Page 22 of Hooked on a Demon (Leeside Witches #3)

Declan

S tepping out of the shower, he grabs a fresh towel from the shelf and wraps it around his waist, tucking the end in to keep it in place.

He picks up a second towel, running it over his hair before tossing it in the basket waiting outside the washer as he passes the laundry room on the way to his bedroom.

He hasn’t been able to get Eliana out of his head all day.

The way she hooked her finger into his yesterday was such a small gesture, yet the contact made him long for more.

The way she looked at him… Hades, it was enough to drive him crazy with need.

And the little pout of her lip as she held back a smile, fucking hell, he wanted to reach out and run his thumb along it.

To feel how soft it is under his rough skin.

He may have suggested this arrangement between them, but he didn’t realize how hard it would be to keep his hands off her in public spaces. It’s why he allowed himself the small graze of her arm. He wanted to touch her. No, he needed it. To feel her against him, even in the smallest of ways.

As he dresses, he tries to think of a time when he’s had such a pull toward a woman, and his mind comes up blank. Of course, he loves the carnal aspects of being with a woman, but this is… different. It’s as if his entire being needs to be with her.

Eliana is all he can think about while at work, and when they are at the theater, he can’t wait for her to pop in for her daily checks.

There’s absolutely no reason for her to be checking in on their progress every day.

Everyone knows it. But it doesn’t stop her, and if it means he gets to see her, even if for only a few moments, he will happily play along.

Pulling a dark green Henley over his head, his phone vibrates on his dresser.

Everest

Hey Smoke-show. Wanna hang tonight?

Fuck.

Declan knew that he’d need to find reasons to blow off Everest at some point, but if he’s honest, he was hoping it wouldn’t be for a bit. That there would be some help from the fates for the first little while, allowing him and Eliana to get together without having to lie to his best friend.

Yes, he told her he’d deal with Everest, but he hasn’t quite figured out what that means or what it looks like yet.

He needs to see where this thing with Eliana goes, but how does he lie to his best friend?

The friend who’s been there for him after he blew out his knee and needed surgery.

The friend who helped him with getting Hellbent Motors set up.

The friend who would literally jump through fire for him.

Declan runs his hand through his hair, lets out a groan of frustration, and then quickly braids it back. Picking up his phone, he does his best to settle the roil of guilt in his stomach and responds, potentially lighting the ember to burn his friendship to the ground.

Declan

SmokeShow? Really?

Three dots instantly appear.

Everest

Would you prefer Daddy?

Fuck no.

Damn. I was so looking forward to a new Daddy

Anyway…

Up for a hangout?

Here it goes…

I can’t tonight.

Why not?

Tired and need a night in.

Work’s been busy, ya know.

I’m cool with chillin at your place. I’ll grab some beer.

Fuck. How do I tell him no?

Declan paces, knowing he needs to end this now before Everest even thinks about hopping in his truck.

I think it’s best if I chill on my own tonight. Buckley needs some time with me. He’s been feeling neglected all week.

And I think I may be getting sick, so I’m feeling a night in by myself.

Please buy it. Please buy it.

Three dots appear, then disappear. It takes a moment for the response to come through, and as he reads it, he knows Everest isn’t happy.

Okay.

It’s only a single word, but that’s so not Everest. Everest never shuts up. And the period at the end? Ugh.

Maybe sometime this weekend.

Sure.

Rather than try and make his friend feel better, and ultimately make it worse, Declan leaves it alone.

He’s never been one to say no to Everest, but Tai was right, it’s time for Declan to grow up.

He’s been tired of the bar scene and games for a while, and ever since Eliana literally walked into his life, he’s had no interest in those shenanigans anymore.

But it’s all Everest seems to want to do.

So yeah, he lied to his best friend. But he’s been lying to himself much longer, and it’s time he allowed himself to feel that happiness he’s been avoiding for so long. And what is the first step to try to achieve that? Take Eliana out.

* * *

Pulling up to her apartment, his chest is tight as nerves run through him and dance around his insides like a little gnome building a new burrow.

The energy within has him feeling restless and raring to go, but his brain tells him he needs to approach slowly.

She’s not just any woman to him, and he doesn’t want her to feel as such.

It’s been so long since he has properly dated that there’s a part of him that doesn’t know if he even remembers how to do this without the goal to be getting into someone’s bed at the end of the night.

Swallowing, he does his best to calm the chaos inside of his body, then opens the door and steps out of his truck.

He’s only ever been outside of her building, so he doesn’t even know what apartment is hers, and because he didn’t think to ask, as he steps into the vestibule, he hopes her name is listed on the board.

His eyes scan the list of tenants and thankfully find Oaks, E about midway down the list. He pushes the button the board dials whatever number is programmed into it. A moment later, her angelic voice fills the space.

“Hello?”

Fighting a smile, he replies, “Hi. It’s Declan. Do you want to let me up? Or you can come down. Whatever works for you. I’m easy.” The words tumble out of him like a stream of consciousness, and without any sense of control from his brain… if he had one.

Oh, my fucking Hades. Shut up! His demon chastises.

She laughs at his flustered words, and it’s a sound that hits him in the center of his chest, like a spell cast only for him. “You can come up. I need a couple more minutes. Apartment 1108.”

“See you in a few.” A loud buzzer sounds, and the second door unlocks, allowing him to find his way to his princess in the tower.

The elevator ride up to the eleventh floor feels excruciatingly long.

As he lets his smoke unfurl from his body, he’s thankful he’s alone in the enclosed space.

It doesn’t take long for the vessel to fill with smoke so thick he can’t see his own hand in front of his face, but the release of his power loosens the tension inside his body.

His shoulders relax, and the butterflies in his stomach finally settle.

As the elevator slows, he pulls the smoke back in, making it look as if nothing happened to whoever may enter after him.

Her apartment is only a couple down from the elevator, and as his fist meets the door, his heart beats in time. Mine. Mine. Mine.

“Come in,” she calls from inside.

Reaching for the handle, he knows that there’s no turning back after this.

Sure, they’ve kissed. And yeah, it was fucking great.

So great he can’t stop thinking about it, in fact.

But this, stepping into her space before taking her out on a date.

It changes things. Their relationship, whatever it was before, will not be the same.

And his relationship with Everest changes, too, as Declan now has to find a way to keep this thing with Eliana a secret from him.

He takes a quick breath, his hand pausing mid-turn, checking with himself that this is what he wants. That he’s prepared for whatever may come of this.

His hand completes the turn on the door handle, and he steps inside. A decision made.