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“We decided I was A-OK and that he didn’t have to eat me.”
“His name is Duke,” Dean said as he tugged on her hair. Her gaze caught his. “Duke might not want to eat you, but I intend to get my fill of you later.”
And there went her pulse again, pounding out an erratic rhythm. “Sister. Kitchen. Go.”
Dean winked, then he was gone. Catherine slumped onto the bed. “What have I gotten myself into?”
15
The sight of Catherine as she’d stood in his kitchen would be forever tattooed onto his brain. Hell, his black shirt had never looked so good. Her curves had pulled the material tight. Her tangled mass of red hair falling down around her shoulders all but begged him to sink his fingers in and get good and lost. Her bare legs and feet had been the final straw. He’d forgotten about Dee. All he could think in that moment was getting Catherine back to bed where he could love that voluptuous body for the next few hours.
“Uh, earth to Dean,” Deanna said. “Come in, Dean.”
His morning definitely wasn’t going as planned. He’d envisioned waking up to Catherine all cuddled close and slowly rousing her up with his kisses. Instead, the doorbell had woken him and everything had gone to shit. He never should’ve answered the damn door.
Dean shook his head and went straight for the coffeepot. He grabbed the glass carafe and brought it to the table, then poured himself another cup. He had a feeling he was going to need it. “Want another?”
“No, I’m good.” Dean barely had the pot back on the warmer when Deanna began to hammer him with questions. “You and Catherine, huh? When did that happen? Does Wade know?”
Dean crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her. “Not that it’s any of your business, right?”
She pointed a finger at him. “Hey, you nosed into my business when I started seeing Jonas. Turnabout is fair play, brother.”
He supposed she had a point there. He took his seat and looked down at his mug, uncertain how to respond. “Last night. That’s all there is to Catherine and me. And yes, Wade knows. He’s not thrilled, but he knows.”
Deanna leaned across the table and in a quieter tone she asked, “One night? She’s Gracie’s sister, Dean. Not some hot little piece you picked up at a bar.”
He rolled his eyes. “Christ, Dee, don’t you think I know that?”
“Then what are you doing messing around with her? Do you care about her?”
He thought of how perfect they’d been together and he was tempted to say yes, but he couldn’t let himself be blind to the fact that he still didn’t trust Catherine. A single night of sex hadn’t changed his mind about her. “Look, I’m not sure if she has something up her sleeve. Everything points to the fact that she doesn’t, I know, but—”
“She’s here for one reason, Dean—to get to know her sister. Why can’t you accept that?”
Dean had no answer for that. The hair on his neck stood up whenever he thought of trusting her, and he needed to know why. “There’s something she isn’t telling. I can feel it.”
Deanna shook her head and looked away, but not before Dean saw the sadness in her eyes. She was worried about him, and he hated it. He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “It’s going to be fine.”
She snorted. “It’s not you I’m concerned about. Catherine is a sweet person. Kind, gentle. Her adoptive parents are dead. All she has is Gracie.”
His chest tightened when he thought of all that Catherine had been through. He didn’t like to think of her hurting and in pain. “What’s your point?” he bit out, getting angry and not sure why.
“My point is that she’s vulnerable right now, and all you’re going to end up doing is confusing her.”
Dean shoved his chair back and stood. Christ, when had things gotten so damn complicated? “Look, I know you mean well, but you need to butt out of this one, Dee. This is between Catherine and me. No one else.”
“Fine, but you might want to ask yourself why you’re so drawn to her. She’s not like the other women you’ve dated.”
He pushed his mug away, no longer interested in the hot brew. At the mention of other women, Dean immediately thought of Linda. She’d seemed sweet and gentle too. So had the two women he’d dated before Linda. Right up until they’d kicked him in the gut. “And what would you know about my personal life?”
“I know enough to know that you pick women who know the ropes. You don’t date a woman because she makes you laugh or can engage in intelligent conversation. You date for one reason only.”
“Christ, Dee, you make me sound like a world-class prick.”
Deanna stood and went to him. “No, you’re not a prick,” she replied softly, “but you are a guy who guards his heart with a double-edged blade.”
“Whatever,” he ground out. “It doesn’t change the fact that you need to mind your own business.”
