Page 30 of Declan
Chapter 8
Declan
I was a paper man playing with fire. One wrong move and everything, myself included, would go up in flames.
Days before, I’d decided I wouldn’t pursue Kyler, that I’d bury my desire for him and put him out of my mind. However, then I’d seen his comment on my post, and something had come over me. Excitement had sparked again and warmth had settled in my belly.
I’d laughed at his response as a sense of longing burrowed its way into my chest. Reason had flown out the window, and I’d acted on impulse, subtly flirting with him online before getting his number from the extras form he’d filled out.
Now, Kyler was in my car, fidgeting and nervous. Hopefully, he’d relax and start talking more over lunch. What happened from there, I couldn’t be sure. All I knew was Ineededto be around him. To see where the day took us.
Preferably back to my hotel and in my bed.
I bet he was beautiful when he came, his brow furrowed and his mouth open as the most delicious sounds left his lips.
Currently, though, he was pissing me off.
What had happened to Kyler to give him such a low opinion of himself? True, it might’ve been seen as odd for me to take an interest in a seemingly random man, but where most other people would’ve seized the opportunity to spend time with me and not questioned it, Kyler was behaving as if it were impossible for me to enjoy his company. Which spoke wonders about his self-perception.
“Why?” I asked.
“Why what?”
“Why do you think that way?” The sunglasses gave me the freedom to check him out without him noticing. My gaze lingered on him probably longer than necessary.
Kyler shrugged and looked out the window. “I’m not a movie star.”
“You don’t have to be,” I said, resisting the urge to reach out and touch him. He looked so…I didn’t know. Sad. “To be honest, I don’t have many celebrity friends and I like it that way. It can be suffocating spending all your time with people who’d sell you out to get a moment in the spotlight. Or to get the upper hand on you.”
Gray eyes moved back to me. “Isn’t that what happened with Jake Benton?” He grimaced. “Sorry for bringing that up and re-opening old wounds.”
“No, it’s okay.” I sat back and scratched at the stubble on my jaw. I hadn’t shaved that morning. “Jake and I are cool now, but I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.”
When I’d first gotten my big break in Hollywood and starred in my first big movie—not as a supporting actor, but as the main—Jake had befriended me. He’d been a new actor, as well, and had thought that’d made us alike.
“We should stick together,”he had said.“Have each other’s backs.”
Well, then that asshole had gone and spread rumors about me being uncooperative and hard to work with to a director for a movie we’d both been interested in. So much for “having my back.” The fucking liar had taken my role. And of course, the gossip magazines had blown up with the story, exaggerating the truth and making me out to be the bad guy. It was how I’d gotten the reputation for being a kind ofbad boyin the media. Then the shit with Mary had happened.
I’d nearly quit.
Gideon turned off the main road and into a busy parking lot. Chase’s Diner must’ve been one of the most popular joints in town because everyone had the same idea as us to eat there for lunch.
“Yeah, it’s always packed at this time,” Kyler said before giving me a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”
“If you saysorryto me one more time, Kyler, I fucking swear I’m going to lose my shit.” I smirked, though, to let him know I wasn’t actually bothered by it. “Still, I’d like to enjoy a nice lunch without being constantly interrupted.”
Kyler took off his seatbelt and turned toward me. “What do you like on your burger?”
Puzzled, I looked at him a moment before answering, “Everything with extra bacon.”
“My kind of man,” he said before looking away and clearing his throat. “Uh, fries?”
“Hell yeah.”
His nose crinkled when he smiled, and my heart nearly burst from my chest.
“Gideon?” he asked. “What about you?”
