Page 25 of Declan

“Who said it’s fake?” I reply with a laugh of my own.

She levels me with a serious look and then shakes her head and laughs as she slaps me on the arm. “Stop that. You really are incorrigible, Declan Hughes.”

I smile and nod in agreement. “This is a well-known fact and is unlikely to ever change.”

She sighs, shaking her head as she glances down at her hands, which are resting on the tops of her thighs. She lifts her left hand, holding it out and staring as she says, “These aren’t the rings I picked out with Bobby.”

I don’t say anything for a few moments, unsure of what to say, but then her eyes turn to me questioningly, and I finally reply, “Just something I had lying around.”

She narrows her eyes at me again, her lips pressing together in obvious annoyance. It appears as if she’s going to say something, but then, after a few moments, she shrugs and mutters, “I don’t even want to know.”

I laugh, giving her another squeeze. “That’s probably the best plan at this point. The less you know, the better.”

“You can drop me at the airport and go about your business. I’ll go somewhere tropical to lick my wounds.”

I snort and then scoff, “That’s not gonna happen. We’re gonna go on our honeymoon and put on a fucking show. I wanna make sure Bobby knows you’re not wallowing in a pity party over his dumb-as-fuck ass.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I can barely tolerate you on a good day, so there’s no way I’m gonna have an enjoyable vacation with you, especially under the scrutiny of the paparazzi.”

“I think if you give me a chance, you will have quite an enjoyable time. I’m a fun guy.”

She rolls her eyes and snorts. “Oh, I’ve heard stories about fun-guy Declan. I’m not sure my idea of an enjoyable time would be your cup of tea, considering we most certainly won’t be having any orgies or ragers.”

“I haven’t had an orgy or a rager in ages, Issa,” I reply dryly. “That type of shit got old a long time ago, and I have no interest in it now.”

She swallows visibly, her eyes serious as she whispers, “Don’t embarrass me, Declan. I’ve suffered enough embarrassment at the hands of someone who is supposed to care for me. I don’t need any more of that kind of abuse.”

I shift around so I’m looking directly into her eyes as I reply, “I will be more dedicated to you in this arrangement than that fucking asshole was when he was supposed to be doing it for real. That I promise you.”

She holds my gaze for a few moments and then nods, facing forward again before glancing at my arm on her shoulder as if she’s just now realizing it’s there. She shakes it off, turns back to me, and says, “No touching.”

“No deal.”

“What do you mean, no deal?”

“I do not accept your terms,” I firmly respond. “There’s no way two people can be off on their honeymoon and never touch publicly.”

“Fine, then no touching in private.”

“No deal.”

She frowns at me, her hands fisting in her lap as she says, “You would touch me without my permission?”

“Of course not,” I answer, my voice remaining level. “But if I never touch you behind closed doors, you’re gonna be surprised and act awkwardly when I do it in public. I’m a touchy guy, darlin’. It would definitely not go unnoticed if I didn’t touch my wife.”

“Don’t call me that,” she mutters, and I laugh. I do love it when she gets her feathers ruffled.

I don’t bother replying, and eventually, she turns to look out the window, her hands twisting in her lap and her brow furrowed, and I want nothing more than to gather her into my arms and ease her worries.

I sit forward and reach behind me to grab a blanket. I squat down beside her, grasping her ankle in my hand and removing her shoe before she can tell me not to reach for the other.

“What are you doing?”

“Making you more comfortable,” I reply as I finish removing her other shoe, then motion for her to move over. “Put your feet up on the seat there and lie down.”

She gives me a suspicious look but does as I ask, and I sit back beside her, easing closer to her. She’s sitting there rather awkwardly with her back to me, so I place one hand on her back and the other on her arm as I say, “Come here. Some good old-fashioned cuddling will be a good start to you getting used to the idea of random touching.”

She hesitates, her frown deepening, and I can sense she’s not totally at ease with my plan. So, I add, “You never have anything to fear from me, Issa. I may be the biggest fucking asshole in the entire world, but I will never hurt you. My hand to God.”

---