Page 39 of Eternal

I spin to faceDeclan and instantly wish I didn’t. It’s obscene how good he looks in a simple black T-shirt and jeans. Black strands of hair fall over his eyes, and it draws out the nearly transparent blue shimmer in them.

The last thing I need is my body betraying me the same way my mind already has. But I don’t step back because I refuse to let him know what the sight of him does to me.

“You want next?” I hold my pool stick between us and rest my weight on it. “You sure about that?”

He steps closer. “Scared you’ll lose?”

“It’s cute that you underestimate me, Declan.”

“I think I estimate you perfectly, Teal.” He flicks a blue strand of hair off my shoulder, circling to Mila and taking her pool stick when she hands it to him. “So, you racking?”

“I just won. You rack ’em.”

Declan isn’t someone who takes orders, so I can’t help issuing the challenge to see what he’ll do about it. Just because everyone else bows at his feet, it doesn’t mean I will. Besides, I can’t deny the tinge of excitement that bubbles up every time I piss him off even the slightest bit.

Declan rakes his teeth over his bottom lip, watching me. The temperature in the room is nearly unbearable under his gaze, and I swear all eyes are on us, even if that’s not actually the case.

After a long pause, he breaks our staring contest to walk over to me.

He leans in so close no one can hear us. “Guess it’s the least I can do when I’m about to kick your ass. Although, we both know you’d probably enjoy a little spanking more.”

He pulls back, an amused grin stretching his cheeks.

“Asshole.”

Declan shrugs, walking around me to rack the balls.

With a new game set, he waves an arm out for me to play.

After my first hit, I’m stripes, and he’s solids. I sink two balls before I miss. It was a clear shot, and I’m disappointed Declan’s presence is throwing me off my game.

Pool is usually an easy win for me. My father and I didn’t have much in common, when all he cares about is expensive bottles of scotch and the stock market, but he does enjoy playing pool. It’s the one thing we bonded over, and I’ve been playing as long as I’ve been tall enough to see over the table, so I know what I’mdoing.

Unfortunately, so does Declan. The second I miss a shot, it’s his turn, and he sinks two balls with hardly any effort.

“So, what are we playing for, Teal?” He sinks another ball.

“Shouldn’t we have decided that before we started playing?”

“Scared?” He arches an eyebrow, looking at me when he sinks his next shot.

“No.” It’s a lie because Declan is way better at this than I thought. “Fine… If I win, you leave me alone.”

“Alone?” He smirks at me. “That’s not what girls normally want from their bo—”

“For the night.” I cut him off, glaring at him when I realize what he was about to say.

Luckily, Mila is distracted with Oxy, and Patience is scrolling social media, so they aren’t paying attention.

“Fair enough.” He leans down, missing his next shot, unphased by it. “WhenI win, we’re going to have a chat… alone.”

“A chat? Seriously?”

Declan nods, but something about his expression makes me nervous about what he wants to talk about.

“Fine.” At least the request sounds innocent enough.

It’s better than him negotiating relationshipperksagain. Fake dating is one thing, but having his hands on me is dangerous. Especially knowing what it’s like to kiss him.

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