“Doesn’t have to be like this,” he quietly says. “I have a king-sized bed. Room enough for three every damn night, Case.”
She freezes where she’d been straightening her clothes. “I…” She sadly sighs, turning. “I can’t yet. Not taking it off the table. But I’m…not there yet.”
“For the record,” I say, “I’d be averyhappy boy if we can reach that point.”
George pulls me in for a final hug and kiss. “Walk me downstairs?” he asks.
“Yes, Sir.”
I turn to Casey, who’s finally decent again. “I’ll see you at your house shortly, Ma’am.”
She nods but won’t look at me.
I know I have some massive repairs to do there with her. I honestly didn’t think anything could shake her confidence, but George is right. What I said to her today hurt her, and no, it wasn’t fair to her. I lashed out instead of sitting her down to talk, and that’s on me. I have to learn how to be Declan and not default to boy with her and with George. It’s too comforting, too…easyto hand over the reins to them and abdicate personal responsibility outside of the office.
But this is the ugly side of that—letting little things fester until I explode.
I can’t let that happen again.
I give her one more kiss. “Drive careful, Ma’am.”
She nods. “You, too.”
“Love you,Ma’am.”
Finally, the hint of a smile. “Love you, too, boy.”
George sends the detail downstairs ahead of us, so we have the elevator to ourselves. “Are you guys okay?” he asks me.
“We will be. I’m sorry I won’t be there for you tonight.”
He shrugs. “I needed that nap.” He smiles. “Don’t expect too much from me tomorrow afternoon. I’ll probably just want to cuddle and watch TV and nap.”
I kiss him. “I’ll be there waiting for you when you return home.”
He sighs, and this smile looks real. “That’ll be the thought that gets me through tomorrow morning.”
After I put George in the SUV, I wait until the detail has left the parking garage to go to my Jag and head home.
Again.
It’s still misting, but the worst of the rain has let up. I grab what I’ll need for the weekend, including a suit to wear Monday morning, and I head for Casey’s.
I still manage to beat her there by ten minutes.
When she walks into the kitchen from the garage, she finds me waiting in her kitchen, naked except for my leather collar and cuffs, kneeling with my head on the floor.
She sits down in front of me, pulls me into her arms, and holds me. “I’mreallysorry about today,” she says. “I’m sorry I didn’t reply to your morning text, I’m sorry I haven’t spent more time with you, and I’m sorry I sicced a trooper on you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t speak up and tell you how I’m feeling. I’m sorry I blew up.”
She stares into my eyes for a long moment. “Did I really make you feel…”
I pull her into my arms. “I get…frustrated. Emotionally. Logical Declan knows we have to stick to our plan. Lonely Declan wants all three of us dogpiled in bed every night. You know most of my demons.” I opt to leave her an opening. “Any chance of you opening up to me about your demons?”
“Not tonight. Let’s go take a shower and cuddle.”
“That sounds great.”
