Page 77 of Declan

“C-word?”

Declan’s smile went from amused to highly amused, and not for the first time I was struck by how hot he was.

“Yeah, you know, C-U-Next-Tuesday.”

“You mean cunt?”

My nose scrunched and I said, “Yeah, that word.”

“You don’t like cunt?”

“Um, no.”

And I didn’t. Not in any form it could be used.

“Right.” Declan laughed.

“It’s degrading,” I told him.

“Right,” he repeated.

“What? It’s totally crude.”

The door opened and both our eyes went to it.

Zane Lewis.

Just because I’d never met the man in person didn’t mean I didn’t know who he was. His reputation preceded him—both for his looks and skill. Though seeing him face-to-face, I was now wondering if the skills he was widely known for—those skills being on the battlefield—were actually for something else. I knew he was married and had a son. I didn’t think I wanted kids, but I bet his wife would give him a battalion of mini Zanes if he asked.

“You hosting a convention in the hallway?” Zane broke the silence.

“We were discussing the C-word and how degrading it is,” I blurted out.

“Say what now?” Zane cocked his head to the side and gave me a strange look.

“You know—”

“I know what the C-word is,” he returned.

“Okay, so then you know it’s crude and degrading. That’s what we were talking about, not hosting a convention.”

“Jesus.”

“What, do you disagree?”

“Yeah, Autumn, I disagree. Nothing degrading about it when it’s used the right way. As a matter of fact it’s downright hot.”

I’d never thought the C-word could ever be used in a way that was hot, but the way Zane smirked as he explained, I was wondering if he was telling the truth. And then I wanted to ask Declan to try it out and see if he was right.

“Maybe you can refrain from talking to my woman about the right way to use the word cunt,” Declan clipped, and Zane burst out laughing.

He did this for a long time, he also held his stomach while doing it, and lastly, two dimples popped out.

“Sweet Jesus, he has dimples.”

“Autumn,” Declan growled.

“What?” I wheezed. “You can’t expect me not to notice he has dimples.”