Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“You look so happy,” Mom says. “When will you be home?”
“Late tonight. Declan is going with the guys tomorrow to pick up Gage, so I thought we could have a lunch date and see if Phoebe and Bailey want to join. We could invite Layla and Kaylee too.”
“That sounds perfect. I’ll call them. Have a safe flight, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Love you.”
“Love you more.”
I close my laptop and stow it away in my luggage that contains everything I’ve purchased during our road trip, including a few gifts for my family.
“You ready to jet?” Declan asks, walking into the living room. He’s dressed in a plain black T-shirt, a pair of ripped jeans, and is sporting a pair of black Vans. His hair is up in his signature bun, and the only thing I want to do is devour him.
“Not happening,” he says with a smirk, knowing me too damn well. “Once we’re home, you can have your way with me, but we’ll never make it on that plane if you touch me now.”
I shrug, not caring, and he frowns, mistaking it for me being scared about going home. “I told my mom we’re together.” His brows kiss his forehead. “And tomorrow, while you’re picking up Gage with the guys, I’m meeting her and my sisters for lunch. Layla and Kaylee too, if they’re available. I’m going to tell them that we’re together.”
Declan walks over and rests his hands on my hips. “You have no idea how much that means to me,” he says, kissing my lips.
“I’m not ready for the world to know,” I admit, “but I don’t want to hide us from our family and friends. Just promise me that if things don’t work out, we’ll go back to being friends.” I frame his face with my hands. “I care about you so much, and I can’t lose you. And I don’t want you to lose my family. I know how important they are to you.”
“You’re never going to lose me,” he vows.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
He seals it with a kiss, and then we take off to the airport. Since the private jet we’re on is my parents’, complete with a bedroom, the flight is spent with him inside me—because apparently, we can’t even go long enough to make it home before we attack each other.
When we arrive in New York, Declan insists I go back to his place with him, and I don’t argue. We could probably use a bit of time away from each other since we’ve been together for so long, but I have no desire to part ways.
His place is spotless, and he tells me that he had Camden let a cleaning crew in to clean it while we were gone. He also did a search for drugs and liquor, so it’ll all be gone when Gage gets home. Exhausted from the flight and sex, we fall into bed, tangled up in each other, and pass out immediately, not waking up until Declan’s alarm goes off the following morning. We shower together, but nothing happens. I can sense Declan’s nervousness about seeing Gage for the first time since everything went down, so I simply hold him and tell him I’m here for him.
Once we’re ready to go, we call for a car since he’s meeting the guys at my parents’ place so they can drive together to pick up Gage.
“You ready for this?” he asks, standing outside my parents’ door. He’s referring to us walking in together with our hands entwined.
“I’m scared,” I admit, knowing it’s okay to be honest with him. “I’ve hurt so many guys in the past. I’m terrified it’s in my DNA, and not even loving an amazing man like you will prevent me from messing up. The last person I want to hurt is you. You’re perfect in every way and deserve everything.”
Declan grins. “You love me?”
“What?”
“You said not even loving an amazing man like me will prevent you from messing up.”
“That’s what you took from all that?”
“That’s the only important part,” he says, his grin growing wider. “Is it true? Do you love me?” He pulls me into his arms, and I sigh.
“Yes, it’s true. I’ve fallen in love with you, and that scares the hell out of me because, as you know, I’ve never truly loved anyone before, and I’m terrified of what will happen when we hit the concrete.”
“Say it again.”
I playfully roll my eyes. “I love you.”
“Again.”
“Dec!”
“Say it,” he insists.
“Declan Pierce, I love you.”
“I love you too, baby.” He connects his mouth with mine for a heart-stopping kiss that makes me wish we were back at his place instead of on the stoop of my parents’ house.
“Nobody’s perfect,” he says once the kiss ends. “And while having everything sounds amazing, the only thing I want is you because to me, you loving me is everything. So stop worrying about the what-ifs and focus on us. Because I’ll never…” He kisses the corner of my mouth. “Ever…” The other corner. “Let you fall without knowing I’m there to catch you.”