Dark Steel

by Fable Gray

  She smiled. “Good morning, Miss Patterson.”

  I blinked when she called me by my real name. Shit. I’d forgotten that no one here knew who I really was. But if she knew my name, then I bet Declan told the others, too. He’d probably fixed it all while I was at home debating on whether or not I wanted to give him a chance.

  Declan beckoned me to his office. I followed him. It was just a dozen steps but each one made me more nervous. Every second he didn’t say anything made me rethink my decision to come in this morning.

  He opened the door for me, and a rush of air escaped my lips when I felt his hand brush just slightly on this small of my back.

  “Were you waiting for me?” I asked.

  Declan shut the door and then turned to face me. His eyes locked on mine. “Always.”

  It was just one word, but it rocked me to my very core. Declan took a step closer and I felt my shoulder blades hit the door. If I had any doubt about his continued interest in me, it was dashed away with the intensity of his stare.

  “When did you get here?” I asked.

  Declan held my gaze, steady and unblinking. Then his lips curved in the most charming and devastatingly handsome smile, my knees nearly buckled. “Small talk,” he murmured. “I can do that.” Then he tucked his hands behind his back.

  It frustrated me at the same time it relieved me. I also wanted to take things one day at a time. But I’d already gotten a taste and I wanted more.

  “I’ve been here since four,” he said easily.

  “This morning?”

  “This morning,” he said with a smile. “You’d be amazed how much work you can get done when it’s quiet and nobody else is bothering you.”

  “Aren’t you tired? It was a long weekend.”

  His lips curved again, and this time when he took his hands from behind his back, he moved a step closer. He was close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. “I don’t get tired. Not like that.”

  “Like that? Meaning…”

  “I don’t need to sleep.”

  “At all?”

  Instead of answering, he reached out, his fingers curling around a strand of my hair that hung over my shoulder. He could probably tell by now I was stalling.

  But that wasn’t all of it. It was what he’d just told me—and a dozen other things. I needed those things, those bits of knowledge if I wanted to start a relationship with him. Declan was still a mystery to me even if I seemed to know him better than most and certainly more intimately than most.

  But then his other hand moved and traced its way down my arm and over my hip, moving precariously close to my ass. And suddenly I was lost in his kiss.

  His tongue was persistent, urging me to open for him. When my lips parted, he groaned quietly and backed me to the door. It was just like the first time he’d kissed me, with so much uninhibited need I couldn’t think.

  His hands wandered restlessly over my arms, my sides, and down to my hips before he hauled me against his hard body. His erection pressed into my hip, shocking me and turning me on at the same time.

  When I was able to come up for air, I wedged my hands between us, setting my palms flat against his chest. “Hold on.”

  “That phrase is not in my vocabulary,” he murmured against my neck, his lips like fire on my skin.

  A bubble of laughter formed in my throat, but I managed to stay serious. I lifted my eyes to his. “No, really. I have conditions.”

  His gaze cleared slightly before narrowing on mine. “Conditions?”

  I nodded.

  “Like…a business arrangement? Between us?”

  I nodded and resisted the urge to curl my fingers into his jacket and kiss him again. “I mean, sort of like a business arrangement, but—”

  “Anything,” he said without hesitation. “Whatever conditions you have, I’m amenable.”

  I swallowed another laugh. But this time it was mixed with awe. How could he be so certain about what he wanted? Especially with me? It blew me away, and a sweet pinch of tenderness swept through me.

  “I want you,” I whispered.

  His lips curved.

  “No, wait,” I said before he could kiss me again. “I mean all of you. You have a head start with me because you heard my conversations with my dad. But I don’t know you, and I want to. I want to have a foundation for this, somewhere to start. And something to make us even, so I know where my feelings are coming from.”

  He looked confused. “That’s all?”

  “All?” I asked. “That’s everything to me.”

  He reached up and cupped my cheek in his hand. “No, sweetheart,” he murmured, and the endearment shook me. “I mean, that’s all you’re asking of me? Just to know me better? Most women would ask for money or recognition or—”

  “I’m not most women.”

  This time when he smiled, there was nothing but sweetness and amusement in it. “I know you’re not. And that’s why this is so amazing to me. I see where you’re coming from and I want to give it to you. Let’s build that foundation. And let’s start right now.”

  Chapter 21

  You could learn a lot about a person while they were at work. For example, I learned that Declan was fair but assertive, that he didn't like to waste time—even though he had more of it than most of us—and that he was great at multitasking.

  I could have figured all of this out without shadowing him for the day, but it was wonderful to see it in action. He managed to attend a meeting, look over our project plans, and talk with a business friend in Tokyo all while still flirting with me. And he did that last part in Japanese.

  I supposed when someone didn’t have to sleep, it gave them a lot of free time to do and learn things. Like learn new languages or play the stock market or finish that extra game solitaire. I had no idea what that looked like for Declan, but I was going to find out.

  It was nearly noon before we had a break. After another meeting, we returned to Declan’s office and I walked straight to the table where our plans still sat waiting for us to go over them again.

  Declan joined me at the table with a serious look. “I’m glad you decided to come in today.”

  I gave an amused smile. “It doesn’t seem like you really need me here. Or need an intern at all. It looks like you’ve got it all under control.”

  “I’ve made sure of that over the years. I want to know what’s going on in every part of my business. So, in that way, you’re right. I don’t need an intern.”

  I nodded, a little disappointed. But it was just a fact. Declan had more hours in the day than most, and he knew how to use them well. He didn’t need an intern any more than he needed a flu shot every year.

  Declan propped his hip against the table and folded his muscular arms over his chest. Despite my disappointment, I could still appreciate how he looked at this moment. I could appreciate that he didn’t flaunt his good looks though he knew he had them. I could appreciate that every bit of his body was covered in muscle, but I was the only one—as far as I knew—that had seen what was underneath those suits recently. And, reluctantly, I could appreciate his candor—even if it meant I probably wouldn’t have a job for much longer.

  “I don’t need an intern,” Declan continued, “but I do need you, Royal.”

  I glanced to the table and spotted all my notes spread out over the surface. “Well, sure, the project—” I started.

  Declan shook his head. “No, not just that. I need your mind in here and I need your perspective. I need someone who’s excited about the job—and I could see that you were the moment I started talking about this project. I can tell that you still are. And even the busy work Tim gave you kind of got you excited, didn’t it?”

  My lips curved. “Don’t be so sure about that. It was probably just because I haven’t felt useful in months. Taking time off from school was good for me, and I needed to spend that time with my dad, but I felt kind of aimless there for a while.”

  “I unde
rstand that,” he said. Then he straightened. “But that's another topic.”

  When I open my mouth to ask him more, he held up a hand. “I’ll tell you. I promise. I’ll tell you all of it, I just thought we might want to get lunch while we’re at it. You need to eat, and this would be the perfect time for us to—what did you call it? Build a foundation.”

  I smiled at him. “Sounds good.”

  I turned and leaned over to grab my jacket off the back of the chair, but before I could straighten again, I felt Declan behind me. His powerful body moved like a wall behind me, and his arms curled around me. One hand pressed against my stomach, holding me against him so I could feel every hard line and every muscle.

  “Say you’ll stay,” he murmured in my ear. “Even if it’s just for this project. I need your mind.” I heard amusement in his voice when he continued, “I need your body too, but I’m going to keep work at work—unless you don’t want me to. Then, all bets are off.”

  A delicious shiver worked its way down my spine. I could tell he knew how turned on I was at that last part. And I could feel it when his cock hardened against my ass.

  I swallowed and tried to focus on the words instead of the way he was making me feel. “I want to work on this project. You’re right, it’s exciting to me and it gives me purpose. But I also need to take care of my dad. I need to know that he’s safe and—and figure out what happened to him.”

  Declan turned me around so I faced him. His jaw was set, showing me that he was taking what I was saying seriously. “I need that as much as you do. I want to know what happened with your dad that day and who’s behind it if there was foul play. And more than that, I want you close. And safe.”

  Warmth spread through my chest. I leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth in a show of appreciation.

  “Does that mean you don’t care about keeping work at work because I’m not that hungry…” He kissed my cheek and trailed his lips down to my collarbone. “Lunch can wait.”

  My throat dried. I almost took him up on his offer, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not yet. “Declan.”

  He eased back and scanned my face. “I can tell by your body language that’s a no.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said with a reluctant laugh. “It’s not that I don’t want…”

  “Want what?’

  “You.” His eyes heated, and I hurried on before he could make another move. “I want this, I promise, but I still need to know more about you.”

  “Dinner,” he said immediately with a nod.

  “I thought—I mean, I thought we were going to have lunch.”

  He brushed his thumb on my cheek and then he stepped back. Though I immediately missed the warmth of his body, it was almost a relief. Every time he was close, I was like a ticking time bomb. I was about to go off and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

  “We’ll do both,” he said firmly. “More time to get to know each other. Why are you looking at me like that?”

  I grimaced. “I want to, but I promised Xander I’d be home for dinner.”

  “Then call him and invite him too.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “I want to meet him. He’s got to be a close friend if you’re living together, right?” His eyes narrowed. “Or…”

  “Or what?”

  “Am I off-base here? You are just friends, right? That’s what you made it sound like before.”

  I had to laugh.

  He folded his arms. “Not sure if I find it as funny as you do considering you’re not answering my question.”

  I reached out and set my hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh, but I’m definitely not Xander’s type.”

  He frowned. “I find that hard to believe.”

  “I mean because he’s gay. And he’s… God, he’s the best friend I’ve ever had. We don’t think of each other like that anyway.”

  His body relaxed immediately. “You sure?”

  Amused, I grinned. “We’ve had crushes on the same guys in the past. I’m sure.”

  “Crushes?”

  I waved a hand. “Whatever you want to call it. We’re good friends. That’s all.”

  He kissed my cheek and then pulled out his phone. “Then invite him. We can go to Russo’s since we didn’t get to eat there last time—or I can make a reservation anywhere else.”

  “No, he’s been wanting to go to that place. But are you sure? I mean, I made a big deal about us starting this like a normal couple and building a foundation, and…” My voice trailed off when I saw his lips curling into a slow smile. “What?”

  “You said a normal couple.” He smoothed his thumb over my knuckles and then gave my hand a possessive squeeze. He was making it clear we belonged to each other and no one else. “I like that you’re thinking of us as a couple.”

  “I’m trying to,” I murmured.

  I really was. This was what I wanted. I was trying to forget about last time and let this relationship stand on its own. But all of that felt too scary to tell him, like I’d jinx it if I said anything. Opening myself up like that was terrifying. I had done it before in college and in the process, I lost part of myself. But Declan didn’t know that, and it wasn’t his fault or his problem. I was working through it and taking these steps with Declan was a great start.

  “So call Xander and have him meet us there, or I can have a car pick him up. And we can stop by the hospital afterward and check on your dad. Maybe bring him some leftovers from dinner.”

  “He’d love that,” I told Declan, swallowing hard at the sweetness of the gesture.

  Every time I had even the slightest doubt, Declan went and did or said something so sweet I wondered why I was taking so much time to worry about something that, so far, didn’t have many red flags.

  Declan got on the phone with Russo’s while I texted Xander.

  God, yes, was his simple response.

  With a smile, I waited while Declan also ordered something for lunch, and we were able to spend a good portion of the afternoon eating, working on the project, and enjoying each other’s company.

  And, as he’d promised, he kept his hands to himself. It was a good thing, but by the time five o’clock rolled around, I was nearly crazy with how much I wanted him to touch me.

  He seemed to be too, because he declared the day over and took my hand immediately, bringing it to his lips and kissing it before he said, “Let’s go.”

  He didn’t release my hand when we stepped out of the office, even though Brittany was still at her desk. Whether or not she noticed, she stayed professional and told us both goodnight before we stepped into the elevator together.

  The moment the doors closed, the space filled with a charge of electricity. The same thing I felt every single time we were alone. Like there was a current in the air and he was a magnet drawing me to him.

  Declan's hand squeezed around mine. His voice came out gruff when he spoke. “I don’t know if I can do that.”

  “Do what?” I asked.

  “Be in the office with you every day and not touch you.”

  My body came alive at his words, but I tried to stay calm. I turned slightly in his direction and gave a small smile. “You did touch me. A lot.”

  “Not nearly as much as necessary to get me through the day,” he grumbled.

  Because he had been patient, though, I reached up and cupped my hand on his neck, pulling his mouth down to mine. I slid my tongue across his lips, loving when he groaned softly and squeezed his hands on my hips like he could barely hold back.

  “Royal,” he warned.

  “Thank you,” I said before he could continue.

  His eyes narrowed on mine, clearly unsure what the thanks was for.

  “Thank you for understanding where I was coming from today and being patient. It means a lot to me.” I gave him another quick kiss.

  He captured my hand before I could pull away completely and brought it to his lips. “You’re welcome.”

>   He released me when the elevator dinged on the first floor, only to put his hand to the small of my back. His fingers left tingles wherever they touched, especially when I could feel the heat of his skin through my thin blouse.

  Declan ushered me across the lobby and to the front doors.

  When we got outside and I spotted two Bentleys at the curb, this morning came back to me. Both the conversation with Randy and the other black car following behind us.

  Crap. I probably needed to tell Declan about that. But I didn’t want to ruin the evening.

  His hand moved to my elbow. “What’s wrong?”

  I flashed him a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing.”

  At least I hoped it wasn’t. His eyes lingered on my face, telling me he didn’t believe me.

  One of the familiar drivers from our excursion to the foothills appeared and opened the back door for us. I remembered Declan calling him Parker.

  “Mr. Dark. Miss Patterson.”

  I smiled at Parker and got inside. Declan slid in after me and shut the door. The car smelled new, like fresh leather. I looked over at Declan.

  “I forgot to say thanks,” I told him.

  “I thought you already did that in the elevator.”

  I reached out and took his hand, loving that it was my right to do that now. That I could lean over and kiss him if I wanted or straddle him right there on the seat and lose myself in him. And he’d probably like it. No, he’d love it. I could see already that it was costing him to be patient. He had amazing restraint, but I noticed his eyes traced over my face and my shoulders more than once. I saw his hands clench into loose fists and then unclench each time I was near.

  I wasn’t going to admit it, but it was costing me too. I already had a taste of Declan, and it wasn’t nearly enough.

  “For Randy,” I explained. “I don’t know a lot about what his family is going through, but I do know that they were struggling—not that Randy would admit it to me. This job means something to him and it's going to help his family a lot.”

  Declan looked down at our entwined fingers and nodded. “I know. I talked to him a bit about his family and the situation.”