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He didn’t speak for a long moment, but then he nodded. “He will. I don’t doubt it. That doctor’s a serious dick with a shitlist of issues, but I do believe he can help you. Then you won’t have to deal with all of this, deal with me, with horny assholes like Jackson sniffing around you. You can go back to your regular life and normal men who can be with you when they want to be.”
I reached across the table and grabbed his hand. It was currently clenched into a fist. “Just so you know, normal guys are extremely overrated.”
His hand relaxed in my grip. “I’m about as abnormal as they get.”
“Feeling sorry for yourself tonight, Declan?” I asked, my brows raised.
He gave me a humorless smile. “That’s just the problem. I’m not feeling anything.”
“Doesn’t sound like it to me. In fact, compared to the dhampyr assassin I met after getting stabbed in the neck with Nightshade, you’re the emo poster boy for a long list of feelings.”
Declan shook his head. “I don’t know. I have to admit, it does feel different now than when I was on my original serum.” He considered this, his brow furrowed deeply. “It’s just, the thought of you with Jackson, even if you weren’t into the idea...it bothered the hell out of me. And you’re right. He is a womanizer, but it’s like he didn’t give a damn what I might think. Like he was trying to get to me through you. I don’t know.”
“Maybe. I don’t know, maybe he was trying to distract himself from some other problems. Everyone’s got their drug of choice. I’m guessing his is probably sex.”
“You’re right about that.”
“Anyway, Jackson Gale is not here.” I intertwined my fingers with his. “I’m not having a luxurious fast-food dinner like this with him, am I? I’m having it with you.”
Declan leaned back in his chair, pulling his hand away from mine. I tried not to take it personally. “Jackson was right about one thing.”
“Which is?”
“That you’re a woman of passion. A woman who deserves more than this.”
I glanced around the small room. “More than burgers and fries at a seedy motel? The hell you say.”
He didn’t smile at my feeble attempt to lighten the mood. “You said something earlier. I think I want to take you up on it.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“What you said about experimenting.”
I remembered exactly what I’d been talking about. This was coming totally out of left field.
“If you’re willing to be my research partner...” I began.
“I’m willing,” he replied.
I was ready to question him further, to really drill down on how this came about, but I couldn’t say anything because he stood up, pulled me against him...and kissed me.
I’d kissed Declan a couple of times in the days that had passed since he’d been shot full of the permanent serum, searching for a response, and was disappointed when I didn’t get one. But this time he’d initiated it; he was kissing me. And I responded immediately. Earlier I’d decided on a cool shower, but the heat of Declan’s kiss warmed me up immediately.
“Do you really think that...you can...?” I whispered against his lips, not wanting to finish the sentence.
“This isn’t about me, Jill. This is about you. That is...if you want this to happen.” Declan held my face between his hands. “Say yes.”
“Yes,” I said, without thinking twice. “Definitely, yes.”
When he kissed me this time, he picked me up and carried me to the bed.
I locked my arms around his neck. “My hair’s wet.”
“Do you care?” he asked.
I grinned. “Not in the slightest, actually.”
Declan placed me gently down on the bed and began kissing down my throat, filling his hands with my breasts. I could barely believe this was happening.
