Caged (Mastered, #4)(11)

She shoved her clothes in her backpack, shut off the lights, armed the alarm, and locked the front door.

On the sidewalk, she blocked the late-afternoon sun, noticing that Deacon already had his shades in place. “Do you wanna follow me?”

“Nope. I’ll drive us.”

“But then you’ll have to come all the way back here.”

“I don’t mind.” Then he relieved her of her backpack, slipped the strap up his left arm, and draped his right arm over her shoulder.

He brushed a soft kiss over her temple. “Love the shoes, babe.”

“Yeah? Why?”

“They’re unexpected. Can’t wait to find out what other surprises you’ve got in store for me.”





CHAPTER FOUR



“DO you go to a lot of roller derby bouts?” Deacon asked.

“It’s not like I attend them all like some rabid fangirl.”

Deacon peered over the top of his sunglasses and looked at her Denver Divas hoodie.

“Hey, I bought this at their fund-raiser.” She resisted sticking her tongue out at him. “I support my friend’s activities. Presley would do the same for me if I suddenly took up racquetball or golf. Not that it’ll ever happen, since me and athletics don’t go hand in hand.”

“You showed great improvement in kickboxing.”

“Improvement doesn’t count as much as natural ability.”

“Natural ability can only take you so far. Continual improvement is all that matters.”

“Are you improving with Maddox training you?”

“Be a sad state if I wasn’t with as much time as I spend with him,” Deacon drawled. “Did you attend my last fight?”

Molly shook her head.

“Because I stood you up?”

“Yes. You weren’t my favorite person. I might’ve rooted for your opponent that night.”

“Harsh.” The edges of his mouth turned up, half grimace, half smile. “There’s no in between with you?”

“If there weren’t, Deacon, I wouldn’t be here.”

That answer didn’t make him happy.

Too bad.

Molly looked out the window. As they drove along the outskirts of Denver with the rolling hills and animals grazing in the fields, she realized it’d been a while since she’d ventured out of the city. In the spring she’d always made a point of hiking several of the wildflower trails in the foothills, but she hadn’t this year. The summer wildflowers weren’t as vibrant as the spring varieties, and she knew if she didn’t make time to do it, it’d be another source of enjoyment abandoned. Maybe she could convince Presley to go with her. God knew Chaz would likely complain about bugs, sun, and dirt. Amery spent weekends with Ronin. Her next-door neighbor, Nina, might be game.

“Why the frown?” Deacon said. “What’d I do now?”

That sounded a little paranoid. “Nothing. I’m just thinking.”

“About?”

She faced him. “Are you really interested, or just making polite conversation?”

“Babe. I’m not so much with polite conversation. You know this about me.”

“True. So I was thinking about taking a wildflower hike in the foothills.”

“Lemme know when and I’ll make sure my gun is cleaned before we go.”

We again? Really? Before she did a total dork move and squee’d, the gun comment registered. “Why would you bring a gun?” And why hadn’t he shot out a derisive remark about her stopping to smell the wild roses?

Because this Deacon—with the hot eyes and even hotter kisses—isn’t the brooding Deacon you know.

“Bears,” he said without sarcasm. “Those motherf*ckers cover a lot of ground in the summer. Better to be safe than bear meat.”

“You like to hike?”

“I’ve never been. I’ve never been to a roller derby bout either.” A half smile flirted on his lips. “You’re getting me to try all sorts of new things.”

“I’m sure there are all sorts of new things you’ll get me to try too,” she returned with a provocative look.

After tossing his sunglasses on the dash, he placed a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist. “I stick to the basics when it comes to sex.”

“The basics?” she managed to get out. The heat in his eyes burned away the moisture in her mouth, making it hard to form words.

“Hot, wet, and as often as possible.” He sank his teeth into the fleshy part of her thumb.

She bit her lip, but a moan escaped.

“You don’t get to do that.”

“What?”

“Try to keep quiet when you like the way I touch you.”

Molly felt her face and neck flush, but she didn’t look away.

“Sexy thing,” he murmured. “You tell me when it gets too intense.”

“Is that even possible?”

His eyes darkened. “Jesus, Molly.”

“I’m not being flip. I’ve only ever experienced intensity in small, singular doses.”

“And yet you say this doesn’t scare you?”

“How can I fear what I’ve never had?”