“A lifetime could start and end tonight.”
“Don’t say things you don’t understand, Declan.” I push his hands off my hips, but he doesn’t move away. There’s still all this want between us. In fact, it’s the only thing keeping us apart.
“You’re terribly broody.” He finally steps away from me. “Has anyone ever told you that?”
“Repeatedly.”
“I would like to see you again.” He takes his keys out, for the third time, and turns his back to me. He’s really leaving this time.
“Maybe you will.”
“Will you be here next weekend?”
“I don’t know,” I admit.
“I’d like it if you were.” Declan gives me one last smile, then makes a right out of the alley and is gone.
I give myself some time to gather my wits about me, then I decide it’s time to walk home, only when I get onto the sidewalk, Declan is there, sitting on the curb with another clove in his hand.
“Took you long enough.” He stands up and brushes gravel off the back of his jeans.
“I thought you were leaving.”
“I wasn’t ready to say goodnight. Let me give you a ride home at least.”
I look down at my watch. It’s nearly two, which gives me a good two and half hours before I need to worry about the sunrise. “I like walking. It’s not far.”
“Can I walk with you?”
“It’s not safe for you to be out alone at night.” I’m thinking about him walking back to his car after I get home. I’m thinking about that thick muscled vampire that doesn’t belong in Wildemount.
“Like I said. I can take care of myself.”
He’s stubborn, and there’s no way I’m getting out of this.
“Fine,” I tell him. I start walking and he falls in step with me, the smoke of his damn cigarette floating all around us like bondage I never asked for.
I don’t live far. Less than a mile. Declan walks quietly next to me, but I can tell he wants to ask me questions. He wants to hold my hand. The desire and the curiosity are rolling off him in waves. I can’t indulge it. I won’t indulge it.
We get to the house and I stop.“This is me.”
“Jesus.” He peers through the iron gate at the house I’ve lived in for over one hundred years. “Those are some posh digs.”
“Family estate.”
“Are you gonna ask me in?” He arches a brow.
Yes.
“Nope.”
“I’ll be at Coven next Friday. I’d like to see you again, Ezra.” Declan lifts onto his toes and drops a kiss against my lips. My tongue darts out, but I’m too slow, and his mouth is gone. He notices, though, and gives me a knowing look. “I’ll see you next week.”
Declan
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Ezra.
I absentmindedly slather mayonnaise on a piece of sourdough bread, staring at the leafed lettuce like there’s answers there about why I can’t get him off my mind. Spoilers, there’s not.
