* * *
I pulledinto the driveway of my apartment right at five, passing a massive black SUV parked at the curb. It looked like an official government vehicle but had Texas plates instead of the traditional white and blue government plates. It wasn’t the least bit flashy, but I knew how much those things cost, and they weren’t fucking cheap.
The dollar signs attached to that ride spiked my anxiety, but I pushed it down, stomping it into submission as I exited my car. When I clicked the key fob to lock the door, I cataloged the differences between the used sports car I bought with cash that probably didn’t cost as much as the tires and rims on the ride parked next to it in my driveway.
Fuck.
I cursed her yet again for making me doubt my worth. The number of commas in a bank account shouldn’t fucking matter because it didn’t make a damn bit of difference when push came to shove.
“Hey!”
My stomach swooped when I looked up. Declan crossed the yard toward me, only he didn’t look like the guy I picked up at the club. Worn blue jeans, a leather belt with a buckle that would’ve made a rodeo champ proud, and a plain black t-shirt replaced his GQ model fashion. My eyes roved over every inch of him twice, taking notice of the bulge between his thighs. I blame that mouthwatering sight for missing the boots on his feet. He wore shitkickers. They weren’t shiny and flashy. No. They looked like they belonged on a ranch.
Yeehaw, cowboy.
“So, Texas, huh?”
His beautiful mouth stretched wide. “Yeah.”
“So, are you a real cowboy or one of those people who just dresses the part because you were raised there?”
“I’ll let you figure that out when you’re on your knees later.”
My brow twitched as I tried to figure out what he meant. Well, other than me being on my knees later. That I got.
“Nice ride.”
“Thanks. It’s the company’s.”
The way those words made me feel instantly better should’ve told me just how muchnotover her I was, but I ignored the voice in my head screaming at me to let it go and move on. Better to hang onto the anger and betrayal so I didn’t make the same mistake twice.
Wetting my lips, I drew a deep, soft breath in through my nose to shove away the wash of negativity that unfailingly swarmed whenever she popped into my head.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Just trying to wrap my head around you being here.”
His brow furrowed, and one of his brows lifted. “Do you want me to leave?”
“Fuck, no, carinõ.”
More furrowing with an added twitching of his mouth, and I knew he was confused. Hell, I was, too, so he could join the fucking club.
I turned for the apartment, jiggling the keys in my hand. “When you agreed to go, I told everyone to meet us here.”
“Who’s everyone?”
“Scott, who you met, his sister Lucia, a few people from the unit and a couple from the ship.”
“So, an entourage?” I laughed.
“Yeah, a bit.”
“Well, I brought the SUV because it seats seven, but it sounds like there’ll be too many people…”
“Most of the time, we split up into cars based on when people want to head back.”
“Smart. Well, I don’t mind if we take the SUV, or we can take your dick on wheels.”
