Fawn had sunk gratefully into him, but she now pulled back sharply to look up at him with wide eyes.
“I’m not asking you yet,” he reassured. “But one day, when hopefully the tension of this situation has eased after River receives a new kidney and Koslov is no longer a problem, we are going to discuss it, at least. I’m just telling you now so that you know my intentions where you’re concerned are, as the saying goes, strictly honorable. Which is just as well when your brother is in another bedroom just down the hallway,” he added ruefully.
Fawn was still staring at him in disbelief. Declan wanted tomarryher?
Well, technically, he’d only said he wanted to discuss it with her. One day. But to an honorable man like Declan, that was as good as a declaration of intent.
The relief of knowing she no longer needed to hide her feelings for him felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from Fawn’s chest. “I don’t really want a luxury yacht. I was just joking.”
His gaze held hers. “I know that. Doesn’t mean I might not still give you one.”
“But—” Declan’s fingers against her lips prevented her from saying more.
“I’m going to spoil the hell out of you,” he told her. “You and River. And you’re going to let me.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want you to ever think, even for a moment, that I’m interested in your money.”
“Darlin’, if that’s all you’d wanted from me, if only to ease River’s situation, then you would have used the past three days and nights of the two of us being here alone together to seducethe hell out of me. Instead, you’ve been totally professional. Hell, I wouldn’t even have known about the urgency of River’s condition if he hadn’t fallen earlier today and needed to be taken to hospital.” He lifted his hands to cradle her face. “I promise you I will never ever think, even for a moment, that you want me for my money.”
“I didn’t say I want you.”
He smiled. “Every time you touch me to change my dressings, I can see, hear, and feel that you do.” He kissed her lingeringly on the lips. “Your face becomes flushed. Your breathing becomes erratic. Your hands tremble slightly. Your nipples tighten beneath your T-shirt. Between your legs becomes swollen and wet.”
She swallowed. “You know all that?” Her cheeks blushed at how he knew about the latter.
He nodded. “And I want it. I wantyou. Will you let me have you?”
The love Fawn felt for this man and had been doing her best to suppress for the last three days now burst into full bloom. It grew and expanded to fill all the empty spaces inside her until it felt as if it had taken possession of all of her.
In the same way, she now wanted Declan to possess and fill every part of her.
“I came looking for you with the excuse of redressing your wounds, but that’s not really what I want,” she admitted huskily.
Declan’s gaze met and held hers. “What do you really want?”
“You,” she answered without hesitation. “Just you.”
He kissed her again. “Then let’s gift ourselves to each other,” he encouraged softly.
That sounded so good to Fawn. Just her and Declan. With nothing and no one between them.
The moment Declan took his shirt off, Fawn was reminded that hisstitcheswould be between them. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea—Declan!” she protested as he swung her up in his arms and carried her through to the adjoining bathroom.“You’re still hurt, and you shouldn’t have carried me,” she reproved as he set her on her feet next to the king-size bed. “Sit.” She tried to push him so that he was sitting on the bed and failed miserably when Declan didn’t move so much as an inch.
“I’m not a dog,” he taunted.
“No, you’re a very stubborn man.”
“But I’m your stubborn man.”
Her expression softened. “I’m stubborn too, but I’m also your stubborn woman.”
“I’ll take you any way I can get you,” he assured.
Declan wantedto carry this woman, and whatever burdens plagued her, for the rest of her life.
He also wanted to make love to her so badly, his jaw ached from being clenched for so long.
He bent and kissed Fawn softly on the lips. “I’ll carry you whenever I want to.” He kissed her again. “My stitches are fine.Besides, once we’re in bed, I intend letting you do all the work!” he teased.
