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Declan doesn’t take any offense. She knows me well enough at this point to know the brusque attitude isn’t about her. I only hear her chuckle through a soft,“Sorry, sorry, be right back,”followed by the sound of her door clicking shut across the hallway.
Immediately—and I mean fucking immediately—my mind strays back to the white shirt she was wearing, pebbled nipples I could clearly see right through it.What the fuck was she thinking?
Despite the exhaustion tearing at my limbs, despite the weight today brings, my dick swells behind my sweats. I don’t have the strength to keep my mind from the gutter and my hands to myself. Not today.
But I still can’t shake this ominous feeling. Can’t shake the darkness this date rains down on my soul.
All day, since the moment I cracked my lids open this morning, a long string of reminders from well-intentioned family and friends lighting up my phone—
Thinking of you. xx
Hugging you extra hard from 1,400 miles away.
I love you, sweetie. Call me if you want to talk.
Love you, bro.
Can’t believe how long it’s been, man. Hope you’re doing well.
—my heart has been heavier, throat thicker, emotions too damn close to the surface, a hair trigger from erupting.
It’s taken all my strength to keep them at bay.
Groaning, I drag my focus elsewhere—to my setup in front of me. I turn my computer on and log in as I wait for Declan to return.
She knocks on my door a handful of minutes later, only once this time before letting herself in. She’s wearing a sweater now, but her legs are still on full display. Tanned and toned and stretching on for miles.
“Better?” she says with a slight curl to her lips.
I glance away and back at the monitor. “Yeah,” I respond, but my voice is filled with gravel, need clawing at my insides. I don’t have the willpower to put on a front right now. Nor the willpower to look at this girl and not just fuckingwant her.Shutting off the monitor, I come to a stand. “You mind watching a movie tonight instead? My head is in a weird fucking place, and I’m not sure I can focus on this shit right now.” I go with a level of honesty I wasn’t prepared to go with.
Her brows pull together, the closest thing to a frown taking over, as if she’s taken one good look at me and sensed something amiss. That darkness within me that calls to her own.
I brace myself for the inevitable questions, but they don’t come. Her features smooth instead, a look of understanding reaching her gaze. “Well, we certainly can’t watch a movie without snacks now, can we? Should we head downstairs and see what we can find?”
Every taut muscle in my body eases. “Yeah. Sounds good, Little D,” I respond, the words a breath of reprieve, and we head downstairs together.
She ducks into the pantry as soon as we hit the kitchen, carrying out an assortment of snacks. A family-sized bag of Doritos, peanut butter M&Ms, a box of popcorn, strawberry Pop-Tarts, and a handful of other stragglers. She spills them onto the island counter with a wide smile bracketing her face.
“Cal and Stacy always have the best snacks,” she practically moans. “Second favorite part of my summers right there.” She nods at the walk-in pantry, smile stretching farther with her excitement.
The sentiment nearly reaches my lips, tugging at the edges. Not exactly what I was expecting when I imagined how I’d be spending tonight, but this might be better.
Without a doubt, it’s fucking better.
Declan leans back against the counter after tossing a bag of popcorn into the microwave and slides the box of Pop-Tarts closer to her.
I mimic her movement, resting against the counter opposite her and folding my arms across my chest. “What’s the first?” I question.
“Hmm?” she responds, glancing up at me through her lashes as she tears the packet open, studying the pastry in her hand before tearing off one piece of the crust at a time.
“You said they’re your second favorite part of your summers, the snacks. What’s your first?”
“Addy, Cal, and Stacy, of course,” she says with a shrug, as if the answer is obvious. And now that she’s said it, I suppose it is. “They’re my family,” she adds. “In all the ways that matter. So my favorite part of my summers is those three, always.” She glances down at her feet for a short beat to compose herself,before meeting my stare once more, blue eyes shining. Eyes as deep and vast as the ocean, pulling.
Pulling, andpulling,me right the fuck in.
I clear my throat and scan the room. “You’re lucky to have them—the Masons,” I return. “As lucky as I’m sure they feel to have you.”