or get the hell out of here. Before he could talk himself out of it, he turned and headed to the door. She’d already decided he was guilty. Of what he didn’t know. Why her contempt hurt so badly he didn’t understand. Maybe because he was raw inside over his parents. Lost even. Everything felt like it was crashing to the ground.
He reached for the doorknob when he heard her voice. “Why?” she asked.
Declan let his forehead rest against the wood panel. He wasn’t sure what she was asking. Why had he been late? Why had he come here? Or maybe why had he called so late?
Without turning, he answered, forgetting anything but what he came here to say. “My mother showed up at my door as I was leaving.” He paused, thinking about the moment he’d opened the door and found her there. “She left my father. After thirty-seven years, she left him and… I didn’t even know anything was wrong.”
Several seconds passed and Declan squeezed the knob, feeling his stomach clench. For some reason, Zoe accepting his words, and allowing him back into her world, mattered in ways beyond the moment. He needed her. Whatever she’d made him feel that night they’d shared, he wanted to wrap himself in it and forget.
To get lost in Zoe and what she made him feel. To forget everything else.
The soft touch of her hand on his arm made his heart kick up a beat and his breath lodge in his throat. Without words, he felt her understanding. Slowly, he turned to face her, looking down into her forgiving eyes, not even trying to hide the pain in his. He didn’t care if she saw. Maybe he should but he didn’t.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I should have listened.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “I should have called sooner but—”
She pushed up on her toes and pressed a finger to his lips. “Shh. I understand.” For a beat, then two, they stared at each other. Slowly, he relaxed, taking the comfort she meant to offer and letting it ease into his mind and body. “Come,” she said, sliding her hand around his.
Declan followed her into the living room. It was clear she’d been awake. The television played on low. A glass of wine sat on the coffee table. Beside it sat a half-eaten bag of popcorn.
They settled onto the couch side by side, bodies turned toward each other. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, her voice low, and without any sign of probing. It was an offer, not a demand.
“What if I said I don’t?” he asked.
She smiled. “That’s okay, too.” Tilting her head, she studied him. “Are you hungry?”
He thought of the uneaten food he and his mother had left at the restaurant. “I took my mother to dinner but neither of us ate.”
“Where is she now?”
“I tried to get her to stay with me, but she insisted on going to her new apartment.” “Wow. She has an apartment already. That sounds pretty serious. She’s given this some thought.” A pause. “Sorry. I don’t mean to push. You said you didn’t want to
talk.”
He gave her a weak smile. “It’s okay.” Leaning back against the couch, Declan straightened his legs. Suddenly, he felt exhausted. A minute later, Zoe snuggled under his arm and draped her leg over his. The soft scent of her floral scent tickled his nose. He inhaled and pulled her closer. Warm and perfect, her body fit his like a glove, and his eyes drifted shut. For the first time in hours, he felt at peace…
* * * * *
Zoe blinked into the sunlight wishing it would go away. Sleep had felt so good. Wait. Memories flooded her mind. Her palm curled on a hard chest. Declan…
Slowly, she rose upward and looked down at him. Unbelievable. They’d fallen asleep on her couch. A glance at the window, where the sun burned through the hole in the curtains, confirmed morning had arrived. She barely remembered lying down. And technically Declan never had. He was basically sleeping in a sitting position. She stared at him feeling awareness stir inside. Clearly, he’d been emotionally drained to slide into slumber so quickly. Truth be told, she had been too. This past week had been hell. Her brothers had dodged her questions much like her father. In turn, she’d dodged reporters from every place known to man. The worst of the bunch worked right by her side.
In slumber, he looked younger. She’d guessed him around thirty-seven, but perhaps not. With his guard down in slumber, he didn’t look like the shark who handled a courtroom with vicious manipulation. He looked masculine. Sexy. Overwhelming in his appeal. What was it this man did to her? Her hand moved of its own accord, palm settling on the new growth shadowing Declan’s square jaw.
Declan’s eyes opened and she smiled. “Morning.”
For several blinks, he didn’t speak. Then his hand went to hers, covering it, and then bringing it to his lips. “Morning.” He let go of her hand and sat up, stretching a bit. “I’m sorry I crashed on your couch.”
She laughed. “I’m sorry I crashed on your chest.”
He chuckled. “I’m not. I slept like a baby.”
“I guess we were both tired,” she said, smiling. “I could use some coffee. Want some?”
“Love some,” he said.
“Great.” Zoe pushed to her feet wondering why her mood was lighter than the night before. Nothing had really changed, yet somehow she felt…better. “I’ll go get it started.”
She made a quick stop by the bathroom, brushing her teeth, and trying to understand why Declan being here didn’t bother her. Men and mornings didn’t mix. Of course, they hadn’t slept together, so the morning after wasn’t quite the same as if they had. She laughed as she dried her hands on a towel. Zoe knew damn well she’d broken out the toothpaste in preparation for a little one-on-one action. She had every intention of making up for the lack of physical play from the night before.
This thing with her and Declan bordered on dangerous territory. One night should have been all it ever was or would be. Instead, they’d both felt compelled to make it more. And now, she had all kinds of emotional baggage and so did he. Of course, he wouldn’t be finding out about hers. It had to be what was pulling them together because Declan was not her type. She bit her bottom lip. Not in an intellectual kind of
way. On a physical level, the man made her ache just thinking about him. He was hot. And now, so was she. She reached for the bathroom door, ready to venture into the risky seduction of Declan.
It wasn’t like she was going at this blindly, she told herself as she headed for the kitchen and found Declan pouring water into the coffeepot. Her eyes lingered on his nice, tight ass and she sighed.
This was definitely an eyes open kind of job.
* * * * *
Declan flipped the coffeepot to on and turned to face Zoe. “Hope you don’t mind. I kind of made myself at home.”
Leaning an elbow against the counter, he studied her. With her long blonde hair falling a bit wildly around her makeup-free face, she looked both natural and beautiful. He’d seen women first thing in the morning, and few looked as radiant and sensual as Zoe. And judging from the sparkle in her deep blue eyes, she was feeling a bit feisty and full of challenge. One he was more than ready to answer.