nineteen
Holly
The rain is falling all around us as thunder rumbles through the sky, but my only focus is the way Declan’s tongue seeks mine like a missile seeking its target. The heat between us is scorching, even if it’s so cold I can see our breath.
Gasping, I pull back, needing one final confirmation before I lose myself in him completely. “You’re really not angry?”
His glasses have slipped off his head and are teetering precariously on the tip of his nose. Instead of fixing them, I take them off and hold onto them; I need to see his eyes. When his eyes meet mine, all I see is love.
“I’m not mad, love, not at you. At the circumstances, at what happened in general, at all the time we lost, about losing our baby … Yeah, I’m pissed the fuck off about all of that, but if it weren’t for her it wouldn’t have happened. You saved Heather, you’re a hero, Holly. How could I be mad at that?”
“Oh God, Declan.” I crash my lips against his and hike my leg up around his hip. He reaches down to steady me and pulls my other leg up until I’m wrapped around him like a pretzel. Kissing in the rain is insanely sensual, but when he begins to move us inside, the fire seems even more inviting.
As I suck the water from his lips, he groans his appreciation. Declan moves up the steps as if I’m a feather, and once we’re inside, we’re both dripping water all over the floor. My hands go to his belt and unbuckle it while he’s tugging my shirt up. Once it’s over my head, he drops it to the floor.
“Declan, bathroom, it’s going to mess up the floor.”
“Fuck the floor, I’ll buy them a new one. Hell, I’ll buy the house if I have to, but your clothes are coming off now.”
This time, I tug his shirt off and add it to the growing pile. We’re both pulling each other’s pants off. He gets mine down first, and while he takes over his, I manage to get my bra off.
“Jesus, Holls, you’re so fucking gorgeous.”
The two of us are fully naked and looking at each other like we’re starving. I grab his glasses from the side table as he takes my hand and leads me in front of the fire. While he lays out a big, fluffy blanket, I put his glasses on the coffee table.
When we’re settled, we curl up together and enjoy the heat while wrapped around each other. He brushes my wet hair back and kisses the tip of my nose. “I’ve missed you so fucking much.”
“Me, too. I’ve never been closer to someone in proximity and so far apart in our hearts before. Don’t leave me again, Declan.”
“Never.” He rubs circles against my back, and I repeat the motion for him. “I want you, Holls. Let me make love to you.”
“Yes.” He moves to get up and I pull him back. “Where are you going?”
“Condom?”
“Nothing’s changed, right? You’re still clean and haven’t been with anyone since your test?”
“Right.”
“Then no, no condom, not with us.”
His lips tell me everything I need to know. His hands glide over my body at a languid pace; I haven’t been this relaxed in a long time. My hands roam his body, getting reacquainted with every muscle and sinew. When I cup the curve of his ass, his erection presses harder against my thigh. Declan lowers his mouth to my breast and teases my nipple with his tongue.
There are no words between us. Every pleasure one of us gives, the other reciprocates. Our sighs and moans fill the room as we learn how to please each other all over again. Once he’s given ample and equal attention to both breasts, he lowers his head and scoots down my body.
Declan nips at my belly and chuckles as I squirm beneath him. “This is going to be more fun than I remember.”
“Is that so?” I counter, and he flicks my clit with his tongue, making me jump.
“Oh yeah, so much fucking fun.” His husky voice travels up my body, filling me with need. I’ve never been with anyone who can turn me on like Declan can. He reaches a part of me deep within that’s reserved for only him.
He spreads my legs, his tongue circling my sensitive clit before he moves down. The tip of his tongue teases my entrance, and I move my hands to his hair, pushing to get him closer and tugging with frustration when he won’t give me what I want.
“The more you buck and writhe beneath me, love, the more I want to drive you wild. In case you forgot how to play, this game ends when you come on my face.”
“Declan, I need more.”
“Do you? Does this help?”
He slides a finger inside me and flicks me again with his tongue. This is exactly where he needs to be, and I do my best to hold his head while voicing my approval of his position.
“Yes, baby. Please … right there.”
Another finger slides in. “Here, or maybe here?” he asks, hooking his fingers to curve toward my g-spot.
“Oh, right there.”
“Thought so.” He chuckles against me, and the vibration is incredible. Still teasing me with his tongue, I’m right on the edge. Just a little more and I’ll fly.
He slides in a third finger and sucks my clit into his mouth. Holy sweet mother of God.
“Declan!”
My body detonates under his as he’s moaning and groaning with undeniable pleasure while he inhales every bit of my release. It’s the most hedonistic combination of sexy and erotic I’ve ever had the joy of witnessing.
With a gentle ease, he slides his fingers out one by one and kisses his way up my body with such sensuality I’m ready to go again. His mouth meets mine, our tongues greeting one another with the same slow, sensual pace. I want to devour him. I’m not sure where these sudden carnal urges have come from, but I hope they stick around forever.
“Are you ready for me, love?”
“I’ve been ready for months.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” He nips my ear and sucks on my neck as he works the head of his cock inside me. When he’s finally in, I gasp.
“You okay? Should I stop?”
“Don’t you fucking dare.”
Wrapping my legs around him, I try pulling him closer, but he resists. “Trust me, Holls, I’ll get us there. Let’s take it slow.”
With his fingers through mine, he rocks in inch by inch until he’s fully seated inside of me. This time, it’s him who sucks in a breath. “Feel good?” I ask while he remains unmoving.
“It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Declan moves with slow, calculated thrusts, lighting up every nerve ending I have. Moving our arms above my head, he keeps our fingers laced together as he drops his mouth to mine. Our tongues meet to the pacing of his hips. With our bodies pressed together, he’s deeper inside of me and my body is climbing toward another orgasm.
In a surprising move, he sits up on his knees and pulls me with him, holding me up as I ride him. He wraps his arms around my body as I throw mine around his neck. The base of his palm presses against my lower back, bringing us closer. Sweat trickles down his hairline, the muscles in his jaw are tense, and it’s the most beautiful sight.
“Declan,” my lips press against his as my body unfurls, “I love you. Come with me, baby.”
“Yes,” he grunts, thrusting into me and exploding with fervor. When his body stops trembling from his release, he holds my back and lays us down carefully. “I love you, Holls.”
We stay together for a long while before he stands up and uses the restroom. He returns with a towel and another blanket. After cleaning me up, we wrap up with each other in the blanket.
“Are you okay?” I ask, wondering if it’s all truly sunk in yet for him.
“I think I’m still in a bit of shock, but I’ll be fine.”
“What is bothering you most?”
“Well, it’s either the part where your mom tried to kill you and your sister, or that you lost our baby. They’re both a bit of a mind fuck, wouldn’t you say? Plus, knowing what you were going through when we broke up … I’ve always hated what happened, but now it’s a thousand times worse.”
It’s about what I thought he’d feel. At least there are no surprises, other than him not being angry with me. “Can I help somehow?”
“You want to help make me feel better?”
“Well, sure, if I can. It’s the least I can do.”
“If you really want to do something for us, that will make me feel better, move with me.”
“Move in with you?”
“Yes, but also move with me. Let’s get a house. I’ll buy out both of our leases because the last thing I want to do is lose another second with you.”
I have no reason to say no to him, but something is still holding me back. “Can I think about it for a few days?”
“As long as your answer is yes when you’re done thinking, sure.”
“It’s strange how much things have changed,” I say as I draw circles on his chest through the light smattering of hair.
“Funny, I was thinking how even though time has passed, we’re still us, but better in a way.”
“How so?”
“It’s going to sound strange, but I feel like we’re more stable. Grounded. Looking back, splitting up wasn’t the best choice but we did grow from it. Now I know there’s no one else for me but you. You’re my girl, love. Always have been and always will be.”
“That doesn’t sound strange at all. I feel the exact same way.”
“Now that we’re letting secrets out of the bag, there’s something you should know.”
“What’s that?”
“Sage is the one who told me about the apartment.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all. I have something to tell you as well. This one probably will make you mad, but not at me. About five months after we broke up, did you and Baxter have a falling out?”
He tips my head up so I’m looking at him. “We did. He was angry with me for sleeping around and we had a huge fight. He was in your corner way more than he was ever in mine.”
“What happened for you two to make amends?”
“He came to me and apologized. It was strange but not. You know how Baxter is, he’s super sensitive. What do you know?”
There’s nothing but love in Dec’s heart for Bax, but this one is still going to sting. I’m a bitch for even telling him, but we really can’t go forward with secrets anymore; they don’t bode well for our relationship.
“I ran into him and Bobby one night and Bobby knew a lot about your extra-curricular activities.”
“What the hell?”
“It was about a month before you came to the apartment, and it’s what pushed me to start dating again. I didn’t believe Bobby, so I asked Baxter, and he refused to tell me. So, I um … told him if he didn’t confirm or deny it, I’d tell you about him and Bobby. He was angry, sad even, but he ultimately confirmed it.”
“I can’t believe he backslid with that asshole again, but I almost don’t blame him, either. I was a real jerk to him, to everyone. This explains why he was so apologetic. He wasn’t apologizing for our fight, he was apologizing for ratting me out. I just didn’t know it.”
“We’re lucky to have such good friends. They cover our asses and save them when we don’t even realize we need saving.”
I’m yawning as Declan kisses the top of my head. “You’re right, love. Maybe we should send them on that trip after all.”
“That would be nice.”