Ella saw Declan’s knuckles turning white from his tight grip on the steering wheel. What was wrong with him tonight? She had expected some kind of reaction out of her new dress, but this wasn’t exactly going how she’d hoped. He had looked like he was going to pass out when she opened the door earlier and things hadn’t improved much since then. Was he sick? She had caught him staring at her chest a few times before they left her apartment. That was the only outward indication that he had noticed anything different. Maybe different wasn’t always better because he had buttoned her coat up to the very last button. She had to shift around to keep her airflow going. Well, right or wrong, she had gone to this much effort and she was seeing it through. The jacket was coming off at dinner and if Declan was turned off by seeing more of her body, then she needed to know about it before they slept together.
With that vow in mind, she quickly handed the hostess at the restaurant her jacket despite Declan’s attempts to convince her that she might get chilly. He was still throwing reasons out for her to keep her coat, even as the hostess walked away with it.
“Declan, I’m not cold, I promise. I will let you know if that changes.”
Their waiter was very funny and friendly and Ella smiled as he insisted on bringing extra bread and wine to their table. Declan continued sitting across from her in sullen silence.
Finally she had had enough. “Alright, what’s going on with you tonight? Are you not feeling well?”
“I’m fine, Ellie; I’m just tired of watching that jackass look down your dress while he drools all over you.”
Shocked, Ella gasped, “What?”
“Oh come on, Ellie, look at our table and look at everyone else’s. We have enough food in front of us to feed an army. I have never been so well waited on in my life.”
Looking around them, she had to admit that things seemed a little different from where they were sitting as opposed to those around them. “Maybe he just likes us?”
“Oh yeah, he likes one of us for sure and it’s not me.”
She didn’t know what came over her at that particular moment, it was the equivalent of laughing at a funeral, but suddenly the whole situation just seemed funny. She threw her head back and started laughing. She laughed until there were tears coming down her face and Declan handed her his napkin while he stared at her as if she had lost her mind. “I’m . . . sorry,” she choked out, “the irony of it all just got the best of me.”
“Are you going to share the joke or leave me hanging here?”
Ella settled back in her chair and decided to throw it all out there. After this disaster of a meal, what did she have to lose? “It just seems funny that the waiter was apparently the one that I impressed tonight, which was not what I intended.” When Declan started to open his mouth, she held her hand up for him to let her continue. “Suzy helped me pick this outfit out because I wanted to look sexy for you. I want to make love with you, Declan, and I can’t seem to get that across to you. I don’t know if you just don’t want that from me, despite the way that you kiss, or if you think I don’t want it from you, but I do. I dressed tonight to get your attention. I feel about as uncomfortable as I’ve ever felt in my life, and that’s saying something. I did all of this for you . . . but you didn’t even notice it.”
“Oh fuck me, Ellie, I noticed it. I’ve been out of my damn mind since I picked you up earlier, hadn’t you noticed? The only thing that’s wrong with me tonight is the raging hard-on that never seems to leave me since we started dating. For once, I was trying to do the right thing and give you time, but you’ve made it so difficult. I’ve swallowed my tongue over and over tonight watching that bastard of a waiter fall all over you while you charmed him as you do everyone else. Not notice you? Ellie, tonight you’re mine and nothing is going to stop me, not even me.” With those words, Declan stood, pulled his wallet out and dropped two large bills on the table. “That should take care of it.”
Still in shock at his heated promise, Ella allowed him to pull her from her chair and hurry her out of the restaurant.
“My coat,” she said as they practically ran out the door.
“Screw the coat; I’ll buy you another one.” After that the trip home was a blur. The only thing she could remember was the feel of Declan’s hand resting on her thigh as they made their way to her apartment and then, finally, he was over the doorstep and into her apartment.
Chapter Ten
As soon as Declan swooped her up in his arms, Ella wrapped her legs around his waist. “Oh, God, baby. You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this.” His lips slid along her neck and across her throat as his hands moved under her short dress to grip her ass.
She heard a muttered oath as he discovered the bare skin there thanks to her new thong purchase. Maybe dental floss underwear wasn’t so bad after all. She slipped her hands into his thick, springy hair and pulled his lips up to hers. When his tongue staked claim on her mouth without the usual control that she could feel beneath the surface, she moaned in surrender. Finally, their moment had arrived. She knew without him putting it into words that there would be no more waiting unless she suddenly lost her mind and pushed him away . . . not gonna happen.
As he stumbled into her bedroom, he cursed as he slammed his shoulder into the doorframe in his haste to make it to the bed. She didn’t know why he even bothered, at this point she felt like the whole bed thing was overrated. The floor, the couch, or the wall would be okay with her. She loved that he wanted everything to be right and she knew instinctively that was for her. As he gripped her waist to lower her to the bed, she hung on when they were eye to eye. Running a hand tenderly down the side of his face, she whispered, “Don’t hold back with me, Declan. Just show me what you like.”
With a husky laugh, he kissed her sweetly before saying, “There is nothing you could do that I wouldn’t like Ellie. I’ll try my best not to hurt you.”
Ella had to wonder how much of that promise was literal and how much was figurative. She stayed on her knees as he lowered her to the bed.
As he started to shrug his shirt off, she put her hand over his, halting his progress. His eyes flared as she said, “Let me.” She slowly rose to her feet on the bed, holding on to him for support. She smiled as he tried to contain his wince as she teetered for a moment before finding her balance. Maybe it would have been a better idea to stand beside of him on the floor. Soon his fear of her falling was replaced with a sharp breath when she slid her hands beneath the hem of his shirt and ran her fingertips over the smooth, taut skin of his stomach. What was the term that all of the books used—six-pack abs or was it a twelve pack? Whatever it was, Declan had them. Above his naval was a thin line of hair leading to his chest. She was surprised that Declan had such a sparse amount of hair. Of course, it could be because she was still using her hands to see. She didn’t need the light to know when she found the erect nub of one of his nipples. She flicked her fingernail lightly over it and smiled when his body clenched in approval. Growing impatient to see the treasure beneath the shirt, she grabbed the ends and proudly pulled it over his head without strangling him with it. Without thinking, she let out a whistle and said, “Whoa baby, you are hot! You make Daniel Craig look like Pee-wee Herman.” When Declan started laughing, Ella realized she had yet again voiced her thoughts out loud.