Chapter 15 #2
“So if that’s one of the reasons you’ve been keeping yourself from committing to me, toss that bullshit out the window.
Because if at some point we decide we want to have more family than we’ve got walking through the doors of High Water, we can adopt.
We can help raise whatever kids my brothers might end up having, and I’ll be happy as a pig in mud. As long as I’ve got you beside me.”
It sounded so simple. “I still have issues,” she whispered.
“So do I, to be honest.” Declan let out a big sigh. “And I’m a bit of a stubborn ass because I’ve got someone right there at my beck and call at High Water who could help me deal with my bullshit. I could talk to Kevin anytime I want, but I’ve been pretending it’s not necessary.”
“Edison told me I should talk to Kevin,” Sydney offered quietly. “Guess it sounds like a good idea we should be brave enough to follow up with.”
He rubbed his chin against the palm of her hand. “Maybe we can hold each other accountable for that. Once we get off the mountain.”
“Deal,” Sydney promised. She stared at his face for a moment, looking into those earnest eyes and solemn expression. “Without referring to our toilet paper notes, shall I summarize?”
“Go for it.” He held up a finger.
She smiled. “We still have to figure out the Gordian knot problem of my grandfather holding the purse strings and my personal decisions hostage. We will find a way to brainstorm with our brainy bunch when we get home.”
He held up another finger.
“Two. I’m not having any children I bear myself, but someday, if I want, I acknowledge there are other options.”
“And those options will be discussed when appropriate and never under duress.” Declan caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “And three. There’s a man right here who loves you and is willing to try and be brave in the hopes you’ll love him back.”
“I’ll try.” The words a mere whisper. “I will.”
A full-on smile bloomed on his face. “That’s all I ask.”
This time it was Sydney who shifted forward. Rising up on her knees and leaning in to connect their lips in a tender kiss.
Tears had dried on her cheeks, the wind howled outside, and there was an ache in her chest from moving so quickly between sorrow and laughter—yet all of that faded away as she fell into his touch.
It wasn’t enough to take. She needed to give.
Sydney pushed the open shirt back off his shoulders as she crawled into his lap.
Declan had never been a big one for talking in the first place, but to have to go through an entire heap of bad memories and fears had left him on shaky ground.
There’d been one shot after another, but right now they got to come back to the parts that were the most real. The most true.
Sydney was going to give them a chance. He’d still have to fight, he figured, but she was a fighter too.
The other thing that was more than real? The sweet taste of her lips on his. The eager press of her hands over his shoulders, tugging at his shirt.
“Good thing we got it warmed up in here.” He reached over his head to grab the back of his T-shirt. He yanked it forward and off, offering his naked chest to the delicate scrape of her nails.
“Lord, you’re gorgeous.” Sydney admired him before leaning forward and pressing her lips to his shoulder. Then his chest, swirling her tongue down to his nipple.
His body tightened, and Declan wished like hell he’d been smart enough to strip everything away before she got started. “Sydney. Let’s take this to the floor. We’ve got the blanket and—”
She nipped, and he swore. A flash of sensation struck like a lightning bolt. The same ones dancing across the sky as the storm continued to rage—they were right there in the living room as far as he was concerned.
“We’ll get to the floor,” Sydney promised, rising up until her face was inches away from his. Her hands were firm on the waist of his jeans, pushing the button free and catching hold of his pockets. She tugged. “Lift your hips, sugar. I need these off.”
Somehow she had undone his zipper, and as Declan leaned back and raised his ass off the cushions, Sydney stripped the fabric free. All the way down his legs and she tossed his jeans onto the nearby straight-back chair.
She trailed a finger down the center of his abdomen, teasing the trail of hair that vanished under the elastic of his briefs. “Just to be clear,” Sydney said softly as her hand landed on the thick ridge of his cock. “This is not a booty call.”
Thank fuck. He laid a palm on her sweet ass, giving it a gentle caress. “Booty still involved.”
She closed her fingers around him, jacking him slowly and deliberately through the fabric. “Sure. But considering the storm outside, I’m feeling a little wild. Didn’t want you to think this was the same as all the other times.”
Declan opened his mouth to make a point and lost all concentration as she slid the elastic aside and covered him with her mouth.
She sucked, and the head of his cock slid between her lips, hot and wet and potentially mind-blowing.
He slid his hips closer to the edge of the couch to give her more room, knees wide as pleasure wrapped around him and a groan escaped his lips. “Christ, Syd.”
A pleased hum escaped her, and the combination of the vibration and the slow pump over his shaft threatened to make him lose control in an embarrassingly short time.
Declan closed his eyes and took the gift.
He trailed his fingers through her hair, pulling it back from her face.
He looked down and took it in, and somehow watching made it more intense.
The smile at the corner of her lips as she worked him.
The wetness on her lips coating his cock.
Dirty and beautiful and he was thirty seconds away from blowing up, and that was not happening. Not tonight.
He reached down and pulled her off, laughter bubbling up from her as he kept the forward motion going and simultaneously rolled. They landed on the floor in front of the fire on the blanket he’d spread out earlier. Sydney was still fully dressed, his underwear tangled somewhere around his hips.
She pushed up, resting her palms on his chest as she reclined over his body. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“We can play those kinds of games later. Right now, take off your clothes,” he ordered, curling up to reach for the waistband of her T-shirt.
“Bossy tonight,” Sydney said brightly. She arched her back as she reached behind her for the hooks on her bra.
Declan’s hands were already there, and their fingers bumped as he distracted her with a searing kiss. Tongues tangling, her breath hot and heavy as he threw away the lace and lifted her high enough to latch onto her breast.
“Oh God, yes.” Sydney’s fingers ran through his hair, nails dancing lightly, a steady scratch over his shoulders as he sucked and nipped.
She squirmed, and he let go. She got to work on her pants as Declan dealt with his underwear. Seconds later the very naked woman planted her feet on either side of him, fists on her hips as she gazed down at him in a decidedly R-rated superhero pose.
“Have you come to save me?” Declan teased.
Sydney looked confused for a minute then smiled. “How about we save each other?”
Great idea, except what he needed to be saved?
Was her.
Declan lunged, and Sydney squealed. This time when he brought her down, her back was to the floor and he held her knees pinned to her chest, one in each hand.
“First thing I need is a little kitten time.”
“Kittens?” Sydney laughed, fingers curling around his wrists as the brightest sound he’d heard from her all night rang out.
It faded into a long, low moan that danced lust up his spine as he leaned in and ate hungrily.
He licked again, taking in every inch of her pussy, thrusting his tongue deep then easing around her clit.
He lifted her knees up and out to give himself more room to work, driving her up until she quivered under him.
“Deck. Do it,” she begged.
“No.”
He let go of her knees, stretched one arm across her abdomen and slid two fingers into his mouth, getting them wet before reaching between her legs and sliding his fingers deep.
Sydney’s eyes widened. “Oh God.”
He wished he could watch all the changing expressions on her face, but getting to feel, getting to give, was just as good. He dipped his head and put his tongue back to work, flicking the tight tip of her clit while he stroked his fingers against the front wall of her pussy.
She planted her feet on the floor and arched, writhing against his mouth as her body squeezed tight and her orgasm hit.
Declan hurried. He pulled his fingers free, covered himself with a condom, then lined up his cock and slid them together with one smooth stroke.
A noise of pleasure rippled on the air as Declan held himself on his forearms over her, hips rocking slowly.
She cupped his face, silver dancing in her eyes, pupils wide. “It’s good. Oh damn, it’s good.”
“Hell, yeah.”
He gave himself over to pleasure. To the giving between them, the ebb and flow. The teasing touch of her fingers and the hot grip of her body around him.
When he reached down to help take her over one more time, that too was pretty damn perfect.
Declan came, the ache in his body rolling out into relaxed satisfaction. The tangle of emotions and words—all of it smoothed and simplified by this honest physical connection.
She was breathing hard, smiling as she stroked his chest and pulled him to her side.
They lay there in the quiet, the house still shaking occasionally but with less intensity as the fire crackled in the stove. For the first time in too long, it felt as if the storm inside him had softened too.
That’s when it hit.
Declan eased up on an elbow so he could see her face clearly. So much soft, tempting skin that was impossible to resist, so he didn’t even try. He stroked his fingers gently over her body, meeting her eyes with his. “Remember you said that this wasn’t a booty call?”
She nodded. “It’s more.”
He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “It’s always been more. Just saying.”
Her smile softened, and something unguarded flickered in the depths of her eyes. “I know.”