Page 18 of Stealing Forever (Bridge Point Bears Baseball #1)

“Of course. That’s what I’m here for.”

“I know,” he says with longing. “I just feel guilty that I can’t be the one to take her to do fun things all the time.”

“It’s baseball season. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” I want to turn over and face him, but that feels intimate. So instead I stay lying on my back, and sneak a glance.

He’s doing the same. “Dad guilt.”

“You can be guilt-free, I promise. You’re a great dad. Sailor is so lucky to have you.”

Silence stretches between us for a few minutes, then the bed shifts as Declan turns onto his side and turns off the light. “Goodnight, Hailey.”

“Goodnight.” My heart is pounding as I roll over, facing away from him with my book in hand.

There’s no pillow wall between us. Nothing standing between my body and his except an empty space in a king-sized bed.

I’m hyper aware of every breath he takes, and in desperate need of a distraction.

I press the home button on my e-reader and my book, Only One Night , reappears in front of me, and I am instantly sucked into the story.

My doorbell rang, but no one was there.

Was it him?

The logical explanation is that it was trick-or-treaters. It’s Halloween, and it’s late. Teenagers play pranks.

I’m pretty sure I doorbell ditched a time or two as a high schooler.

That made the most sense.

Yet, there is still a small part of me that wants it to be him. I want him to come to me.

I visualize myself opening the door and he collides his lips to mine as he pushes me backward so he can come inside, slamming the door behind him.

I picture his hands wrapping along the hem of my shirt and dragging it up, breaking our kiss just long enough so he can pull it over my head. He tosses it to the floor before returning his fingers to my shorts and pushes them, along with my panties, down my legs.

Then I’d be bare in front of him. Naked, with my nipples peaked and my pussy dripping.

He’ll tug me to the kitchen and prop me on the counter before spreading my legs wide, pulling my ass to the very edge. Tilting me backward, he’ll lay me down, the granite cool against my back.

And as he dips his head down, he’ll stare at me while the first swipe of his tongue sweeps through the mess his stare is creating between my legs.

The bed jostles again as Declan flips. I snuggle deeper onto the pillow and keep reading.

Licking me relentlessly, he’ll swirl his tongue around my clit and drive his finger into me, enjoying the noises the wetness of my juices creates. Over and over, adding a second finger, then a third, until I come so hard I scream out into the darkness of my home.

Then I picture him carrying me to my bed, the same bed in which I lie now, my eyes heavy, and my pussy throbbing for a relief only he can grant.

Startled out of sleep, my eyes fly open when a cold hand clamps over my mouth and a firmness presses against my hips.

A man is straddling me, his face cloaked in shadow from the darkness and the hood of his sweatshirt.

His fingernails dig into my cheek with care—not hard enough to hurt, but enough to give a warning.

Instinct tells me to scream and as I thrash against his hand, I do, but it’s muffled, and I know it makes no difference since I live alone.

I stop moving, letting my eyes adjust, and search for the face beyond the hoodie. It’s hard to make out his features and I curse the lack of moon tonight. His free hand dusts along the side of my shirt and over to the waistband of my pajama pants.

His touch is tender, featherlight.

He runs his fingers along the sliver of skin that shows between the two garments. “I’ve been hard all day thinking about you.”

His voice is gravely, and my eyes widen as he shifts his hips, letting me feel the evidence of his confession.

Adjusting his position above me, he leans closer to my ear.

His breath is hot against my cheek and with just the small change in proximity, I feel myself grow wet between my legs, my body reacting to his presence.

“You’re so fucking sexy I nearly came in my pants at the sight of you earlier. All day, I’ve been thinking about how you’d taste. The sounds you’d make if you let me draw them out of you. I couldn’t resist…”

When Declan tosses and turns again, I wonder if me reading is bothering him because of the backlight.

“Am I keeping you up?” I ask quietly, pressing my book against my chest.

“No? Why would you be?” His timbre rumbles softly in a whisper.

“I don’t know, the light from my e-reader?”

“Didn’t notice it at all. I just don’t sleep well in hotels. I’ll try not to flop like a fish out of water all night.”

“That’s okay, once I fall asleep, I’ll be out. I just didn’t want to be bothering you.”

“You’re never a bother.” Gently, I feel the bed dip as he rolls onto his side again, and this time I know he’s facing me. “What are you reading?”

I practically drop my book.

What do I say? I can’t tell him it’s Halloween smut!

“Um, a Halloween book.” Perfect. That’s enough of a description.

He laughs quietly. “You know it’s spring, right?”

“Spooky season is my favorite.” And so is reading about a woman getting railed by a man in a mask who breaks into her house.

“Read me some of it.”

“What?” I squeak. “Oh, no. I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“You wouldn’t be interested in it…” I trail my sentence off, immediately feeling like I’ve backed myself into a corner.

“I like Halloween, try me.”

“It’s smut!” I blurt, instantly mortified. I’ve never been so grateful for the darkness.

“Smut? Isn’t that like?—”

“Yes,” I blurt again, evidently losing my filter completely. “It's word porn and I love it.” Well, lay it all out there, Hailey. Might as well tell him your favorite one-handed reads while you’re at it.

Declan chuckles, and when I look over, I see him adjust so he’s propped on his arm, staring at me in the dark. “Maybe I’ll like it too. Read me some of your book, sweetheart.”