Declan

We walked out of the ER, her hand locked in mine. I wanted to show my ownership of this woman. Nothing had affected me like she had, and I’d spent all night lying awake in bed thinking of those soft lips and the sass coming out from between them. It made me want more. She made me want more. For the first time, I wanted to lay claim to something, and Aurora Snow was it.

My ice queen figurine had been a bad joke, but I needed an excuse to get back to see her. Thankfully, she’d seemed to take the rib in stride. She had a helluva sense of humor, and it was just one of the things that drew me to her.

The sweet like honey curves under those scrubs were another.

The prospect of seeing her wavy blond locks spread out on my pillow still another.

I couldn’t keep my thoughts off Aurora Snow, so it wasn’t a surprise I’d found myself back at the hospital tonight.

Ten minutes later, we were pulling out of Taco Verde, her tiny little Camry leading my diesel pickup, a bag of tacos on my front seat. I was following her home, and I was lucky as hell she was inviting me in to share dinner with her. When I’d asked her out to dinner, I hadn’t expected to wind up at her place, but I would take it. I would take anything from this angel.

“Twinkles can be a little weird with strangers. Watch your feet, she gets feisty.”

“What?” I followed her in the door of the small bungalow, and then the loud meow of a jungle cat hit me. A second later, something was winding between my legs, and then a set of nails sank themselves into my ankle. “What the hell!”

Aurora only giggled and lifted the white puff ball in her arms. “That’s a good girl. Momma will get food for you.”

“Hate to say it, but your cat is an asshole.” I rubbed at my ankle, finding the little fucker’s nails had scratched me right through the denim of my work jeans. “And are you sure she doesn't eat tacos? That cat could stand to drop a few pounds.”

“Shh, don’t listen to him.” She ignored me and cuddled the cat under one arm as she popped the top on a can of cat food. She deposited the cat at her feet a moment later with a bowl of food, and the cat ignored both of us and got down to the business of eating.

“We don’t have a lot of people over. She gets possessive.”

“Guess so.” I tossed the bag of tacos on the kitchen island. Aurora opened a cupboard, one I noticed was hanging by one lonely hinge. “I can fix that for you.”

“Been like that for a few weeks. I keep meaning to call someone, but I’ve been so busy at the hospital.”

“It’s an easy fix. I don’t mind. In fact, it looks like you could really use my help around here. I can make you a whole new set of cupboards if you’d like.”

“You can make cupboards?”

I shrugged. “Just part of my job description.”

We settled in at the kitchen island, perched on barstools, and started in on the tacos. They were good—not that we had much choice or options in this town. I loved that Aurora ate like a real woman, unwrapping her second taco just about as fast as I had. She wasn’t shy; she liked food, and she had an appetite. She was a real woman. I hated those chicks who ordered salad and picked at it, eating the lettuce only, as if I gave a fuck if they ate like a bird or not. Those women were so obsessed with what they thought I was thinking, and it was a turn-off. I wanted someone real, someone to bullshit with, laugh with, fuck around with.

I wanted Aurora Snow.

By the time we’d finished our tacos and Twinkles had finished her dinner, I was anxious to get to know more about Aurora and get that cupboard fixed. Just seeing it hang off the hinges was irritating the piss out of me.

“I’m gonna grab my toolbox in the truck and get that cupboard fixed for you.”

“Really, Declan, you don’t have to worry about it. You probably have stuff to do—”

“Hey.” I stepped into her space, her sweet ass still perched on the barstool. Wrapping a hand around her soft neck, I squeezed gently, eyes landing on hers as my lips hovered closer and closer to hers. “It’s a pleasure to help you in any way I can.”

Before I could think twice, my lips were pressed to hers, tongue sliding across the seam and probing for more. Her lips opened softly, our tongues twisting before the need boiled up inside me and my other hand went to her cheek. Pressing my lips harder to hers, I rocked my body against hers, wanting to feel us melded. “You drive me crazy, Aurora.”

Her lips parted, small puffs of breath washing across my face.

“A man takes care of what’s his, and you, Aurora, you're mine.”

Her eyes widened, one hand pressed against my chest as energy vibrated between us. Hell, what I wouldn't give to haul her back to my house right now, chain her to my bed and bury my face between her succulent thighs.

“I thought… I thought you just wanted to thank me.”

“Oh, I want to do that and so much more, Dr. Snow.” A slanted grin lifted my lips before I landed another kiss on her mouth. “So…” I rocked my cock against her core “…much more.”