Page 3 of Deacon

She didn’t stand with him, instead she turned to look at Deke. “Why don’t you come with us. You know he’s going to rope you into helping, you might as well get a meal out of it.”

He watched her with what she would swear was a smoldering look. One that set every inch of her aflame and left heat pooling between her legs.

Deke didn’t say anything to her, just turned to glare at Cowboy. “She’s not wrong, is she?” He didn’t wait for Cowboy to answer before pushing himself upright. “Might as well make you buy me a meal first.”

Only after Deke stood, did she decide it was time. Lisa stood, made sure she was steady on her heels then headed for the door without waiting for either of the men. With her back to them, she let the satisfied smile curve her lips. Now she had someone to do the heavy lifting and she had no doubt Deke was watching her ass. That was why she’d chosen this skirt.

Perfect.

3

Deacon found himself shaking his head as he followed Lisa out of the clubhouse. How the hell she managed to get just what she wanted; he had no idea. Including the fact that he followed her watching the sweet sway of her perky little ass as she walked in those heels.

Without bidding, an image of her bent over a kitchen counter wearing nothing but those heels flashed in his mind. He clenched his jaw and pushed the image away.

It couldn’t happen.

There was no point in thinking about it.

She was off limits.

Deacon waited until they’d gone to either side of Cowboy’s pickup to adjust his jeans where they’d gotten tight in the crotch. Then he climbed in to wait for Cowboy and Lisa to decide where they were going.

It didn’t take long for a decision to be made, then Cowboy got in and started the truck.

“I don’t know why I let her get to me, but Lisa knows how to step on my every nerve. I swear she dances on them just to watch me explode.”

Deacon didn’t say anything because he sometimes felt the same way. Only he knew the nerve she danced on for him wasn’t the same as the one for Cowboy. Sometimes he found the way his best friend’s little sister did her best to get under her brother’s skin amusing. It ceased being funny when she turned her attention on him.

“When you figure out how to get her to stop, let me know.” He had never told Cowboy how he felt about Lisa, or how she’d been coming onto him. He’d just shut her down and walked away.

But she wasn’t seventeen anymore and he didn’t know how long he could keep walking away. Especially if she was back in town to stay. Maybe helping move her furniture was a bad idea. It would be easier to keep his distance if he never saw where she lived. Never knew where to find her during his weaker moments. Never knew where she slid between the sheets and slept.

“I don’t know what will stop it. I’ve tried to ignore her, but it only makes whatever she pulls worse. She escalates until she gets the reaction she’s after.” Cowboy shook his head. “Mom and Terry spoiled her and acted like she could do no wrong until she believes it too. I swear it’s going to get her in trouble, if it hasn’t already.”

Deacon frowned. “What do you mean if it hasn’t already? What makes you think maybe it has?” He hated the idea of anyone hurting Lisa, even her feelings. Just the thought made him want to growl and rip someone to pieces for even thinking of hurting her.

“I don’t know.” Cowboy glanced over at him then back at the road where he was following the little SUV Lisa drove. “Something’s changed with her in the last several months. She always talked about coming back here someday, but in the last three or four months it’s been a mission. She’s talked about little else. She’s been driven to come home, and I get the feeling it’s because she feels safe here.” He shook his head. “Maybe I’m imagining it. Hell, I probably am. It’s that protective older brother gene kicking in.”

Deacon wondered what was up or if there was something there that she didn’t want to tell Cowboy. He knew Cowboy was protective of her, so did she. She’d complained several times as a teenager that between Cowboy and Terry, they’d run off every boyfriend she’d ever brought home.

Unbidden, the thought popped into his head that they wouldn’t have been able to run off any man worthy of her and he sure as hell wouldn’t be run off if she was someone he’d decided to pursue. But he hadn’t. Because he respected his friendship with Cowboy.

He wondered what Lisa wasn’t telling her brothers and if he could get her to confide in him, if only to settle Cowboy’s mind that everything was okay with her.

Deacon looked around the room, then to Cowboy.

“I’m not sure they could have gotten more furniture in this room if they’d stacked it like cordwood.”

“Someone was sure good at Tetris.” Cowboy shook his head. “I think we need to move some of it back out on the porch, so we have more room to maneuver and move what doesn’t belong in here out before we bring stuff back in."

“I’m going to need more than one meal for moving all this with just the two of us.”

Cowboy turned to look again at the room nearly jam packed with furniture and boxes.

“You’re right.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and started typing on the screen.

“What are you doing?”

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