I wonder where this is going.
“Anyway, Scarlet said she was cool with everything. I believed her. At the end of senior year, I told her it looked like Westfall U was offering me a full ride, and she said she was fine and congratulated me.” He pauses and watches me. “I don’t know if I should be telling you the rest.”
“Declan, I have a feeling that you need to tell me the rest because somehow this thing is still bothering you and if you don’t finish your story, we can’t get to the bottom of it.”
He nods and chews his lip again. “Okay. It was end of senior year and you know how it is with the excitement of high school ending. People finding out about colleges and everyone is partying.”
“Yeah,” I say. Not that I engaged in any parties.
“We went to a party and I was hanging out with some guys from the varsity hockey team. Scarlet was hanging out with some girls and I don’t know. She took something and overdosed,” he says and I gasp, my hands coming up to cover my lips. “We had to call EMS and she almost died,” he adds and chews his lip again, watching me with such sorrow in his eyes that it’s heartbreaking. “See we slept together a few weeks before that. She assured me she was okay with everything. She knew I was leaving, and we would break up. I was straightforward with her. It wasn’t a relationship I planned to hold on to and Scarlet said she was fine with it.”
“That’s very sad,” I say. Although I’m not completely getting what happened. I also don’t want to push him for more.
“Yeah, it was in the hospital that her friends told me that she was dealing with a lot of mental health issues. She was upset about me leaving but didn’t say anything. Then she almost killed herself because she wanted to relieve the pain she was feeling about me leaving, and I didn’t see the signs, Poppy. I thought we were cool,” he says and his eyes are rimmed red and he looks shaken.
“But how is any of that your fault? She clearly didn’t want you knowing about her personal issues.”
“I should’ve seen it though, you would’ve seen it,” he says to me.
“We are all wired different. Besides, Scarlet was probably embarrassed or who knows what about her situation. She didn’t want you to know but you were upfront. It isn’t on you,” I assure him.
“My friends always say that but they’re just trying to make me feel better,” he says, and my heart really breaks for Declan. The situation clearly scarred him, and he is still living with that fear.
“I do feel bad for Scarlet but what does that have to do with what is going on here?” I ask him, but it doesn’t take long after I voice the question to piece the puzzle together.
“Poppy, I don’t want to hurt you and I don’t want to hurt my relationship with Ryse,” he says and there is pain in his voice.
“Declan, you aren’t going to hurt me.” That’s a lie because I’m falling for the guy. “I know what it’s like for you guys. I’ve seen how hard my brother has been working and I know what it takes out of you to draft to the NHL. I see how nervous you are about drafting, and I know how much you have riding on the line. I never want to be the person to stand in your way. But I am also attracted to you. I’m not one of those girls who falls for every hot guy she sees. Something about you calls to me and we’re having fun here. At least I thought we were,” I say, hoping he’ll jump in and say something.
“We are having fun. And I like spending time with you too. You’ve given me perspective on my life I didn’t have before,” he admits.
“So what’s the problem?” I ask. “Why can’t we just live in the moment?”
“Nothing’s ever been easy for me,” he says, raking fingers through his waves.
“It hasn’t for me either. My first-year course load is overwhelming, I have a part-time job, and I made the school paper. I’ve got a lot of pressure on me too, but I enjoy spending time with you.”
“Last night I wanted to crash your girls’ night,” he says, laughing and sits down on my bed.
I straddle him. “Oh yeah?” I press my lips softly to his.
“I enjoy this a little too much,” he shares, and his fingertips skate up my bare back.
He cocks a brow since I’m sans bra. His hand flattens up my back and moves to my front where he kneads both my breasts. I feel his length growing between my legs as we kiss intensely. His tongue tangles with mine and his taste intoxicates me. His scent envelops me in the best way. I begin to rock against his cock, and he hisses and flips me on my back.
I frown. “What did you do that for? It felt so good.”
“Too good is the problem. I want inside you and we aren’t going there,” he says.
“You’re too much of a gentleman,” I complain with a pout.
He chuckles. “You’re adorable and I promise you I’m far from a gentleman.”
“What if I wanted to have sex?” I ask. Before meeting him a first kiss was the forefront of my agenda but now that he’s opened my eyes and the chemistry between us is combustible, I want so much more.
“That’s a talk for another time,” he says.
Ooof. This man.
His lips move to my neck and he nibbles softly, moving along below my ear. My body is tingling and wanting, and I pull his shirt over his head, revealing broad strong shoulders and thick biceps. I run my hands along his shoulders and down to his eight-pack abs. I still find it hard to believe that of all the girls on campus he’s chosen me. I reach down and wrap my hand around his cock. His breaths quicken and his hips thrust into my grip. His hand slides into my leggings and under my panties and his finger finds my slit.
He groans, “You would feel so good.”
“So do something about it,” I say with challenge.
“Don’t test me, Poppy. Not now when my body is burning to be inside you.” His voice is deep and husky and the want in his eyes gets me even more worked up.
His finger slides back and forth along my slit, and then his thumb rubs circles over my clit and I am a hot mess. Moaning and. . .
“Whoa.” A girl’s voice pulls me from ecstasy, and I hear my dorm room door slam shut.
My eyes open. “What just happened?”
“I think your roommate just walked in on us,” Declan says. “She slammed the door and left but pretty sure she got an eyeful.”
“This isn’t good. She’s… I don’t know. She’s spoken to me about you and the fact that you don’t date,” I wince.
“You didn’t say anything to her, did you?” he asks quickly.
“Do you even need to ask?” I quirk my brow.
He bows his head. “Sorry. No, I don’t.”
“She’s jealous about me getting the spot at the paper,” I say. “And I think she’s a gossip.”
“Dammit. That’s all I need is for Ryse to hear around campus that I was in bed with his sister.” His face scrunches.
“We better get ourselves together just in case she walks in here again.”
Declan looks at his hard-on and adjusts himself. “I would take you back to my room but that could get complicated.”
“We definitely don’t need more complications, that’s for sure. Even though I’m so wet and ready to come right now.”