Must be work.
A large group comes through the doors, laughing and chatting, catching all of our attention, and I feel my jaw drop as I realize it’s the entire Boudreaux family, even Declan’s mama.
“Hi everyone!” I smile at them all and then look questioningly at Declan, but he just smiles. “What are you all doing?”
“Well, we came to watch the show, of course,” Dec’s mom says and winks at me. “This place sure is beautiful. No wonder they wanted to put it on television.”
“Thank you.”
“We mostly want to watch Dec make an ass of himself,” Beau says as he claps Declan on the back.
“That’s your job, big brother,” Declan replies.
“Well, have a seat wherever you like, and I’ll have my cocktail waitress come get your drink orders.”
I walk over to Declan and lean in so only he can hear me. “Did you know this was happening?”
“I told Beau and Eli about it when we worked out together yesterday. I didn’t know that they used the family phone tree to fill everyone else in, but I think it’s nice.”
“It’s better than nice,” I reply. “I just didn’t expect it.”
“They like you,” he says simply, kisses my cheek and joins his family just as the opening credits of the show begin.
The room grows quiet as we watch, and I’m thankful The Odyssey is the first bar showcased in the show because waiting until the end would be pure torture.
“Lookin’ good, Callie!” Rhys calls out to me when I first appear on camera, and the other boys whistle and cat-call.
“I’ll break your fingers,” Declan says in that smooth way he has, as if he was saying the weather sure is nice.
“You should have let Charly do your makeup, Dec,” Eli says when it’s Declan’s turn on the screen. “You might have looked prettier.”
“Boys,” their mama says sternly, and all three of them pout as if they’re tiny children again, making me laugh.
“You wore the shoes!” Charly exclaims.
“Of course,” I reply. “I love those shoes.”
When our segment is over, which feels like it was three seconds and three hours all at once, we all applaud and cheer. I’m happy with the results. They made the bar look hip, fun and classy, and that’s exactly the atmosphere I’m looking for.
Having Adam with me, and Declan’s family too, is just icing on the cake.
***
“Everyone’s gone,” Declan says after coming back in from walking his family to their cars. “And they had fun.”
“Me too.” I grin, and catch a look that passes between Declan and Adam.
“Hey, Callie, I think there’s something on the roof that needs your attention,” Adam says.
“The roof? The roof is closed.”
“Well, the movement sensors went off, so you should go see what’s up.”
I frown and cock my hip, my hand braced on it. “You’re too chicken shit to go up to the roof, so you’re sending a musician and his girlfriend to check it out?”
“Hey, I may be a musician, but I can kick serious ass when I have to,” Declan says.
“I can too,” I reply with a wink. “Okay, let’s check it out. I’ve told you for years, Adam, this place is haunted.”
We climb the stairs, and I find nothing out of place in the bar area, and then when I step out onto the terrace, I stop cold.
One of the firepits is lit, and on the table is a spread of food from my favorite restaurant.
The Highland Tavern.
“Declan,” I breathe and rush to the table. “How?”
“I have resources,” he says with a smile. “I also have cupcakes from Nic’s shop in Seattle.”
I turn and simply look at him, my arms hanging limply at my sides. He did this for me. This took planning and work, and he did it for me.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
“It’s hot?” I grab a burger and bite into heaven. “Oh, my God.”
“Of course it’s hot,” he replies with a smirk. “You can’t eat cold burgers.”
“Seriously, this is ridiculous,” I say around a huge bite of burger.
“That it’s hot?”
“No. Yes.” I laugh. “It’s ridiculous that you had this flown in.”
“You wanted it.” He shrugs as if it’s no big deal and takes a bite of his own burger. “Wow. That’s amazing.”
“Told you.”
“I’ll have this flown in every week,” he says, reaching for a tot.
“That’s excessive,” I reply with a laugh.
“No, I think it’s necessary.”
We fall into a comfortable silence as we munch on our food, and when all that’s left is oily wrappers, he pulls me to him and snuggles me close.
“Delicious,” I say with a contented sigh.
“Yes, you are,” he murmurs while nibbling on my neck.
“The food.”
“That too.”
“I want cupcakes.”
He smiles, reaches for a box on the floor and hands it to me. It’s a plain white gift box with a red ribbon wrapped around it.
Inside are a dozen cupcakes, all different flavors, and a note.
“Would Nic send a note?” I ask, but Declan just shrugs. He’s no help.
Calliope:
I’m so proud of you. Tonight should be special. You’ve earned it. Thank you for spending it with me.
Thank you for being mine.
Yours,
Declan
Oh my.
“Declan, I—”
I slip the note back in the envelope and lay it on the table.
“You what?”
Tell him you love him! Now’s the best time.
But I’m such a damn wimp.
“Tonight wouldn’t have been half as special without you. And not just because of all of this, which I love, but because when I’m with you—”
He kisses my hand and squeezes it three times. “When you’re with me?”
“I just feel better. I feel more.” His eyes widen and then darken. “Emotions are brighter, and that’s the only way I can describe it.”
“I think that’s a beautiful way to describe it,” he whispers before he pulls me in and kisses the hell out of me. “You are more, Callie. We’re more.”
I nod and brush my fingertips down his cheek, his neck. “I like it.”
A slow smile spreads over his sexy face. “I like it too.”
Chapter Fourteen
~Declan~
I wake up needing her. I’m not jolted awake out of a dream, or because of a noise in the house.
It’s because I need her, and I’m not only hard as stone, but I’m sweaty with it.
I roll over. The moon is shining in the window, casting a blue glow over the bed, and there she is, with her back to me, curled up in a ball, sleeping peacefully. Her arm is over the covers, the bright colors of her ink perfectly lit up by the moon.
I became addicted to the pain.
That there was ever a time in her life that she needed the pain as an outlet for her feelings pulls a sorrow, a longing, from so deep inside me it almost renders me breathless. And the fact that she pulled herself together and became what she is now makes me burst with pride.
I reach over and trace the ink with the pad of my forefinger, smiling when she lets out a soft moan. Her noises are the best music I’ve ever heard. The way she breathes when I’m inside her, the way her muscles tighten around my cock, around my body.
I’ve never been with anyone like her, and I know I never will be again. She’s mine. Callie is it for me, and I know it’s going to take patience while she comes around to the idea, but she’ll get there.
I’m nothing if not patient. Some would call me too laid back, or even lazy, but the truth is, I just know how to bide my time.