Page 19 of Deacon (Men of Clifton, Montana #52)

As he strode toward his truck, the door opened behind him. He looked back to see Ava standing on the porch, faint evening light haloing her.

“Deacon?” she called softly.

He came back to the steps. “Yeah?”

Her throat bobbed in a nervous swallow. “I—” She shook her head, then squared her shoulders.

“I want you to stay with me tonight.” Deke stared at her for a beat, his brows lifting.

“It’s okay if you don’t—” She shook her head.

“I never forgot that night with you,” she said, voice husky, “and no other man has ever made me feel like that.”

He closed the gap, taking two steps at a time to reach her, cupped her face in his hands, and brushed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft at first and then fierce, as if it had been a lifetime coming. Pulling back, he searched her eyes.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, breathless. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Deke’s hands were already trembling as he scooped Ava up, her body a masterpiece of curves and softness, her ass pressing into his forearms as he carried her to the bed.

Her breath hitched, her breasts heaving against his chest, and he could feel the heat radiating off her like she was a damn furnace.

Her legs wrapped around his waist, her thighs squeezing him with a desperation that made his cock throb in his jeans.

He didn’t even bother with the door, just kicked it shut with his boot, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot .

“I never realized how much I’ve missed you,” he growled, his voice rough and low, like gravel dragged over silk.

Ava’s lips crashed into his, her tongue sliding into his mouth with a hunger that made his knees weak.

Her hands were everywhere, tugging at his shirt, clawing at his back, pulling him closer until there wasn’t an inch of space between them.

He ripped his shirt off, the fabric tearing as it came away, and then his hands were on her, yanking her jeans down.

The sound of her panties tearing was like music to his ears, and he tossed the scraps aside like they were worthless.

She was already wet, and Deke didn’t waste a second.

He dropped to his knees, his hands gripping her thighs as he buried his face between her legs.

Her taste exploded on his tongue, sweet and salty, addictive, and he groaned into her, his tongue lapping at her clitoris like he was starving for it.

Ava’s back arched off the bed, her fingers tangling in his hair as she ground herself against his mouth, her moans filling the room.

“Deacon!” she screamed, as his tongue never stopping its relentless assault on her. She came hard, her body shaking as she screamed his name again, and Deke didn’t let up, driving her through it until she was trembling.

He stood up, his cock straining against his jeans, and Ava’s eyes locked on it like she was hypnotized.

She reached for him, her fingers fumbling with his belt, and then his jeans were down around his ankles, his cock springing free, thick and hard and ready for her.

Ava’s lips wrapped around him, her tongue swirling around the head before she took him deep, her throat opening up to swallow him whole.

Deke’s head fell back, a guttural groan tearing from his throat as she sucked him like her life depended on it, her hands gripping his ass to pull him deeper.

“Damn, Ava,” he growled, his hands tightening in her hair as her lips stretched tight around his cock. He could feel the pressure building, but he wasn’t ready yet, not when he had plans for her. He pulled out of her mouth and took deep breaths to calm himself.

“Get on your knees,” he ordered, his voice rough with need, and Ava didn’t hesitate.

She flipped over, got on her hands and knees and looked at him over her shoulder.

Deke rolled on a condom, grabbed his cock, then he was pushing inside her, inch by inch, until he was buried to the hilt.

Ava’s moan was almost a scream, clenching around him like a vice, and Deke had to grit his teeth to keep from coming right then and there.

He started slow, pulling almost all the way out before slamming back in as he fucked her harder and faster, his cock hitting that spot inside her that made her scream. Her hands clawed at the sheets, her moans turning into incoherent babbling as he pounded into her.

“God, you feel so fucking good,” he growled, his hands gripping her hips hard enough to leave bruises.

“You do too,” she said then screamed.

He could feel her tightening around him as another orgasm ripped through her.

Deke felt it too, the pressure building until it was unbearable, and then he came, his cock pulsing inside her.

When he finally pulled out, they were both drenched in sweat, their bodies trembling with the aftershocks.

Deke collapsed onto the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms as they both tried to catch their breath.

But even as they lay there, spent and exhausted, he could already feel the heat building between them again, because once was never enough with her.

“I’m glad you decided to move in with me,” he whispered.

Ava rolled onto her side to face him. “Me too. We’ll see if we can make this work.”

“I have no doubt we will, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead.

“Should I meet your family first?”

“You don’t have to. You can after you move in. It’s not like you’re living with them.” He shook his head. “I hate the idea of you meeting Hud.”

Ava sat up. “Why?”

Deke smirked. “He has to beat women off him with a stick. He never has a problem getting a date or getting laid.”

Ava stared at him then laughed. “Please. You’re gorgeous.”

“Well, thank you, ma’am, but Hud makes me and Case look like we’re in the wrong family.” He chuckled.

“I doubt that. I’m sure you’re all very handsome.”

Deke laughed. “Yeah, until we’re all together.”

Ava shook her head. “Let’s take a shower and get some sleep.”

“Alright. I have to leave early in the morning.”

“I hate that.”

“Then we need to get you moved as soon as possible.”

“I agree. I’ll pick up some boxes and start packing. Once that’s done, I’ll be ready. ”

“How about I come back in two weeks, on the weekend, and we can load my truck up too.”

“That would be great. Let’s grab a shower,” she said with a smile.

Deke sat up, removed his boots, jeans, and boxer briefs, then got out of the bed and put his hand out to her. She placed hers in his and he felt a shock through his entire body, then he led her to the bathroom.

A few days later, Deke stepped into his father’s house, the familiar creak of the wooden floorboards announcing his arrival.

He found his brothers and father gathered around the kitchen table; their faces clouded with frowns.

The room was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, mingling with the faint scent of cedar from the nearby woods.

“What’s up, son?” Frank Anderson asked, his voice carrying a mix of curiosity and concern.

Deke hesitated, the gravity of his news weighing heavily on his shoulders. He carefully hung up his hat on the coat rack. Pulling out a chair, he settled into it, feeling the solid wood beneath him as he searched for the right words.

“Are we supposed to guess why you asked us to be here, Deke?” Case quipped with a sarcasm that cut through the air like a knife.

“Damn, you can be a pain in my ass, Caysen ,” Deke retorted, his frustration momentarily flaring.

Hud, leaning back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest. “If you’ve got something to tell us, just do it. You’ve never had a problem before,” he said, impatience lacing his tone.

Deke locked eyes with his father, whose steady gaze urged him to speak. Taking a deep breath, he finally broke the silence. “I have a daughter.”

The revelation hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. Silence enveloped the room, thick and profound. Deke studied each face, his father’s calm yet surprised, Case’s incredulous, and Hud’s barely restrained amusement.

“I knew your dick would get you into trouble one day,” Hud chuckled, prompting Case to join in with a burst of laughter.

“That’s enough, Hudson,” their father interjected sternly, casting a disapproving look.

Hud shrugged, unrepentant. “Just sayin’.”

Their father’s gaze softened as he turned back to Deke. “Tell us how this happened, Deacon—”

“I think we know how it happened, Dad,” Hud said, making Case chuckle.

Their father glared at Hud, then looked at Deke. “I raised you boys to practice safe sex.”

“I did, Dad. Condoms aren’t foolproof,” Deke explained, his voice tinged with defensiveness. “Anyway, she’s two years old—”

“Two years old, and you’re just telling us now?” Case interrupted; disbelief etched on his face.

“I just found out,” Deke replied, the weight of revelation still fresh. “I met her mother at a Cattlemen’s Convention in Billings almost three years ago. I was there on a lead. We… spent the night together, then parted ways. She lives in Maple Ridge—”

“Isn’t that where the case you’re working on is out of?” Hud interjected, brow furrowing in thought.

“Yes, that’s how I found out about Ellie,” Deke confirmed.

“So, she kept it from you?” his father asked, incredulity in his voice.

“Yes. She said we had agreed to one night and she didn’t want to burden me,” Deke explained, a mix of frustration and understanding in his tone.

“ Burden you? You had a right to know,” Hud snapped, his indignation flaring.

“Yeah, I had the same reaction,” Deke admitted, running a hand through his hair. “But I can’t change it. I am going to know my daughter though. I’ve convinced Ava to move in with me, and I want you all to meet them.”

The late afternoon sun slanted through the kitchen window, setting motes of dust dancing in the warm, golden haze. His voice was steady, edged with determination, a new chapter unfurling in the family’s history.