Page 34 of The Wish List
Who was she to look a gift hunk in the mouth? “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Greg turned over in his sleep.
“Iwilltake him out of here,” Declan offered again.
“He’s fine.” Beth didn’t even spare a glance for her ex. “I’ll use earplugs when I go back to sleep.”
Declan nodded. “Which I should let you do now. Nice pajamas, by the way.”
Beth crossed her arms over her chest, thinking about how she must look wearing no bra under her comfy flannel PJ set with the bright peony pattern splashed across them. “They’re my favorite,” she admitted because she had trouble hiding anything from this enigmatic man.
“Mine, too,” Declan said quietly, and her body immediately responded to the deep timbre of his voice.
He moved toward the door, and she followed.
“Thanks for taking care of him.”
One big shoulder shrugged. “I’d do it for any customer. Drinking and driving is a nonstarter as far as I’m concerned.”
“You’re a smart man.”
He turned with his hand on the doorknob. “Unlike your ex-husband.”
“It’s...” She wrinkled her nose. “I won’t say fine because that’s not true. A failed marriage wasn’t part of my plan, but I’m over it—him—now.”
“Really?”
Once again, she did a gut check. “Really.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers, a whisper of contact that sent desire rushing through her like a raging stream.
Was that a moan that bubbled up in her throat? If Declan heard it, he must have approved because his free hand lifted to cup her cheek, angling her head to deepen the kiss.
Their tongues met in a sensual dance that was at once deliciously familiar and yet different than anything she’d experienced. Declan Murphy kissed like a man who wanted to savor every bit of her. He was tender and demanding, and Beth barely recognized the version of herself who met his carnal need with her own.
All too soon, he pulled away. “I knew it would be like that,” he told her with a wicked half smile.
“I had no idea it could be.” She was stunned at the way her body continued to tingle.
Her words drew a wider smile from him, and he dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Good night, Beth. Sweet dreams.”
As she closed the door behind him, Beth felt as though her life had just turned into one massive, confusing question. One thing she knew for certain was that any dreams involving Declan were bound to be sweet.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“YOUGUYS, ICANdo this on my own. I’m sure you have better places to be than at the doctor.” Trinity leveled a meaningful glance at Beth. “You can’t possibly want to be here.”
“Of course I can,” her oldest sister said, and it was hard for Trinity to know whether Beth was telling the truth.
For more years than she cared to admit, Trinity had taken for granted Beth’s engagement in every aspect of her life. Trinity had been seven when their mother burst onto the book scene withA Woman’s Odyssey. Young enough not to realize it was a big deal that Beth, who was also still a child, had been thrust into the role of caring for her younger sisters.
She’d understood eventually and missed her mother, but it had seemed as simple as that. Once she’d grown up and had friends with older siblings and regular parents who hadn’t emotionally abandoned their kids during their formative years, Trinity had realized what a burden it must have been for Beth.
Now Beth was at Trinity’s side after pulling strings to get her seen by a local obstetrician, the one who had helped Beth with her fertility treatments. Freya was here, too, the reality show diva who could have cared less about her family. At least that was what Trinity assumed until these past couple of weeks showed her a different side to her glamorous sister.
Freya had stopped wearing makeup or doing anything to her hair but running a brush through it, but the biggest change was her energy. The first couple of days after Trinity’s return, she’d noticed her sister had trouble sitting still for even a few minutes. She compulsively checked her phone and glanced around as if she expected a paparazzo to pop up at any moment. Trinity knew what it felt like to live with a sort of underlying panic ruling her life, but it had been a shock to understand she and Freya might have that in common now.
