He looked over at Duncan, who grunted and shifted his weight backward onto his rear leg. With his leading leg, he reacted to an incoming blow from Ro, who gave Dunc a round kick.
Declan wanted to cheer Duncan on, but the sound of an incoming text distracted him. His already rapidly beating heart pounded even harder against his chest.
He rummaged around his gym bag for his phone.
BREE: Want to come over?
Four words.
And it made all the difference in the world.
“I’m outta here.” That’s all he said before he speed walked to the dressing room. He made quick work of showering and got dressed. He passed his brothers on his way to the exit.
“Where ye going?” Ronan said with a busted lip. Declan smiled at Duncan’s work. Served Ro’s arrogant arse right.
“Home. See you later.”
Giving Bree some time had been the right thing to do. He’d talked about a game plan with Keenan and Aiden. But after an entire night discussing every angle to work on Bree, he gave her some more time to work things out in her head.
On his way to his truck, he texted Bree.
DECLAN: Hi. Was at the dojo. Stepping into my truck now. Be there in ten.
He rang Bree’s doorbell and took a deep breath through his nose. He exhaled slowly and counted to ten in his head. The weight of this moment suddenly dawned on him. She wanted to see him. At her place. Alone.
Bree’s door cracked and his eyes instantly found Bree’s. She blushed and opened the door further.
“Hi,” she softly said.
Declan stepped inside and locked the door behind him. When he turned, he immediately pulled Bree into a hug. Stiff at first, she sighed and then relaxed in his arms.
“So glad you texted me.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
He leaned in and brushed her lips with his. Just a peck on the lips. But she’d let him, and this first step gave him hope.
She walked out of his arms and said over her shoulder, “I’ve got a new horror series waiting on us. Hope you haven’t seen it.”
He couldn’t care less if he’d had. He was here, and that’s all that mattered. He took a seat next to Bree on her sofa. He glanced at the television and said, “Haven’t seen this one. Heard it was real bad.”
Bree giggled. “I know. But it’s one of the few things we haven’t already seen together.” Bree grabbed the remote and started the first episode. She’d already filled a bowl with popcorn and two glasses with soda.
Bree settled her back against the sofa, and Declan placed her throw blanket over their laps. She pulled at her end.
“I see you haven’t changed a bit. You’re still hoarding the blanket.” Declan grinned when Bree attempted to act outraged by his accusation.
“You’re the one who keeps wiggling and pulling. I’m just sitting still.” She gave her next tug some grit, and he laughed.
They’d settled in on her sofa like the past eight months didn’t happen. Although it wasn’t quite the same. No. He was so much more aware of her thigh brushing against his when she leaned forward to grab her glass.
He was also very aware of Bree wearing a dress. It would have been so easy to slide his hand under the blanket and under her dress. Feel her up like a teenager.
He closed his eyes and waited for the urge to kiss her stupid to pass. He knew she wanted to take things slow, and he really wanted to follow her lead.
But after she’d set her drink back on the coffee table, he tugged her into his chest with his hand over her shoulder. He smelled her hair and welcomed the clean smell of coconut. Bree snuggled close and placed her hand on his abdomen.
“Why scream while you run up to kill him? Now he knows she’s behind him.”