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Declan
THE SCENT OF COFFEE filled the kitchen as Declan flipped pancakes. He’d make bear faces for Cody.
“Uncle Declan?”
He looked over to find Cody standing in his PJs rubbing his eyes.
“Morning! Who wants pancakes?”
Cody’s face beamed a gap-toothed grin. “My favorite!”
“Hop up on a barstool, little man.”
He scrambled up to sit and Declan made fast work of a few pancakes to make a bear face. He added whipped cream and some chocolate chips.
“Wow. Thanks!”
“Did you see Miss Elle?”
“Nope.”
Declan sat next to Cody and drizzled honey over his peanut butter smeared pancakes. “What would you like to do today? It’s still raining.”
“Aw, man.” Cody chewed and thought a moment. “We could do charades!”
“If Miss Elle agrees. What else?”
“If it stops raining can we go to the lake?”
“Sure, but I don’t think we can kayak today.”
“We should watch movies! Do you have popcorn?”
“I think so. We could do smores in the fireplace.”
“Yeah!”
“If you’re finished, put your plate in the sink, please, and use the landline to call your folks. We’ll be here another night.”
“Yes, sir.”
Declan stood to clear his own place and found Elle standing in the entrance watching them. A softness filled her expression.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Miss Elle!” Cody cried. “Come and help me pick out some movies.”
“Call your parents, first,” Declan called over his shoulder as he started on the dishes.
“I’m going to use my laptop for some business,” she said.
“No problem. Whatever you need. The wifi password is framed by the entertainment center. Did you want some breakfast?”
“I’m ok right now. I’ll take some coffee.”
“Fine.” He moved to pour, but she stepped forward and rested her hand on his forearm. Shocks sparked up his arm as her fingertips slid across his skin.
“I can get it.”
She stood close enough he could smell the shower gel she used. Desire clenched his abs. He stepped back to let cool air between them. “I’ll just...get you a fresh shirt.”
Color flushed through her cheeks, and he had to take a deep breath. He sped from the room. Get a grip. She’s going to think you’re a lech, he told himself.
Elle turned down charades, but she agreed to smores and movies. She sat on the floor with Cody and hunted through his movie collection. An amused look crossed her face, and she glanced at him sitting on the sofa.
“What?” he asked.
“I see lots of musicals and chick flicks.”
“Oh. My mom’s and sister’s movies, of course.”
Her smile widened to a grin. “Of course.” She laughed. “I suspect you’re a romantic, Declan O’Hanrahan.”
It amused him how she said his whole name when she teased him. Staring at her, he enjoyed the picture she made. She blinked, and her smile dimmed before she whipped back around to Cody.
“I’ll set the fire,” he mumbled.
Crouching before the fireplace, he forced himself to focus on his task and not look at her, watch her, drink in the sight of her. He had it bad.
Once the fire lit, he collected the smore maker and ingredients. Cody and Elle settled next to him. They took turns making the gooey, warm treats.
A sigh passed Elle’s lips with her first bite. The look of pleasure crossing her face made his body heat. Chocolate drizzled over her full lips. She laughed as she wiped it off and sucked it from her fingertips. The breath stalled in his chest. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her mouth.
“Are you ok, Uncle Declan? You look funny,” Cody said, nudging him with his elbow.
“Uh.”
Elle’s eyes rose to meet his. She froze. With a blush, she glanced away. After a moment, she looked back at him and smiled.
He reached for her, brushing his knuckles over her cheek. “You’re beautiful.”
Emotion shimmered in her dark eyes. “Thank you.”
“What’re we gonna watch first?” Cody asked, oblivious to the heated emotion simmering between them.
“Whatever you want,” Declan said, ripping his eyes from Elle’s face.
Elle
When the rain stopped, Declan and Cody ran out to the deck. Elle felt her lack of sleep in the fuzziness of her mind. She poured herself another cup of coffee.
She slipped her feet into a pair of Declan’s shoes and tromped out to meet them. A deep breath brought with it the scent of fresh, washed air. A quiet filled the air, a stillness, except for the sound of dripping water from the trees.
The wet deck wrapped around the side of the A-frame and faced the foggy lake. Leaning against the deck rail, she held her coffee between her hands and watched the two boys play in the yard.
Declan would make a wonderful father. She hoped he would find the woman that met all his requirements. Her heart squeezed with wishes, but she stomped them into submission. She wasn’t that woman, not really. As her true self, she failed. If he ever found out, made the connection between Elle and her real self, she would break several of his requirements. She couldn’t win him either way.
He had a gorgeous build, firm without bulk, lean but not lanky. Perfect. She admired him while he played tag with Cody. He smelled delicious, too, like the woods and the rain and a spicy musk that was his.
Cody waved for her to join them, and she laughed as she moved in the oversized shoes.
“I’m coming!” she called.
“Let me help you,” Declan said with a chuckle. “Elle the Clown coming through.”
He reached for her and touched her hand, stroking her fingers with his as he interlocked their hands.
She tried to laugh, to act natural, while the sensation of his touch radiated through her as if he stroked her entire body. Holding his hand felt like an entirely new experience. With anyone else, it would’ve been an interlacing of fingers. With him, she felt every second, every inch of contact as if time slowed to savor her fingers entwining with his.
“Are we going to the lake?” Her voice came out husky.
Declan’s eyes shot to her face, studied her.
“Yep!” Cody yelled as he rushed ahead of them in the moist fog. He whooped, his coppery hair flopping as he bounced down the trail.
“That’s a scene to capture.”
“It is.” His hand flexed, and she knew he yearned to sketch.
“He’s got your hair.”
“And my freckles, poor boy.”
“You’re a handsome man.”
His eyes flicked to hers with a grin. “Thank you.”
“I’m not telling you anything you didn’t already know.”
He shrugged. “I’ve heard I look like a leprechaun my entire life. Not such a great thing for a teen’s confidence.”
“Are you serious?” Shock filtered through her. Could Declan not know how gorgeous he looked?
“My brother Brennan is the heartthrob.”
“He’s handsome, but that doesn’t make you less so.”
He frowned. “How do you know Brennan?”
Her stomach iced. “I did an internet search.”
“Oh.” His face relaxed. “He’s engaged.”
“How nice for him!”
“Yeah, Freesia’s great. It’s a funny story how they met. He went through a rough time, but they worked it out.”
“I’m glad. And your sister, Shannon? You said she’s separated.”
“She’s married to a local contractor, Lucas.” His face hardened. “I wish she’d tell me what’s wrong, so I could help her. I don’t like how helpless I feel.”
“Sometimes we can’t help.”
“I know, but still. I don’t like her going through it alone.”
“I’m sure she’s talked to someone, a girl friend maybe.”
“Maybe. She and Freesia have gotten close.”
They’d arrived at the lake, and he released her hand. She moved onto the dock in slow, careful steps. The mist drifting over the silver water made a tranquil picture. Hills surrounded the lake. Glancing back at Declan, she saw his fingers flexing.
“Why don’t you sketch?”
“I don’t want to neglect my guest. And I’ve got to keep an eye on Cody.”
“I’ll watch him. Go, sketch.”
The smile that flashed over his face warmed her heart. “Ok. Thanks.”
He turned and dashed back to the house. She laughed over his boyish eagerness.
Cody walked along the shore, picking up stones. She joined him and walked along beside him. He chattered to her about the animals he’d seen in the woods: bears, foxes, coyotes.
“Do you know how to skip rocks?” he asked.
“It’s been a long time, but I can try.”
“Great.” He gave her three smooth stones. “I can do four skips.”
“Show me.”
They skipped rocks, and she laughed with delight when she got the angle and the toss of her wrist to skip three times.
How she missed this, nature. She gazed over the lake, felt the rocks in her hands, breathed in the fresh air. Elle promised herself at that moment, she would regain the joy of life. In her new start, she’d be sure to include camping and hiking and kayaking. A breeze caught her hair, whispered across her face and her legs, almost as if her mother had brushed a kiss across her heart.
Looking back at the dock, Declan sat with his legs hanging over the edge. He’d removed his socks and shoes and submerged his feet in the higher-than-usual water. He sketched, and she wished she had her phone to snap a photo. She wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life.
“Are you and Uncle Declan going to be girlfriend and boyfriend?”
Her face swiveled to Cody. “Why do you ask?”
“He looks at you like my dad looks at my mom. They kiss a lot, though.” His round boy-face clouded, and he threw another rock at the lake. “Or, they used to. Not anymore.”
His pain touched her, but she didn’t know what to say about his parents. She didn’t know them, so how could she reassure him or make promises? “Your uncle is my new friend.”
“It’d be awesome if you were his girlfriend. You’re fun.”
She smiled. “That’s sweet, but we’re just friends.”
“Ok.” He shrugged and moved on to talk about the fish he’d caught in the lake. “We have a lake at my grandparent’s too. And a pool with a slide! You should come to the summer pool party. It’s the best!”
She laughed. “It sounds like fun.”
Looking over the lake, she blinked past sudden tears. Summer was a couple of months away, and she wouldn’t be welcome at the pool party. But she still had tonight.
––––––––
DECLAN STARTED THE fire again, and they roasted hot dogs in the living room. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such fun. Even for Declan’s success and money, he remained humble, and he knew how to enjoy the small things. He savored his time with his young nephew.
Warmth and happiness soothed Elle as she watched the two set up Cody’s wooden train set. She sipped a cup of hot chocolate and flipped through a home decorating magazine while Declan and Cody crawled around on the floor of the living room. It felt right, and she allowed the moment to wrap her in comfort. Maybe someday, she could have this forever.
Cody’s eyes grew heavy, and he yawned.
“Time for bed,” Declan said, picking him up.
“I want a story.”
“Ok. I’ll read to you.”
“No. I want Miss Elle.”
Her heart stuttered. She met Declan’s gaze.
“Would you mind?” he asked.
She shook her head and stood, followed them into Cody’s room. Declan stretched him out on the bed and pulled the covers over him.
Settling beside him, she took the book Declan handed her and began to read. Declan sat in a chair in the corner to listen. She remembered how the nanny had read to her and her sister when they were young. Mia had made different voices for the different characters, thrilling Elle with her stories.
Elle tried to pull up her inner child, buried deep, and put emotion and life into the story.
When Cody’s eyes drifted closed and his breathing evened, she reached out to smooth the hair off his forehead. Glancing up at Declan, she caught her breath over the warmth and tenderness in his expression. But he wasn’t looking at Cody. He watched her.
They moved as one into the living space and sat on the sofa, side-by-side. How could she feel so attuned to this man? He brushed her hand with his, and she turned her hand over to tangle their fingers. The same hot sensation coursed through her, straight to the pit of her stomach.
“Elle.” His voice throbbed with emotion, low and deep. “When we get into town—”
“Let’s not talk about tomorrow. I want to enjoy my time with you, here and now.”
He didn’t speak, and she wondered what he was thinking. Isn’t that the cliché question girls asked their guys? She managed to keep quiet and laid her head against his shoulder. They sat that way for a while, and the rightness soothed her. The warmth of his body next to her lulled her into a sense of comfort and safety.
Declan shifted to face her. “I have to get an early start tomorrow. Is six ok for you?”
“The earlier, the better.” Pain seared her heart, but she forced her face to stay relaxed.
He stared at her, and she sank into his gaze. Reaching up, he touched her hair, ran his fingers through the strands at the side of her face. Sensation shot through her nerve endings, racing tingles over her scalp, down her neck. No one had ever looked at her like she meant...everything. No one had ever touched her with such tenderness. Declan made her feel treasured, cherished.
Taking a breath, she captured his hand in both of hers. She traced the remains of paint, the colorful tinted patches on his skin. She caressed the length of his fingers, one by one, and the smooth edges of his paint-stained fingertips. He had gorgeous hands with long, slender fingers and rounded, trimmed nails. The paint added a layer of ruggedness that was Declan. She kissed his palm.
“Elle,” he breathed with a hushed, tense voice.
She rose from the sofa. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Declan
His body thrummed with emotion, need, desire. Her caress flamed his blood. But uneasiness grew in his chest as he watched her disappear into the darkness. Elle made it clear they had tonight. He wanted more. He wanted all her tomorrows. Something held her back.
The next morning, Elle laughed with sleepy Cody and helped Declan clean up from a rushed breakfast of cereal. He tried to catch her eye, gauge her mood, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze for more than a few seconds. Frustration boiled in his gut.
Loading Cody’s backpack in the car took two seconds. He made sure Cody’s seatbelt set, which took another minute. Elle stood on the porch and hopped from one foot to the other as if she could barely contain some driving need to run. Anxiety rolled off her.
“Ready?” he asked, watching her expression. Something bothered her, drew her face tight and crinkled her brow. She wore her pajamas but kept one of his shirts over the top, unbuttoned and shifting in a light breeze. Her loose hair framed her face in waves. She was fun and sweet and warm. He felt nuts about her.
“Yeah.”
He got in the car and watched her drag herself from the porch to get in the passenger side. For all the nervous energy coming off her in waves, she didn’t seem eager to get in the car with him. “You ok?”
“A little nervous about my day.”
“You get ahold of your boss?”
She looked out the window and mumbled, “yeah.”
“Great. You’ll do fine.” He tried not to stare at her legs.
Cody fell asleep in the backseat. Declan tried to keep a conversation going, but he gave up after her one-syllable answers made it clear she didn’t want to talk. They had a painful, silent drive into town.
She perked up as they drove onto Broad Street, the main street through Olde Towne. Her head swiveled to take in the shops and businesses along the route. “It’s quaint.”
“Yep.” He pointed. “That’s Freesia’s flower shop.”
“Oh! It’s lovely.” Climbing roses surrounded the entrance, cascaded down the exterior brick wall.
He pointed down Harbor Street. “That’s my family’s business headquarters.”
“It’s a handsome building.”
A grin tugged at his mouth. “It’s O’Hanrahan through and through.”
She laughed and started to speak but clamped her mouth shut. What? Her mood changed in that instant, and she fell into silence.
“Here we head to Shannon’s.” He turned onto Willow Road outside of downtown, heading into the historic home district.
Pulling up in front of the Victorian, he put the car in park while Shannon came out with baby Gretchen on her hip. “That’s Gretchen in her arms.”
“She’s darling. Look at all that dark hair.”
“She took after her daddy.”
Shannon whipped the door open and kissed Cody’s cheek, waking him. “I’ve missed you!”
Cody swiped his cheek. “Mom!”
Declan laughed. “He’s had a blast, sis.”
Shannon beamed a wide smile at her brother. “I’m sure you’ve spoiled him rotten.” Noticing Elle, she grew quiet, and her eyes flipped to Declan.
“This is Elle.” He remembered bitterly he didn’t know her last name. That she never told him. That she hid something.
Shannon narrowed big, brown eyes at him.
Elle smiled and held out a hand to shake Shannon’s. “Declan and Cody rescued me from being stranded at the airport. It’s good to meet you.”
“You, too.”
He got out to help Cody into the house and jogged back to the car.
“Next stop, your place.”
Elle smiled, but it looked strained.
He pulled up to a fancy apartment in downtown. “Wow.”
She swiveled in her seat to face him. “Thank you, Declan. I’ll never forget the last couple of days.”
What? He felt his face harden. “Let me walk you in.”
“You don’t need to.”
“I’m walking you in.”
She stared at him, her face drawn with...fear? “All right.”
He kept a hand at the small of her back as they walked inside. What if a guard required her to have an ID? What if some guy came onto her? She wore PJs for crying out loud.
“I called ahead, and I have the report I filed at the airport and a photocopy of my license.” She pulled her laptop from her bag and settled it on the counter of the security desk.
A guard came from a back room and ran his gaze over them. Declan stood back and let Elle handle her business. The guard nodded and pulled a key from a drawer.
“No problem. I’ve got the information you emailed including your rental agreement. I’m terribly sorry your first experience was so troubling.”
“It’s no one’s fault but the thief’s.” She collected her key. “Thank you.”
“Let me know if I can be of any further help.”
She walked a distance from the guard to stand in front of the elevator. “Really, Declan. I’m good.”
“I’m walking you up.”
Anger simmered below his calm façade. He had thought, hoped, she felt the same as he did. He didn’t get that vibe.
Her shoulders tightened, and she turned from him, marching into the elevator without looking at him. The elevator trip felt like an hour instead of minutes, filled with tense silence.
He followed her out of the elevator and down the hall to her apartment.
In front of the door, a change came over her. She put her back to the door and looked up at him. A coldness filled her eyes. “This is goodbye, Declan.”
“Why?” He managed to keep from grabbing her arms.
“I’m not the girl you think I am.”
He searched her face. “What’s that supposed to mean? Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No.” She sighed before straightening her shoulders again. “You don’t know me. Not the real me. You’ve seen me pretending to be someone I’m not.”
Keen disappointment seeped into his bones, spread throughout his body to clench his heart. “I’ve seen you with Cody. I’ve seen you laugh and cry. I feel connected to you, Elle, like I’ve never felt before. I don’t know what this is, but I know you. I know what matters.” He moved closer to her and saw warmth thaw the chill in her eyes. “I see how you feel.”
He took her arms and pulled her closer for a swift, teasing taste of her bottom lip. Their lips parted but only far enough for a breath to pass between them, a breath shared, igniting a longing, a desperation, to feel the other’s mouth again. He knew she felt it when she gasped, and he took the opportunity for a deeper, truer kiss. He moved slowly over her mouth, a gentle coaxing of her lips. She softened against him and kissed him back with tentative sweetness. Elle tasted like everything he hoped for. Desire surged through him as she responded, giving herself to him, and it took all his self-control to keep the kiss light. They had to give this thing between them a chance.
She placed a hand on his chest and pushed against him. He released her, hoping he’d see Elle instead of this confusing creature she’d become.
“I need you to let me go. You don’t know me. If you did, you wouldn’t want me.”
Emotion churned painfully in his chest. “How can you say that after the kiss we just shared?”
“Please, Declan.”
He shook his head and looked at her once more before turning on his heel and walking away. Confusion roared in his mind while pain burned through him.