“This is great,” Deacon told her as he tried a mussel, pitching up on the strong hints of garlic. She chose a slice of tomato, taking a small bite with her fork as she smiled at him. For dinner, he chose the NY strip and she the seafood creole as he sipped his tea slowly. They shared bites of their meals across the table, both moaning with the taste as he felt himself harden under the table against all of his willpower. This woman was getting under her skin, despite the hint of mystery that surrounded her.
They left after a couple of hours of light conversation and great food, standing on the sidewalk for a moment as she breathed in the cool air. He watched her lean her head back and smile, wanting nothing more than to pull her into his arms. Rowan looked up at him, her eyes wide as their eyes locked and held. “Would you like to take a walk with me?” Deacon indicated the sidewalk that boasted coffee shops and other places to eat, with a lot of people wandering around to shop before the stores closed.
“Sure.” He knew now that her accent was from the time they’d lived in Louisiana before her father had gotten a transfer with the Army to Washington D.C.
They turned to the right and he reached for her hand automatically as their feet started to move together. They browsed some stores before it got to be too late and had some coffee before she reluctantly told him that she had an early class the following day.
Deacon drove her home, walking her to her door where she gazed up into his eyes with a hint of fear. “I had a great time.”
“I did as well.” He replied, stroking a piece of her hair back slowly. “Can I see you again?”
“I’d like that.” Rowan replied, moving up as she lifted her hands to his shoulders before she pressed her lips to his. Deacon groaned at the hot feel of her parted lips and the spices from their dinner that made his own mouth tingle all over again. She pulled back and joined her hands behind his neck. “There’s a part of me that knows I have no business doing this with you but I can’t help it.” She kissed him again, welcoming his tongue into her mouth as she met it with her own.
After several kisses and few words, Deacon forced himself to step back. He couldn’t move this fast with her, though he wasn’t sure exactly why. He reminded himself that he wasn’t that guy to take advantage of her on their first date and that she wasn’t anything like the girls he’d had casual flings with over the years. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Rowan.”
She nodded and pushed her door open, looking back at him again with longing in her eyes before she closed the door. He walked out to the car, fighting the urge to turn around and knock on the door again as he got inside and started the engine. Deacon drove home, feeling a desire that had been dormant for a long time as well as the strong urge to protect her from something that he couldn’t pinpoint. He reminded himself that it was a protective feeling and not one that wanted to repair her, as James had suggested earlier. She didn’t need to be fixed though there were things that were troubling her. She’d pulled through something and retained a part of who she was, something that encompassed her whole living room when he was there.
It was addictive and he knew that he wanted more, sleeping restlessly again as he tossed and turned.
He didn’t ignore the alarm this time and got up to work out and run before heading to the office for the day. Deacon needed the release.
CHAPTER FIVE
James was working at the computer of their shared studio that they used as an office, since their work was typically done at the place their customers lived or worked. He sipped his coffee and looked up as Deacon walked into the room to take a seat at his own computer. “How was it?” His brother’s voice was light and curious as Deacon looked over at him.
“Nice. She’s a great girl. We had dinner at this Cajun place.” Deacon replied casually, logging on. “How was your night?”
“I went out with a new girl. Paula.” James told him, making Deacon shoot a look across the room quickly. “It was impulsive. We were talking on Match and it just happened.”
“It’s okay to just be on your own for a while.” Deacon told him, seeing the sadness in his brother’s eyes.
“That’s just it. I don’t have kids and when she left, I was alone. I am just trying to get a feel for things out there, D. It’s been seven years.” James had wanted kids while Susan had always pushed it aside, telling him the following year she’d be ready.
She never had been.
“I know. Just be careful.” Deacon told him softly, feeling his brother’s eyes on him.