Page 23 of Hooked on a Demon (Leeside Witches #3)

Eliana

H er breath stops the moment he walks through the door.

Goddamn he is gorgeous. The dark jeans he wears hug his powerful thighs.

He turns around, closing the door behind him, and…

yep, the jeans also make his ass look spectacular.

The years of playing football have definitely helped to hone what was likely already close to perfection.

Her eyes dart up his body when he turns to face her again, her cheeks heating slightly, knowing she was caught checking him out.

His dark green Henley is snug against his broad chest, and his arms look like they are ready to burst from the sleeves.

He may not be sporting a six-pack, but Declan looks like he was sculpted by Hecate herself and sent here to tempt her.

When she finally meets his gaze, it’s heated. Apparently, he was checking her out, too. By the look on his face, it’s safe to assume that she passed with flying colors.

“You like?” Eliana asks, doing a quick spin to show off her outfit.

She spent too long choosing the right clothes for tonight.

Not knowing where they were going meant she had to choose something comfortable and something more ‘date-like’ than her standard dance outfits.

Her black skirt ends mid-thigh and pairs beautifully with the heeled boots that go up her calves.

Given the cooler weather, she chose to pair it with a chunky, almost sheer, cream sweater that allows the black lacy bra underneath to peek through.

She slides the posts of oversized silver hoops in her ears before sliding a gloss applicator across her lips to finish her look.

Declan clears his throat as if he’s trying to force words to push through. “You look spectacular,” he finally manages.

She picks up her clutch from the side table and steps toward him, not missing the way his eyes lock in on her legs. She may be heavier than she was as a professional stage dancer, but years of training mean that they are still powerful and, in her opinion, her best feature. “Thank you.”

Eliana gets her coat from the front closet, and Declan gently takes it from her hands, holding it out for her to slide her arms into.

As she does, she catches a whiff of his oaky scent.

It’s cleaner than previously noticed, not mixed with oil or sweat this time, but equally delicious.

His fingers graze her neck as he pulls her hair out from under her coat, leaving goosebumps pebbled on her skin.

When she turns around, he softly grasps her lapels and pulls her toward him.

His lips find hers easily, as if they have done this a thousand times.

This kiss isn’t like the one in the theater.

It’s not hungry. No, it’s soft, gentle, even.

It’s the kind of kiss typically shared between long-time lovers.

Yet, it still sends fireworks through her body, heating her from the inside out.

This kiss may be gentle, but the power she can feel humming under his skin lets her know there’s more, and he’s simply holding back for her sake.

“I’ve been waiting to do that all day,” he says, resting his forehead against hers.

Heat rises up her neck as she blushes at the thought that he’s been thinking of her all day. “Well, I’m happy you don’t have to wait any longer.”

“Me too,” he growls. “But we should go before I do something stupid like bend you over that table and show you what else I’ve been thinking about.”

Eliana’s eyes flare as a mix of molten heat and surprise floods her body. Yes, please .

He steps back, only putting enough distance between them so he can open the door. Once out in the hall, he intertwines his fingers with hers, and they head off into the night.

It doesn’t take long for them to arrive at their destination, and despite how content she’s been merely riding through town with Declan, particularly with his hand on her thigh as he drives, seeing their venue for tonight is the icing on an already delicious demon-shaped cake.

“Welcome to Dusty’s Drive-in, how many tonight?”

“Two for the Haunting of Many and We Walk Alone , please.”

The attendant prints off their tickets and hands them to Declan. “Here you are. You’ll be at screen three. Follow the left fork all the way down.”

“Thanks.”

“Have a great night, and enjoy the show,” the attendant says before Declan pulls away.

“It has been so long since I’ve been to a drive-in movie,” Eliana says, nearly bouncing in her seat with excitement. “I used to love coming here as a kid. I honestly didn’t think they were still open.”

Following the path as directed, Declan brings them to screen three and parks in one of the back few rows, ensuring that there’s room for smaller vehicles to be in front without their view being blocked.

“It did close for a couple of years, but then someone bought it and has brought it back to life. It’s been a huge hit since,” he says, turning the truck off.

“Shall we go and get some snacks before it starts?”

“Absolutely,” Eliana replies, climbing out of the truck. “Oooh. I wonder if they still have the chocolate drops they had when I was a kid. Mixing them and gummy bears with popcorn was my favorite.” Declan meets her at the back of his truck, an amused smile gracing his perfect lips. “What?”

“You’re cute. That’s all.”

“I’m cute?”

“Yeah,” he replies, lacing his hand with hers again. “I wasn’t sure what you’d think about coming here, but clearly, I made the right choice. You are as happy as a kid in a candy store, and we haven’t even made it into the actual candy store.”

“You made a great choice,” Eliana says, pushing herself onto her tip-toes and kissing his cheek softly. “The movie could be complete shit, and I would still be happy.”

He laughs, throwing his head back. The sound is magical.

It’s deep and resonant, like the laughter has to work itself out of a deep cave.

She hopes that’s not the case. That his laughter hides so far down that it rarely makes its presence known.

His laugh is like a song meant for her, and she’d be immensely sad if she never heard it again.

The walk to the concession building is short, but their hands stay clasped the entire way, and throughout the process of picking out goodies.

Her eyes light up when she spots the chocolate drops, and Declan insists she get enough so that she can have some at home, which she happily obliges.

Once they’ve collected the veritable mountain of snack food, they make their way back to his truck, where Eliana spreads out their selection of candy, popcorn, chocolates, and nachos along the dash as if it were a mobile charcuterie board.

Looking at their haul, a fleeting moment of embarrassment works its way through her brain.

Years of being told what’s appropriate to eat and not to eat as a dancer, has her brain wired to believe that indulging like this means she needs to train harder to keep the weight off.

But as fast as the thought is there, she pushes it away, stuffing it back into that judgmental box she tries her best to ignore.

She’s spent too long working through these stupid rules to have it ruin this night for her.

“I think you had the right idea with the extra bottles of water,” she says. “But you have to ration. No pee breaks during the movie.”

“Ration liquids. Got it.” The corner of his mouth quirks up a touch, showing he’s amused.

“Same with the snacks. You can’t go so hard on them that there’s nothing left before the end.”

“Don’t stuff my face too fast. Good tip.”

Somehow, she manages to tear her eyes away from his mouth and looks back at the feast before them. “I mean, there’s lots here, but we need to be strategic about it.”

He laughs gently. “I never thought watching a movie could be so… intense.”

“Hey! Snacks are a vital part of the movie-watching experience, and I will not have us run out.”

His eyes dip to her lips and then down her body. “Come here,” he says, putting an arm along the back of the seats, opening himself up for her.

She kicks off her boots, not wanting to dirty the seat, and slides over so she’s got her back resting against his side.

He leans forward, picking up the popcorn, chocolate drops, and gummy bears, and places them on the edge of the seat.

“Is there a certain ratio we are concerned about, or is it a dump-and-mix situation?”

“Chocolate first, mix, then bears. You want the chocolate to melt enough that it starts to coat some of the popcorn.”

Declan does as instructed and then passes the popcorn container to her, which she places in her lap.

She grabs a small handful, ensuring a satisfactory mix of all the pieces, and pops it into her mouth.

The saltiness of the popcorn pairs perfectly with the semi-melted chocolate, providing a great creamy hit, and the gummy bears finish it off with their chewy sweetness.

“It’s perfect,” she says, grabbing another handful.

His arm reaches around her as he grabs his own, and she can’t help but feel like this, right here, is where she’s meant to be. It feels easy and free, like a home she never knew she needed.

As the previews start, Eliana snuggles into what she feels is the spot on his chest designed specifically for her. His arm wraps around her, pulling her in tighter, before he kisses the top of her head softly, and she sighs contentedly, wishing they could stay here, in this moment, forever.