Page 104 of Wicked Ruin

She starts to leave, and I stand in front of her. “I am going with you to that doctor whether you want me to or not.”

“I know. I know you want to, Declan,” she begins, and I put up a hand to stop her.

“This is my baby too, and you can't just tell me I can't go because you think it's going to cause trouble.”

“Fine. Whatever.”

I prowl over to her and push her up against the counter, caging her in. “Not fine, whatever.” I bend down and kiss her lips. My hand finds the curve of her arse, where I give her a nice, tight squeeze. She squeals. She's more sensitive these days.

“I have questions for that doctor,” I say in her ear.

“I know. It’s just⁠—”

“I know too,” I tell her. “I know what it is you want: for this to be right. You don't want to cause any more problems with the McCarthys. I get it.”

“Do you? Really?”

She pulls away, both of her hands on my shoulders, staring into my eyes. Hers are pained. “Because my family was the one that betrayed them, Declan. My family is the one exiled, right? I'm the one who’s bringing this baby to term. No matter how much claim you have on this baby, you're not giving up your own body for a new life growing inside you.”

She swallows hard. “You have the backing of an entire army of McCarthy soldiers willing to take a bullet for you.” She shakes her head. “I don’t.”

I frame her face in my hands and kiss her again until she goes softer and melts against me. “You have me. I’ve been protecting you from the conversation I need to have with Seamus because I don’t want you to have to deal with the aftermath.” I sigh. “We may not have everything right, but we have this.” I hold her tight. “I love you. I know you can’t say it back, and I understand why, but I love you, and I love our baby. And I'm going to do anything to protect you because you're mine.” I span both of my hands across her abdomen. “Both of you.”

“Oh, Declan.” She sighs, so fucking cute. “Fine, then. You can come with me to the doctor, but you better behave yourself.”

I spin her around and lean her over the counter. She squeals before I slap my hand against her arse. “Who do you think you're talking to? Come on, Trouble.”

“I'm talking to the man who’s going to go into that office and absolutely embarrass the shite out of me!” she says with a smile.

I can't help it. I pull up the pleated little skirt she's wearing, because of course she's wearing the most adorable pleated skirt, a little crop top, and trainers. I tuck her skirt in around her waistband. “Do you want to say that again?”

“Say what?” she says. “Declan, we don't have time for this. We have to⁠—”

But her voice breaks off when my hand slaps against her arse.

“You want to say that again, woman?”

Then I'm spreading her thighs with the flat of my hand, and she's moaning. “I don't like to be late for things.”

“And I don't like your sass,” I whisper in her ear.

“Should you be doing this?” she whispers.

“Doing what? Making my girl want me?”

Then I slide my fingers through her wet heat and find her clit. I start to circle it until she giggles. “Declan.”

“Are you going to behave yourself?” I ask her.

“Of course I am.”

“How do I know that? And how do I know that you're telling me the truth?”

I stroke her the way she likes and thumb her nipple under her top.

“Declan,” she says again.

“You're not going to give me lip. You're going to let me take care of you. You're going to stop fuckin’ pushing me away.”