Page 7 of Guard Dog

“What’s wrong? Did they come back? Where’s Peony?”

“Everybody’s fine. Peony is with Romy. This is about you and me.”

He swallows hard, and even watching his throat work is distracting, but I refuse to be sidetracked. “What about us?” he asks.

“Is there going to be one? I think I’ve made it clear that I’m on board for that idea. Are you? Coming over when I have a burglar is great as a landlord. Spending the night outside sends a different message. Especially when you would have been welcome in the house.” I’m dying a little with each word when Deke stays silent.

“Come inside. I don’t want to have this discussion on the front steps.”

He doesn’t move over, so I’m forced to brush against him as I enter. I have time to see a large sectional sofa, and an even bigger television mounted to the wall before I hear the door slam and feel two arms wrap around me.

“I have wanted there to be an “us” for longer than you can imagine, Violet. I’ve been in love with you for years. But I couldn’t do anything while Keith was alive, and honor says I shouldn’t now.”

“We’ve both honored his memory long enough. I could have let myself fall in love with you months ago if you’d given me the slightest hint,” I confess.

“I’m not hinting anymore, Violet.”

“Thank fucking God.”

Then, his very hot T-shirt and even hotter chest press against me, pinning me to the wall while he devours my mouth. I feel his hands groping my back. Deke pulls back, just for a second and, suddenly, my shirt and bra are flying over his shoulder, landingsomewhere in the living room. I don’t have time to help him remove his because his T-shirt lands beside them a second later.

He walks me backward down the hall. With my lips on his, I can’t see where we’re going but my trust is absolute. When Deke’s hands drop to my waist, I brush them away. I can get my jeans undone faster than he can. I wonder what’s taking him so long, and then I feel latex-covered heat pressing into my stomach. He lays me on the mattress in his bedroom that I’ve never laid eyes on.

“You look fucking amazing,” Deke whispers.

I don’t argue, not wanting to spoil the mood. If he thinks mom hair and stretch marks are hot, I’m going to let him have his fill. He traces my cheek and lips. I suck the end of his fingertip into my mouth and almost every part of him freezes. I don’t know how it’s possible but his dick twitches and feels even harder on my thigh as he slowly pulls away.

His lips nibble down my neck and I squirm at the delicate sensations zinging both up and down. Deke’s hand parts my thighs. He raises his head to smile down on me. “You’re already wet.”

“I know. Do something about it, will you?”

“I am not rushing this. You’re going to enjoy every minute of it.” He nudges his knee between my legs, and I happily make room for him. Deke’s chest hair tickles my nipples as he raises his hips.

Fuck me, he’s not playing around. He fingers me just enough to prime the pump, and then slides inside to do the rest of the job, the very, very hard way. “Yes, Deke,” I moan in encouragement, but the man doesn’t need it.

“You...are so…fucking…perfect,” Deke grunts between thrusts. He angles his hips, and I gasp and tighten around his dick. His mouth captures mine, which is fine as I’m certain I’ve lost the ability to speak.

The scent of him surrounds me, sweat and oil and something else that is Deke alone. I move with him and suddenly I’m flying over the edge. He thrusts twice more, then gives a tremor before he falls on me and immediately rolls off. “That was better than I ever imagined,” he says, kissing my mouth fiercely.

“I don’t know. I imagined it going a lot like that,” I say. I burrow closer to bask in Deke’s warmth. He’s a good guy and a fantastic lover. I don’t know what would happen if I lost him now. But just in case, I want another memory. “Why don’t you tell me what you imagined, and I’ll let you know if I agree.”

“Give me a minute, woman. Then I’ll show you.”

Chapter Six

Daylight floods through my open bedroom window, illuminating Violet in all her glory. She pulls the sheet higher, covering her dusky nipples, and rolls to her side. “I’ve got to say that it’s going to be really hard to look at you at work and not have a flashback,” she teases, offering me an exuberant smile.

“This doesn’t change anything,” I say quickly.

She tenses. “I sure as fuck hope it does.”

Her venomous tone shocks me, and it a millisecond I realize what I said. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close until we’re skin to skin again. “Thisis not going anywhere. I’ve dreamed of having you right here for years,” I assure her. “I mean that this is not going to change anything at work. Because as much as I’m going to look forward to seeing you at the garage every day, and trust me, that’s a lot, I’m not going to let what we have between us affect your job. Mostly because Bishop would kill me dead if he had to go back to being the bookkeeper.”

“Bishop won’t have a problem with us being together, will he?” Violet’s voice wavers.

I hate that I put that fear into her head. She’d lost enough already. “He’d tell me that it took me long enough to get my headout of my ass. It’s fine. He likes you.” I don’t think JD will have a problem with it either.

Rick and the rest of the team will be another story, but frankly, with the way Rick’s been acting, I don’t trust his judgment like I used to. He’s been too weird about Vi, especially since he claimed she asked for his help, yet I know that she had no clue that he was coming.

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