Page 25 of Hooked on a Demon
“Sounds good.”
Eliana beams. “Thanks, Declan. We’ll talk soon.”
“Absolutely.” Right as she’s about to hang up, she hears him say, “Oh, and Eliana…”
“Yes?” There he goes, saying her name again…
“Next time, don’t wait so long to call a guy.” He disconnects the call before she can say anything, but her brain immediately hones in on thenext time.
* * *
Running her hands down her hips, Eliana smooths out the sides of her blush dress and hopefully her nerves along with it. June was thrilled with the idea of Hellbent Motors being a sponsor and couldn’t wait to hand the paperwork over. Taking a deep breath, she reaches the door of Hellbent Motors and pulls it open, the bell overhead signaling her arrival.
When she enters, her eyes instantly find Declan seated behind the counter. He looks up and smiles. Fuck, that tiny action makes her insides do a flip.
“Hi, Eliana,” he says, standing and leaning his exposed tattooed forearms on the desk’s upper ledge. He’s not an overly muscular-looking guy. This is not to say he’s not strong; he’s just not as muscular as his brother. Declan’s broad chest and strong arms, likely from hauling car parts around all day, look so welcoming, and she can’t stop herself from wondering what it would be like to be held against him. Now that she gets a chance to really look at him, she notes how large a man he is. He’s well over six feet, making her feel tiny, and he’s so powerful in presence and stature. He’s sturdy without being overbearing or threatening, at least to her. She knows he used to play football with Everest, and she can see why. He would be a force to be reckoned with on the field.
She sees a muscle tendon twitch under the skin on his forearm, and hot damn, that small action is sexy as hell. If she’s being honest, he pulls off that big grizzly bear persona a little too well. Especially with the added stubble he’s sporting.
“Hi,” she says.Do I always sound this breathy?Shaking her head, getting rid of that thought before it has a chance to fully take hold, she steps toward him.
“Hi,” he responds softly, his eyes dipping down briefly before coming back up again.
When her eyes meet his, it’s like a charge goes off in her brain, setting off a series of fireworks that send shockwaves down to her toes. She swallows, hopefully not too loudly, and says, “I… I brought the paperwork for you.” She places the envelope in her hands on the desk and slides it toward him.
“Wonderful. Thanks.”
“It’s not much, a couple of pages for you to sign off on. My boss, June, says it’s more of a formality than anything else. Something to ensure that we’re both on the same page regarding expectations.”
“And what are my expectations?” he says, flicking his eyes to hers. She’s sure there’s a bit of hidden meaning behind those words.
“Nothing significant. She said there’s a line in there for you to fill out what you want to contribute, and how you want your contribution recognized. But otherwise, you’re signing off as a way to recognize that you are supporting a children’s dance group and that you agree to a family-friendly collaboration.”
A small smirk emerges, making his cheek display the most adorable dimple she needs to actively stop herself from putting her finger in.
“Sounds good.” He scribbles a couple of things on the paper, signs where it’s needed, and places the papers back in the envelope. “How’s the car running?”
“Oh. Good as new. Or, well, not new, but good. No problems,” she stammers like an idiot. Why does she suddenly forget how to speak when it involves him?
Laughing gently, he replies, “That’s good. If there are any issues, don’t be afraid to let me know.”
“Okay.” He hands the envelope back. His fingers graze hers so briefly that if she were to blink, she would have missed it. Yet the sensation lingers. The heat. The spark. It’s there, hovering over the tips of her fingers. Unsure what to do with that, she knows she needs to get out of there before she does something dumb.
Envelope in hand, she steps back and walks toward the door, turning back after a few steps to say, “Thanks, Declan. It really means a lot.”
“Anytime.” He sits back down, shuffles a paper or two, and barely loud enough for her to hear, he says, “And, you look great in that dress, by the way.”
Struggling to find her voice, she manages a soft “Thank you” before opening the door and walking out, feeling the flames from his gaze lingering on her.
CHAPTER15
Declan
“Hello, welcome to Strike a Pose. How can I help you?”
“Hi. I’m Declan Grace,” he says as the receptionist tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, and a faint pink blush dots her cheeks. “I’m here to meet with June.”
“I’ll let her know you’re here.”
