I wonder what he’s here for. We get a lot of people coming to see the mountains or to get a tattoo at my Dad’s shop. Then again, there are some that are just passing through. I’ve always loved this spot at the motel for that reason. Whenever I’m stressed, I can come down here, sit in the window, and create little stories for every person and family checking in. By the looks of this guy, I’d guess he’s on a business trip, probably passing through on his way to Colorado Springs.
The man steps into the light, and the shadows illuminate the ink on his arms, and then his face.
It’s Declan.
He looks both ways and I can’t imagine what he’s here for.
Did he remember that I come here when I need to think? Is he here to talk to me or is this where he does his crimes?
I suck in a deep breath and watch him walk past me, his enormous body like a ship as he passes. He then backs up and stares me in the eye. I should’ve backed away from the window. I didn’t realize people could see me from outside.
Damn it! He’s stopping. He’s turning toward my door. He’s knocking.
I should move. I should tell him to leave. There shouldn’t be feelings left. He lied to me. But as I stare at him knocking on my door, my heart plummets and my body reacts. I can’t stop myself.
I slide the lock and open the door, staring up at his massive frame with anticipation. Anticipation to know who he really is. Anticipation to get over it. Anticipation for him to take me, love me, touch me, and finish what he started earlier.
I might have a mental illness.
“I used to sell drugs,” he says, closing the door behind him. “It’s not what you think. I would pick up the shipments from the docks in Miami and I’d move the product all over the US. When I found out that the guy at the top was targeting children, I contacted the police. I worked out a deal with them for a lesser sentence.” He sighs. “I spent a year in jail for my involvement, over the ten that was coming to me, but I had to turn in one of the biggest drug lords in the US.”
My brows narrow and my throat clenches. I’m not sure what to say. No wonder my dad feared this guy coming to town. We’ve worked hard to keep Rugged Mountain clean from drama.
“The guy I turned in has a lifetime in jail for various crimes he’s committed. There’s no threat to anyone.” Declan looks down at me, his gaze soft. “I’m harsh because that’s how I survived for most of my life. I didn’t have a mountain family that had my back. My parents died when I was young, and I did what I had to in order to survive. When I was in prison, I spent that year planning my life. I knew I wanted to take the little bit of money I had and move to a quiet place like this. I wanted to start over. When I was released, I petitioned the town, and the people of Rugged Mountain voted and approved my permit for The Barnyard. Your father was the only one that stood against it.” He looks down and away. “I guess that was for good reason.”
I blink toward him, unsure of what to say, but I watch the color red climb up his throat and onto his face. I guess that he’s feeling shame and embarrassment for what he’s done.
“I never imagined I’d meet anyone I liked as much as you, Adelaide, and I should’ve told you every part of who I was sooner. I guess a part of me was terrified to lose what little I was holding onto.”
So many parts of Declan make sense now. His harsh life has forced him to be aggressive, and the loss of his parents has made it hard for him to process his emotions. But he’s more than those two things. He’s a man that would fight for me. A man that will stand by me at all cost. And the truth is, my family may never see the good in Declan Myers… but I do.
The fog I was feeling clears, and the moment blares out in front of me in high definition. The scent of his cedar cologne, the sound of the water dripping outside, the aching desperation between my legs, the deep yearning for his hands on my throat again, for his barking orders and dirty talk.
“What if I forgive you?” I croak. “What if I understand who you are? What if I’m desperate for you to touch my body and make me yours?”
He stills, staring toward me with a visible lump in his throat.
“Then I’d ask you one last time, how sure you are. Because you know who I am Addie, I’m not a soft guy.”
I run my hand over his chest and stare up into his eyes. “I don’t want it soft, Declan. I want it hard. And I want you… just the way you are.”
Chapter Ten
Declan
She lowers herself to her knees and unbuckles my belt, tugging my jeans to the floor, but I can’t have it. I can’t have her kneeling for me.
I hold her elbows and lift her from the ground, staring into her eyes. “You don’t kneel for anyone, princess. Do you hear me?”
She nods and the spark I’d felt the first time we’d met turns to fire. A raging, uncontrollable fire that’s desperate with the urge to light her forever.
Her breath comes in shallow puffs as I hold her against me. “Do you want me? Do you want me to touch you? Do you want me to claim you?”
She nods and I run my hand down over her pussy, my pulse pounding in my ears.
“Then lay back on the bed,” I growl.
She does as she’s told, and I vibrate with tension until I’m settled between her thick thighs, pulling her pretty, pink panties aside to dip in, and taste her luxurious scent. I’ve thought of this thousands of times. I’ve dreamt of her body nightly.