolutely. This is incredible.”

Troy didn’t think she even noticed when he pulled into the drive for the farmhouse. When he parked and turned off the engine, she turned to look around. “Where are we?”

He grinned, got out of the car, and moved around to open her door. She held Oreo in her arms. “Is this one of the farmhouses on the way to Stan’s?”

He nodded. “Got it in one. I told you I had a few ideas brewing. I want to run them by you before I move forward with them.”

Once the car headlights dimmed, the stars became even more pronounced. He moved to hug Piper from the back to keep her warm, and then slowly moved them in a circle so she could see them all.

He felt her body lean more and more into his as the view helped her relax. Her body had been tense for days, and he hoped this plan would help.

When Oreo started to squirm, he kissed Piper’s hair and kept his arm around her as they moved up the stairs to the wide porch. He unlocked the door, and then led her inside. He’d had the electricity turned back on after he’d bought the place earlier. “I want to tell you more about my friends and my plans.”

She looked around with interest as she set Oreo on the floor. “And this place is about both of those, right?”

He grinned. “Sure is. Let’s have a walk-through while I tell you more about them. There were six of us, with Marcus as the leader. We always called him Arrow in the field. No one can find a target like Marcus. Sean Falcone, otherwise known as Falcon, is from Miami. He grew up in a tough neighborhood, and got into construction early on. He’s great with any kind of tool, and can repair anything.”

Piper nodded as they wandered through the living spaces, and into the huge farmhouse kitchen. “He would be an awfully handy guy to have around this building. Did you buy it?”

He laughed again. “This morning. I want a place for my guys to stay without losing our privacy at the house. You gave me the idea when you talked about potentially needing more B&Bs in town as we grow. If the guys don’t want to live here permanently, we can sell it for that after it’s fixed up.”

She laughed and tugged him into a hug. “Which should take a while and give them enough time to fall in love with the town. Tell me about the other three men.”

He swayed them into a slow dance. “I bought the saloon too.”

She leaned back to stare at him. “You bought both buildings?”

He nodded. “Me and the bank. I’ve been putting money aside for years, trying to figure out a plan to pull my team together and help the town at the same time. You helped me find the plan.”

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