Fighting Temptation [Brac Village 11] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Lynn Hagen Read Free Book Online Page A

Carmine over. The guy’s good looks didn’t help Carmine’s campaign in keeping the fey at arm’s length.
    Carmine pushed away from his desk, tired of the other detectives flirting with Turi. As much as he was enjoying watching the guy smile, he’d had enough. “Ready?”
    Turi moved over to Carmine, his smile still clinging to his face as he gazed up. Carmine had to look away. The smile couldn’t be returned. “Where are we going now?”
    That was a very good question. If he took Turi back to the Lakelands, there was a good chance the father would come after Turi again. Carmine didn’t want to chance that. There was only one place he could think of, although taking Turi home wasn’t at the top of Carmine’s things he was looking forward to list. It meant they would be alone, no one around to interrupt them. Clearing his throat, Carmine nodded toward the door. “My house.”
    A few of the detectives looked Carmine’s way, smirks on their faces, as if they knew what was going to happen. They would be wrong. Nothing was going to happen. Not that Carmine didn’t want things to happen. They just weren’t.
    “Still trying to get me to take candy?” Turi asked, the smile fading. “Why do we have to go to your house?”
    It bothered him when Turi looked guarded, like Carmine was the bad guy. “Where else are you going to go?” He didn’t know anything about Turi. For all Carmine knew, the guy could have a dozen places to lay low.
    Turi fingered the whistle as he gave a light shrug of his shoulders. Carmine really hoped Turi wasn’t about to toot that damn thing. “Nowhere.”
    The despondent look pulled at Carmine. Although it bothered him, he walked past the guy and headed toward the door. He would help like he said he would, but nothing more.
    As Carmine stepped out into the balmy night, he felt Turi right behind him. The guy wasn’t doing anything to make Carmine think he wanted something more, so why did Carmine feel so guilty about turning away?
    He was determined to stick to his decision about keeping Turi at bay. Carmine headed to the driver’s side of his car, Turi to the passenger. Neither said a word as Carmine pulled from the drive and headed toward his house deep in the woods.
    The house was in a perfect location. It was set far enough back from the road to give Carmine the privacy he craved. The land was wide and vast, enough room for his bear to run wild and free without worrying about running into humans.
    That was one thing Carmine was thankful of. Maverick Brac enforced the no-hunting law. The man didn’t play around when it came to anyone with a rifle in these woods.
    “How far in the country do you live?” Turi turned from the window and faced Carmine. “We’ve been driving for hours.”
    No they hadn’t. The two of them had been on the road for about twenty-five minutes. “We’ll be there in about five minutes.”
    Carmine had never brought anyone home. Turi would be the first person in his house besides himself. He wasn’t sure what fate was doing to him, but Carmine was surprised that Turi hadn’t refused to go home with him.
    When he first met the guy this morning, Carmine had to practically throw Turi into his car. Now the man was willingly climbing in. What changed? Did he really want to examine that thought more closely?
    No.
    Carmine pulled into the driveway and got out, inhaling the clean country air. The place wasn’t what Maverick lived in, but it was big enough for Carmine. It was the woods that had caught his attention and helped him decide to buy this house.
    The land was breathtaking. This was the only time Carmine truly relaxed—when he was at home. There was just something so majestic about the place that made him feel at ease. Maybe it was the tall pines, or the open field behind his house. Whatever it was, Carmine always had an urge to shift and run when he got home from a hard day’s work.
    “Nice place.” Turi got out and closed the car door, glancing