Page 7 of Declan's Dove

No. I don’t want to be sexy. I don’t want Declan to think I want him in that way at all.

Liar.

I pull out the rubber band and make quick work of running my fingers through my hair and pulling it back in a messy ponytail.

That’s me. The hot mess express.

“I agree with the hot part, but I don’t see the mess you’re talking about. I think you’re fucking sexy as hell no matter what your hair looks like, baby.” I choke on my response, because what the hell do I say to that?

He takes my hand and lifts my leg over the seat of the bike, putting me between his thighs as he stands towering above me.

“I think you’re a smooth talker, Declan O’Malley, and also full of shit.”

His rumbling laughter does something to me. I cross my arms over my chest to protect myself, but I don’t honestly know what from.

Declan’s hands come up to cup my face. I melt into his touch and let my eyes close for one second, and the next thing I know, his lips are on mine. He surprises me with how gentle and coaxing he is. He’s not forcing himself onto me, but instead he sips at my mouth, slowly, confidently.

I try to fight the pull but fail when his tongue licks the crease of my lips. I open on a whimper and Declan takes the invitation and ramps things up. My arms find their way around his neck, and I grip the hair at the nape of his neck, and my tongue begins to dual with his eliciting a deep throating groan.

His hands move down to my waist, and his grip tightens as he pulls me closer to his body. I feel his hard length press against my belly, and I pull back in shock. Declan smiles, his thumb coming up to rub my bottom lip.

“I can’t help his reaction to you, Dove.” We’re both panting. Declan’s smiling as he watches me at war with my emotions.

Neither can I.

I’m terrified at the possibilities of getting close to someone like Declan. I know the club is his life and they all seem to be good men. But not all bikers are what they appear to be on the surface. Hell, men in general are experts at hiding the truth about who they are.

Hypocrite!

I shake off my internal voice and try to settle my thoughts.

It was just a kiss. It doesn’t mean anything.

“You’re thinking too hard on this, baby. Why don’t you let me in on some of those thoughts and see if I can’t help you sort through whatever has you panicking about us.” Declan says, holding my face in his palms so we’re eye to eye.

“There’s no us. There can’t be an us.” I argue.

“Oh, we’re an us. I’ve just been waiting for you to get on board with the program. But you’re taking too long and I’m starting to see the need to run staring back at me in those beautiful eyes of yours.” His smile softens, and his eyes bore into mine. “You need to know something, though, baby. If you run, I will come for you. This is happening. We are happening.”

“Declan, you can’t just …”

“I can, and I am.” He states matter of fact. “I know you have trust issues. We all do. But you’re about to find out I don’t play bullshit games and I’m not looking for a quick ride around the block. I want you. I want us.”

“You forget I come with baggage. It’s not just me.” I try to explain. I’ve never used my son as a reason to scare anyone off, but I don’t believe Declan understands what it would mean to take us on. “I’m a package deal.”

Declan’s smile widens, his grip on my face tightening just a little but not enough to cause pain. “I want you both. I’m not fucking around. Now …” He places a finger over my mouth to silence my rebuttal. “We’re going to go inside and have ourselves a nice lunch and talk. But what we are not going to do is deny that what we have going on between us deserves to be explored.”

I start to speak, and again his finger pushes in to stop my words.

“No lip.”

I narrow my eyes which only serves to make his smile widen even more. He moves his finger and nips my lip, then turns to face me toward the front door of the diner. Declan gives my ass a sharp slap causing me to jump and him to chuckle. Grabbing my hand, he starts walking toward the entrance and I follow beside him trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

CHAPTER TWO

Declan

She’s cute when she’s frustrated.

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