Page 127 of See You Maybe

Olivia exhaled a breath that she felt deep in her soul.

It was real. Declan was here.

Olivia removed her hand from his erection and rolled to face him, folding her arm under her head.

Dark stubble covered his jaw, and his violet eyes, hazy with sleep, smiled down at her. Olivia lifted a finger and tugged at his lower lip. “You still snore like a cow.”

Declan’s firm lips spread in a smile. “That wasn’t me.”

She gave him a mock glare. “I do not snore.”

“You do, and it’s not even adorable.” He smirked. “You sound like one of the old men slumped in the corner at the pub. One of these days I’m going to record you, then you won’t be able to deny it.”

Declan punctuated his teasing with a gentle kiss. “But seeing as I’ve always been partial to pubs, I can deal.” He pressed another firmer kiss to her lips, and she ignored the slight sting from her abused skin.

“You are a wretched liar.” This time when she kissed him, tingles skated through her at the feel of his warm lips. Olivia shifted, suddenly needing to be closer. Her tongue traced the seam of his lips, urging him to deepen the kiss.

“We can’t. You’re hurt.” He pulled back.

“I feel great.” Or she would in a few seconds.

Declan groaned. “It’s too soon,” he said, even as his hands slid under her top to palm her breast.

Anger spiked in Olivia, and she pushed on his ribs hard enough that his hands stilled.

“You don’t get to tell me when and how I deal with this, Declan. This is my body, and I can do whatever I want with it. And right now, it’s interested in a mind-melting orgasm.”

Declan’s eyes heated, his finger brushing lightly over her lip. “You can’t tell me your lip doesn’t hurt when I kiss you.”

Olivia lifted an eyebrow, lowering her hand to wrap around his hot length, and he sucked in a breath. She stroked her fingers from base to tip and back again. “Then I give you permission to skip that part.”

Declan’s hands began moving again, and Olivia gasped as his fingers toyed with her nipple. “If I can’t kiss your beautiful mouth, I’ll have to make sure it’s the only part I miss,” Declan breathed, and then proceeded to do just that. He kissed every inch of her body, lingering on each bruise where he found them.

Olivia writhed under him, her skin tight and hot. But still he teased, trailing his mouth and lips over her belly and lower to her hipbone, until he settled over her center, his lips and teeth driving her wild.

“Declan,” she cried out, when his fingers slipped inside her to curl and press until her hips bucked beneath him. “I need you.”

Declan’s mouth sealed over hers, catching her cry in his mouth as he surged inside her. Olivia wrapped her legs around his back, clinging to him, as his powerful thrusts drove her deeper into the mattress.

“I love you,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ve always loved you.”

Pleasure crashed over her in waves as he continued moving inside her. Moments later, Declan cried out against her neck, his arms wrapped tightly around her body as if he couldn’t get close enough.

Declan chuckled when he finally rolled off her, his breath coming in ragged pants. “The way you feel… that was… I don’t know what that was.” She curled into his side, burying her smile into his chest. “I’m not sure I’ve ever been more grateful for anything in my entire life than for the fact that you’re on birth control,” he huffed out in a breathless laugh.

Olivia’s cheeks heated, and it felt like a boulder had taken up residence in her throat. “I’m not on birth control, Declan.” Her lips pinched, trying to keep tears at bay, and she flopped on to her back staring up at the ceiling. Declan’s body stilled to the point she wasn’t sure he was still breathing. “I should have said something before?—”

“At the restaurant, you said there was no risk.”

Olivia dared a glance. Declan didn’t look angry, only confused. “It’s not really something I wanted to bring up in a restaurant bathroom.” She grimaced. “You don’t have to worry though. I’m not trying to trap you with a baby.” Olivia bit her lip when her voice broke a little.

“I know you better than that, Petal.”

Olivia really, really didn’t want to have this conversation right now, to see the disappointment on his face, but she was an adult, and she owed him an explanation.

Olivia sucked in a breath through her nose. “Before things got bad, before I found out about the cheating—well, before I found out the cheating was an ongoing thing—I tried to get pregnant. Kyle’s tests all came back fine. The problem is me.” Her last words came out in a whisper.

Declan sat up suddenly, his fingers threaded into his hair. Olivia watched his chest rise and fall until the air was audible coming out of his nose in angry bursts. Olivia could feel the tears creeping up her throat. This was worse than she thought it would be.

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