Page 70 of One Lucky Hero (Men in Uniform 1)

Especially since Violet was far from immune to him. He hadn’t meant to kiss her on the neck in the kitchen, but being that close, with the warm scents of vanilla and chocolate and Violet in the air, he couldn’t resist.

Didn’t want to resist. Not anymore.

If only he could get Casey to come around to giving him a chance. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried, but the harder he pushed, the more pull the kid gave. Dean couldn’t ask about his sessions with the counselor, but he had the feeling Casey still wasn’t talking.

Violet stood up and started to gather dishes, but Dean beat her to it. “You cooked. We’ll clean up.”

“We? What’s this we shi—” Daisy took one look at his hard gaze and shut her mouth. “On it, boss.”

When Daisy disappeared with a stack of dishes into the kitchen, Violet whispered, “You’re going to have to teach me that look sometime.”

“It’s the same one my dad used to give us when we were kids. One glance in our direction, and we scattered.”

“Ours yelled a lot, but usually because he didn’t want to be bothered with us,” she said.

Placing a hand on her back, he gave her a comforting rub. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, we survived. You hear horror stories about kids getting ahold of their parents’ stash and overdosing or starving because their parents forgot to feed them. Believe me, it could have been worse.”

Daisy came into the room to gather more dishes, shooting Dean a disgruntled look. “Thought you were going to help me?”

“Bossy as your sister.” Dean shot Violet a wink. “Why don’t you go relax?”

“Actually, I’m going to go take a shower since you two have this handled. I think I actually have pancake batter in my hair.”

Great. Now he was going to picture her standing under running water threading her hands through her long hair.

“So, do you like my sister, or are you just trying to get back in her pants?” Daisy asked once Violet had gone.

“She told you?”

“Yep. So which is it? And by the way, there is only one right answer,” Daisy said.

Dean grabbed several platters, balancing them on his arms. “I like your sister. I’m just trying to be her friend.

”

“Does that usually work for you?” Daisy grabbed a box of gallon Ziploc bags from the cupboard, her expression doubtful. “ ’Cause if a guy liked me enough to sit back and be my friend, I’d think he was a puss.”

Anger rushed through Dean. “I’m not a puss.”

“Hey, no offense, pal, but it’s true.”

“Saying you meant no offense doesn’t change the fact that I’m very offended,” he said.

“Oh, cry me a river! You want my sister? Then man-up and ask her out.”

Being told to man-up by a teenaged girl was humiliating, to say the least. “Thanks for the pep talk, but I can handle my own shit.”

“Just because you two are walking on eggshells around each other doesn’t mean the rest of us have to. All I’m saying is my sister needs to get a life of her own. After this week, I’m gone at college, and it’s just going to be her and Casey. And I guarantee you Casey is not going to want to stay in and watch The Breakfast Club on a Saturday night.” Sealing the baggie of pancakes with a snap, she continued, “So hop to it, Sergeant.”

Dean wasn’t sure about getting into his relationship—or whatever it was—with Violet with her adolescent sister. Especially when he wasn’t sure exactly what he was hoping for yet. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here before I get deployed again. That’s been my goal at least, and I still don’t know what is going on between Violet and me anyway. For now, we’re just friends trying to figure it out.”

Daisy studied him for half a second before setting the dishes in her hands down.

Hard.

“If you aren’t planning on staying, then what the hell are you doing here? Because my sister doesn’t need a new friend, especially a temporary one.”