Chapter 21 #2
It takes less than three seconds for realization to dawn on Ty. He reaches behind him to clutch Noah’s arm and he gasps, staring at me wide-eyed. His eyes are on me, but it’s to Noah that he says, “She hooked up with him.”
“Who?”
“The sex god,” Ty practically squeals. “That’s why she’s been jittery and she acted like a freak, running and hiding when he showed up. They hooked up. Oh my god.”
“Shhh,” I whisper-yell. “He could still be in the shop.”
“So it’s true? You guys hooked up?” Noah practically yells over Ty’s shoulder, ignoring the succulent-shaped foam stress toy I toss at his head. Or I try to, anyway. It bounces off Ty’s chest and falls to the floor.
“Will you two get in here and shut the door before throwing accusations at me?” I scold. “For god’s sake, there could be customers out there.”
Shit, the customers –
“What am I doing? The shop is still open, I have to –”
“Don’t you dare.” Ty pulls Noah into the room and shuts the door behind them.
It’s almost comical, seeing these two men pushing six feet tall crammed into my tiny office.
It’s not even close to being big enough for the three of us to fit in here comfortably.
“Noah put a note on both doors saying you’ll be back in fifteen minutes, and Lucy is happily running around the backyard. We’ve got some time.”
I open my mouth to protest and he shakes his head. “Spill it,” he says.
I slump in my seat. “This doesn’t leave this office, okay?”
“Oh, this is going to be good,” Ty says, grinning.
I glare at him. “I’m not telling you anything until you promise.” The last thing I need is people gossiping about Declan and I. If this whole thing implodes at some point – which, if we’re being honest, it probably will – then the fewer people who know about it, the better.
“I promise,” Noah says, making an X across his chest with his finger.
“Same, obviously.” Ty rolls his eyes, like I’m the one being difficult. “Now tell us what’s going on.”
I take a deep breath. “I went up to his apartment last night,” I begin, and Ty cuts me off with, “Elsie, you dirty slut!” Somehow, he makes the harsh words sound like a compliment.
“Not like that. Some of his mail got delivered here and I accidentally brought it home, so I was returning it to him.”
“Instead of just waiting until today?” Noah questions.
“It could have been important, okay?”
The two exchange a look, and I fight the urge to go on the defensive. I hadn’t thought it was that unusual to show up at Declan’s place like that. I thought I was just doing my duty to be a good neighbor, but maybe on some subconscious level, I really just wanted to see Declan.
Ugh. That’s a worry for another time, when I don’t have two men eagerly awaiting the salacious details of my love life.
“Sure, sure,” Ty says, waving his hand. “Continue, please.”
“So I brought him his mail,” I reiterate. “And just as I was about to leave, he put his hand on my hip to stop me. I don’t know what came over me then – I think I might have blacked out a bit – but the next thing I knew, we were kissing.”
“You kissed!” Noah yells. “How was it?”
“Hold up,” Ty cuts in, his hand raised like he’s in class. “Who kissed who in this scenario?”
“Is that important?” I try to brush off the question, but I should have known better. Alarm bells have officially been raised. Ty is a hound who’s caught a scent, and his eyes narrow on me.
“Very important,” he says.
“I kissed him,” I admit quietly, burying my face in my hands. Ty and Noah yell “Elsie!” in unison and I groan behind my fingers. “I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never done that before.”
When I hear a slow clap begin, I look up to find Ty beaming down at me proudly. “I thought for sure he’d be the one to make the first move. Good for you, girl.”
“Okay, so how was it?” Noah asks again.
“It was…”
How do I explain a kiss like that? It was beyond anything I’ve experienced before.
I didn’t even know I liked kissing that much.
But Declan was… overwhelming, in every sense of the word.
But in a way I didn’t mind, not even a little bit.
Once his lips crashed down onto mine, all I could feel, see, sense was him.
His lips hungry on mine, his strong hands on my body, the taste of peppermint on his tongue.
The needy way he pulled me tighter against him, his adamant “No” when I tried to pull away, like he was just as desperate to keep kissing me as I was to kiss him.
“Really, really good,” I finally admit. “Kind of perfect.”
Noah sighs and leans against Ty. “I love this for you.”
“Even if some of us are severely lacking in the romance department lately,” Ty says dryly, sneaking a look over at Noah, who meets his eye and blushes.
“Same here,” Noah says, almost shyly. They share a small smile before turning back to me.
I’d love to turn the tables around on them – speaking of romance, would you two like to admit that you like each other yet? – but I could never embarrass them like that. I will, however, be grilling each of them separately the second I get them alone.
“We’ve got…” Ty checks his watch, “about six minutes left. Explain why you ran out of there like there was a fire the second you saw him coming.”
Because I’m embarrassed that I kissed him. And surprised by how much I liked – no, loved it. Confused by what it all means, and what happens next. Terrified to find out he actually wasn’t that into it. Or maybe he was, but he’s come to his senses since then and doesn’t think it should happen again.
Hell, I don’t even necessarily think it should happen again. This thing between Declan and I – it can’t be leading anywhere good. Guys like him don’t settle down with women like me, and I don’t think I can do casual with him.
“I have no idea what’s going on between us,” I finally say, “and I’m not ready to find out just yet.”
“So you did the reasonable thing and ran for your life,” Noah says, nodding.
“Exactly.”
“You’re insane,” Ty says affectionately. “C’mon, your fifteen minutes are almost up. We also told Declan you were headed to the bathroom and he’s probably growing concerned that you haven’t reappeared yet.”
“You did not.” My jaw drops, horror setting in. The only thing more embarrassing than running from the man you impulsively kissed the night before is that same man thinking you’re running away because you have to poop.
“Elsie,” Ty scolds. “The man saw you sprinting through the shop like you were competing in the hundred-meter dash. I had to give him a reason.”
“It didn’t have to be bathroom related,” I mutter, rising from my chair. When I round the desk, Ty tucks me under his arm and squeezes me in a side hug.
“Sorry, babe,” he laughs, not sounding the least bit sorry. “He probably didn’t believe me anyway.”
“And he probably wouldn’t even care,” Noah adds from behind us as we head back to the shop floor. “He’s, like, obsessed with you.”
“Nobody is obsessed with anyone,” I argue, though it does feel a little bit like I might be obsessed with Declan. There’s no other explanation for my behavior last night. I mean, going to his apartment like that was one thing. That alone was borderline insane. But kissing him?
Absolutely certifiable.
When we emerge from the break room, I’m relieved to find that Declan isn’t waiting around for me. I step out from under Ty’s arm and round on him and Noah. “You guys can’t speak a word of this to anyone.”
Ty holds his hands up in front of him while Noah makes another X over his chest. “Cross my heart,” he promises.
“I swear,” Ty says. “But you’d better tell Olivia and Grace. They’re going to die when they find out.”
I groan, because I know he’s right. “I’m going to tell them,” I promise “Might as well have a few more witnesses to my insanity.”
“That’s the spirit,” he says cheerfully. He goes to the back of the shop and opens the door, and Lucy comes trotting through it, sniffing everything in her path.
“Lucy Lu,” I coo, and she comes bounding over to me. She presses her big, fluffy body against my legs and peeks up at me, demanding pets. I oblige, obviously.
“You’re a lifesaver,” Ty tells me again, heading toward the door. “Noah, you’ve got my number now,” he says, and that is news to me. “Text me if I miss anything good.”
“Oh, I will,” Noah promises.
“Hey!” I protest. “No ganging up on me.” I’m careful to keep my back to the window overlooking the shop next door while I pet Lucy, so I don’t accidentally make eye contact with Declan.
“Sorry not sorry,” Ty laughs, blowing me a kiss. He waves to Noah, then slips out the front door and disappears onto the crowded sidewalk.
Noah sighs, watching him go with a dopey, lovesick look on his face.
“God, I love this job.”