Chapter 17
Deacon stood there and looked around in the early morning light. He was stiff and sore from his marathon last night—not to mention getting so little sleep. He’d meant to go in and stretch out on the couch but instead had sat in that chair and stared at her form in his bed, until the birds started their day. Giana was here and in his bed. He clenched his balled-up shirt in his hand. Many fantasies had occurred in the last five years of just that, although in them he wasn’t sitting in the porch just looking at her. His groin tightened and his animal hovered at that thought. He looked down at the front of his pants. Now he was going to have to wait for that to go away before he could go for a quick run.
“Is there a method to produce hot coffee in there?”
He flinched as if someone had just stabbed him. He’d been so lost in his own head he hadn’t heard the door open. Holding his shirt in front of him, he turned to her. “There can be coffee.” He started to grin and the muscles in his face forgot how when he saw her. Her hair was mussed, she had those sleepy, sexy eyes and was wearing nothing but the long shirt she’d slept in.
Gia sent him a soft look. “I might need a pail full to keep moving today.”
He frowned, “you didn’t sleep well?” The need in his body settled, and his mate’s care took precedence. “The bed isn’t the greatest.”
“The bed was fine,” she brushed the hair back from her face, “my mind wouldn’t shut down.” She glanced at the ground for a second, “the last few days have been—”
He nodded, “yeah, settling after the adrenalin surges can be hard, you’ll get used to it.”
She looked up at him, those alluring eyes moving over his body like a caress. “About that coffee, and uh,” she blushed, “a bathroom?”
He jerked as if she’d smacked him, then pointed to the small outhouse behind some trees. “Sorry.” He frowned, “I have to get a permit for sewers and I, uh...”
Gia shook her head, “it’s fine. I’m sure I’ll survive it.” She offered him a smile, a real one, “I love your little escape here, and having a polished marble bathroom wouldn’t quite fit.”
She was nothing like he’d imagined. Her being here, he expected disappointment and pouting because it didn’t fit her pampered life. It was amazing she liked his place, but also bad, so bad, it made staying away from her harder than ever. “I’ll go get that coffee started while you,” he motioned in the direction of the building again. Stopping, he nodded like an idiot and walked by her quickly.
That was smooth, like a rockslide. He stared at the percolator and watched the water drip down through the filter at the top. She may find his place quaint and peaceful, but the idiot that owned it was an entirely different matter.
“Deacon, your property exudes calm as I’ve never felt before.”
Calm? The emotions plaguing him right now were anything but calm. He added more water from the kettle. “It just felt right when Calum brought me to look at it.” Setting the kettle back on the stove, he turned to her. “I slept here a few nights before he helped me make the arrangements to buy it and they were the best nights of sleep I’d ever had.”
“I can see why.” She went over and sat on the small couch and pulled her legs up under her. His pulse started beating stronger when she pulled the sleeping bag over and covered up her bare legs She smiled at him, “this is the first break I’ve had in a few weeks.” She ran her fingers through her hair, moving it off her face. He wanted to go over and touch it. “I was determined to show Amari that I was right for the job.”
He cleared his throat, hoping his voice could be found as lust coursed through him. “Amari is a force of her own.”
“You know Amari?”
He shrugged, “our paths have crossed a few times when she was transporting or moving people around.” He grinned, “she does not like delays.
“I enjoyed getting to know her. She’s from an Alpha family too and I wonder if Jesse put us together for that reason.”
He dragged his gaze from her mouth and turned to find some cups. He only had two cups, so it wasn’t going to be hard, but he couldn’t stand there and look at her any longer. “He may have.”
“She was great. She’s so strong and steady it helped me see that this was what I wanted to do.”
He poured a cup and then looked at her, “I don’t have milk…”
Gia smirked, “black and mean is how I like it.”
He smiled. “That’s good because I only know how to make it that way.” He took the cup over and set it on the small table beside the couch. Going back, he poured himself one, not that he needed it to feel alert. If he were any more alert, his heart would explode. Taking it, he went over and sat at the table. Looking back over at her, he froze, she sipped the coffee and closed her eyes in a silent appreciation for a moment. He forced air into his lungs. She looked so fucking beautiful even just drinking coffee. Looking down at the mug in his hand, he stared at the black liquid in it. He was in so much trouble right now. Calum better call them back soon, like right now kind of soon.
“Anything from Illias or anyone?”
Deacon jerked his head up to find her sitting there watching him. “No.” He shook his head, then had to brush the hair back off his face. “I checked when I got up.” Where was his hat? He didn’t even know at this point, which was crazy, he always knew where his hat was. Always.
“Are we allowed to reach out and make inquires?”
The way she said it was so proper and cute. “We could, but the problem with that is all my numbers are in my own phone and we can’t turn those on.” He lifted the cup to his mouth, “there’s only one number programmed into my phone, and it says emergency only.” He took a sip and burned his tongue.
“Oh.” She closed her eyes for a second, then opened them and shook her head. “I only know one number off by heart, and I doubt Walker could be helpful right now.”
He noted again that her brother, Walker, she held dearest out of her whole family. “I have a CB to reach Calum, but he’s not at his place, so that won’t help either.”
“I guess we wait then.” She looked around. “Do you have anything that resembles food around here?” She smirked, “I’m starving and if you don’t the other options are jerky and protein bars or shifting and hunting me down some small critters.” Her smile was big when she said that.
Deacon couldn’t help smiling when she did. “I have canned and dried goods.” He cleared his throat, “I set the traps last night, so we should have some fresh meat later today.”
Gia took a sip of her coffee, then set it down. Moving the sleeping bag, she slid her legs out from under her and put her feet on the floor. “Educate me on how to create food with these dried goods.”
He was stunned for a moment, that she wasn’t disappointed he didn’t have fresh ingredients to make for breakfast. He set his cup down and then picked up his shirt. “I can radio Beckett later and meet up with him for some eggs and things later today.” He pulled the shirt over his head.
She walked to his cupboards and opened them.
His feet were stuck in place as he looked at the back of her bare legs.
“Who’s Beckett?”
He blinked and looked to see her giving him a look over her shoulder. “Uh, he’s an old shifter that Cal’s known a long time.” He shrugged and went over to the cupboard, “he looks after our places and vehicles when we’re not around.” Taking out the canister of oatmeal, he set it on the counter and looked down at her.
“Can Beckett get us bread, or do you make that yourself?”
He grinned, “I wouldn’t have the first clue how to make that.” The smile faded from his face as her scent filled his system. She stood there, looking up at him, a soft expression in her eyes and it took every ounce of restraint he had to not lean down and kiss her. “Uh,” he turned his head back to the cupboard, “I have dehydrated berries and oatmeal for breakfast.”
“That sounds good.” She moved away and opened another cupboard and found the two bowls he owned but didn’t say a word as she took them out of the cupboard. “What’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?” She set them on the counter beside the canisters he was getting out.
“I should get the wood split before winter gets here.” He watched her open one of the containers and look in it. His brain reminded him that hot water was required. “Calum and I cut the trees last spring, but I haven’t been here much since then.” Grabbing the kettle, he turned to see her leaning back against the counter putting a dried berry in her mouth. He licked his lips as he watched her chew it.
“I’d like to help.” She made a face, “I’ve never done that.” She pointed at him, “and this year is all about new things for me.”
He grinned, “like rescuing shifters.”
“Exactly,” she grinned, “rescuing shifters, splitting wood, and,” she looked around his cabin like she was searching for something, “washing my clothes by hand?”
He laughed, “I can show you how to do that too.”
“Perfect because I haven’t got a clue.” She popped another berry in her mouth and walked back over to get her coffee. “But first, I should probably put some pants on.”
He nodded his head about six times before he spun around to fill the kettle with the pump. Cal, you need to get in touch soon. Only bad, wonderful fucking things are going to happen here if I’m left alone with her too long. He clenched his teeth together and tried not to hear her pulling her leggings over those appealing bare legs.