Page 31 of One Night Only
“And I was wondering if I could pick your brain. Professionally speaking of course. I could take you to the site, show you around.”
“When?” I ask. “I’m leaving the day after the ceremony.”
“How about tomorrow? It’s not far. We can go straight after breakfast.”
Do you want to get some breakfast?
His words from the other morning echo in my mind along with the sudden memory of him naked in my bed. I blink the image away as an unexpected heat steals over me.
“Sarah?”
“Sure.”
Declan’s grip on my hand tightens momentarily. He’s surprised by my response. Probably because he expected me to say no. “Great,” he says smoothly. “What’s your fee?”
“I’m not going to charge you.”
“Even better then.”
The song finally comes to an end and I use the excuse to step away from him, no longer able to meet his eye.
Annie hurries over to us, a too bright smile on her face. “Is everything okay?”
“Perfect,” Declan says, though he looks a little confused by my sudden awkwardness. “Sarah’s agreed to help me with a project tomorrow.”
“You did?” Annie looks relieved. She wants us to get along. “That’s wonderful.”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
After a moment, Declan holds his hand out to Annie. “Come on then,” he says. “Let’s see how those Irish dancing moves are coming along.”
I smile encouragingly at her as he walks her to the floor, leaving a lot more space between the two of them than he had with me. They smile easily at each other, laughing every few minutes. There’s no charged energy or any other kind of…tensions.
Connor approaches with my drink and I do my best to be good company, but my mind is on tomorrow and the thought of spending several hours alone with Declan. A romantic outing to some idyllic cottage with a dark-haired stranger (okay, so he’s definitely not astranger) is exactly the kind of thing Claire would go nuts over. And no doubt exactly what Mary would want us to do together. Did she put Declan up to this?
Am I growing paranoid?
I feel like I am.
My one-night-only rule isn’t exactly set in stone but Annie’s right. I don’t form attachments. Not since Josh. I haven’t even felt the want to since Josh.
I take a long sip of my drink, remembering the warm press of Declan’s fingers as he swung me around the floor, and wonder just what kind of mess I’ve got myself into.
8
I stare at the stucco ceiling of my hotel room as it fades from black to a dull, cold gray. After a few blue-sky days, the infamous Irish rain looks set to make another appearance.
I get up long before I need to and unearth the raincoat still rolled up in my suitcase. Other than that, I’m not sure what to wear and settle on jeans and a light sweater, trying not to overthink it. I didn’t sleep well. I kept waking from bright, spinning dreams that I couldn’t make sense of. Despite them I’m feeling oddly awake, if not a little nervous about the morning ahead.
Because it’s still early, I’m the only person in the breakfast hall, the party having continued on long after I went to bed. I finish my cornflakes in record time and am contemplating changing my outfit again when I spy Declan in the lobby.
He’s sitting in one of the straight-back armchairs, reading a serious-looking newspaper. “Morning,” he says without looking up.
“Good morning.” Great start, Sarah. Very polite. “What’s happening in the world today?”
“No clue,” he says, tossing it aside. “I’m doing the crossword.” He smiles at me. “You look nice.”
Uh-oh. Too nice? Maybe I should have gone for sweatpants. Declan also looks very nice, although I’m not about to tell him that. He’s in dark jeans and a navy jacket, zipped right up to his chin. At least I got the dress code right.
