The Summer Deal (Wildstone #5)(31)

He arched a brow. “Are you serious right now? You never told her.”

“No.”

“How is that fair to her?” he asked quietly.

“Obviously, it’s not.”

“Kins.”

She met his dark eyes, filled with things that hurt. But also hope, for her.

“You’ve got a half sister,” he said. “You know what that means.”

“That there’s a good shot she’s every bit as charming and gracious as I am?”

He snorted. “Don’t forgot obstinate and impossible.”

He never held back, another thing she loved. “I’m not going to tell her, Deck.”

He frowned. “Why the hell not?”

“Because I don’t want her to think I want her kidney.”

“Not want. Need.”

“Not going to happen.”

“Kins—”

“Ever, Deck. Never ever.”

He stroked her arm in the way he did when he wanted her to calm herself, lower her blood pressure and heart rate, giving absolutely zero indication that he was disappointed in her.

But she knew he was.

Deck was a man who marched to his own beat, and though he played fast and loose with things like rules and expectations, he had a strong moral code. He was as badass as they came, and yet he was an amazing dad to his son, Toby, took care of other people for a living, and believed in the truth, always.

“You’re quiet,” she said. “Which means you’ve got things to say.”

He gave a single shake of his head. “If you don’t tell her and she finds out some other way . . .”

She winced. “You think I don’t know that?”

“Then why not just put it out there? You’re too stubborn to take her kidney, so there’s no reason not to tell her.”

“I hate it when you’re more reasonable and logical than me.” She rubbed her temples. “Eli’s on me about it too. Plus, he likes her.”

“Likes her likes her?”

“I think so, yeah.”

He studied her face. “And you have a problem with that. Are you . . . jealous?”

“No.” She put her hand in his. “No,” she repeated more softly. “You know I’m not. I’ve never felt that way toward Eli, nor does he feel that way for me. Besides, I’ve got you.” She smiled. “And frankly, you’re more than I can handle on most days.”

He laughed that sexy laugh and squeezed her hand.

“I just worry about him falling for someone who isn’t necessarily sticking here. What if this is just a pit stop for her, a rebound?”

“You don’t like her,” he said.

“Actually, I think she’s fucking adorable, and adventurous, and exactly the right person to break through Eli’s walls. As well as the exact right person to break his heart. He’s had enough of that for a lifetime, Deck.”

He nodded and fell quiet for a minute, giving her hope that he’d leave it alone. She should’ve known better.

“I didn’t know my mom and dad,” he finally said.

Her heart clutched. He’d been adopted by an elderly couple who both passed away when he was a teen. A troubled teen. He’d then had a very rough, very short-lived marriage with Toby’s mom, and by some miracle he’d managed to make joint custody work. He’d not had an easy go of things ever, and she knew that was because he’d felt like he had no one who wanted to claim him as their own.

“If I found a sibling,” he went on quietly, “I’d move heaven and earth to keep them in my life.”

She sighed. “I’m going to tell her.”

“Before she runs off on you because she doesn’t know she has ties here? Come on, Kins, she deserves to know.”

“I get that. Eli’s been all over my case as well. I’m . . . working my way up to it.”

“I call bullshit on that. When you want something, you make it happen. Which means you just plain don’t want to make this happen. But for the life of me, I don’t get why.”

“Hey,” she said. “Eli’s the one who brought her home like a lost puppy. I was fine not having her in my life.”

“Now you’re actually lying right to my face.” He stood and turned to walk away. He had other things to do, she got that. They overworked everyone here because they were so understaffed. “Seriously?” she said to his back. “I thought you’d be on my side.”

“Maybe I only side with people who let me spend the night.”

Ah. Their age-old argument. She narrowed her eyes. “What about people who give you all the orgasms?”

“You know what? Don’t bring me into this. We’re just friends with benefits minus the friends part. I’m just the good-time guy for you, remember?” And when she just stared at him, he shook his head and vanished.

She was still brooding when Eli walked in a few minutes later. “See you’ve managed to piss off the un-boyfriend.”

“Don’t you start.” She let her head fall back so she could stare up at the ceiling. There was a divot in the far-left ceiling tile, and for longer than she could remember, she’d wondered how it’d gotten there. Had someone levitated? Or thrown their annoying-as-shit nurse? Or their so-called un-boyfriend, perhaps?