Page 24 of Stealing Forever (Bridge Point Bears Baseball #1)

The planes that were chartered for the team to go home were smaller than the ones we arrived on, so Sailor and I flew commercial.

Despite Declan’s protests of staying with us, I convinced him to go with the team and that we’d be fine.

Little did I know we’d be delayed until the turn of the century, but it was fine.

Sailor and I enjoyed some nachos in the airport, watched a couple of movies on her tablet, and shopped in just about every store they had.

Holding her hand, we get off the plane and are assaulted by the Ridgewood airport’s air conditioning as we step into our gate.

“I’m so sorry.” Declan rushes to us the second he sees us in baggage claim, pulling Sailor up into his arms. Her hand slips from mine as he hugs her tightly.

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he sets her back down and immediately pulls me into a tight hug, which surprises me, but is more than welcome. Wrapping my arms around him, I nuzzle my face against his chest and inhale his scent.

“It’s not your fault.” I let go of him and readjust my purse. “Thanks for picking us up.”

“Of course.” Declan’s phone rings and he pulls it from his pocket, brows furrowing as he looks down at the screen.

Ignoring the call, he shoves it back into his pants, then grabs Sailor's hand, and surprises me again when he reaches down to lace our fingers together too, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Are you girls hungry? I brought snacks for the car, but dinner is ready at home.”

Snacks and dinner made? Who is this man?

“I’m starving,” Sailor whines, practically jogging next to her dad as he drags us both through the sea of people in the airport. It’s not that he’s walking fast necessarily, it’s just that his legs are so much longer than both of ours that we are both having to keep up at a light trot.

The car ride seems to zip by quickly, the hour between Ridgewood and Bridge Point flying by in a blur as I sit in the front seat and try to keep myself from staring at Declan the whole time.

I’m not sure if our kiss has me seeing him in a whole new light, or if I’m really just that obsessed with him, but the attraction I’ve had for him feels more amplified than it has in previous days.

I’m falling for him fast. Which is ironic because I hate reading insta-love in romance novels, but here I am, living my very own version.

I guess to be fair, I’ve known Declan for a few months now, interacting on a daily basis and carrying out our very own forced, or at least close, proximity trope.

There’s a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, though, nervous he’s going to change his mind and want to go back to keeping things professional for the sake of Sailor. It’s unsettling, but I push it to the back of my mind as he carries my suitcase up his walkway.

Stepping into the Lane house feels like coming home. The late evening sunlight pours into the open windows, draping the entryway and living room in a warm, golden glow. I drop my purse in its usual spot, and Sailor takes off running down the hallway toward her playroom with an excited squeal.

When we’re alone, Declan bends down slightly, wrapping his strong arms around my waist. “Stay the night tonight.” He scatters kisses across my neck, and I loop my arms around his.

I shiver in his embrace, pins and needles covering me from my head to my toes. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I can’t think of anything better except for maybe having a moment alone right now.” His nose brushes against mine.

“Mmm,” I hum. “That would be nice.”

Our mouths meld together, falling back into a rhythm that’s already becoming second nature, but within a few seconds, Sailor’s footsteps pad down the hallway. Declan groans loudly as we pull away.

“Daddy, I’m hungry,” she reminds him, rubbing her eyes as she comes into view. Poor girl is exhausted. She didn’t nap at all on the plane, and it’s been a long day.

“All right, princess, let’s get some dinner in you. Early bedtime tonight.” From over his shoulder, he winks at me, and that sweet feeling of anticipation trickles through my system.

As we walk into the kitchen, I hear the vibration of Declan’s phone again. This time, though, he doesn’t take it out of his pocket, and he simply squeezes the side of it through his pants, effectively silencing it.

With a fleeting look, he shrugs. “Addison.”

Was she who called earlier, too? She’s Sailor's mother. Of course she’s going to reach out periodically. I know that.

But still, there’s a worry I can’t explain that takes root in the back of my mind, and dread forms a knot in my stomach that I promptly try to ignore.

Dinner is a delicious medley of roasted vegetables, paired with rosemary and parmesan chicken that he obviously went through a lot of trouble to make.

There’s a comfortable silence at the table when we all devour our food, the flavors exploding on my tongue with every bite.

I moan appreciatively—everything this man cooks is divine.

Beneath the table, Declan puts his hand on my thigh and squeezes tightly. He leans into me, and whispers, “Stop teasing me with your moans, sweetheart. I’m glad you like my cooking, but the only whimpers I want to hear from you are when my tongue is deep in your?—”

“Daddy, I’m all done!” Sailor interrupts, shoving her plate away.

“Dammit,” Declan mutters beneath his breath.

Sailor hops out of her chair. “I go play now?”

Laughing, I turn to the girl who just interrupted what could have been some intense blushing on my part.

“Alright, you can be excused,” Declan tells her, and she runs off toward her playroom again.

He groans deeply again. “Is it bedtime yet?”

“You’re the boss,” I lift my shoulders in a playful way, “you tell me when to put her to sleep.”

“The sooner the better.” He glances at the clock on the stove. “I guess it’s still kind of early.

I scoop the last bite of food into my mouth, chewing it quickly. When I’m finished, I drop my napkin next to the plate. “I’ll go give her a bath. Leave the dishes in the sink, I’ll do them when I finish with Sailor.”

“No way. You don’t have to do both.”

“It’s fine! You cooked. I don’t mind.”

“Hailey.” His voice is firm. “You’re not a housekeeper, you’re my…” he stops, hesitating. I’m your what, Declan? “I got the dishes, thank you for bathing Sailor.”

My hand cups his cheek as I lean down to kiss him, wordlessly. When I walk away, he grabs my wrist and quickly pulls me backward. I land on his lap, and he buries his hand in my hair and kisses me harder.

Breathless, my lips feel swollen when he finally lets me go, and as I walk out of the room, I give a quick glance at the clock again.

One more hour until Sailor goes to bed and Declan and I can finally be alone.

“She’s out,” Declan lets me know as he joins me on the couch after tucking Sailor in for the night.

It’s been about thirty minutes since he went to her room, which tells me he was suckered into reading a few books before bed.

He stifles a yawn and leans his head against the back of the couch, rolling it to face me.

“Declan, I’ve been thinking…” My thoughts trail off, stomach lurching as I swallow down the words I don’t want to say.

Knitting his brows together, he stays silent, waiting for me to continue.

“I just want to make sure you’re okay with this. On some level, it’s weird. We both know it’s true. You hired me to be Sailor's nanny and now…”

“And now I can’t imagine our lives without you, Hailey,” he cuts me off.

“You’ve become so much more than just Sailor’s nanny.

She loves you, and I love having you here with us.

” Playing with my hair, he scoots closer on the couch, then brings his other hand to grip my chin, tilting my head in his direction.

“I have no doubt in my mind that I want to see where this can go between us. I know the risks, and I’d be lying if I said the thought of potentially losing you, not just for my own selfish reasons, but for Sailor, is absolutely terrifying, but not enough to keep me from you. ”

He kisses me softly, pulling me in with his heartfelt words and gentle touch. A sigh of relief pours out of me as Declan whispers, “Let me take you to bed, sweetheart. It’s about time I show you just how much I appreciate all you do for this family.”

Standing, he takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. Our fingers tangle as he leads me from the living room, taking me to a space that I’ve felt was off-limits up until now.

When we enter his room, I’m hit with Declan’s scent. It washes over me, calming my nerves while setting my soul on fire. This is happening. It’s really happening.

I walk in further, looking around at his dark walls and hunter green bedding.

There are photos on the wall, framed around the flatscreen TV hanging across from his bed.

A simple dresser sits next to the wall, and there’s an attached bathroom.

The room is spacious and minimally furnished, but cozy and incredibly him .

As I take it all in, I hear the door shut behind me. A smile pulls at my lips when Declan comes up behind me and sweeps my hair off my neck before he presses his lips to the delicate skin.

“Are you sure you want this, sweetheart? It’s not too late to say no.”

More than I want my next breath, Declan.

But I say nothing and turn to face him. Sliding my hands up his chest, I encircle his neck with my arms, resting them loosely on his shoulders, then push up on my tiptoes and kiss him.

It quickly erupts into more—our hands wander, our tongues tangle.

Declan’s capable hands grip the hemline of my shirt, pulling it over my head with urgency. I do the same to his, grabbing a handful of fabric and pull it up. He helps remove it, and tosses it to the side.

Next goes my bra, and as he unhooks it, a different kind of satisfaction sparks. I tip my head back as one of Declan’s palms grips my breast, and the heat of his tongue slides from my clavicle to my jaw.