Sundae's Best (Briar County 2)

Deke looked at him, held his gaze, and didn’t shy away. “I’ll stay. If you’re sure?”

Jesus, he was a confident man. Grady loved that Deacon didn’t hold back with him, that despite this being new territory, he seemed willing to jump right in. “I’m sure.”

“All right. I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you tonight,” Grady replied, then stood there in the doorway and watched until Deke drove away. He even stood there for a few minutes afterward.

Chapter 16

Deacon

The second he’d gotten into the car, his thoughts had tried to take over, questioning why or what it meant, part of him thinking he should feel guilty, that even though it had been platonic, what he’d done had somehow betrayed his wife. Logically, he knew that wasn’t the case, but his heart and his head seemed to be in battle.

And he refused to let it. He felt…good. Fuck if he didn’t feel better than he had in a long time, and there was nothing he wanted more than to soak up that feeling.

So he shut those thoughts down.

He went home, showered, got dressed, and headed to Sundae’s Best. They didn’t open until ten thirty, but he got there early to prepare. Luann worked with him today, and it was about an hour or so into their shift when she said, “What’s up with you? You seem… I don’t know…different today. Happy, or like there’s an extra pep in your step.”

He cocked a brow. “Pep in my step?”

“You know what I mean.” They chuckled.

“Don’t know, really. I just feel good.” That was the best way he knew how to explain it. The whole thing was overwhelming. He’d left Thanksgiving with his family, feeling like shit, and today it was like he’d woken up in a new world, one that didn’t feel quite as dark and dreary.

“It’s a good look on you, Deacon Sharpe. I hope it sticks around.” She grinned.

“Thank you, ma’am.” He did too.

Grady stopped by later in the day as promised and ordered honey-lavender ice cream. Deacon came out and sat with him for a minute, feeling Luann’s eyes on him but not caring much. He had a new friend. He was allowed to have friends.

Grady was almost done with his bowl when he said, “Sticky Bourbon.”

Deacon’s lips stretched into a smile. He felt the wideness of it in his cheeks.

“Is that okay?” Grady asked. “If you don’t like it, we don’t have—”

“It’s perfect. You did good, man.”

Grady flicked out his chin in a playfully cocky way. “Yeah, but are we surprised? If you need my help in the future, you know where to find me.” They shared what felt like the thousandth laugh between them when the door opened and some customers came in. “I should let you get back to it.”

“Okay. I’ll…” He lowered his voice. “See you tonight.”

Grady nodded in a way that Deke thought showed disappointment, but then he grinned and winked. Deacon figured he must have been imagining it.

They ordered pizza for dinner and watched the movie. Afterward they hung out for a while, had a beer and chatted. When Grady stood and stretched, his T-shirt pulled up, and not for the first time, Deacon took in the sliver of tanned skin, the hair on his stomach disappearing beneath his low-slung sleep pants… A jolt of heat shot through him, powerful and unexpected. For a moment, he let himself wonder what Grady would feel like beneath his hands before turning away and trying to block those thoughts from his head.

“You good?” Grady asked.

“Yeah, just tired.” But he wasn’t just tired, was he? He’d been attracted to Grady. To a man. To the first person since he’d lost Patricia, who had really been the only one he’d felt that way about before.

“You still staying?” Grady asked. “I can sleep out here if—”

“No.” His gaze collided with Grady’s. “Yes and no. Yes, I’m staying. No, don’t sleep out here.” He was a fumbling mess.

“Let’s hit the sack, then.”

Like the night before, Grady held his hand out for him, and he took it. He grabbed his bag—because he’d brought a bag to stay at Grady’s house—as the other man turned off the lights. They went into his room and then the bathroom, where they brushed their teeth together, then climbed into bed together, things he’d only ever shared with Patricia.

They weren’t touching, each on their own side, and the longer it lasted, the more his gut twisted and his thoughts spun. This was ridiculous. He looked like a fool. Why was he lying in this man’s bed—

“Come ’ere, Deke,” Grady said, breaking through his thoughts, and he went. He let Grady wrap him up in his strong hold and went to sleep.

They did the same the next night. They ate enchiladas, and watched Black Panther, and fell asleep together in Grady’s bed. The next, still at Grady’s, they went for ease and had soup and sandwiches. They had breakfast together every morning—Deacon getting up earlier than he needed to when Grady had to work, having gotten in the habit of making Grady coffee. He liked doing that for him, getting it going to wake him up.