Had he been a less cautious man, Deacon would have jumped on Haley Slater's offer without even a moment of hesitation. But that was not his nature, and it never would be.
A shield.
That was what Slater had offered to become for him. Someone who would stand in the way of his loved ones (which was really just his father) , coming after Deacon and hitting him where it hurt-in the feelings. In exchange all that Slater would want in return would be that Deacon do the same for her when it came to her own people, (which really just meant her grandfather).
The offer was unbelievably tempting. Having somebody who would help soften the blow that his father's controlling tendencies often had would really be helpful. But instead of giving Slater an answer right away, Deacon had chosen to ask for some time. To her credit, Slater had not pushed him further. When he had helped her finish making their meal, she had not given off the aura of somebody who was secretly upset and was hiding it.
