Page 47 of The Complication
“Parker, would you be willing to date me?”
There was a long moment of silence that was finally broken by a loud bark of laughter.
16
PARKER CAIN
Laughingat that moment was not the best response.
But in my defense, he’d just fucked my brains out. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I might have been light-headed and delirious still.
Luckily, I only needed to hear his dissatisfied grunt to realize I’d screwed up. He stepped away, his belt jingling above the sounds of the frogs and crickets restarting their symphony now that we’d finished. I scrambled to my feet and tried to chase after him while fighting to get my pants up. My head spun and my knees gave out.
“Fuck! Come here!” I shouted after him while ordering my body to obey me.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” I snapped. I caught his arm and held him in place by the trunk. My briefs were up, but my pants were around my ankles. “I laughed because I didn’t think you were serious.”
“Why?”
“Declan!” For a moment, I was speechless, but I found my words again quickly enough. “I’ve got your cum leaking out of my ass. We’ve been fucking for almost a year, and I’ve beenliving with you for a week. We’ve done this all ass-backward. It’s like we’ve skipped the entire dating phase. It would have made more logical sense for you to ask me to marry you.”
“Oh.” Declan seemed to frown at the car for a second and then gazed up at me. “Do you?—”
I released his arm and slapped my hand over his mouth. “Do not ask me something you’ve not thoroughly thought about, Mister I Never Want Kids.”
When Declan’s lips firmed up behind my fingers, I removed my hand and dropped it to my side. “Dec, I like you. Even before Joy fell into my life, I might have had a few daydreams about asking you out to dinner, but I chickened out.”
“Why did you chicken out?”
I snorted but turned my almost laugh into a cough. “Because I knew that was a surefire way to get you to end the agreement we had. We both said from the beginning that it was just sex and nothing else. You’re such a stickler for the rules. You wouldn’t even splurge and impulsively meet me for an extra day of sex. Besides…” My words drifted off as my insecurities rose to choke me.
“Besides, what?” he prodded.
I huffed and motioned my hands at myself. “Look at me.” It was only after the words were out of my mouth that I remembered my pants were at my ankles. With a growl, I snatched them up and fastened them properly. “What I mean is that I could smell the money on you, while I was some temp worker who dreamed of being an artist. I was good enough for a fuck, but not the type you date.”
Declan took one swift, menacing step closer, grabbed me by the nape of my neck, and pulled my head down until his lips brushed my ear. “I never want to hear you talk about yourself like that again. We fucked because you are hotter than all reason. End of story. I never asked you out because…I’ve never dated. I’m not good with people.” His hand loosened on my neck and slid to rest on my chest. “I’m not comfortable with anyone.”
I turned my head, dragging my lips along his jaw. “But you’re comfortable with me.”
“I am. Everything with you feels natural. It’s like…I don’t have to try so hard to be normal.”
“I’m glad. I like being with you, too. It’s very relaxing. There’s no pressure to be fun and entertaining. I’m myself with you.”
“Then go on a date with me? I want more with you than sex and…”
“Friends?” I supplied for him with a smirk. Months ago, I’d never thought I would describe us as that, but since I’d lost Molly, Declan had become my best friend.
“Yes. I want more.” He whispered the words, sending his hot breath across my ear while his hand rested like a warm weight on my heart.
“Normally, I’d jump at the chance, but it’s not just what I want. I’ve got Joy now. We’re a package deal. No matter what, she has to come first in my life.”
“I know that. I like Joy too. She’s your entire world.”
“But you were so dead set against kids.”
“I’m scared that I’ll treat Joy like my father treated me—cold, distant, unfeeling. But when I see you with her, I feel like maybe you can help me not be like that. So…she won’t hate me.”
