I straightened, arms full, and a low, hissing noise snapped my head up. The patch Declan had put on the pipe gave way with asnap,dumping water on top of my head and drenching me all the way to my toes. The sudden torrent knocked me off my feet, and I hit the water with a splash, sending the boxes flying all around me.
Declan thundered down the steps at my scream. “Bree? What?” That was as far as he made it, taking in the situation with a single look. He heaved the boxes onto the steps and pushed hair out of my eyes. “Are you okay?” The heat of his hands ran down my cheeks, shoulders, and finally to my elbows. He pulled me to my feet.
I shivered and wrapped my arms around my chest. “Fine. That water is f-freezing.”
He looked me over, a muscle popping in his jaw. “You should go change.”
“What? Why?” I followed his line of sight down to my chest. The white t-shirt I’d put on this morning molded to my skin, the flimsy bra and shirt turning transparent. “Shit.”
He shrugged out of his black t-shirt, peeling it over his head and pulling it over mine in a smooth motion. “Let me patch this.” He guided me to the steps.
I could go on up, but honestly, watching a shirtless man reach overhead to wrap a pipe, which caused every single muscle in his back and abs to contract, is not a show I was willing to miss. By the time he’d patched the pipe a second time, water clung to his skin in droplets I was tempted to lick off. “What now?”
He ran a hand over his head, sluicing water down his back. “Much as I hate to, we probably need to turn off the water and shut down the pub until the plumber can fix the pipe.”
“Okay.” My teeth clattered together, and I’d stopped being able to feel my fingers.
“Come on. Your lips are turning blue.” He rubbed my back and shoulders and walked behind me all the way up the steps and into the space behind the bar.
Conversations stopped. Completely. One second everyone was laughing and chatting, and the next it was so dead silent the sound of my shoes squelching water echoed.
The whispers started seconds later. Heads wagged, some gazes skimmed over me in Declan’s shirt while he stood shirtless and turned into frowns. The group of women I’d dubbed the town gossipers didn’t bother hiding their surprise or the rapid flow of words that passed around their table.
I raised my chin and locked in my business voice. “The pub is closed.”
Another ringing silence landed.
“A pipe has burst in the cellar, and we need to shut everything down until it’s fixed.” I fought to keep from shivering. The heat radiating off Declan helped, but I didn’t dare lean into his chest. “I apologize for the inconvenience, but if you could head out, we’ll let you know when we reopen.”
“I'll shut off the water.” Declan’s fingertips skimmed my spine as he ducked into the hallway and out the back door.
People moved slowly, like they thought I’d change my mind. “Benny, you might as well go on home too.”
Benny nodded. “I’ll see everyone out, then lock up.”
“Thanks.” I dragged my soggy ass up the steps and into my apartment. A hot shower would be nice, but that wasn’t happening. I stripped out of Declan’s shirt, pausing and holding it to my nose long enough to breathe in his masculine scent, before I finished undressing and drying off with one of my favorite fluffy towels.
I wrapped the towel around my body, tucking one end into the top, and bent to pick up my wet clothes.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
“Come in.” My hair dripped water, causing me to stop and wring it out as the door opened.
Declan pushed the door open and stepped inside. “I wanted to check on you.” Whatever else he might have been going to say stopped with his groan.
“Thanks, Declan.” I carried the clothes to the dryer and tossed them in. The towel threatened to come undone, and I gripped the edge with one hand, fingercombing my hair with the other.
His hands fisted at his sides, his eyes going molten. He swallowed hard, and I’d never seen a look so full of desire, not in all the other times he’d looked at me.
“Nice towel, isn’t it.” I wiggled my eyebrows. “It’s one of my favorites. I have it in every color.” My pulse raced when he cursed and took a step toward me.
22
DECLAN
Bree. Her name was part prayer, part salvation. She stood in the middle of her apartment in that towel that put all sorts of delicious visions in my head.
Dangerous. So fucking dangerous to my self-control. I’d come to her apartment to make sure there was no lasting damage after her fall. I’d gotten a glimpse of her, the wet shirt clinging to every curve and her nipples visible through the soaked cotton, and I’d almost dropped to my knees then and there.
