The Man Who Has No Love (Soulless 3)

I watched Deacon examine the kitchen and the dining room. It had gray hardwood floors, white furniture, and it was decorated like a beach cottage, with splashes of color here and there. “It comes furnished.”

Deacon examined the large fireplace in the living room then checked out the bedrooms.

“Dad, let’s go outside.” Derek stayed by the back door.

“Wait,” Deacon yelled from down the hallway.

I joined him. “What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful.” He looked in the spare bedrooms before he returned to the living room. “It’s big but not too big.”

Derek yanked on the locked door. “Did you hear what I said? It has a pool.”

“Okay, okay.” Deacon unlocked it and opened the double doors.

Derek ran onto the deck. “Wow, the ocean is so close!”

“Don’t run.” Deacon came up behind him, looking at the outdoor deck with an overhang on top of the seating area. There was a built-in grill and a fireplace. And of course, the sand was just steps away. Deacon walked to the edge of the deck and looked at the water.

“What do you think?” I came to his side.

Derek dropped his backpack and immediately sat on the sand, digging his hands into the earth.

“I like it.” Deacon turned to me. “What do you think?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think. I’m not buying it.”

“But I’m buying it under the assumption you’ll be sleeping in the master bedroom.”

“If you’re beside me, I’ll sleep anywhere,” I said. “But yes, it’s lovely.” I shielded my eyes and looked at Derek in the sand. “My client said we could stay for a few hours. The cleaners will take care of everything when we leave.”

“That’s generous of them.”

“He trusts me.”

His arm moved around my waist, and he pulled me close. “I can see Derek enjoying his summers here. And when he gets older, I can see him sneaking a girl up here.”

“He’ll love it even more then,” I said with a chuckle.

“I think I’ll put in the offer. Maybe we could break it in next weekend.”

“Derek would love to spend the weekend in the sand.”

He tugged me a little closer. “I was thinking just the two of us.”

I turned to him, already excited. “Yeah?”

He rested his forehead against mine. “Yeah.”

I waited in Deacon’s residence while he dropped off Derek.

Just to keep Valerie docile.

He walked inside minutes later, while I was sitting on the couch.

“How’d it go?” I asked.

“Fine.” He took the seat beside me.

“She didn’t mention me?”

“No. But she was much more pleasant when she knew you weren’t there.”

Geez. “She thinks I’m still dating Tucker, so I don’t get it.”

“She’s not as stupid as we think. She’s got a woman’s intuition.”

“Or she just knows you really well…and knows you aren’t being yourself.”

“What?” he asked. “Happy?” He chuckled even though it wasn’t the least bit funny.

“So…are you going to put the offer in?”

He nodded. “We’ll do it on Monday.”

“Great.”

“Except, one problem…”

“What?”

“Tucker is gonna want to bring someone to fuck in it.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, no surprise there.”

“Maybe I’ll let him have that place, so he’ll forget about the cabin.”

“He would love you forever.”

“Like I don’t already do enough for that asshole,” he said, a playful tone in his voice.

My hand slid down his arm, touching his muscles, happy we were finally alone together. I loved spending our time with Derek, but I also loved when there were short intervals when it was just the two of us…so we could do what he wanted. If Derek hadn’t been there, Deacon probably would have bent me over the couch and fucked me—since he intended to buy the place.

His mood abruptly changed when he noticed my intentions. His eyes drifted down to my lips, watched them as he waited for me to kiss him, his breath gentle and slow. His hand moved to my thigh, gripping the denim that cupped my thighs. The energy between us was immediately different without saying a single word.

“I wish you could move to the cabin…” That was the one place he would really be happy, the only place that was an upgrade after this condo. He could work on the back patio, listening to the sound of the lake and the trees, alone and away from the hustle of the city. It would be easy for him to pretend he was the only person in the world.

His eyes stayed on my lips. “The cabin is our place. So I couldn’t move there without you.”

Seven

Deacon

I was in my office when Tucker called.

I ignored it.

So, he texted me. Duuuuuude.

I rolled my eyes.

I’ve got news.

I’m at work, Tucker.

So am I. Who cares?

Now, I was distracted, so I just joined the conversation. What’s the news?

I met this woman at work…and we’re shagging.

You seriously texted me at work to tell me that?

There’s more to it. I was thinking the four of us could go out. You could check her out.