Chapter Three
Maggie
Almost Four Years Ago
As I walk his direction, Declan’s eyes drift down my whole body, soaking up every inch of me. I feel every second of his gaze. When his eyes return to my face, a lazy smile turns up the corners of his mouth. He pats the seat beside him for me to sit down when I reach the table.
As soon as I take a seat, he leans into me.
“Your sister.” He nods subtly toward Elizabeth. “...looks like she’s swallowed a thousand razor blades.”
I hold my hand over my mouth to cover a chuckle. Elizabeth is sitting across from us, holding wine glasses in both hands, her eyes nervously darting around the room. We’re sitting at a table with almost all the Sterling siblings.
“I should probably...”
He slowly draws his eyes up to mine. “Aw...I’ll be lonely.”
I pat him twice on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back.”
Oh, that man is trouble. I can feel it in my bones, but no one can resist the charms of Declan Sterling, much less me. I mean – that smile, with that face, on that body. There’s no point in trying.
I walk around the table and sit down next to Elizabeth.
It’s Election Day, and we’re all at the party waiting for the returns.
All of the campaigning – all the work – it all culminates tonight.
James is heavily favored to win, but that doesn’t seem to calm Elizabeth’s fears one bit.
It takes her a moment to register that I’m beside her.
“Oh, Maggie,” she says, her eyes still darting around the room.
I gently take one of the wine glasses from her hand. “You okay? Seem a little stressed.”
Her eyes flash over to me. “Do I?”
I put my hand on her back. “Yes. Yes. You really do.”
She lets out a long exhale. “The waiting is killing me.”
I rub her back. “I know. It will be over soon.”
“Bet you’re glad this campaign madness is ending,” Declan says to Elizabeth. He’s leaning back in his chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
She just laughs. “I’m not sure it’s going to get much better if he wins.”
“When he wins,” Zadie says although she looks as nervous as Elizabeth.
“Of course,” Elizabeth replies. She sets down the other wine glass.
While everyone else talks, I zone out a little thinking about how many women Declan Sterling has probably been with. I snap back to attention as I see Will, the second oldest Sterling sibling, approaching our table.
“Who was the bachelor president?” Brooklyn asks.
“James Buchanan,” Will says as he walks up to the table.
“Thank you, Mr. US History,” Declan says with an eye roll.
“James Buchanan - bet being President got him laid,” Eli says.
“Maybe,” Will shrugs. “There’s a lot of speculation that he was gay.”
“Gay guys like to get laid too,” Eli says. Juno rolls her eyes.
“Will, how are the returns looking?” Elizabeth asks. She’s holding her drink again. “I haven’t been able to watch.”
“Better than we predicted. It’s shaping up to be a historic landslide. Turnout was through the roof.”
She lets out a heavy sigh, and I rub her back again. “See. Nothing to worry about.”
Juno announces to everyone she has to go to the bathroom and jumps up. I catch Declan out of the corner of my eye. He nods for me to sit by him again. Elizabeth is lost in the conversation with Will now, and I return to Declan’s side.
He smiles the whole time I walk around the table – eyes pegged on me. My insides tingle – I bet he makes everyone feel this way.
“Margaret, how are you?”
I pick up my wine glass and look up at him through my lashes. “My name isn’t Margaret.”
He crosses his arms and frowns. “Oh, is it Margarita?”
I shake my head.
“Magdalena?”
“Nope.”
He looks to the ceiling for a moment and then says, “Magnolia.”
“I like that, but no.”
He snaps his fingers. “I know. It’s Margarine.”
I’m trying to hold my face still, but I can’t help cracking a smile.
“It is.” He has a bright smile on his face. “I knew it. That’s a weird choice by your parents – Elizabeth, Celeste, and Margarine. Guess they ran out of good ideas. I would have personally gone with Butter. I always go with butter over margarine.”
I grimace.
“Yeah. You’re right. Butter is no good. How about Buttercup?”
I take another sip of my wine without answering.
“Alright, Buttercup,” he says, leaning closer. “Is your sister going to combust?”
I laugh. “No. I think she’ll be okay. And it’s just Maggie.”
He shoots me a sideways look. “Just Maggie? It’s not short for anything.”
“Not short for anything, but you can call me Buttercup if you want.”
He grins, and I melt a little. I need to be careful around him. Flirting is fine – feelings are not. I know what this is. I know what Declan’s like.
“What’s your name short for?” I ask.
He snorts.
“Declamichael, Declaniah, Declanathon?”
He chuckles. “Oof – that’s a mouthful. Not short for anything, Buttercup.”
I study him for a second. “So Dex...”
He raises his eyebrow and I continue, “Have you ever met a woman you don’t flirt with?”
He picks up his bourbon and takes a sip without looking at me. “Not many. At least not if they are as beautiful as you.”
His eyes drift over to me, and I quickly pick up my drink and look away. I walked right into that.
Will’s phone buzzes and then he looks down. “Oh, woah.”
He turns the phone around so we can all see. “Senator Stowe just conceded.”
“It’s over.” Elizabeth blinks.
“He won,” Will says.
There’s a buzz the floats across the room that grows louder and louder until it’s a roar as the news spreads.
Declan leans into me and says, “I never had any doubts.”
I can’t imagine he did. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine Declan has ever had a doubt about anything in his entire life.
Juno walks back to the table. Will and Elizabeth have left. Eli, Keene, and Brooklyn are engrossed in a conversation of their own.
“What’s happening?” She’s looking around at the commotion.
Declan just shakes his head. “It’s over. James conceded. Just didn’t have the votes.”
Juno’s eyes look like they might pop out of her head. “What?”
He’s still shaking his head. “I know. It was looking good, but then California and Texas came in, and it just changed everything.”
She’s looking around the room and a line appears between her brows. “Declan, why are people celebrating if he lost?”
Declan shrugs. “It’s weird. I know – people handle loss in different ways, Juno.”
She walks over and punches him in the arm. “You’re a dickhead.”
He smiles and points at her. “But I had you going for like two seconds.”
She punches him again. “Maybe one.”
“Senator Stowe just conceded,” I say.
Juno’s face lights up. “Really? It’s over? He won?”
I nod, and Juno starts to jump up and down. She rushes over to Keene, and they jump up and down together.
“You are a dickhead, Dex.” I say, just looking at him out of the corner of my eye.
“Oh Mags, that can’t possibly be true,” he leans his head toward me. “Would you have been sitting here with me all night if I was?”
I don’t make eye contact with him and clear my throat. Before I can think of a response, music starts blaring. Declan grabs my hand, “Come on, Buttercup. Let’s dance.”
We stumble onto the elevator together.
“What time is it?” I yawn. He checks his watch. “Four.”
I wobble a little.
He gives me a sideways look. “Buttercup, are you drunk?”
I’m holding my heels in my hand. I ditched them hours ago on the dance floor. “No. I’m not.”
I hold my head high. “I’m just slightly buzzed.”
He grins and takes a step closer to me. I walk backwards until my back hits the railing behind me. He places both of his hands on the wall, on either side of my head, boxing me in. He dips his head, and I look up at him, my heart pounding. “We’re staying on the same floor.”
His voice is barely a whisper, but it resonates through me – vibrating against every part of me as it goes.
He leans down a little closer, his lips are just hovering over mine.
“Can I kiss you?” he asks. I’m surprised he asked. Not upset – just surprised.
“Declan...” I sigh. He rests his forehead against mine and says, “Margarita...”
I laugh and then look up at him with all the seriousness I can muster. “James and Elizabeth would kill us.”
“James and Elizabeth don’t need to know.”
I scoff and gently push him back. He removes his hands and stands up straight, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He’s staring at me with such intensity that I have to look away.
“You really think we could keep this a secret? Has anyone ever successfully kept a secret from James?”
He tilts his head up and thinks for a moment and then says, “Nope.”
I hold my palms up in his direction. “There you go.”
“But...”
“But what?” I say.
He stands beside me, his shoulder touching mine. “He’s really distracted right now. Hell, he’s got a country to run. He doesn’t have time to worry about me, and he’s getting married soon. Both of them are totally wrapped up in their own things.”
I consider this for a moment. The door opens on the elevator, and we walk off.
“Even still, it’s a bad idea, right?”
His eyes light up. “I love bad ideas.”
I laugh loudly and then hold my hand over my mouth, remembering it’s four in the morning.
“I bet you do,” I whisper.
We walk down the hallway together, not touching, but the air around us feels electrified.
“I mean, what happens after? We’re going to see each other all the time for the rest of our lives. Your brother is marrying my sister. I’m sure they’ll have kids together – our nieces and nephews. Won’t this get awkward?”
He lowers his brow. “Why? It’s just sex, right?”
I don’t know whether to be relieved or offended. But he’s right. I’m not interested in a relationship. He clearly isn’t. What would be the harm?
We stand in front of my door for a minute without speaking. I place my hand on his chest and pat it twice. “It’s a terrible idea.”
He groans.
“Night, Dex.” I stretch up on my toes and kiss his cheek. He grabs my arm before I can pull away and says, “Have I told you that you smell fucking amazing yet?”
I laugh, “No you haven’t. Goodnight.”
He drops my arm and then hooks his thumb over his shoulder. “I’m just across the hall if you change your mind, Buttercup.”
I wave the key card in front of the door, and it clicks. As I push it open, I call, “Night, Declan. I had fun.”
I don’t look back at him. I don’t trust myself for a second to look back at him.
As soon as the door is closed behind me, I lean my back against it and let out all the air from my lungs.
All my lady parts are buzzing – apparently they didn’t get the memo about this being a terrible, horrible, stupid, idiotic, absolutely-guaranteed-to-backfire idea.
As I pull off my dress, I run through all the reasons why this would be the worst decision and yet, I’m not getting into bed. No, I’m pulling on a robe from the bathroom and stepping toward the door.
Maggie, don’t do this. You’re going to regret it. Elizabeth will kill you when she finds out.
Declan does have a point. Maybe Elizabeth won’t find out? Maybe we can keep this a secret? James and Elizabeth are very distracted right now. Everyone is.
I crack open the door and then jump.
“Declan, what the hell are you doing?” I clutch my heart. He’s leaning against the doorframe, grinning. He checks his watch. “Less than five minutes. Thought it would take you ten.”
I glare up at him, and he smirks. He takes a step toward me.
“Why did you open the door, Maggie?” he asks.
“I think you know, Declan.”
“I need to hear it.” That smirk is still spread across his face.
“Do I really need to spell it out for you?” I growl.
He grabs my wrist. The smirk fades. “Yes. I need to hear it. I don’t mess around when it comes to consent.”
I swallow slowly and look down at his hand wrapped around my wrist.
I tug him toward me. “I’d like for you to come inside.”
I glance down the hallway, no one is in sight. He steps inside my room, his hand still wrapped around my wrist.
I shut the door. “A few rules.”
His eyes sparkle. “Shoot.”
“One. No one can know, and I mean no one.”
“Not a problem.”
“Two. No feelings. It’s just sex. I’m not interested in a boyfriend. I’m happy being alone. I’d like to keep it that way.”
“Same.”
“Three. Condoms – every time.”
He pulls one out of his pocket and smiles. “Always.”
I tip my head back to the ceiling and groan. “We cannot let anyone know.”
He steps forward and wraps his hand around my waist. “Don’t worry, Buttercup. I’m really good at keeping secrets.”