by Jody Holford
“What I need is you.”
Pulling her against his side so she had no choice but to rest her head on his chest, he kissed her forehead.
“You’ve got me. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not having sex with you because you’re sad or upset.”
She bristled, tried to move, but he held her tighter, closer.
“I care about you, Sophia. I want to be with you. We have another date this week, and I’m not letting anything get in the way of that.”
“Uh, I’m offering to skip to the third date right now,” she said, her tone a little pissed and a lot shocked.
He chuckled. “You can probably see how much I want that. But I also want more. And since it’s the first time I ever have, you’re going to have to deal with that. It’ll be easier if we sleep together when there’s no chance you’ll regret it.”
She was quiet for so long that he wondered if she’d fallen asleep, but then her hands roamed over his chest. It felt like little jolts of fire dancing along his skin.
“Dec?”
“Hmm?”
“Can I at least have a kiss good night?”
In the dark, he found her mouth and kissed her, not even trying to hide the longing he felt. He wanted to do the right thing, but he wanted her to have no doubts about how much he needed her in every way.
When he pulled back, his eyes adjusted to the dark enough to see her looking at him.
“Sleep, babe. We’ll talk in the morning.”
“What if I don’t want to talk in the morning?” she whispered.
“Let’s see how you feel then. I’m getting my dates.”
She laughed. “Yes. You’ve earned them.”
He smiled into the dark and snuggled closer. He didn’t snuggle. He didn’t even know the word was in his goddamn vocabulary. Apparently, Sophia Strombi had the ability to turn him into someone he didn’t even recognize.
“Dec?” Her voice was sleepy and a little thick. The intimacy of the moment struck him as sexy. Probably how she’d sound in the morning. Or after making love. “Yeah?”
“Thanks.” She pressed her lips to his chest, rubbed her nose over his skin, and then relaxed completely against him.
There was a song he liked. He couldn’t remember the name of the band, but the song talked about how the singer never liked a whole list of things until he’d met this one girl. Def Leppard, “California.” It all seemed different according to the singer.
Declan had known this girl her whole life. He’d already decided before Sophia came home that he wanted to settle down and build a life with someone. But thinking it and finding the girl who he wanted that to happen with were two entirely different things. Even when he’d made the decision, he hadn’t known, for sure, that he was a forever kind of guy. Not until Sophia. Not until she showed up all steely determination and grit with an under-layer of sweetness that undid him. She made him laugh and think and want. She was smart, and he loved that little glint in her eye when she was excited about an idea. He liked the feel of his hand holding hers and the way she fit against him as if she was meant to be there. He loved the way she talked about her family with pride even though they’d dented hers. She was loyal and loving. She was what he wanted.
He wanted to be her forever.
Chapter Twenty
Declan was counting the hours until he and Sophia were off work. He had plans to take her out again tonight, and he hoped it would remove the little chip that had lodged on her shoulder when he’d slipped out of her bed this morning without having sex. She’d actually pouted, and it was the cutest damn thing he’d ever seen. He’d wanted to crawl back in with her, but he had an endgame, and he wasn’t screwing it up. He had plans.
Tonight, he’d show her he could handle real.
The afternoon crowd was slow, and he was about to tell Cora to cover the floor and the bar so he could head to the office and talk to Sophia when a guy with a guitar case in hand walked through the door. The guy had dark hair, a little longer than Dec would feel comfortable with. He wore a leather jacket and ripped jeans and carried his confidence as easily as his guitar.
“Help you?” Declan asked, pushing the two beers he’d just poured for the newest waitress toward her tray.
The guy nodded. “I’m Damon Sutter. I have an appointment with Sophia Strombi, the manager here. Is she around?”
Declan smiled. When did she find time for this shit? He extended his hand. “Yeah. She’s here. I’ll grab her, but I’m Declan James. Owner.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Declan gestured to the bar stools. “Back in a sec. Have a seat.”
She was in the office arguing with one of his suppliers. He leaned against the doorjamb and smiled. Her back was to him, and she was looking out the little window behind his desk.
“Well, maybe if you lowered your cost, we’d stay with you. But Bilco Foods is willing to supply us for half that amount, and they’re local. No. No. I don’t need to have a sit-down meeting with you to tell you you’re ripping us off. That’s fine. Not good enough.”
His eyes wandered to her hips, and she placed her free hand on one, cocking it out a bit. Sexy and she didn’t even know it.
“Getting better. Now you’re talking. Fine. Send over the contract.”
She turned as she hung up, a huge smile on her gorgeous face, and then startled.
Pressing one hand to her chest, she laughed. “Hi. Didn’t hear you come in.”
“You were too busy putting someone in their place,” he commented.
“That is what you’re paying me for, isn’t it?”
He chuckled. “That and a whole lot more. You’ve got some guitar-wielding dude here to meet with you.”
Sophia’s eyes lit up. “Yay. I found him online. He’s amazing with a guitar and a mic. I was hoping to schedule him at least once a month. I think he’ll draw a slightly younger crowd.”
“When did you have time to find him?”
She smiled, then checked the buttons on the blouse she wore. It was buttoned up to her neck and had polka dots. He’d never thought of them as sexy, and somehow, on Sophia, it made him want to connect all the dots with his fingers. And his mouth.
Walking over to him, she stopped just shy of touching him. “I can’t reveal my secrets. Unless, of course, you can?”
His brows drew together, and he put a hand on her hip. He wondered if it was weird that he was looking forward to seeing how her body changed. It kind of fascinated him that she was carrying a baby inside of her. “What secrets?”
“Where are we going tonight?”
His grin was quick. “Nope. Not telling.”
“You’re no fun,” she said.
Leaning in, he nipped at her bottom lip. “You sure about that?”
He loved her sharp intake of breath and the way her body pressed closer to his. “I’m sure you could be. If you weren’t such a stickler for the three-date rule.”
Laughter rumbled up from his belly. Jesus, he liked her. “Go have your meeting, brat.”
She moved past him, but he caught her wrist and spun her back toward him so their bodies were plastered together. She looked up, eyes wide, her lips parting on a gasp.
“We’re at work,” she whispered, looking behind them. No one was there, and music pumped from the bar, so it wasn’t like they could be heard.
“I know that. If we weren’t, I’d press you up against the wall and remind you how much you want me.”
She looked over her shoulder again and then all but hissed at him. “As I remember, I’ve offered to let you show me twice now.”
Leaning in, he nuzzled the spot just under her ear and smiled when he felt her shiver. “Not yet. But I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”
When he pulled back, he was pleased to see her eyes were as lust filled as he felt. “You’re lucky I believe you can deliver on that promise, Declan James.”
Stroking a hand down her hair, he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. “You
’re worth the wait, Sophe,” he said quietly.
Her gaze softened, and Declan stepped back. “Better get out there and meet your musician.”
She nodded, but her eyes were a touch shiny, and her smile had gone shy. Just her expressions could undo him, so he hoped like hell he could pull it together before he took her out tonight. Holding her off when she was so clear about wanting him wasn’t easy. But as he’d said, she was worth the wait.
…
If he’d been nervous the other night, it paled in comparison to how he felt pulling into Adam’s driveway. He turned the car off, but before he could get out, she came around the side of the carriage house. He got out anyway and met her halfway.
Dressed in a puffy blue jacket, a colorful scarf, and boots that were somehow functional and sexy, she looked like a model for a winter catalog. How to be sexy in the snow. Jesus. He had it bad.
“Hey,” she said.
He took her hand and walked to the passenger side. “Hey yourself. I would have come up for you.” He opened the door and waited until she was seated before shutting it and rounding the hood.
When he got in and started the car, she was grinning. “My seat is warm,” she said.
“I turned on the seat warmer on the way here.”
“Hmm. I forgot my score card, but that would be worth extra.”
He laughed and backed out of the driveway. “Since the speed dating thing was your idea, you should know it’s not a score card.”
It surprised him how much he wanted to put his hand on her thigh or pull her hand to his just so he could touch her. Instead, he gripped the wheel and focused on the road.
“Okay, well, there’s a box that says you want to see them again and so far, so good. Where we are going?”
She smelled like vanilla and something uniquely Sophia. Dec could bury himself in the scent and still not get enough.
A swarm of birds—not delicate fucking butterflies—took off in his stomach. He hoped like hell he wasn’t crossing a line. “You’ll see. Tell me about the musician.”
Sophia angled her body toward him, the seat belt not slowing her animated gestures. “He’s got several songs that are popular on Spotify. He’s from Rockport but has friends in the area. I actually heard one of his songs just in a random mix and looked him up. I contacted him, asked if he was interested in a regular gig, and he agreed. The cost isn’t too bad, and I was thinking we could run a special on his nights to increase revenue.”
Dec smiled, gave her a quick glance, then looked back at the road. “You love this stuff.” If her family had ever witnessed her actually doing what she did so well, maybe they’d understand why being in the restaurant wasn’t enough.
“I do. I like organizing and making things happen and watching them come together. Our Facebook page has over two hundred likes so far, and I’m going to talk up the Match More Night. Taylor texted me and said she told a bunch of friends about it as well, and she put a link to the event on her social media page for the Inn. Colton’s poutine special is a huge hit, and once you get your beer on tap, I’d like to combine the two.”
Declan laughed. He’d had some serious doubts about trying Colton’s gravy and cheese curd-covered fries. His cook had claimed it was a Canadian favorite, and Dec had tried it more out of loyalty than desire. And it was freaking delicious. He loved the idea of pairing it with his beer. Hopefully, that dream wasn’t in the trash. Damnit, Marcus.
He shook his head, clearing the negative thoughts, and took a left on McGuire. He felt Sophia’s curious gaze as she tried to work out where they were going. Most of the trendy restaurants were in the other direction. At least the ones in Brockton. But he hadn’t taken the exit to head out of town, either, and he knew it was driving her nuts trying to figure it out.
“Girl like Taylor shouldn’t need to speed date,” he said.
“You can’t have that attitude,” she said. She reached out and put her hand on his arm, and despite having a jacket on, he felt warmer just knowing she was touching him. “People like Taylor are exactly the right market. Young, attractive, and don’t want to date just anyone. She’s got a friend group that is mostly couples and probably wants the same for herself. But on the other hand, she also works full-time and takes care of her mom. This is perfect.”
It didn’t sound bad, but it wouldn’t be his preference. He didn’t need four minutes at a table to know if he wanted to know a woman better. Hell, he’d only seen the back of Sophia and wanted to know more the second he’d laid eyes on her.
“You could be right. I’m definitely curious to see how the event goes. Speaking of, Marcus texted and said he wasn’t ready to roll out the beer at Pop’s yet.”
Sophia sighed, loudly. “I’m sorry.”
He reached for her hand without taking it. “I want to do it at On Dec anyway. I really think your family is going to come around. I’m not waiting on this just because Marcus has his panties in a knot.”
When she laughed, it was missing the lightness he wanted her to feel. He kept his hand on hers even when he turned into the massive superstore parking lot.
“We’re going shopping?”
Declan said nothing as he found a spot but knew when she realized what was up, when she saw the children’s store.
“What are we doing?” Her words came out in a whisper, making his heart do a two-step.
Hopefully he wasn’t completely off the mark with this idea. Declan turned off the truck and undid his seat belt, turning to her. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting his thumb linger on her cheek.
“I thought it would be fun for you to register here. Your family is going to come around. Adam and Meg know about the baby, which means Stella, Zach, and Taylor will, too. One of them, if not your sisters, will end up throwing you a baby shower.”
His heart went into bypass just waiting to see her response. His breath wouldn’t leave his lungs.
Sophia looked out the window then back at him. “You brought me to a baby store for a date?”
Swallowing the thickness in his throat, willing himself to breathe, he muttered, “Yeah.”
Tears welled in those gorgeous eyes, but they didn’t slip over. At least, he didn’t see them slip because she launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck. “I didn’t even think of this. I can’t believe you did.”
He wrapped himself around her and tugged her closer, careful of the console between them, his breath coming freely now. “You’re not mad.”
“I have no idea. I’m freaking out a little because I forgot about this part. I’ve been so worried about just getting through that I haven’t even thought about buying actual baby stuff.”
She pulled back, and, thankfully, she didn’t look mad. She looked a little like he felt—overwhelmed. Bringing her hands to his cheeks like he had done to her, she shook her head, eyes wide.
“You are a weird man, Declan. I can’t believe you want to do this.”
He chuckled, pretty sure she hadn’t given him a compliment. Leaning closer, pressing his forehead to hers, he stroked his hands over her back. “I’ve never been in a situation like this, so cut me some slack. I just want to be with you, Sophe. I want to show you I can handle real.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I figure this is about as real as it gets. I’ve never been in one of these stores.”
She laughed. “I get to be your first.”
His heart jumped back in the game, nearly pounding out of his chest. He had to bite his lip so he didn’t tell her he wouldn’t mind if she was his last.
“Promise you’ll be gentle?” He kissed her nose.
“We’ll go slow. And stick together.”
She hesitated, and he didn’t rush her by asking why. Instead, he just let the air and their heartbeats settle.
“I should have a list of things I need. But what’s the point of a list when I need everything.”
“There’s time.”
She nodded and looked out the windo
w at the store. When she glanced back at him, her expression was hard to read. “I thought this moment in my life would come differently, you know? Being pregnant. Having a baby. Nothing is turning out like I thought it would.”
Declan loosened his jaw. “Things rarely do. But maybe that’s okay.”
She bit her lip, blinked several times in a row, and then gave him a watery smile. “Maybe it is.”
They got out of the truck and met around the hood. His nerves settled. Mostly. He still wasn’t too sure about strolling around a baby store. As they entered, he waited for his fight-or-flight instincts to kick in, but they didn’t.
“Oh my God, Dec,” Sophia said, coming to a stop in the front of the store.
When he looked down, he realized he’d been so worried about his own feelings, he hadn’t even thought of hers. And she looked ready to flee. For some reason, that calmed him. It made him realize that it was okay to be scared. It wasn’t a sign that he’d disappoint her. Even if he’d been prepared for this moment his whole life, he would have felt nerves. When Charlie was born, Adam had been a wreck. Declan never knew people actually read manuals front to back, twice, but that’s what his friend did with the car seat instructions.
He turned to face her, nudged her over a bit so they weren’t blocking anyone. “What’s the matter, babe?”
Her worried eyes met his. “I’m going to be someone’s mom. It’s not like I didn’t know that, but what if I’m a horrible mother? My own mom won’t even talk to me.”
Declan’s heart squeezed painfully. He pulled her close, looped his arms around her waist. “She will. Don’t worry about that right now. You’re going to be an amazing mom, Sophe.”
She looked at him like he’d said he’d do the labor for her. “I’m flighty.”
He laughed. “You’re brave.”
“I’m unreliable.”
“Like hell you are. You show up every day at the pub ready to give your all. If your family needed you, you’d be there in a heartbeat.”