Page 28 of Declan
“Whenever you can get one,” she replied, eager for their next encounter.
“I know the owner. All I have to do is give him a call. He’ll get me in if he can.” He smirked, clearly enjoying his advantage.
“Oh, okay. Well, how about next Saturday evening?” she suggested, her excitement barely contained.
“I have to work next weekend, so how about the following Saturday night? I’ll aim for around six. Will that work for you?”
“Yes,” she affirmed, her heart skipping a beat.
They stood there, eyes locked, as she noticed his gaze drop to her lips before returning to her eyes, a silent question hanging in the air.
“You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you, Elise,” he murmured, his voice low and husky.
“You have no idea how badly I want you to, Declan,” she whispered back, her breath catching in her throat.
With a knowing grin, he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. She moaned softly at the sensation, as he wrapped his hand around the back of her head, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. Elise slipped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his, lost in the moment.
He slowly lifted his lips, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine, and then he grinned. “Even better than I imagined,” he murmured softly.
“You imagined kissing me?” she teased, her eyes sparkling with playful curiosity.
He laughed. “I’m not going to answer that. It could lead to other questions from you that I don’t want to answer right now.” He leaned in, pressing a light, affectionate kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be in touch. Go inside.”
“Okay,” she replied softly, her heart fluttering as she reluctantly turned to enter the apartment. As she closed the door, she glanced back to find him still standing there, watching her with a look that made her heart skip a beat. When he touched the brim of his hat, she smiled warmly, closed the door gently, locked it and leaned back against it, listening to the sound of his footsteps echoing down the stairs until they faded.
Pushing off the door, she glided across the room to her bathroom, the soft glow of the lights casting a warm ambiance. She twisted the faucet, and the soothing sound of water filling the tub filled the air as steam rose. Stripping away the day’s clothing, she slipped into the inviting warmth of the water, the heat enveloping her like a comforting embrace. She closed her eyes, imagining him there with her, sharing the peaceful moment.
“Oh, girl, you are in so much trouble,” she murmured to herself, a smile playing on her lips as she leaned her head back,letting the warmth and her thoughts wash over her.
****
As Declan drove home, a smile spread across his face at the thought of Elise. The idea that this could turn into something he had been yearning for a long time danced in his mind. His sister often pushed him about settling down, and his mother was no different, telling him she wanted more grandchildren. Many of his friends were now in relationships, engaged, or married, and though he yearned for that same stability, he had yet to meet a woman who stirred that desire… until now.
The anticipation of seeing Elise again was a novel feeling for him. In the past, after a date, he rarely felt an urge to take the woman out again, knowing it wouldn’t lead anywhere meaningful. This was a sentiment he shared with Denise, who had been married for years and had no wish to travel that path again. Yet, he secretly hoped she would find happiness with someone someday.
Upon pulling into his driveway, he pressed the button above his visor, watching as the gate gracefully swung shut behind him. As he’d mentioned to Elise, he seldom closed it unless he craved solitude. An intercom at the gate connected to the house, and if he preferred not to entertain company, he simply ignored it… except for family. He chuckled, knowing they had a tenacity that wouldn’t be deterred if they truly wanted to come in.
Once parked in the garage, Declan entered the house to find Tank, sitting patiently in the kitchen, eyes fixed on him. “What’s your problem? You have a pet door to come and go as you please. You even have your own fenced yard,” he said with a grin as Tank barked and bounded over to him. Declan crouched, giving Tank’s ears a good rub before straightening up. “I’m going to grab a shower and then relax. We’ll watch some TV, okay?” Tank barked again in agreement. “Good boy.”
Declan wanted to relax for the rest of the evening since he had to go back to work tomorrow, and even though he’d just left Elise, he was anxious to see her again.
Chapter Five
The late afternoon sun glinted off his SUV cruiser as Declan drove back toward the department. Tank lay on the back seat. Up ahead, a dark sedan barreled through a stop sign without so much as slowing. Declan clenched his jaw as he flipped on his turn signal, wheeled the cruiser around, its heavy tires crunching on gravel, and turned on the lights. Tank immediately stood up and began whining.
When the sedan ignored the flashing lights, Declan activated the siren. The wailing pitch cut through the sleepy hush of the neighborhood, and the car finally drifted to a halt along the curb. He eased the cruiser within a few feet, killed the engine, then tugged on his hat, the brim casting a shadow across his eyes. He slipped from his vehicle, boots pounding on asphalt, and strode toward the other car. The window hissed down, revealing the familiar cold gaze of Stephen Johnston behind the wheel.
“License, registration, and proof of insurance,” Declan said, voice calm but firm.
Johnston snorted, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “Hell, Cavanaugh, don’t you have anything better to do?”
“License, registration, and proof of insurance,” Declan repeated. “Now.”
A gust of hot air blew from the open window as Johnston exhaled heavily, then fished through the glove compartment. He handed the documents to him. The late sun glinted off Declan’s badge clipped to his shirt.
“Just what did you pull me over for?” Johnston asked, voice edged with irritation.
“You blew through that stop sign,” Declan said, thumb pointing toward the intersection.
