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"What?"
"Don’t act like you don’t know." I stomp over to him. "You said you love me."
"I did."
"Did you mean it?"
"It’s what they expected to hear from me."
"Oh." Some of the fight goes out of me. "So, you didn’t mean it?"
He surveys the bottom of his glass of whiskey. "I have feelings for you. I feel something for you. Else you wouldn’t be here. And I wouldn’t have flown down at the first chance I got to be with you. But is that love? Honestly, I don’t know."
I hunch my shoulders. At least he’s being honest, so there’s that. Not that it makes me feel any better. Not like I expected him to fall in love with me so quickly, either. Not that I love him. I mean, I've always thought I did, but maybe I was in love with the idea of him. As for the real Declan, do I? I feel secure with him. I’m glad he’s here with me when everything around me is changing so fast. And he’s only helped me so far. He’s responsible for changing the trajectory of my life. As I did for him. A shiver of trepidation runs down my back. I dismiss it. The one thing I can be sure of is he wants me to succeed in my career. Everything he’s done so far points toward that. As for what there is between us, it’s something I need to work out.
"Okay." I lock my fingers together.
"Okay?" He frowns. "You’re okay with that?"
"It’s not ideal, but I’m not sure what I feel for you, either, so we’re even."
He seems taken aback, then barks out a laugh.
"You surprise me at every turn, Rabbit."
I allow my lips to curve. "Is that good or bad?"
"It’s good. In fact, it’s my turn now."
"Your turn?"
"To catch you unawares."
His eyes gleam. One by one, his muscles relax. The way he looks at me, it’s like a lion regarding his prey, or a rabbit he has in his sights. I swallow. My stomach bottoms out. That familiar hollowness in my core intensifies. I squeeze my thighs together, and his lips curl.
He takes a sip of his whiskey, places it on the side table, then twists open the bottle of water. "Thirsty, Rabbit?"
34
Declan
"I assume the question isn’t as straightforward as it seems?" she murmurs.
I tilt my head. There she is. My smart Rabbit who knows my most innocent questions are also the ones that are filled with landmines.
"It’s whatever you want it to be."
She shifts her weight from foot to foot. A considering look comes into her eyes. Then she nods. "I’ll take it at face value, for now. So yes, I’m thirsty."
I crook a finger at her. She moves toward me without hesitation, then sinks down on her knees in front of me.
"Good girl."
A shudder runs through her.
"Open your mouth."
She blinks, then obliges. I take a mouthful of water, then lean forward and dribble it into her mouth.
