Page 14 of Shielding Lexi (Temptation)

He doesn’t bother looking up, because he knows if he does, I’ll see right through him.

“Nothing else, we just kissed and slept. I figured she could use a comfortable bed, and she asked me to lay with her because she couldn’t sleep and I thought… why not? Then we were kissing and I don’t know… it was nice. But I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere because she has a life and so do I. I mean, it would be nice if it did, but I don’t think it will so… yeah.” He stands, his eyes on mine only for a second before he turns around again.

“Hey buddy,” I say, lowering the bench he’s packing so I can sit on top of it. “What the hell is going on?”

He lets out a sigh and turns back toward me. “Reap, I gotta let her tell you. It’s not my place.”

My eyes widen and I stand, “Not your place?”

“Yeah, I mean, she’s not a bad person. She’s lost and confused and—”

“What did she tell you?” I growl. I’ve known this kid forever, but I swear to fucking god if he doesn’t talk I’ll toss him off the fucking boat and let him float out to sea.

Hawk straightens, his muscles flexing, his jaw tight. He’s pissed. I haven’t seen him like this before.

“You want to know what she said, we’ll set up a meeting and talk together. In the meantime, calm the fuck down. We’re all out here to help you.”

I almost can’t believe his reaction. He’s falling for this girl. That’s the only reason he’d be trying to bulldoze me.

Leaning in toward him, I get close enough to his face that I can smell the fruit he had for breakfast. “Ten minutes, I want all you fuckers in the house, at the table, and I want to know exactly what’s going on.”

He nods, and the boathouse door squeaks open, forcing my attention backward.

“Whoa, what’s going on here?” Kane asks, his brows raised.

“Hawk found out a little secret about our girl.”

“A secret? What kind of secret?” Kane makes his way into the boat house, his hands rubbing together as though he’s nervous.

“Won’t tell us, says we’ve got to have afamily meeting,” I say sarcastically.

“When’s that?” Kane asks.

“Right now,” I growl, stepping up and out of the boat to move toward the door. I hear Hawk moving behind me, quickly. I’m sure he’s afraid of what I’ll do. I wouldn’t hurt her. He knows I wouldn’t hurt her. But I will make her talk, and I’m not opposed to a good old-fashioned threat.

“Wait!” Kane barks. “What the fuck is going on?”

I twist back toward the two. “What’s going on is that your boy here spent the night fucking the girl, and sharing secrets.”

Kane looks toward Hawk, his eyes narrowed. “You slept with her?”

Hawk lets out a breath. “We didn’t have sex. Guys, we just laid together. I kissed her. She told me something and asked for moral support, that’s all.”

“So it’s big enough that she needs moral support?” Kane asks, folding his arms across his chest.

Finally someone sees what I’m seeing.

“Can we all just calm the fuck down?” Hawk says, walking toward the boat house door to close us in.

I don’t stop him because he’s probably right. If we storm into the house like a bunch of gorillas, she’s going to shut down. Maybe it’s good that Hawk has been so easily charmed.

Hawk reaches into the toolbox and tosses me the spotlight, inferring I should check the bilge for leaks. “You’ve made your point, ya know. She gets it. You don’t trust her. You should show her a little grace, at least through the storm.”

“Oh, I think you and Kane are showing her enough grace for all of us,” I say, hopping back into the boat. The waves aren’t as rough in here as they are out on the ocean right now, but there’s enough turbulence to keep me off balance as I jump back in.

“Why are you pulling me into this?” Kane barks, sitting at the edge of the dock. “I’ve just been minding my own business.”

“My ass you’ve been minding your own business. I see the way you look at her,” I say.

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