My eyes widen, but I school my features a second later. “Too little, too late,” I tell him and cross my arms.
“Are you being a brat just to fuck with me?” His eyes narrow, and his face gets closer to mine.
“I’m not a brat,” I sneer back. “You have no manners and are, quite frankly, not a very nice person. If I’m talking to you like this, it’s because I have a reason too.”
“Oh, no. What did he do?” Becca is now leaning her chin on one of her hands, watching us like we’re on a daytime television show.
I look from Declan to her. “He doesn’t like my kid… and he didn’t say thank you for the Christmas present I made him,” I tell her, throwing Declan under the bus. I’m not usually like this, but there’s a first time for everything.
Let’s just chalk it up to me PMSing.
I don’t usually let people get to me like this, but he hurt my feelings. Being a brat seems like the best self-defense mechanism at this point because otherwise, I’ll forgive him on the spot and throw myself at him with an apology and a hug.
Her eyebrows hit her forehead, and she looks at Declan. “What the fuck, Dec? You seriously told her you didn’t like her daughter? What is wrong with you?” She looks hurt on my behalf, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees the error of his ways.
I’m still trapped in between his arms when his head bows in shame. I have the urge to run my fingers through his blonde locks because his head is right in front of my breasts.
Fuck, I need to get laid. It’s a problem when I start getting tingles in places I shouldn’t from looking at someone who’s supposed to be my friend, or is it enemy, right now?
Regardless, I need to remind my body of all the reasons why he and I will never happen.
I need to get out of here.
I plant my hands on his shoulders and try to push him away. He doesn’t move a muscle, and his eyes find mine. His face is so close to me that I stop breathing. The heat of his stare holds me in place, and just when I think I might combust, he stands up.
“I said I was sorry, Pen. I swear to you I am.”
“But did you buy her flowers?” Becca asks from the peanut gallery.
“The rewards card sounds fine,” I say and move to get around his large frame. “I need to go.”
He stops me with a hand on my bicep, and goosebumps involuntarily rise at the warmth of his touch. I look down at where his tattooed fingers flex against my skin.
Why does he have to have perfect hands?
“I’ll text you when I make the cards.”
I look up at him and nod.
He reluctantly lets me go, and I tell Becca goodbye before leaving his shop.
When the fresh air outside hits my lungs, I decide I need to get back on the dating app and find someone to go out with again.
Because I would rather wait for Hell to freeze over than admit that Declan doesn’t just make my body heat up, but he makes my heart skip a beat too.
Chapter 12
Declan
“Dude, tell me what the fuck happened before I put you on my shit list.” Becca barks as soon as Penny leaves the shop.
I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “She overheard a conversation I was having with my sister.”
Becca comes to stand in front of me with her arms crossed. “And…”
“And I may have alluded to the fact that I don’t want to play daddy to her little girl… and that I don’t like kids in general.”
She pushes my shoulder, and I can’t blame her. When I say it out loud, it sounds bad. Really bad.
