“Let the lady talk, Draegan. She’s full of information.”
“And I wonder who’s been whispering sweet nothings in her delicate ears.”
“Don’t wonder,” Bane said. “Just ask.”
“Okay, that’s it.” Serena wiggled free of Draegan’s grip and stood.
Draegan looked up at her, halfway expecting her to rip into him for being a jackass. Instead, she moved around his knees and stood on the other side of the table with her hands on her hips.
“Something on your mind?” he asked, dreading what came next.
“Yes,” she replied, nodding her head rapidly. “I’m in love with you.”
Draegan stretched his arms across the back of the sofa and breathed a sigh of relief, giving the detective a nod for good measure. “Is there a reason why you wanted to tell me now?” Not that he was complaining. As far as Draegan was concerned, she had picked a fine time.
“Listen,” Bane said, waggling his fingers at Serena and sounding like that old Southern preacher Draegan used to watch on television. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Tell him.”
Draegan felt his chin drop. Without realizing it, he’d removed his arms from the booth, too. He leaned forward with his hands clasped in between his splayed legs. “Tell me what?”
“I’m attracted to Detective—Bane—I’m attracted to him.”
Draegan nodded his head a few times and processed. This didn’t come as a surprise to him. The surprise had arrived at the barbeque a few months ago. Detective Bane Brice had stopped by to share the good news. The Vance brothers were going away for a long time, with one exception. Apparently the younger Vance brother, the one Markie had hooked up with back in the day, caught a lighter sentence.
Trouble’s residents had thrown a hell of a party. The good detective had stuck around, acting like he was just there to observe the life and times of those living in Trouble.
Truth of the matter was, he’d hung around Trouble for a reason—he was interested in Serena. Now, to make matters worse? Serena was professing a same or similar interest.
“Well, looks like we have a small problem.”
“I guess it’s all in how you look at it,” Bane said.
“I’m looking at it from about every angle,” Draegan remarked, giving Serena a good gaze-groping and wishing like hell he’d turned that car around the minute he had that gut feeling something wasn’t quite right.
“Look, McCall, I’ve been around enough to know and paid attention, too. I’m smart enough to realize that you’re not letting Serena go. I’m not asking you to.”
“Good thing. I’d hate for ya to waste your breath.”
Serena blushed. Draegan gave her a heated look, wondering if she’d known Bane was going to show up there all along. Deciding she couldn’t have known, since she hadn’t known where he’d planned to take her, he turned his attention to the annoying detective, the one who apparently wanted Draega
n to think he’d done his homework.
“Code of conduct for McCalls,” Draegan muttered. “What a crock of shit.”
“I simply meant—”
“It’s understood what you meant,” Draegan said, standing.
“Draegan.” Serena grabbed his arm. “Just listen to him.”
“I’ve heard plenty,” Draegan said.
Bane and Serena swapped a glance. Draegan shook his head. “Wait a minute. Have you two been talking on the sly?”
“On the sly?” Serena seemed offended. “You wait months before you ask me out and yet you’re really going to suggest I’ve been doing something behind your back?”
“Have you?”
“Did you pay attention to the question?” Serena tapped her foot.