Page 47 of Bond Strength

“So, not a disaster of a date?” Declan asked, a hint of vulnerability in his tone. “I’ll be honest with you. I’ve tried the whole dinner and amovie thing, and I find those dates boring. If I want to watch a movie, why would I do it around people?”

I snorted. That was pure Declan Brannon. “When I say I’m easy to please, I mean it. However, this goes beyond that. A date where I get to play with dogs? Fuck, Dec. Even with all the time we spent apart, you still know me better than anyone. You listen in a way so many people in my life don’t.”

He let go of the pittie and moved until we were inches apart. “You’re worth listening to, Noah.”

My heart squeezed tight. My god. How had we passed this up for so long? He wasperfect. I leaned in and pressed my lips to his. The crisp air of decaying leaves swept my way, mingling with the rich scents of the earth. A slight chill lingered, but my body brimmed with more than enough heat. Declan tasted sweet and minty, and the softness of his lips against mine sent a flare of pure euphoria through me, like lit sparklers. I gripped his nape tight and savored him for a moment, the feel of him next to me.

The season of change was when we found each other again, and it affected us both in the best way.

When I pulled away, he blinked, a dreamy gaze in his eyes. One I wanted to keep there for as long as possible.

“So, what are the rest of your plans for tonight?” I asked, the curiosity overtaking me.

He plunked onto the ground, and I settled next to him. The three dogs raced back up to us. We each grabbed the balls they dropped and gave them another toss, and off they went again.

“Well, I did bring food.” He slid his messenger bag off his shoulder. The hesitation must have been clear on my face because he sighed. “No, I did not cook it. You’re safe.”

“Look, there were multiple cases of food poisoning…”

“You clearly talk to my family too much,” he grumbled, even though an amused smile tugged at his lips. I loved that we had this history, that I knew the Brannons so well. All those moments, our past together, enriched the tapestry we’d begun to weave, and I couldn’t wait to see where we’d take those strands.

“I grabbed some takeout sandwiches from Fun Guy,” he said. “Figured we needed to fuel up.”

My blood thrummed. “Oh? For what?”

“When we get back to your place, I want to try a few things.” Declan’s eyes heated, and already I was paying rapt attention. “If you’re comfortable with it, I want you to restrain me and blindfold me. Then I want you to use me all night, just fucking into my hole and then warming yourself in my mouth until you’re ready to fuck me again.”

Ho-lyfuck.

My cock jumped at his words and the visceral imagery parading through my brain.

Declan Brannon was one kinky fucker, and I loved it.

“Sign me the hell up.”

Even though Declan’s promise for the night had gotten my blood stirring, we’d enjoyed a few hours at the dog park, playing around with Petie and the others amid some occasional conversation and mixed silences. Sometimes it was just me rambling, but I’d known Dec long enough to understand that it didn’t bother him in the slightest. The ease around him was unparalleled, and now that I had it again in my life, I’d never let him go.

We’d polished off the thankfully not homemade sandwiches and brought the pups back to Furever Homes. Leaving Petie this timehit me even harder. He stared up at me with those soulful eyes as if begging me not to let him go.

The car’s engine thrummed as I pressed hard on the gas en route to my house. My libido thrummed right along with it, the air in the car intense. My skin prickled with awareness of Declan’s heated gaze, the way his pine scent this close set my blood ablaze.

We were minutes from my place, and the understanding of what would unfold between us there had my whole body simmering.

“So, when we get to my house, the plan is to play a round of poker, right?” I teased.

Declan snorted. “Right, that’ll get us what we both want.”

I turned onto the road leading to my house, my heart thumping so hard it drowned out the classic rock I had playing. “And what do we want?”

“Your cock in my hole,” Declan said. “Over and over and over again.”

Ngh. My god. He said the words in this matter-of-fact way that was far hotter than any attempt to seduce.

I licked my lips, my throat so damn dry. “Think you’ll be able to handle it?”

“Better question is, how long will you last?”

I shook my head, loving the tease in his tone. His sass was something I’d sorely missed, a dry wit and humor that had been sadly absent from my life in the time we’d spent apart. I pulled up into my driveway, cut the engine, and hopped out. Declan kept close behind me, clear by the thump of his footsteps. I didn’t bother looking back but focused on getting the door open and stepping inside.

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