It takes a second to remember why we’re arguing.
“Get back into bed.” It’s all I can do to say those words, and it comes out with far less force than it should.
“I’m sleeping here if you do. Otherwise, I guess we’ll both sleep in the living room.”
Fuck. Declan. Hale.
I glare at him, walking around to my side of the bed. “You are the most stubborn, annoying,aggravatingman of my existence.”
He waits until I’ve got in before he sits back down again. Swings his legs on with visible effort and a poorly hidden wince. Lies down, favoring his injured side, holding his breath as his body tenses.
“I really hate you right now,” I mutter.
“That’s funny, because I was just—” He cuts himself off in midsentence, grimacing.
“You were just what?”
“Never mind.”
“No, tell me. I’m sure it’s enlightening. Because you were justwhat?”
He takes two slow breaths. “Just thinking how fucking attractive you are when you’re angry.”
I turn away from him with an infuriated sound, tugging the duvet up harder than necessary.
The bastardchuckles.
I spin back. “Are youlaughingat me?” Just let himdare.
“You harrumphed.”
I stare at him. “I didnotharrumph.” I might’ve harrumphed.
“Of course not,” he says insincerely, mouth quirking with ill-suppressed humor. “My mistake.”
I turn away again, silently this time, scowling.
One-word answers all evening, and now, in the space of two minutes, bondage references, calling me attractive, andlaughingat me.
Declan takes his pills, then kills the lights. We lie in the dark, listening to each other’s breathing.
“I’m sorry about… earlier,” he says.
“Which part?” I mutter. “The part where you said ‘ask me anything’ then clammed up after one question, or the part where you basically told me you want to have a baby with me?”
He’s quiet for so long I don’t think he’s going to reply.
Then he does.
“The first part.”
Fuck.
The worst bit is the way my body tightens at that implication, so sharp it’s a moment before I can draw a breath.
No, I was wrong. The worst bit is that maybe now I don’t hate him as much as I did a few minutes ago.
But he’s still the most aggravating man in the world.
