Declan (Undercover Billionaire Book 4) Read online

  She had to tell herself repeatedly it wasn’t a romantic evening. The restaurant happened to be the closest dining location to where they were staying. She didn’t want to read more into it than was there. Declan wasn’t the settling down kind of man, though his brothers had all done that. And she was in no position to be thinking along those lines.

  Still, she tried convincing herself sex was an incredible stress relief. She was sure there’d be nothing wrong with a night or two in this man’s huge arms. But then she’d have to face him on a daily basis, and that could be extremely awkward. Angela never had been a casual fling kind of girl. Did she really want to start now? Did she have any choice if she ever wanted to have sex again?

  She couldn’t believe the thoughts running through her mind. They were crazy.

  “You seem pretty intense there,” Declan told her. “What are you thinking about?”

  Angela felt her cheeks heat as she looked down at the menu for the first time. Their waitress stopped at the table, saving her from answering.

  “Have you had time to choose a drink?” she asked.

  Angela looked at the woman as if she were a knight in shining armor. “I’ll have a Pinot Noir please,” Angela told her.

  “I’ll take a Scotch on the rocks,” Declan said.

  “Coming right up.” The waitress left. Someone else stopped and filled their water glasses and placed bread and butter, along with oil and vinegar, on the table. She thanked them and didn’t consider being ladylike and pretending she didn’t want any. She grabbed a piece of warm bread, slathered butter on it, and took a big bite.

  “Oh my gosh, this is pure heaven,” she said after swallowing. Declan wasn’t far behind her with his own piece. She didn’t hesitate to grab another. “I don’t want to ruin my dinner, but I can’t stop.”

  He laughed. The sound was so strange, coming from Declan. It was rarely heard, but he seemed lighter this evening. He was obviously still on full alert, but he seemed more relaxed now that they were out of San Diego.

  “Yes, we’re so used to eating every few hours that when we go a day without food our bodies think we’re torturing them. We’re a bit spoiled,” he said, taking his second piece of bread.

  “Yeah, I have friends who fast every once in a while. I think they’re insane. I wouldn’t mind dropping ten pounds, but I can’t seem to stick with a diet longer than six hours,” she admitted.

  “Please don’t ever diet. You’re perfect.”

  She felt the heat of those words through her entire body. She enjoyed the sensation far more than she’d like to. The thought of him looking over her entire body was highly enticing.

  “You’re a wise man to say that, but believe me, we should all take better care of our bodies,” she said.

  He chuckled and she felt as if she’d won a gold medal.

  “I don’t like to brag, but when you have it, you have it,” he told her as he leaned back and ran a hand down his flat abs. He was right, he really did have it.

  “Mmm hmm, this is coming from a person with the right genetics,” she told him with a roll of her eyes. There was no way she was going to tell him how much she appreciated that body he was so proud of.

  “I work out,” he insisted.

  “Yeah, I’m sure you do. But enough of that. I want to enjoy my bread guilt free.”

  “Deal,” he said.

  The waitress returned with their drinks and took their order.

  “This trip will be a good time for you to tell me what brought you to Edmonds in the first place,” Declan said, taking her by surprise. Her smile fell away.

  “I don’t want to talk about that,” she insisted.

  “Why? I’d think you could trust me by now.”

  “I do trust you. But I don’t think my past matters. I want a new future. If I quit walking where I shouldn’t, maybe I can have that.”

  “Did you break the law?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, I just, once again, was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  She couldn’t help but feel her fingers flutter along her stomach. She didn’t like thinking of the past. She didn’t remember it all, but what she did recall wasn’t good.

  “I won’t push you now, but it might help us,” he told her.

  “How would my past help?” she asked. If it would, she could understand why he’d need the info.

  “Someone is targeting you. That might be more than a coincidence.”

  She thought about that for a moment. “Or maybe I just really need to think before I step out of my house.”

  “Everyone should think before they step out of their house. Have you seen some people’s fashion choices?” he asked with a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was trying to lighten the mood and she appreciated it.

  “Yeah, but I can’t say much about that right now. Look what I’m wearing,” she pointed out.

  “You look absolutely perfect,” he insisted.

  “I know your family now so it’s easy to see how you know what to say. What I don’t get is why you aren’t like this more often.”

  Those words seemed to stop what he’d been about to say.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You come across so distant most of the time, but I can tell underneath it all you really do care about people,” she said.

  He shook his head and she waited. “Of course I care about people, but that’s dangerous in my job. I have to have a tough exterior or people can end up getting hurt . . . like you did today.”

  “Today wasn’t at all on you. That was my fault. I wasn’t careful,” she told him.

  Their food was delivered and they went silent as they took their first bites. Declan had chosen a New York strip steak and she’d ordered salmon. It was delicious, and she was pretty sure she was going to finish it all.

  “It will be better when we get home,” he promised after a while. Normally silence in a date-like setting was awkward, but it wasn’t that way with him. She knew Declan wasn’t a man to talk just to talk, so she knew he was thinking when no words were spoken. She appreciated that about him.

  “I don’t know if it’ll get better, but I do know I’ll feel safer with friends around. It’s not only me I have to think about, it’s Timothy, and I’d die for him.”

  “No one will need to die. I’ll take care of you both.”

  She sighed. “I know you’ll do your best,” she said. She hoped if they got their hands on her, his best would be enough. She prayed they’d leave her son alone. He had so much more life to live. She did too, but sometimes life wasn’t fair.

  It was late by the time they walked back to the hotel, and she was sufficiently full. She’d been tempted to stuff herself, but she hated feeling bloated. It was so much better to sate the hunger and stop.

  As they entered the hotel room, sating other hungers was on her mind. Declan shut the door and she stood staring at him. She couldn’t make herself stop.

  He didn’t move as his gaze locked with hers. She saw hunger ignite in his eyes. Her stomach clenched and she wasn’t sure what to do or say. She knew it would be a mistake to sleep with this man, but a mistake she wouldn’t regret.

  “If you keep looking at me like that I’m not going to be responsible for what happens,” he told her.

  Her core tightened as she pressed her thighs together. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find the right words. She was so dang lost right now. It was probably the adrenaline of the day . . . or the fact that it had been so long since she’d been with a man; she honestly couldn’t remember the last time.

  But if he made a move she wasn’t going to stop him. She wished she had the courage to make that move herself.

  They both moved at the same time.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The first kiss she shared with Declan was unbelievable. His mouth connected with hers firmly, but with so much compassion and skill her knees grew weak. His hand wrapped behind her head and he held her while his tongue t
raced her lips before slipping inside and intoxicating her with his taste.

  She was instant putty in his hands. Her arms wrapped around him and she held on tight while he took his time making her feel something she’d never before felt. She was his if he wanted her, and right now it felt very much like he did.

  But he pulled back and she was confused. It felt as if there were weights on her eyelids as she opened them to look into his intense gaze.

  “You’ve gone through a lot today, Angela. I don’t want you doing something you’ll regret in the morning,” he told her, his voice rough but gentle. She might’ve fallen a bit in love with him in that moment. That should scare her enough to stop.

  She didn’t know what to say. The day had been hell. If she could change it, she would, but at the same time, would she have left town with him had it not happened? She wasn’t sure she would’ve. And that would have been a mistake.

  “At least you were there for me and my son. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you,” she said.

  “You don’t owe me anything,” he said. “I’m going to take care of you until the end.”

  Her heart thundered as she gazed at this man who was so much more than he portrayed. He was kind even if he didn’t want people to realize it. She wanted him more than she had before, and that was saying a lot.

  “This isn’t about owing anyone anything. I want to forget all the pain and fear. I want to feel what you make me feel by doing nothing more than looking at you. Please hold me, Declan. Please make me forget there’s horror in the world,” she pleaded.

  His eyes darkened at her words as his fingers tightened behind her neck. She didn’t think he’d walk away from her. She didn’t want him to do what he thought would be the honorable thing. She wanted to be naked in his arms.

  This time she was the one who reached up and kissed him. She started hesitantly, but as he responded, she deepened the kiss and became lost in his arms. When they broke away from each other, she could barely find her breath.

  Her heart was beating fast, and all she wanted to do was find the nearest bed. That shouldn’t be a problem. She’d wanted this man for a long time but had been too afraid to admit it even to herself.

  With one final look that made her forget her name, Declan took charge and kissed her hot and heavy. The decision had been made and he wasn’t wasting any more time. He pressed the full length of his body to hers and there was nothing on him that wasn’t hard.

  He pulled away long enough to lift her in his arms and his long strides ate up the distance to his room. He stood her in front of the bed and paused, allowing her to let the situation sink in.

  “You can turn away,” he said.

  His words guaranteed she wouldn’t. Feeling bolder than she’d ever been, Angela took a step back and watched panic invade his eyes. She felt wanted and powerful, and she loved it.

  She reached out and ran her finger down the front of him, from his neck all the way to the bottom of his stomach. She stopped and gave him a flirty smile. He inhaled sharply and clenched his fists. He was allowing her to take the lead. She was sure that was a gift he didn’t give many.

  She reached for the hem of her shirt and slowly lifted it over her head, not allowing fear to take over. He’d saved her life today and had been kind and wonderful. Now she wanted to get lost in him. She wanted to make him feel good. Of course, that would make her feel pretty damn great herself—an added bonus.

  The shirt flew away, and before she could change her mind she reached for the clasp on her bra. He reached for her and she stopped, pushing him down on the bed. He landed with a thump. She had no doubt he’d allowed it. He smiled as she continued stripping her clothes away.

  He pulled his own shirt off and sat before her in just his jeans. “Holy hell, you are hot,” she breathed. She was down to her panties and didn’t want to slide those off yet. They were a whisper of lace that barely hid anything, but keeping them on made her feel a little less self-conscious.

  “Not nearly as sexy as you,” he growled, reaching for her again. She pushed his hand away as she stepped up to him. Hoping she could figure this out along the way, she climbed on his lap, loving the heat of his arms as they circled her naked back.

  She leaned down and ran her tongue along his lips, not connecting their mouths, but teasing him, before she pulled away. Her breasts rubbed against the peppering of hair on his chest and she felt wet heat flood her.

  He reached up, cupped her head, and tugged, arching her back, making her breasts reach out hungrily. She nearly came when he leaned down and took a nipple into his mouth, sucking hard while his tongue circled the sensitive peak.

  She held on tight while he lavished attention on one breast and then the other, making her stomach quiver and her thighs squeeze tight. She squirmed in his lap when he lifted his head again. He tried to kiss her, but she leaned back with a sultry smile.

  “I want to suck on something,” she said, her reward his sharp intake of breath.

  She scooted back and ran her tongue down the side of his neck and over his hard chest, before kneeling on the floor and licking his abs. She undid his pants while tasting his musky skin.

  He lifted up and she pulled his jeans and boxers away. Then it was her turn to gasp as his full erection sprang free, hard and smooth . . . absolutely perfect. She ran her fingers around the base of his thickness, then circled his tight balls before leaning forward and taking him in her mouth.

  He was hot and salty and so beautifully hard. She moved up and down him while her fingers circled the throbbing flesh, and he groaned his pleasure, his fingers tangled in her hair.

  “Baby, don’t make this end too quickly,” he begged.

  “Mmm,” she said as she sank down on him again. The humming of her voice made him jump as another groan ripped from him. She wanted to keep bringing those sounds out of him. The more turned on he was, the more ignited she became.

  She pulled back and stroked him several times, loving the gleaming tip of his arousal. She licked it up before running her tongue all the way down and across his base a few times before he was begging for more.

  “Enough,” he growled, as he reached beneath her arms and pulled her up. She wanted more, but was so ready for him to be inside her she didn’t fight him.

  He laid her on the bed and she held out her arms, wanting him desperately.

  His eyes gleamed as he reached in his pants pocket and pulled out a couple condoms.

  “I didn’t think this would happen, wasn’t expecting it to, but I was a Boy Scout,” he said with a shrug.

  She laughed, feeling more joy in this moment than she thought possible. “Thank goodness for being prepared. Thank you for taking care of me,” she told him. She hadn’t thought about condoms. There was no chance of anything bad happening, but that wasn’t something she wanted to talk about. She just wanted to feel right now.

  He set the condoms on the side table then climbed on the bed, taking his time to look down at her. She stirred beneath his gaze wanting his body on hers, not his eyes. He leaned down and kissed her, this time letting her know he was now in charge. She was perfectly okay with that.

  He broke away from her mouth and lavished attention on her neck and chest, making her squirm beneath him. Each time his tongue swept over her nipples she arched her hips, begging him to enter her. But he was enjoying teasing her as much as she’d enjoyed doing it to him.

  Then he moved down the curve of her stomach and laced his thumbs through her panties, at first tugging them up over the sensitive heat of her wet folds. She cried out at the friction. Then he ripped the panties away and she felt his hot breath replace the lace.

  His hands moved beneath the curve of her butt as he lifted her at the same time his mouth connected with her core. He circled his tongue over her sensitive flesh and sucked, building the inferno.

  A few sucks and swipes of his tongue sent her over the edge. She came with an explosion, her cry ripping from her as he continued licking
until she begged him to stop. He ran his tongue over her wet heat a few more times before he leaned back, his lips red and wet, his eyes dark and on fire.

  He climbed up her body and she spread her thighs, needing him inside her. He had a condom on in seconds. And then he was finally poised above her. She wrapped her arms around him while he looked down at her, his gaze so intense it was hard to look at.

  “Please,” she said when he didn’t push forward. “I need you.”

  He didn’t make her wait any longer. He pushed his hips forward and in a single hard thrust he was buried deep inside her. She was still trembling from the orgasm he’d just given her, and the fullness of him stretching her nearly sent her into a second one. He didn’t pause, didn’t let her adjust.

  He pulled back and thrust back in, slow and steady, over and over again. Their bodies were covered in sweat as they moved as one, their pace slowly picking up speed. She let go of all thoughts as she came again, squeezing him tight. He kept moving. The orgasm drew on and on, and she didn’t want it to end.

  He picked up his speed, their moans synchronizing as they made love. He bent down and kissed her and she came again, this time more intense than ever before.

  “Damn,” he cried out as he buried himself to the root. She felt his release deep inside her, sending her over the edge with him. They shook together as the last of their orgasms faded away.

  She was utterly spent. She couldn’t move as he pulled from her and turned. He went still.

  “Angela,” he said with a groan.

  “I don’t know if I can again for a bit,” she told him, thinking he was ready that fast.

  “It isn’t that,” he told her. She barely had the energy to turn her head and look at him. She opened her eyes halfway.

  “What is it?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “The condom broke,” he said, apology all over his face.