18. The Beginning
(TIFFANY)
The second Ben has left my apartment, I pick up my phone and dial Dec’s number. Butterflies are flying around in my stomach, and my heart is pounding in my chest as I wait for him to answer.
“Hey, Tiff.” Dec sounds wary when he answers the phone.
“I love you, Declan McLean.” I can’t leave him thinking this might not be the case for even a second longer. “Please come see me as soon as you can.”
“Oh, god. I was so worried you were calling to tell me you were back together with Ben.” The relief is evident in his tone of voice, and I hate that he thought that.
“Of course, not. I just needed the space to end it without either of you ending up with an assault charge,” I laugh .
Dec’s laugh is low and rumbly, and it’s sexy as hell. “Okay, that’s fair enough. I’ll come right around.”
We end the call, and I resist the urge to tell the group chat about everything that’s happened. I want to confirm with Dec before I say anything, but I do want to do it soon because I’m not sure what Ben will tell any of our friends to whom he speaks.
I start emptying my suitcase while I wait for Dec to arrive. When I finish, I head back out to the sofa to wait for him, and I send a message to my sisters.
Tiffany Carter: So, Benjamin and I are through. I want you guys to be the first to know. Declan and I are together now.
A sizzle of excitement runs through my body as I type it out. It actually feels real to be telling people. It’s not just some secret dirty weekend we’ve had. We’re a real couple.
My phone starts ringing with a video call from the chat, and I laugh as Crystal appears on the screen, along with Jasmine, who joins the call a second later.
“Yes, sisters? Is there something you want to know?” I ask with an innocent smile on my face.
“Um, what the fuck?!” Jasmine asks, with a look of pure shock on her face.
I laugh loudly and smirk at them. “So, Dec came to cheer me up, and… he succeeded. ”
“With his cock? Is that how he cheered you up?” Crystal asks with an eyebrow raised at me.
“Pretty much. It’s a good cock, too. I had so many orgasms it hurts.” I can’t wipe the smile off my face at the memories.
“Good god, haven’t you heard of ‘too much information?’” Crystal rolls her eyes, then continues with a wicked grin on her face, “But tell me more about this good cock he has.”
“I don’t think she should tell you much more than she already has.”
Dec’s low voice comes from just beside the sofa I’m sitting on, and I scream as I jump a mile in the air and drop my phone on the floor. I can hear my sisters both burst into laughter from the phone that’s lying face down in front of me.
Dec strides over to it, picks it up, and holds it in front of us as he sits down next to me. He puts his arm around me, and I snuggle into him, unable to prevent the smile that creeps across my face as a sense of calm peace washes over me.
“Well, don’t you two look adorably cute together,” Jasmine announces.
“Thanks, Jazz. I’m pretty fucking happy,” Dec tells her.
“I’m surprised, but if you guys are happy, then I’m happy for you.” Crystal smiles at us from the screen .
“Thanks, Crys. We’ll see you in person soon, yeah?” Dec asks her.
“Yup. I got permission from the Dean to leave school a week earlier than when the break starts because of Gramps’ heart attack. I’m heading home tomorrow,” she tells us.
“Oh, that’s awesome. I can’t wait to see you!” I exclaim, excited to see my baby sister a week earlier than I expected.
“Speaking of Gramps. I’m at the hospital now,” Jasmine tells us, and I notice that she’s sitting on the hospital chairs in one of the quiet rooms they have for the patients’ family. “Do you want me to tell Gramps, or will you?”
“We’ll come in and tell him ourselves,” I respond, and she looks relieved.
“Oh, thank fuck. I don’t want to be the cause of his next heart attack!” she laughs at us.
We finish up the call, and Dec drops my phone next to him. I tilt my face up to his and kiss him deeply. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.
“You really love me?” he asks with a grin on his face.
“I’m surprised you have to ask,” I tell him.
“Well, I was hoping to hear you say it again. Clearly, that’s not going to happen, though,” he teases me.
I look into his eyes and say sincerely, “Declan McLean, I love you with all my heart and soul. ”
“That’s all you had to say.” He lowers his head to mine and kisses me softly.
“We should probably tell the group chat. Who the fuck knows what Ben will tell everyone. At least, we can tell them all at once.”
Dec nods, then grabs my phone and opens the camera app. He presses his lips to mine, kissing me until I part my lips and allow his tongue to gain access to my mouth. This is the point at which he snaps a picture before dropping the phone and holding my face in his hands as he deepens our kiss further.
We’re both panting for breath when we finish kissing, and Dec picks up my phone before handing it to me. “Send them that pic. I think it probably says it all.”
I laugh and shake my head at him. “You’re a troublemaker.”
“Want to marry a troublemaker?” he asks me, looking slightly nervous as he waits for my response.
“Probably, but I sure as shit want a better proposal than that, so I’m going to assume that’s not a proposal. We should also wait maybe six months after I ended my previous engagement for us to get engaged.”
“It’s always about optics, huh?” He laughs and rolls his eyes at me.
“Yup. You can move in here in a month, maybe. We should live together before we get engaged. What if you leave the toilet seat up, and I hate living with you? I don’t want to commit to marrying a man who might leave the toilet seat up.”
Dec pulls me onto his lap so that I’m straddling him and staring into his beautiful blue eyes. “For you, I will put the toilet seat down. Heck, I’ll even put the lid down, or leave it up, or use an entirely different bathroom to you. Whatever means you’ll be mine forever.”
“Declan McLean, I’m already yours forever.”
I place my lips against his and kiss the man who has gone from being my friend to being the love of my life in less than forty-eight hours.