A Trick of the Moon Read Online Free Page A

him. “I'm going to have difficulty with you, aren't I?”
    “Count on it,” Declan told her. “He's always been a troublemaker.”
    “It's part of my charm.” Dario held out his hands and she could tell he was trying to look as innocent as possible. It only made him look sexier.
    “Honestly.”
    “Right.” Maura glanced between the two of them. They were giving her sheepish grins that made her stomach flutter. “Maybe I need a boss's union, something to protect me from the both of you. No funny stuff.”
    She wagged her finger at them, then headed down the hallway. The deep male laughter that followed let her know Declan wasn't angry with her, which was good. It also let her know this time with them would be entertaining, even if she and Declan weren't alone to work toward a romantic relationship. At least they were together for a while, and that was a start.

    * * * * *
Dario pulled his bag out of the back of the SUV. He put it on the ground and put his hand on Declan's shoulder as he tried to step around him.
    “You mean to tell me you never, ever even kissed that tasty little morsel?”
    “Watch it, Dario.” Declan dropped his bag, his fingers curling into fists.
    “Don't say things like that about her.”

    A Trick of the Moon
    17

    “What, that she's gorgeous? I'd be a fool not to notice. All those luscious curves and that blonde curly hair. And those eyes…” Dario shivered and licked his lips. “She's perfect and you let her get away. You're nuts.”
    “Don't try it. I swear I'll kick your ass.”
    Dario backed away from him. “I'm not trying to horn in, I'm just saying—”
    “Yeah, I know what you're saying, that you want to fuck her.”
    “I'm a man, which means I think about sex all the time, just like you do.”
    Dario took a step forward. “Don't get pissed because I said you have good taste.”
    Declan seemed to consider his words, then picked up his bag and headed toward the house. Dario fell into step beside him.
    “She reminds me of Sorcha, Diego's wife. She's one of those big, beautiful women that most men don't appreciate.”
    “Yes, she is,” Declan replied. “But I don't like knowing I have a rival.”
    “Shit.” Dario dropped his bag. “That's not what I said. Fuck, Declan, I'm sorry my cock went into want mode at the first sight of her. Can you blame me?”
    “No, I suppose not.” Declan turned to him. “She's done that to me for years.”
    Dario carefully considered his words. He didn't want to say anything that would add fuel to Declan's obvious distrust of him right now. “Okay, so I'll take the room farthest away from hers. Does that work for you?”
    “Yeah, it does.” Declan started to walk, then turned back around. “Sorry to be so paranoid, it's just—”
    “Don't worry about it.” Dario moved around him and walked up the steps to the porch that wrapped around the large ranch house. “I'll behave.”
    Once inside, he headed in the direction his new “boss” had indicated.
    Behaving himself around Maura would be difficult, but he would never do anything to damage his friendship with Declan. They'd been friends since they 18
    Melinda Barron

    were in junior high school, when he came to Declan's rescue after bullies were making fun of a “half-breed with a stupid name.”
    They'd teamed up and kicked some ass, and become best friends in the process. There was no way he'd let a woman come between them, no matter how hard she made him. He stopped to examine the first room, done in a mixture of reds and blues, the large four-poster bed taking up much of the space.
    “This one looks good,” he said as Declan looked over his shoulder. “I imagine her room is at the end of the hall.”
    Declan walked past him to the other room. “Think again. This is hers, unless I'm mistaken.”
    Dario peered over Declan's shoulder, noticing the perfume bottles and makeup case on the dresser. The brass bed looked fit for a woman, covered in a wedding-ring quilt.
    “I bet