“Surprise!” Unwilling to let Honor put a damper on things, Lexie grabbed her hand and started hauling her toward the house. “Come on. Sullivan’s carrying your housewarming plant for me and I don’t want to test his goodwill. It weighs a ton.”
“Sullivan?” Honor asked.
“Your smoking-hot neighbor from across the street.”
Honor glanced back at him. So did Lexie.
Amused by the praise, Sullivan smiled at them both. “Hello.”
Honor swallowed. “Hi.”
Jason said nothing. He just watched Honor with near-predatory intent.
Lexie understood his expression, though it clearly went straight over Honor’s head.
Pleased with things so far, Lexie continued to rush Honor until she got the door unlocked. Lexie stood back to hold the door open and Sullivan carried in the plant, bending his knees as he went over the threshold to keep from damaging the top leaves.
Jason still stood in the driveway.
Cocking out a hip, Lexie shook her head and said, “Come on, slowpoke. We might need your help. And even if we don’t, you’re the reason I’m here, so—”
“Lexie.”
As Honor’s fretful voice emerged from the house, Jason grinned and ambled up the drive to join them. Sweat gleamed on his naked shoulders, and muscles flexed in his thighs.
She understood exactly how he so easily flustered Honor. Most women would react the same.
Until he came in, Lexie hadn’t yet looked around, but as soon as he cleared the doorway she did, and it blew her away. Honor had arranged everything so that the small room felt more spacious. Fresh paint on the walls brightened things and even her makeshift sheet curtains looked smooth and crisp and coordinated.
Lexie turned a complete circle before saying, “Wow. You’ve been a busy girl, Honor. It looks great.”
Jason nodded his agreement. “The colors are really nice.”
“Thank you.” The praise took some of the tension from Honor’s shoulders. “I like a lot of color, so I researched what would be right for this type of home. I wanted to stay true to the Cape Cod style.”
“Perfect choices. It looks terrific.”
She smiled with relief, then touched one leaf of the plant. “You shouldn’t have, Lex.”
Knowing it wasn’t the problem, Lexie said, “If you don’t like it, I can take it back and pick you out another.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It fits okay? Not too big?”
“It’s perfect.” She turned to Sullivan. “Thank you for carrying it in.”
“Carrying in a plant was as good an excuse as any to meet you.” He held out his hand. “Sullivan Dean. I live across the street from you.”
Smiling, Honor indulged the requisite handshake. “Honor Brown. It’s very nice to meet you.”
He enclosed her hand in both of his. “I’ll admit I was curious. We were all at Screwy Louie’s the other night when Jason mentioned we had a new neighbor. With all the rain, I hadn’t yet seen you.”
She tipped her head. “Screwy Louie’s? Is that a local place?”
“It’s a bar and grill a few blocks down in the commercial area. You haven’t been?”
“No.”
“We’ll definitely have to remedy that. Anytime you need a bump up from fast food, go to Screwy Louie’s. Best food around.”
“They have takeout?”
“Sure.”
Still holding hands? “Sounds fun,” Lexie said, making sure she wouldn’t get left out. “Maybe we could all meet up there sometime.”
“Since we go every week,” Jason rumbled in a low voice, “I’m sure we could make it happen.”
“Definitely.” Sullivan finally let her go.
“So...” Honor shot a glance at Jason, then turned back to Sullivan. “You said Jason mentioned me?”
“With the trouble still in the area, he wanted to make sure we were aware of you.”
“We?” Lexie asked.
“Nathan and me.”
Honor wrinkled her nose. “Because I’m a woman alone?”
“A block or so down, there are a few older widowed women who’ve been in the area for twenty years or more. But yeah, a woman like you...”
“Like me?”
“Younger, single and attractive.” He hitched a brow. “I think you’re the first. If you ever need anything, feel free to give me a yell.”
Lexie didn’t miss a thing, including the territorial way Jason moved closer to the pair. She shivered. Alpha guys were so hot. It also struck her that Honor was again her usual bubbly, friendly self.
But when around Jason, she was very different.
“Why, thank you. I appreciate that,” Honor said to Sullivan. “So far, so good, though. I think I’ve got it covered. And honestly I’m enjoying figuring out everything on my own.”
Keeping her plan in mind, Lexie said, “I brought some snacks and drinks. Why don’t you both stay and visit for a bit?”
Sullivan checked a thick black watch on his wrist. “I have thirty minutes before I need to take off.”
Before she thought better of it, Lexie asked, “Hot date?”
His slow smile sent a spike of heat through her core. “Actually, no.”
Lexie noted that her boldness didn’t throw him, but it did turn his gaze speculative.
“I have an evening class and won’t be back until late.”
“So we’ll make do with thirty.” She’d find out about the class stuff later. “What about you, Jason? Got a little free time?”
Honor made a point of studiously examining the leaves on the plant, so she missed the way Jason checked her out—specifically her behind in her snug jeans.
When he realized Lexie was watching him, he drew his attention away to ask, “What?”
Around a laugh, Lexie said, “I’m going to take that as a yes.”
His gaze went right back to Honor. “Yeah, do that.”
“Perfect. I’ll run out and grab the stuff from my trunk.”
“Need a hand?” Sullivan asked.
“I’ll take both, please.” Lexie hooked her arm through his, taking him with her while saying over her shoulder, “You two behave, now. We’ll be right back.”
Jason’s chuckles followed her out the door, but Honor just groaned.
Snickering, Lexie said, “She is so funny.”
Without making a big deal of it, Sullivan freed his arm but put his palm at the small of her back. “Your friend Honor?”
“Yes.” He had big hands. Even through her shirt she felt the heat of his palm. She wasn’t Honor; a single touch didn’t usually make her giddy.
But damn it, this time it did.
She looked up at his profile. “When Honor first showed up, you said ‘I see,’ as if you just understood something.”
He shrugged strong shoulders. “At first