Chapter Seven

Good Morning

Yuki opened her eyes and shook her head, groaning at the residual images playing in her mind. Declan. Naked. The two of them tangled in her sheets. Flashes of his stormy-looking eyes gazing up at her from where he crouched between her thighs… It was just a dream.

She felt around with the hand of her arm flung across the bed but encountered only empty space beside her. No Declan, and no sign of him still in her room. He’d left rather than face her in the cold light of day.

“Right. Awesome.”

Declan had been so big and warm in her bed last night, his hand casually holding hers, that she’d forgotten to wake up anxious. Instead, she was hyper-sensitive to every whisper of the sheets over her skin. And the gentle breeze drifting across her body made her want to run, naked, straight into Declan’s arms.

Yuki sat up and stretched, planning out her strategy for the day. Now that she was up, she could tell the wedding day was starting out steamy. She’d been sweating. After unpeeling herself from the sheets, she took a quick shower and made herself semi-presentable.

She was due to meet Sinead in about an hour for the important bridesmaid task of preparing the bride for her big day. Not wanting to get dressed in her wedding outfit yet, she wrapped herself in the fluffy bathrobe hanging in the wardrobe and combed out her damp hair.

When she opened her blinds to take in the morning, palm trees waved above the roofs of nearby cabins, but the sky loomed dark and ominous. Was that a bad sign?

Yuki wasn’t sure if Sinead had somehow angered the weather gods, but the stickiness and grey skies posed a potential problem. Her Spidey senses were tingling, warning of an impending storm. However, the wedding party would just have to suck it up. Her own dress was on the short side and cool enough, but Sinead planned to wear a full-length mermaid-style white gown covered with heavy beading and seed pearls.

An hour later, after consuming a coffee and all the complimentary cookies in her room, Yuki marched over to Sinead’s cabin. Still wearing her bathrobe. Who cared if she looked like a disaster? She rapped on their cabin door, then, hearing nothing, clenched her right hand into a fist and banged. Hard.

“Just a minute,” Sinead called out, her voice muffled.

“It’s just me. I can come back,” Yuki semi-shouted.

But just then, the door flew open, and a mess of blonde hair stuck through the doorway, attached to Sinead, clad in a bathrobe identical to her own.

Sinead grinned, her teeth flashing white behind an errant lock of hair. “Hi. Sorry, I um… overslept. Gabriel’s just in the shower.” She pushed the hair back from her face, and Yuki noted the pink glow suffusing her normally pale complexion. Her friend giggled. “Didn’t get much sleep, to be honest.”

Yuki giggled along with her, then stepped forward to speak, lowering her voice. “So, not going for tradition then? The groom was allowed to see you before the ceremony?”

“Oh, aye. He saw everything. I mean, um, we were just discussing wedding logistics.”

Yuki nodded, folding her arms over her chest. “Uh-huh. Seriously, do you want me to come back later? There’s still plenty of time to get you dressed and do your hair.”

“Um, that might be a good idea. My sister, Bridie, is arriving from the airport soon. Maybe we could meet up in the breakfast room in a little while, if that’s alright.” Sinead nodded in the direction of the bathroom. “Gabriel and I still have a few more things to discuss.”

Yuki shook her head as a wide grin stole across her friend’s face. “I’m sure you do. Give him my love.”

Sinead gave an exaggerated wink before closing the cabin door.

Now Yuki was at a loose end, with nothing to do before breakfast except maybe go back to bed. But then she had a better idea. The breeze picked up, making her shiver as she wandered back towards the far end of the swimming pool, past several cabins. One of them had to be Declan’s.

She slowed her pace to check out the items left on the little porches outside the cabins. Kids’ toys? Not Declan’s room. A massive inflatable seahorse? No. A familiar pair of blue men’s trainers lined up perfectly next to the door? Bingo.

Yuki approached his door with a churning stomach and a strong sense of déjà vu. She’d gone to his hotel room the first night they spent together, the week they’d met. It had been Christmas Eve. Sure, they’d had sensational sex, but that night had set off a series of events she didn’t wish to revisit. But her mind spun through them anyway.

Losing her job. Gaining another, more challenging job where she’d had no clue what she was doing. Losing Declan. Moving to a new city where she knew no one. Feeling so lost, she ended up dating men who were totally wrong for her. And staying with one man for far too long, even when she knew in her heart it was over.

She had no interest in a repeat performance of any of those things when her life was already spinning out of control. Except maybe the sensational sex part. That could be fun. Her body heated until she was sweating again as she raised her hand and knocked on his door.

“Hang on, ya fecking tool!” The deep voice rang out from inside.

Yuki blinked a couple of times, and then the door swung open. A tanned, hairy chest appeared front and centre of her vision, and she honestly swooned. God. The man was built. She had to stop herself from reaching out to cling to his pecs. Instead, she laid a hand over her own heart and sucked in a breath. And remembered to lift her gaze to meet his eyes.

Declan stepped back a pace, his gaze flickering over her robe. “Er, sorry. I thought you were Gabe.”

Yuki tilted her head to one side and examined him from head to toe. He looked good in his black boxer shorts and his naked everything else. She returned her attention to his face. “Do you usually talk to your friend like that?”

“Honestly, yeah. He calls me ‘that Irish wanker’, and that’s how you know we’re mates.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Men are so weird.”

“This is true.” He hesitated, his mouth opening and closing again before his next words finally came out: “Do you want to come in?”

“Yes. I think we need to talk.”

Declan groaned as she brushed past him, and she noted how his eyes dropped to her fluffy-robe-covered body as she passed. That was a good sign. It appeared he still wanted her.

She sat on the armchair beside his big, messy bed, inhaling the scent of him in the air. It was distracting. Yuki stared down at her pink-shimmer-painted fingernails, gathering her courage. “Okay. I was just thinking, there’s no reason for us to act like strangers this weekend. I still like you; I think you like me, and we used to hook up. Maybe we could just… you know, hang out. Privately.”

Declan was staring at her when she looked up. His eyes were so blue; if she wasn’t careful, she could easily fall into them and drown. That was depressing. No drowning. Perhaps he hadn’t grasped her meaning. Yuki’s cheeks heated as the silence lengthened between them.

He cleared his throat. “Do you mean sleep together? Just for the weekend?”

“Maybe… I mean, yes.” She thought back to a flustered Sinead grinning naughtily when she said she and Gabriel hadn’t slept much. “But we don’t have to do a lot of sleeping.”

His confused expression was back, along with that crease between his eyebrows. Then if she wasn’t mistaken, when she dropped her gaze for a second, his boxer shorts looked more form-fitting than earlier.

“Yuki, I…” He smoothed a hand over his tousled, gorgeously wavy hair. “I like you. Of course I do. But you’ve just been through a messy breakup.”

She gave a shrug, deciding to put it out there. “I don’t want to think about that right now. I just want to have some fun. And I’d like it to be with you. But I’m sure I could meet someone at the bar later if you’re not interested—”

Declan cut through her words like a knife through butter. “Oh, I’m interested.”

With that, he fell to his knees. Literally. It made Yuki suck in a sharp breath: it so closely mirrored the steamy dream that had woken her earlier. She caught his gaze as he looked up at her from in front of her knees, a cheeky grin lighting up his face.

“Let me show you how interested I am.” His words came out on a deep rumble as his hands came to rest on her thighs.

Her legs began to tremble. “Please,” she gasped.

It was Yuki’s whispered “Please” that undid him.

Declan had placed his hands on her thighs merely to tease her. But he wasn’t made of stone. Except for a certain part of his anatomy that currently resembled a slab of prefab concrete.

Interested. That was an understatement. He hadn’t slept a wink, lying next to her last night, all warm and soft, so close to him that he’d almost exploded with want.

Now, he leaned into her warmth, bending over her smooth thighs, exposed by the bathrobe she wore. He pushed aside the towelling fabric and kissed each of her legs in turn.

Yuki let out a small, strangled sound before whispering again, “Please, Declan.”

“You only had to ask.” He smiled as he met her wide-eyed gaze, then focussed on the task before him.

Declan had planned to take things slow, but this would work too. Remind her of how good they were together, that he was here, now. Yuki had options, and he planned on making it impossible for her to ignore him.

He parted her knees with an insistent push, his thumbs firm on the tender flesh of the inside of each thigh. When he bent to kiss her legs again, he let his hands roam upwards, smoothing over her skin.

Yuki reclined in the armchair, and Declan couldn’t help but sit back to admire the view. “Well, Miss Yuki. What a pretty picture you make.”

He ran his hands further up the inside of her thighs, encouraging her to part her legs. She sighed, letting one of her hands come to rest on his shoulder as he bent forward again.

This time, he gave her no warning but dived straight between her legs and kissed her, the heart of her, like he’d kiss her mouth. He ran his tongue around her centre, tasting her, teasing her the way she liked. Yuki cried out, then hummed her pleasure as he set to work, circling his tongue.

Gripping her thighs, he proceeded to plunder her treasures like a damn pirate. He groaned at the little needy sounds she made while squirming beneath his touch. But he wouldn’t let her go, wouldn’t let her rest. Because he had to make her scream.

Declan had to give her what he’d been dreaming of ever since meeting her again: an orgasm to remember. A climax for the ages. He redoubled his efforts, losing himself in her scent, a floral concoction that made his head spin and his heart trip over its own beat.

Her legs shook under his grasp, and he knew she was close. So he gripped her thighs tighter as he counted down from one hundred in his head. He didn’t want to lose control, not yet. This time, it was all about her.

“Declan! Oh my God…” He glanced up to find Yuki’s head thrown back, her mouth open in a silent gasp as she teetered on the edge.

As his lips closed over her clit, Declan slid his right hand up her inner thigh. Finally, he was touching her most intimate place, his index finger sliding through her secret folds. He entered her with one finger, then thrust another inside before she could take a breath. She felt amazing. Soft and slick, her inner walls gripping him like she never wanted to let go.

Yuki screamed out his name, and he groaned at the way the sound reverberated against his lips as she clenched around his fingers. He kept sucking at her, moving his hand, wringing out the last waves of her climax.

Declan sensed her body relax before Yuki pulled away slightly. He kissed her intimately once more and gently removed his hand. Settled at her feet, he willed his body to relax as a heavy pulse beat in his chest and through his body.

Her gaze cleared as she looked down at him, blinking as if waking from a dream. Maybe she was dreaming, and he was a figment of her imagination. He’d certainly been in another reality for a while.

Yuki sat up straighter and adjusted the robe over her thighs. “Wow. That was… intense.” She tilted her head downwards, watching him silently while he caught his breath. “Do you want me to…?”

Declan exhaled slowly, trying to regain his equilibrium. Somehow. “Er, no. I’ll be grand. Aren’t you due to meet up with Sinead soon?”

Her expression pinched into one of confusion. “But you’re all… I don’t want to leave you high and dry.”

He shook his head. “I’ll be fine. A cold shower’s all I need.”

“But why when we could—”

He let out another slow breath. “Look, have you ever heard of edging?” He shook his head as her frown deepened. “Good things come to those who wait.”

Declan pushed off from the floor and steadied himself on the arm of the chair before standing tall. His erection was quite prominent in his boxers, it was true. When he risked another glance at Yuki’s face, she was eyeing that general vicinity with a look of hunger that would have brought him to his knees a few years ago. Well, back to his knees.

He offered her his hand and helped her to her feet before leading her over to the door of his cabin. “I’ll see you later. We have a wedding to organise, you know.”

“Yes, but—”

Declan closed the door behind her before she could ask any more questions. Yes, a cold shower would be necessary. But all he really cared about was making sure Yuki wanted him more than she wanted her next breath.

So far, everything was going to plan.

When Yuki walked into the breakfast room a little later, she spotted Sinead sitting at a dark wooden table beside a planter box full of delicate white and purple orchids. Her friend waved to her and took a sip of coffee. Yuki straightened her little T-shirt dress and walked over to join her.

Yuki’s head was still spinning after her interaction with Declan. He’d given her one of the most incredible orgasms of her life, left her floating on soft pink clouds, and then, while she was still seeing stars, backed off completely. Didn’t even want her to touch him. She knew he was aroused, but it was as if he’d suddenly changed his mind and shooed her out of his cabin. What was that word he’d used? Edging? What did that even mean?

After taking a seat, she leaned over the table to kiss Sinead on the cheek.

“What’s the matter, sweetie? You look all discombobulated.” Her half-smile evaporated as she studied Yuki’s face.

“Oh, um, I guess I am. Can I ask you a weird question?”

Sinead shrugged, her blonde ponytail slipping over her shoulder. “Of course.”

“Do you know what edging is?”

Yuki raised an eyebrow as her friend burst out laughing and clutched at her chest, almost knocking over her glass of water. “I take it you’re hanging out with Declan again. He’s into all that New Age tantric stuff these days. Ever since he moved to Byron Bay and started seeing that hippie therapist.”

Yuki had a moment of near meltdown at the thought of tantric sex with Declan. She shook it off and refocused on their conversation. “Oh. That’s interesting. But what is it exactly?”

Sinead sat back, tilting her head, and waited a moment before answering. “Apparently, it’s like delayed gratification. Holding off on an orgasm for a really long time, to make it more intense when it finally happens. You should talk to Declan about it. He’d probably explain it a lot better than me. Or maybe he could demonstrate!”

Yuki stared off into space, her thoughts whirling around in her head. Declan wanted to experience a super-intense orgasm with her? Well, that sounded awesome. There was no reason not to make his wish a reality. A wave of heat rolled through her body at the thought.

“Did you and he… spend some time together last night?” Sinead’s question broke Yuki’s trance. Her friend’s half-smile was back, and she took another sip of her coffee while studying Yuki.

She nodded. “Yeah. And just between us, he gave me the most amazing orgasm this morning. But afterwards, he backed off completely and refused to let me return the favour.”

Sinead sighed. “Ah. That sounds like Declan too. More than one woman has tried to get him out of his own head and to reach his heart. There was someone a couple of years ago who really hurt him. He hasn’t fully got over it, if you ask me. It’s almost as if he thinks he doesn’t deserve love or happiness anymore.”

Something sank in the depths of Yuki’s stomach. “Oh. Poor Declan.”

Yuki looked up as a waiter approached to take her order. Food seemed a good idea, but she opted for something simple: a Thai omelette, fresh fruit, and green tea. Her stomach was still unsettled after yesterday’s nausea and the medicine she’d taken.

Her thoughts circled back to how well Declan had taken care of her when she’d been unwell yesterday. And in the morning, he’d anticipated her every desire. But before she could put her thoughts into words to discuss it with Sinead, a high-pitched squeal echoed through the room. Yuki whipped around to face the doorway.

“There she is! How’s my beautiful sister?” A familiar redheaded woman in a green maxi dress dashed across the breakfast room and launched herself at Sinead. They embraced in a lopsided hug, Sinead staying seated, while laughing and gabbling to each other.

Yuki had met Bridie, Sinead’s younger sister, a few times. She was wilder than Sinead and more impulsive, but her heart was in the right place. Bridie had helped to bridge the distance between Sinead and other members of their large family who’d been horrible to Sinead in the past. Bridie looked well. She was more settled these days, not getting into so much trouble, or so Sinead had said.

Bridie took a seat close to her sister and immediately grabbed her coffee cup and drained it. “Hey, Yuki, great to see you.”

Sinead picked up her cup and tipped it upside down to demonstrate that it was now empty. “Hey, get your own,” she grumbled, but with a smile on her face. She plonked the cup back down. “Now that I have my two best girls here, I have something to tell you both.”

Yuki flicked a glance at Bridie, who sat back in her chair and shrugged. Since Yuki was similarly clueless, she shook her head. When Yuki looked back at Sinead, she was positively bursting with excitement, bouncing up and down in her seat.

“Okay, brace positions. I’m pregnant! Not just with one baby, mind you, but two. I’m going to be a twin mumma!”

Bridie squealed and asked when Sinead was due.

“Oh, I’m only just three months gone. Plenty of time to organise my baby shower.” Sinead grinned.

Bridie leaned in to hug her big sister again, whispering loud enough for Yuki to hear the words “Cool Auntie” and “best babies”.

“Congratulations.” Yuki smiled and then breathed out slowly. A tingle of excitement for her friend zipped through her body, followed by the sense that her own world was once again tipping from its proper axis.

Sinead was only a few years older than Yuki, but she was married to a handsome, wealthy man who adored her; plus, she had an education now and two beautiful houses, not to mention her own travel business. And soon, two children. While Yuki had… none of those things.

She was alone, still in the same job she’d had when Sinead showed her the ropes as a trainee flight attendant, and no closer to finding “The One”. Daniel dumped her without warning, and now she had to start over in the relationship stakes. She pressed her hands down firmly on the table, trying not to grip the edge as if it were a life preserver.

After another deep breath, Yuki managed to give the appropriate response: “I’m so happy for you both, Sinead. Gabriel must be thrilled.”

Sinead met her gaze now, tilting her head to one side the way she did when examining someone. She saw right through Yuki; that much was obvious. “Thanks. Gabriel is thrilled. He’s a bit stressed out, you know how he is, but he’s buying little baby clothes and even reading pregnancy books.”

Bridie chuckled. “That’s gold!” She then shot Yuki a kind-eyed look that said she also understood her current situation. Dumped, alone, completely adrift.

Sinead smiled at Yuki again and reached out to pat her arm. “I know you’re having a hard time right now, but you’ll be grand, I promise. Daniel was an arse, and you’re well rid of him. And now you can be an honorary aunt to our twins. You’re welcome to come stay with us as often as you like.”

Yuki nodded and accepted the pot of tea set before her with a murmured word of thanks to the server. Sinead removed her hand, and Yuki poured her tea while Bridie ordered something involving mango slices, waffles, and Thai custard.

While sipping her tea, Yuki worked to identify the full range of emotions churning inside her. She’d thought she’d found everything she wanted with Daniel, early in their relationship. But she’d been wrong. So very wrong. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been cheating and lying, but it had to be months, maybe even years. There was shame, humiliation, disappointment about a future never to be… but also a sense of freedom. She clung to that glimmer of positivity.

While she could hardly envision her life over the next few months, there was something to be said for a blank canvas. A fresh start. She smiled as their server returned with an omelette, cooked just the way she liked it. And as she took a bite of the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted, Yuki decided to focus on living in the moment.

Declan tracked down Gabriel, jogging along the beach. His friend loved to run, unlike Declan, who forced himself to because he knew it was good for managing his anxiety and his health in general.

Of course, the view here made it all worthwhile. The sun broke through the heavy clouds, casting a golden glow over palm trees and the white sand beach curving around into a cove. The sea sparkled: a wash of pale blues and greens that was as clear and fresh as the air.

“Hey, Gabe, wait up.”

His friend was ahead of him, but Declan sprinted along the damp sand to catch up. Gabriel turned around and jogged backwards for a few steps before coming to a stop. “Well, if it isn’t the Irish wanker.”

Declan rolled his eyes as he caught up to his friend and slapped him on the back rather harder than necessary. “Well, if it isn’t the old married dude.”

With a muttered grumble about “Cheeky bastards”, Gabriel turned and resumed jogging at a relaxed pace. Declan matched his stride, and they headed in the general direction of the beachfront bar.

After a moment, Gabe cleared his throat. “Mate, there’s something I want to tell you. Ryan already knows, and Sinead’s telling the girls today, but it’s not general knowledge just yet.”

He glanced at Gabriel, who wore a serious expression of concentration. Ryan was Gabriel’s oldest friend and business partner, so he’d always tell him anything important, even if they didn’t see each other often now that Ryan lived in London.

“Alright, out with it.” He hoped Gabriel wasn’t ill or anything. The man had already been through enough. Losing his mother to Alzheimer’s at such a young age had been especially hard on his friend.

Gabriel nodded. “Okay. Sinead and I, well, we’re going to be parents. We’re expecting twins.”

An exclamation mark screamed in Declan’s head, and he came to a halt. “What did you say? Twins? Is she alright?”

Gabriel nodded, then leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees. “That’s exactly how I reacted when Sinead told me. I thought she was ill, but it was just morning sickness. Man, I was so worried. But everything’s great.”

He stared at his friend. Gabe had it all: a successful business, a beautiful woman who appeared to be his soulmate, and now a family. While jealousy was not something Declan usually indulged in, there was a tinge of green at the edges of his vision.

After a second, Declan shook himself out of his mood. “Congratulations. You’re a lucky man. Seriously, did you make a deal with a demon or something?”

His friend laughed as he straightened again. “Something like that. A few years ago, I promised to do everything in my power to make Sinead happy. And so far, it’s working out great.”

“I’d say so. Maybe I should try that. With Yuki, I mean.”

Gabe turned to look at him, studying him until he felt like a bug under a microscope. His eyes widened at whatever he saw on Declan’s face. “It’s like that, is it? I always thought you two might get back together. She’s a sweet girl.”

Declan sucked in a deep breath and started jogging again. “She is. And I’m working on it.”

Once his friend caught up and was jogging by his side again, Declan continued talking: “I stayed with her last night since she wasn’t feeling well. She’s like a magnet to me. I can’t think straight when I’m around her. But I might have done something stupid.”

“What happened?” Gabriel asked, his resigned tone saying he expected as much.

Declan shook his head again. He wasn’t entirely sure what had happened. “I sort of pushed her away this morning. After she… well, we had a moment, but I panicked. She looked so perfect, and I fell under her spell for a while there. Yuki has a way of making me forget about anything else.”

The pounding of his feet on the sand echoed his heartbeat as they jogged along. Finally, Gabe spoke: “Ryan once said something to me, like we’re allowed to panic or have a mental blip, but it’s important to let someone special know when they’re loved. When they need reassurance, make sure that person understands you’re there. Especially when it’s an emotional time, or they’re going through something difficult.”

Declan nodded at the logic while quietly panicking again, but then he thought it through. He wouldn’t have reacted like that—pushing her away before he could get her into bed—unless he really wanted Yuki. Unless he still loved her. He needed to talk to her. But by now, she’d be helping Sinead get ready for the wedding.

He’d talk to her right after the ceremony. They’d be plenty of time to work things out between them. And then he’d be sure to take her to bed and show her just how much he wanted her. That should work…

“Thanks, Gabe. You’ve actually helped.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” his friend grumbled under his breath, then took off at a hard run so Declan didn’t have a hope of keeping up with him.

“We’re all running our own race,” Declan whispered.

His therapist’s words were a comfort today. Declan wasn’t out of time. He could choose his own path, and the way would open in front of him.